I forgot how good new forks feel...

[The CyberPoet]

Aaaaahhhhh! Increadible!
Just picked up the bike from the shop from the front fork R&R (replace pretty much all the internal parts, the oil, the seals, and shoved in Ohlins fork springs) and it's just increadible... What's brake dive? Oh, maybe if I stoppie... well, that's like a 1.5" brake dive. Whoa Betsy!



Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Kat-A-Tonic]

I've clocked about 10,000 miles on my Kat. Would a fork spring upgrade be worthwhile or should I wait? The front seems stable enough for me. Also, how does the Ohlins springs compare to stock?

[Black_peter]

The shop did his forks!!


newbie!!!

[Mojoe]

The shop did his forks!!


newbie!!!

ya...what's up with that?

[Mojoe]

The shop did his forks!!


newbie!!!

ya...what's up with that?

nevermind....i know why. he gave it up in the oil change thread. he sends his bike off to the shop so he can sit around the pool and watch the co-eds.

[The CyberPoet]

I've clocked about 10,000 miles on my Kat. Would a fork spring upgrade be worthwhile or should I wait? The front seems stable enough for me. Also, how does the Ohlins springs compare to stock?

How much do you weigh, and does the bike dive more than you want when braking? I know that a lot of it in my case was the fork oil -- I had gone too long without changing it (because it is the one bit of work I farm out) and could tell by being able to feel things like the edge of raised painted stripes on the road...

The shop did his forks!!
newbie!!!

ya...what's up with that?

nevermind....i know why. he gave it up in the oil change thread. he sends his bike off to the shop so he can sit around the pool and watch the co-eds.

There are certain things I don't do because I think paying to have them done is easier than the headaches of doing them... combination of tools, work space (condo porch), ambient weather (hot as your summer). So far that list is fork rebuilds and VAG-brand CV joints. The rest is my doing... I could have built a support stand, yanked them off, done the work (I've done it for other bikes in the past) -- but I don't want the clutter of trying to figure out where to store another stand (even broken down), don't want the hassles of this particular work myself.
And yes, I spent both yesterday and today surrounded by a bevy of beauties

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[md86]

Gee , I bet the Ohlins springs have NOTHING to do with how the "new" forks feel ...

[The CyberPoet]

Gee , I bet the Ohlins springs have NOTHING to do with how the "new" forks feel ...

Actually, I'm planning on posting pics of the two springs next to each other. The OEM Suzuki spring is progressive rate for about 30% of it's length before it becomes steady-rate, while the ohlin is steady-rate all the way down it's length. That makes a huge difference -- something that will be readily apparent in the pics.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Anonymous]

Wow Cyber...sorry you'd forgotten how a good fork feels...glad you're back in the saddle!

[Kat-A-Tonic]

[quote="The CyberPoet"]

How much do you weigh, and does the bike dive more than you want when braking? I know that a lot of it in my case was the fork oil -- I had gone too long without changing it (because it is the one bit of work I farm out) and could tell by being able to feel things like the edge of raised painted stripes on the road...

I weigh about 160 lbs and the bike doesn't dive much when I brake. I can probably wait a while before replacing them. I was just wondering if the Ohlins fork shocks were significantly better than the stock ones.

[The CyberPoet]

I weigh about 160 lbs and the bike doesn't dive much when I brake. I can probably wait a while before replacing them. I was just wondering if the Ohlins fork shocks were significantly better than the stock ones.

IMHO: Yes, the Ohlin fork springs are significantly better... or I wouldn't sell them (nor have Ohlins all around on my personal bike). The Ohlins fork springs are about 15% stiffer than the highest rate portion of the OEM spring, meaning the front end doesn't tend to compress as far under braking or bumps, and road-contact for the tire (after the wheel comes up from a bump) is reasserted faster, improving tire-traction under most real-world circumstances. Pitching of the bike under breaking and the time it takes to "stabilize" the chassis after upsetting the suspension (bad pavement, braking dive, etc) is reduced, which means you're capable of later braking as you head towards a turn...

The only down-side would be if you ride very rough/bad pavement regularly -- the stock springs should do a better job of minimizing the amount of road-feedback you'd get.

For a typical "commuting" rider under 180 lbs in an urban & suburban environment, as long as you stay atop the oil & seal change interval on the front forks, you may never need the difference (not that you couldn't tell the difference, in the same way a Lexus rides different than an Chevy cavalier). If you're not pushing it hard, and/or you don't feel you'd rather have less dive under heavy braking, then save your $130 that the upgrade would cost and spend it elsewhere

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet