Measuring fork oil, without collapsing

[hwindle]

Just changed my seals, and I have progressive springs. I searched this site for a couple of hours and the threads I saw all said the stock amount of oil was good for the progressive springs also, so that is what I put in, along with 3/4" long PVC spacers, and 20 W oil. Then I found some posts that said the amount of oil should be 350 ML instead of 382 or so. And the way to tell was to collapse the forks, with springs out,  and measure to 140 MM, instead of the stock 99 MM. By my calculations that is about 1-5/8" less oil.

The forks now act like the ones on my Buell, instead of like a bicycle. They are stiff. I put a wire tie around the upper fork tube, and lifted the front end off the ground and put it against the dust boot. Then I sat on the bike, and measured how far the tie moved. It was 1-1/4", which seems to be in the proper range for sag. Then I drove it down my dirt driveway, which used to really shake the bike. It was quite smooth, but when I got back, the forks had only moved 1-3/16" from the static sag point. It's been raining so I haven't been able to get it on the road yet, but I think they used to come close to bottoming out before.

Here are the questions.
1. I measured the oil level with springs in, and wheel off the ground. I know that is not the way they say to do it, but why would that not be more accurate, as the springs could have a slightly different amount of metal from side to side. With the 382 ML(more or less) of oil, it measured right at 5-1/8" from the top. One side had a little more oil, so I took an aquarium ail hose and sucked out some oil to make them both the same-@ 5-1/8".
I saw a post here where someone had asked what this measurement should be, but no one answered him. Besides being much easier, as you don't have to take out springs covered in oil or jack the front wheel up, why would this not be more accurate?

2. If I have too much oil, which I think I may because the forks may be a little too stiff, why can't I just take out the oil until the level drops 1-5/8" more than what it is now? That would make my level at 6-3/4". I should be taking out around 32 ML of oil. I realize that 1-5/8" of oil level without springs would be more oil than that same level with springs, since the springs take up space. But if I take out the 32 ML I should be right- correct? And then I can measure the height of the oil and know the easy way to get your level right.

3. The Clymer book says the fork travel is 4.7". My drive way test showed they have moved 2-7/16" of their travel, or about half. Hitting a pot hole or bump at speed will undoubtedly move them more. Does this sound like too much oil? I feel the forks should never bottom out, unless in an accident, right? But how close should they come?

[sledge]

There is no easy answer to this, I think it would be hard to say given all the variables. The Suzuki figures are based on the stock springs so forget them. The progressive springs might take up more (or less) area inside the tube than the stockers and the spacers certainly will reduce the amount of free volume in the tube. This in effect will result in less oil being in the tubes than Suzuki recomend despite it being at the level they recomend. In addition the spacers and new springs will have an effect on the `feel`. I think its going to be a case of trial and error until you find a `feel`you are happy with. I would start again, remove each leg and drain all the oil out, then add a measured and equal amount to each leg, try it for a week or so, make notes etc then add more... say 5cc, then make more notes etc and just keep trying it till you find a setting you are happy with. Start low, its easier to fill than drain and use a syringe with your flexible hose if you want to draw oil off so you can keep it accurate. Bear in mind you have to have a miniumum amount of oil in the tubes to lubricate the bushes.