How far can you push your forks down by hand?

[hwindle]

I just got done doing seals, and putting 20 W oil in with progressive springs. I had posted a couple of days ago about the amount of oil, and being able to measure it without removing the springs and having to compress the forks. I removed around 30 ml of oil from the forks, which should get me to the 350 ML that progressive calls for, since I started out putting the 380 the book calls for . That took my oil level down to 7" from the top, with wheel off the ground, and springs still in, forks fully extended. It's real easy at this point to get both sides exactly the same with the condition that they work under, i.e. springs in. I would think that if you had the springs with the tightly wound end at the top or the bottom, then this measurement may change a little. I think mine have the tight part at the bottom, but I never pulled them all the way out.

My sag is 1-1/4" with me, 210 lbs, sitting on it. When I hold the front brake, and push down on the forks as hard as I can, I move the forks 1-3/4"more than static sag. Before I removed the 30ML of oil, I could only move them 1-3/16". This is easily measured by putting a zip tie around the fork leg, moving it down to the dust cap, and then measuring to the first part of the triple clamp. Taking the bike out and hitting a bunch of raised man hole covers, I only moved the forks 1/4" more than bounching it, before I removed the 30 ML of oil. That was one reason that I decided I had too much oil. Before it would bottom out by just looking at a bump.

I know that some of you have race bikes, some set up with progressive springs like mine, and some stock. Can I get some of you to measure yours?

[hwindle]

Come on now, can't anybody tell me what yours forks are doing? I didn't check mine before working on them, but as I remember, you could bottom them out just bouncing on them. I know they bottomed out hitting a small bump at low speed.

What I really would like to know is how the guys that race have their forks set up.

Harry

[Trwhouse]

Hi there,

Here's what I use on my 1991 GS500E....

I am running a set of Progressive Suspension fork springs.
I use:
When I drain and refill the forks:

11 oz. of 15 wt. fork oil in each leg, which measures in at 5.5 inches from the top of the fork tube with the springs REMOVED and the fork leg FULLY COMPRESSED into the outer fork leg lower.

My 11 oz = 325 ML, so perhaps you have too much fluid in there. You said you have 350 ML in the legs.


With these specs, my bike's front suspension action is great.
I hope it helps.
Yours,
Todd

[coll0412]

Sweet Idea with the zip-tie, will have to use that to measure static sag without a helper