Cheap suspension upgrade...

[El motociclista]

Will it really help? http://gstwin.com/making_fork_spacers.htm

Also, will putting in 15w fork oil add to any improvements this modification might make? How 'bout 15w fork oil by itself with the stock springs?

I already went out and bought the 15w fork oil as well as some PVC pipe that I will cut down to use as spacers but wanted to hear your opinions.
I would just buy some after-market springs but I'm saving to attend school in Mexico for four months (Spanish language school)...so cheaper and not as good is acceptable at the moment. Hence, no aftermarket progs or straight-rates for me right now.

[dgyver]

A recent thread on the same topic...

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=41426.0

[El motociclista]

Dgyver,
What about the addition of 15w fork oil as compared to the 10w? Will that make any difference?
Also, it's true that you'll have less distance for the springs to compress b/c of increased pre-load but won't it help prevent to begin with the front diving on mild-hard breaking or going over bumps, etc. I'm not looking for a drastic improvement. I know I won't get that w/ this mod. But even a slight improvement would be welcomed.

[mojonixon]

I am going to try the extra preload spacer, I figure for a few bucks and a afternoon in the garage its cheap enough to at least give it a shot. The decreased travel is true, but I live in the city with well paved roads so that is not a concern for me. My thoughts on thicker oil is, it should help I mean the theory behind thicker oil is to slow down the compression and rebound stroke right? I have close to 2000 miles on my 07 and have yet to see any cupping of the tread, I would think that tire pressure would play a bigger picture in that problem.

[dgyver]

Heavier weight oil will slow down the bottoming.

Improper suspension will cause tire cupping.

[ben2go]

Heavier weight oil will slow down the bottoming.

Improper suspension will cause tire cupping.

Dgyver and I found that out on my bike after I got it.My tires looked more like a saw blade than a tire.

[The Buddha]

Heavier weight oil will slow down the bottoming.

Improper suspension will cause tire cupping.

Heavier oil will slow down the thing comming back up just as much as it will slow down the compressing. I believe you are just changing the parameters that will cause it to bottom.
If one bump causes you to compress a certain distance with 10 wt oil lets say, with 20 wt oil, you will compress less with that 1 bump and compress slower, however you also recover slower, so you hit a series of small bumps the suspension will progressively compress till you compress the same amount. OK its a less likely scenario (just dont run over a rumble strip ...    ).
And yes improper suspension will cause all sorts of crap to happen to your tire.
Cool.
Buddha.

[El motociclista]

Heavier oil will slow down the thing comming back up just as much as it will slow down the compressing. I believe you are just changing the parameters that will cause it to bottom.
If one bump causes you to compress a certain distance with 10 wt oil lets say, with 20 wt oil, you will compress less with that 1 bump and compress slower, however you also recover slower, so you hit a series of small bumps the suspension will progressively compress till you compress the same amount.
Cool.
Buddha.
[/quote]

Hmm, good to know. Thanks.
Dgyber, Ben2go, thanks for your input as well. I'm going to go ahead with the modification. If I don't like it, it's a very easy thing to undo (well, the spacers more than the oil).
I'll post here after I have some time on the new set-up to see if I can detect any change in the suspension.