Job 1 completed!!! - new Progessive fork springs and 15W oil

[conradvr]

The Progressive Suspension springs arrived yesterday.  Picked them up with some new 15W fork oil.

Notes:
1. I chose to install the springs with the denser part of the spring at the bottom of the forks.  Why?  I like to keep as much of the mass as low as possible.  The instructions said the springs will work the same both ways.
2. Filled the new 15W oil to the 140mm mark as per the instructions.  Also I didn't use a 3/4" pvc spacer as the bike has adjastable preload - this gives more than firm enough ride for my weight 100kg, 6ft tall.
3. Thanks to those posters here at GStwin and those that put the time and effort into maintaining some of the other useful GS sites with technical and mod info.
4. Would have taken staged photos to post but the camera stuffed up

The Install:
This morning after breakfast, started working on the bike.  Removed the front wheel and removed the right fork first.  Realised then that I do really need a bench vice so a quick trip to the hardware store.  Returned, fitted the bench vice and clamped the fork.  Removed the fork cap bolt with much antcipation of it going flying across the garage - but wasn't too bad, however I did make a note the wind out the adjastable preload on the next one!!!  Drained the fork oil out - it was blacker than black.  Put the fork upside down and raced back the hardware store to get the spacer material (forgot this the 1st trip).  Filled the fork with the new 15W oil to 140mm from the top as per instructions.  Inserted the new progessive spring and decided to not use a 3/4" PVC piece for preload given the bike has adjastable preload (ie. wasted that 2nd trip).  With renewed confidence I started to remove the left fork -- the rule that in every job there MUST be a challenge is still universal, with a lot more effort I got the fork out due to difficult fork clamps!!  Did the same for the second fork and installed both into the bike, use a torque wrench to tighten all bolts etc.  Double checked all parts where installed and secured.

The Ride - 1st impressions:
With the max amount of preload I took the bike for a quick spin round the block.  A big difference, the amount of brake dive is greatly reduced and the ride wasn't much more harse than the OEM springs.  My wife then took the bike for a ride as she rides the GS more nowdays, and her opinion was "I can corner much better, it feels a lot better..." --- so I guess thumbs up  

Next:
Look for a SV pipe, get some K&N airfilter pods, rejet plus timing advance mods.

Cheers
Conrad

[JohNLA]

Thanks, for the write up
How do I get fork caps with pre-load adjusters? Do they come stock that way, in the UK?

[pantablo]

Do they come stock that way, in the UK?

Yep. they do. I asked Lev and the boys over at www.gs500e.co.uk and they've had them for years.

[JBix]

I see a new mod coming on...

[JohNLA]

I wrote them again and apparently there is not enough room on the 01 and up models to fit them under the bars. It would require clip-ons

[conradvr]

On Saturday I fitted the new progessive springs and replaced the fork oil with 15W oil on the '96 GS500.  1st ride impressions round the block indicated that they made a significant change to the bikes handling.  So on Sunday my wife and I headed out for a longer ride.

We were due at a barbeque around 1 pm at Kalangar north of Brisbane, Australia.  So a quick look at the map and the route was picked.  Head up through the city, out towards the Gap and up Mt Nebo, across the ridge for a coffee stop at Mt Glorius.  Then back track a few kms and take the turn off to Samford via Mt Glorious Rd, from Samford head north out to Dayboro and up and over Mt Mee towards Woodford, then turn right and come into Kalanagar from the north... of course we could have taken the motorway North from our house but where's the fun in that!

So after some city, country, mountain, smooth and rough road riding my wife's verdict is (I was on the Viffer):  Well worth the cost and time (even if it meant I didn't work on the kitchen cupboards on Saturday).  The bike is more sure footed on bumpy roads - doesn't tend to 'rock' as much. She feels more confident tipping into corners and once the bike is leant over.  Also braking whilst desending the mountains and other braking is much easier and can be done more aggresively with the significant reduction in front dive (also made the bike more forgiving of downshifting too early).  The plus is the comfort whilst straight up hasn't been compromised with too stiff a ride jarring the rider (we have the preload set at max)

Cheers
Conrad

Map link for those that are interested  --

http://www.whereis.com/search/email_map_redirect.jhtml?id=288255

[JBix]

I wrote them again and apparently there is not enough room on the 01 and up models to fit them under the bars. It would require clip-ons

Wonder if they'd fit under the bars on a prev. gen?  Well, it don't matter, I'm putting clipons on when I put on the Gimbel fairing.  

[pantablo]

I dont think there was a different top triple used betwen the <2000 and 2001+ models. Clip-ons it is.