Front Fork Issue

[dafatrman]

Well, I am about 325 (close to 350 after my boots, clothes, jacket, pullover, leather, gloves, mp3 player, helmet, a good meal, and needing to take a big $#!T), so my old GS bottoms out HARD in the front.  Funny, too, is that my freind's 07 when new although not as bad, still bottomed during hard braking.  OK, so let's say I don't have money to upgrade my current suspension (I really don't).  Couldn't I just re-seal them and put the next weight heavier fork oil in it?  Thanks everyone.

[The Buddha]

Oh yea that'll hold ... why dont you put some duct tape on it for extra protection.
Dude .. you're way past where you can even use a Kat ... maybe not, but dont gain any more weight though.
And a fork seal + brake if it needs that ... will cost you almost as much as a kat swap and oddly its more work.
Cool.
Buddha.

[black and silver twin]

I have 20w oil in my forks (stock is 10w) with stock springs and the compression is perfect for my 170# self. the rebound is to stiff though. anyway, it will still be way to soft for you, unless you go much stiffer springs, probably .95-1.00kg for you, and 15w oil (seriously the rebound sucks with 20w).

[mister]

325... ok. So that's like two people and we know the GS can handle two up.

So what front fork work do people do for two up riding?

Michael

[Andy13186]

yea definatly get new springs.. sonic springs i reccomend

http://www.sonicsprings.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=31_65&osCsid=2c9c8c569dbb6be87e684b774c3b0084

find your spring rate, its going to be 1.0 kg/mm   which is the stiffest, shoudl help a ton for you

http://www.sonicsprings.com/catalog/calculate_spring_rate.php?osCsid=2c9c8c569dbb6be87e684b774c3b0084

[The Buddha]

325... ok. So that's like two people and we know the GS can handle two up.

So what front fork work do people do for two up riding?

Michael

Dude ... heck no ... cos the passenger does not ahve the same weight distribution.
You're carrying a passenger, you upgrade the rear shock ... the front isn't that over whelmed.
Cool.
Buddha.

[Pigeonroost]

Not trying to be a horse's ars; but it just comes natural to me.  You need a bigger bike.  Its gotta look like a duck riding a junebug.  But, maybe with linear springs of about 1.2kg/mm and new slider bushings and seals and medium fluid.  Then ya gots yer rear shock -- really need a bigger bike, maybe cruiser or tour bike -- save-up!

prs

[jrains89]

i went 20 weight and it's prefect for me at 160, so i'd say you should use at least 20 weight.

[dafatrman]

Sooooo.....  I have a few options:  Spend a lot on upgrades, fix my gigantic '81 CB900F, or starve till I'm about 160.  Hmmm.  Well.....  Huh.  I'm screwed.  Thanks everyone.  I don't know what to do, so I guess I'll just keep trying to break the front end off.

[cboling]

I'm nearly 6''2" tall and 240 without gear. Add gear and I am sure I get close to 250-260. You can try the following:

Heavier fork oil and possibly heavier springs. (Not difficult to change and if you shop around, you might find some 1.00 kg springs under $50) I would also recommend trying to find a newer year model GSXR rear shock. They usually can be found for around $30 - $40. It will take more to fit but recently I found a rear GSXR shock and it looks like the resevoir is lower than some of the other year models (very similar to the Yamaha R6). Having fit the Yamaha R6 rear shock, I DO find that it feels soft. Probably softer than a GSXR. But using a GSXR shock, you are probably going to end up raising the rear of the bike so you will also have to accommodate a longer side stand. (maybe weld a length of pipe to the side stand to make it longer.)

Either way, you are going to probably have to save some money or do some trading to get the parts you need. Then, you will have to swap them out and give them a try to see if that helps the situation. I can say that upgrading to .95kg springs, did wonders for me on this bike. Adding the R6 shock helped a lot too but probably not enough for what you have described.

Hope that helps.

[bigfatcat]

These japanese ujm's are just too small for most Westerners, imho .

[dafatrman]

For sure.  However, my big 900 was PERFECT.  If you never have seen one, they are HUGE!  The suspension on mine is worn out, but still I have no problem with it.  It could stop better, though.....  It was funny.  I was working at a Harley-Davidson dealership when I bought it.  I had been riding the GS for six months, and ALWAYS got laughed at.  They said I looked like a monkey fracking a football!!!  (HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!)  So when I rode that monster to work for the first time, everyone said "It's about time you got a bike your size!"  SIGH.....  Well now I remembered this is a GS500 site, not a CB site.  Sorry, guys.



This isn't me or my bike.  This is just to show those of you who haven't seen one just how big a CB900F is.  Love that thing.....

[mister]

Hmmm.... that's an 80's model 900, right?

Yeah, it's a GS board but we'll talk about other bikes and there happens to be a few of us that like the 900 (919). Me being one of them. It's one of only a small number of bikes these days that still have a Retro look


Strangely, or not so really, the Suzuki GSR had a top speed of 16 kilometers (10 mph) more than the 900


But hey, not too many people are going to get their bikes up to 125mph. No reason to and the roads aren't really built for those speeds. Leave that to Ghostrider 

I regularly ride with some Big men. And they have tried my bike and others in that Style. But they tell me their belly rubs up against the tank and it makes it hard for them to ride comfortably. So they both ride cruisers - Yamaha XVS1100s


I on the other hand get a sore back from riding cruisers.

My suggestion... apartt from adding heavier oil to the front forks... ride what you feel comfortable riding.

Michael

[The Buddha]

Cboling+dafatman: 240-260 lb is upper limit with GS forks, katana FE is a good swap for those that weigh about that.
@ 350 its gonna get over powered ...

Maybe try old school GSXR forks.

But yea bigger bike.

Mister: cruisers make you take the wind chest on, even with a giant windsheild, they do tend to give you lower back pain.
I used to rotate them ... GS when I have low back pain, cruiser with upper back pain, and when I have light overall pain - standard.
Cool.
Buddha.

[dafatrman]

Yeah, mister, that is an '82 I think.  I own an '81.  I rode the farkin shart out of it for about a year and four months.  I rode it HARDDD.  It handles a lot better than one would think.  I had it at about 130 once, but the old brakes are a bit iffy, so like I said, once.  My friend Russel's dream bike is the 919.  It would be cool, him and I terrorizing South Broadway again here in Tyler with the old and the new CB900F's.  Crap, I'm CB'ing again.  Yeah, I won't have a lot of money, so progressive springs, 15w oil, a diet, and slowing the heck down should help my problem.  Thank you all for your help.  I really love this forum.  Except last night when some guy was knocking Fiats, but that is irrelevant to anything.  And Buddha, what year GSXR forks should I look for?  I want to track this bike later in life, and I may still be a big o' boy.  Would those be good for me on the track?  Thanks.

[The Buddha]

Pre 96, 89-95 750, and while I dont like 1100 craappe, 91-98 1100 will work.
Cool.
Buddha.