Fork spring and oil choice for gravel/dirt roads

[Gary856]

The front brake provides most of the braking power at speed, but as you slow down close to a stop (i.e., 5 mph or below), you're supposed to ease off the front and increase the rear braking pressure for the final few feet for a smooth stop. The front brake tends to be "grabby" at walking speed (like the 3-4 mph mention) and that can be bad when your front wheel's not pointed straight. At only 3-4 mph the rear brake alone is perfectly capable of stopping you in a hurry. The rear brake on my GS500 worked perfectly fine - easy to modulate, provided well controlled stopping power, NOT prone to lock-up unless I really tried to force it, and no squeak. If you're rear brake is crap, it's probably not adjusted right.

[Shaddow]

I've never had any problems with the brakes, really. Have always been more than adequate in any situation.  I even used to do stoppies on it in my younger days.

As far as the rear brakes, well, they're rear brakes. They're pretty much to keep your rear end from wobbling around while you're braking with the front, and assist in slowing with the front brake.

Ever try stopping a car with just a rear wheeled E-brake? Not very effective, and not as much modulation.

The rear brake just doesn't need to be as sensitive as the front brake. There's more than enough modulation between not on and locked up in any braking situation I've encountered, including emergency ones.

Maybe on cruisers there's more weight towards the back of the bike due to seating position and bike design or something and maybe that makes the rear brakes work a little better on them, never ridden one so I dunno.

I disagree. I feel a back break should be an effective brake for just in case. Comparing it to a handbrake (E-Brake) isn't the same as normal rear brakes on a car. E-brakes either operate off an internal shoe drum arrangement on a disc brake car, a seperate caliper on some cars or use a ratchet mechanism to operate the caliper AND THEY NEVER work as well as your normal rear brakes. Ever lost front brakes on a car and had only backs to stop with? That would be a good comparison. Unlikely as a modern car uses a dual master cylinder where each component operates one front and one diagonally opposite rear for that just in case one side gets a leak, puncture bad wears down to far and you pop the piston out of the caliper etc.

Yes a back brake shouldn't be more powerful then a front as its designed to aid the front. Where as the front should be able to completely stop a bike safely. Still the back brake should be able add some real force to braking but in its current setup it seems only good for crawling.

I also agree with EJ that the back brake doesn't work as well as it should. Its noisy for a start when it really it shouldn't be and lacks feel and range. I rebuilt the brakes on my GN250 for this exact reasons and got, only a slightly better back brake and was still disappointed.

I've not been into bikes long or modifying bikes (Cars massively). My experience is limited to half a dozen road bikes (Ninja 250, GN250, GS500F, VF750 (I think thats what is was), a dyna super glide custom (small car sized harley. Ridden it heaps) and a Fatboy) and about the same number of trail bikes.)  Now the GN and GS had the worse back brakes from my experience of all those bikes and I hated the harley's but DAM they stopped good.

Now my question is What brake upgrades can you get for these beasts? That's what I'll be looking at next year after I learn to play with the suspension.

[007brendan]

I have .95 sonic springs, 15w oil, ~120mm of air. I weigh about 240 w gear and all. Like someone mentioned earlier, as long as I don't grab aat the brake, I don't really notice much nose dive. My only regret is that I had installed the springs sooner.

[Pigeonroost]

I suggest an Enduro type of bike with more suspension travel.  If going with the GS500F, then linear springs will have the advantage in your rough riding and on serious bumps, heavier springs are more comfy than weaker ones.  The forks are damper rod designs, so you can prolly go pretty heavy on the suspension fluid to match the springs.  Cripe, youve done it before on bikes that were not designed to do it...

prs

[johnny ro]

I suggest an Enduro type of bike with more suspension travel.  If going with the GS500F, then linear springs will have the advantage in your rough riding and on serious bumps, heavier springs are more comfy than weaker ones.  The forks are damper rod designs, so you can prolly go pretty heavy on the suspension fluid to match the springs.  Cripe, youve done it before on bikes that were not designed to do it...

prs

I have same idea, if you want speed over war zone pavement get a dual sport. For GS to stiffen it up, either straight springs and kat rear, or buy new used forks, but these mods don't speak to war zone pavement. 

[Electrojake]

despite the big red warning saying this is an old topic i'll chuck a penny in to the pan myself

I am a new L plater in australia .. and have not even picked up my '06 F yet.. but that changes tmw 

however.. a few comments up it was mentioned by electrojake that it felt fine slowing from 30-40 mph but not at 3-4 mph.

Reviving an old topic is an art form.
Its something to be proud of, not apologetic about.

Anyway. . .
Thanks for the comments on the nose-dive and spring rate issues.
The truth of the matter is I'm way better at running my mouth and swinging a wrench than I am at roadcraft, hence my tendency to blather.
It seems the more miles I put on the GS500, the more I realize its me "the rider" that usually requires the adjustments.

I'm staying with the 15W fork oil and the .85 Sonic's.
BTW: Both of which I originally learned about from the great GSTwin.com crew here on the forum.
-Ej-