Fork too soft, how to solve?

[max95]

Hi, i am Italian and i am sorry for my english, i don't speak very well. I buy a Suzuki GS500 9 months ago with 2000km (1300 miles), and i think this is model year 2003, but i am not sure. I have got a lot of problem with the fork, is really too soft and it's impossible drive in the mountain and also in the city. I would replace the stock spring with new spring, but i don't know which. Can you help me? My weight with jacket and helmet is about 75-80kg (165-175lbs) and i use not very often tank bag. What spring i have to buy?  Linear or Progressive? Hyperpro, Wilbers, SonicSprings or what? Which are the best springs? i don't know my spring rate, but i know that the stock Suzuki GS500's spring rate is about 0.594 kg/mm. i wouldn't replace or modify rear shock. Before the Gs500 i have a Ktm Duke 125 with a perfect WP suspension and a beautiful 150/60 rear tyre, with the GS i haven't found drive feeling yet.
Thank you very much and sorry for my english.

[Slack]

Glad you found us.
Sounds like a .75 or .80 spring would be best for your weight. Sonic is good, as is race tech

[fakejimmymorgan]

Le molle soniche sono le piú migliori


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[Toner]

Louis.de have some progressive fork springs. Been thinking of picking these up myself. Don't know if they'd be suitable:

https://www.louis.de/en/artikel/wirth-fork-spring-set-with-abe-fuer-suzuki-gs-500-e-t-y/10045856?filter_bike_id=0695&list=106666798

They also have some rubbers for the forks:
https://www.louis.de/en/artikel/dust-cover-set-saito-for-fork-seals-fuer-suzuki-gs-500-e-t-y/10042050?filter_bike_id=0695&list=106666571 
https://www.louis.de/en/artikel/fork-seal-set-saito-diverse-sizes-fuer-suzuki-gs-500-e-t-y/10042180?filter_bike_id=0695&list=106666571

Decent range of other products for the gs500. Nice thing about the site, is you can pick your bike and they'll show you all the products they have for it: 
https://www.louis.de/en/rund-ums-motorrad/bike-datenbank/suzuki-gs-500-e-t-y/gm51b-t-y/0695?bikes=0695&per_page=96&page=1#article_list

[max95]

Thank you very much to all! So, i am searching on the web the spring, but there is a problem. There are two model of Suzuki GS500:
1) GM51A with HPA;
2) GM51B.
What is this? There are differences? My Suzuki Gs500 of 2003 which model is? I don't know the differences between GM51A and GM51B.
Thank you very much

[TR]

I have a set of Progressive progressive springs, regardles of your weight they'll compress to a balance point, so if you gain some weight, use a medieval armor, or take a ride to a chubby pretty girl you'll be fine. I put a pair of 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, 3/4 inches wide PVC connectors (for water pipes) as spacers to help to compress the springs to my needs, so you don't have to cut the factory spacers. The fork feels firm and the bike handles very nice on tight corners, and works very nice on large speed bumpers and never bottoms out. After you fix the fork, I recomend a R6 shock on the rear, it also has a progressive spring and feels like perfect match for the bike balance, except for the low ride height it gives to the bike. The stronger Katana shock spring is better for that matter, but R6's damps better. Just mho.

This page from an old member of this site will provide very usefull help: http://pantablo500.tripod.com/id2.html

[Slack]

I have a set of Progressive progressive springs, regardles of your weight they'll compress to a balance point, so if you gain some weight, use a medieval armor, or take a ride to a chubby pretty girl you'll be fine. I put a pair of 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, 3/4 inches wide PVC connectors (for water pipes) as spacers to help to compress the springs to my needs, so you don't have to cut the factory spacers. The fork feels firm and the bike handles very nice on tight corners, and works very nice on large speed bumpers and never bottoms out. After you fix the fork, I recomend a R6 shock on the rear, it also has a progressive spring and feels like perfect match for the bike balance, except for the low ride height it gives to the bike. The stronger Katana shock spring is better for that matter, but R6's damps better. Just mho.

This page from an old member of this site will provide very usefull help: http://pantablo500.tripod.com/id2.html

Wow, you have been on here a long loooooong time to still be active and have less then 500 posts!
Is the R6 shock progressive? I thought it was straight rate. The way the suspension linkage works it acts progressively, as does the stock shock, or the Katana for that matter.

[max95]

So thank you very much to all. I wouldn't modify the rear shock suspension, because it's too expensive work on the rear, and i think that the R6's rear shock don't work very well beacuse is designed for another motorcycle. So i bought Hyperpro Progressive Spring, because the SonicSprings are too sporty. I am waiting.
Thanks!

[fakejimmymorgan]

Mine arrived last night from sonic so I will install them this weekend.  Apologies for the Italian attempt.  My wife was the school italian teacher so I asked her for help (thought it would be nice to try and reply in Italiano)
Jimmy

[max95]

dear Jimmy, your italian is certainly better than my english! So as soon as i install the spring i will post my experience. Thank you to all!
--
Caro Jimmy il tuo italiano è certamente migliore del mio inglese! appena mi arrivano le molle posto la mia esperienza, Grazie mille a tutti!

[fakejimmymorgan]

grazie.

[yamahonkawazuki]

Dont apologise for your english. nearly perfect. even more so than most american kids now . anyways heres my tourist italian attempt:
qui sarai sempre il benvenuto

[cWj]

So thank you very much to all. I wouldn't modify the rear shock suspension, because it's too expensive work on the rear, and i think that the R6's rear shock don't work very well beacuse is designed for another motorcycle. So i bought Hyperpro Progressive Spring, because the SonicSprings are too sporty. I am waiting.
Thanks!

You'll find several members here that find the R6 shock works just fine on the GS....and not expensive at all on the used market.

[fakejimmymorgan]

while I can't get the damned thing running I will do the fork springs this week.  As I can't cut straight I bought a conduit cutter from my local hardware store for $20 to make nice neat cuts for me.