Hi,
I have just finished installing some Hagon progressive fork springs and 15w fork oil on my K2 as I found the bike to bottom out when braking. I followed the lazy way http://pantablo500.tripod.com/id2.html plus followed the instructions on the Hagon springs box.

I removed the handle bars, the tops of the forks, fished out the spacers and the springs. I then used a syringe to extract the old oil and placed the old springs back in. The Hagon instructions(for a GS500 89-97 - does it matter?) explained in German/English what I thought meant that the oil should be measured from the top of the fork and should be 125mm from it with the old spring in. Once I filled it to the correct level I fished out the old springs and placed the progressive ones in the forks. I didn't use spacers as they reached to the top of the forks and put the "lids" back on the forks and then the handlebars.

The initial 10-20mph test ride showed the forks to be very hard with only a tiny amount of movement(5mm) and when I tried to hit some pot holes there was hardly any compression making for an unpleasant bump.

Does this mean that I may have used too much oil? How much should I take out? Is there a way to make the forks a tiny bit more comfortable or are the progressive springs meant to be this hard?
Thanks

did you compress the forks before you added oil?
if you didn't compress the fork legs....WAY TOOO MUCH OIL

doesn't sound like it

I don't know anything about that brand of progressive springs, but mine actually made the ride better over potholes.  I was bottoming frequently before.   Mine did require spacers (as per the instructions that came with them), so there was a little preload on the springs.  So I'm doubting that your problem is springs.

I'm thinking your 15W fork oil may be the culprit.  I think 5W is stock (going from memory here, and that's dangerous).  You could try 10W and make sure the level is correct.  I would think the level from the top of the fork should be the same no matter what spring was in there, so maybe that is your issue.

The forks were extended when I measured the oil. So you always compress the forks when measuring the oil?

Quote from: cmit37 on September 12, 2006, 07:00:32 AM
The forks were extended when I measured the oil. So you always compress the forks when measuring the oil?

Yup, you really should take the forks off the bike when you do it, it's really not that difficult and is the *correct* way to change the oil

but yeah, way too much oil

Off to do them again then.  I probably do not need to take the springs out in order to measure do I?

Yeah I think you do, I'm pretty sure you need to measure it with the forks collapsed and springs/spacers out.

'Zactly

by following the lazy mans way....you get gud practice....doing it twice

I'm really good at it now  as I did it twice. This time I did it properly and there was quite a bit of extra oil in there. She handles great now.
Thank you all for your help 

Please check hagon instruction again. I think oil level should be measured WITHOUT any springs in. If done correctly they shouldn't be nearly as hard as you describe.

Now about this lazy man's fork replacement i think it is only easier if you work alone. If you have 2 more hands remove the forks. This way:
1. you need no syringe (you can pump it out),
2. no old oil is left,
3. easier and safer to put caps on,

The instructions ask you to put the springs back in.

Oh crap 
I just spoke to the Hagon people and they said that the springs must be out when measuring.
Third time lucky I guess? I already washed the bike twice today to get rid of the oil so I think I will try to measure the volume of the stock springs and just pour that volume in the forks without taking the progressive ones out again.
Can anyone guess the volume of a stock spring?

Quote from: cmit37 on September 12, 2006, 09:06:13 AM
Oh crap 
I just spoke to the Hagon people and they said that the springs must be out when measuring.
Third time lucky I guess? I already washed the bike twice today to get rid of the oil so I think I will try to measure the volume of the stock springs and just pour that volume in the forks without taking the progressive ones out again.
Can anyone guess the volume of a stock spring?

How-To: Fork spring replacement & Fork oil change

You need between 375mL to 382mL of fork oil.

Quote from: trumpetguy on September 12, 2006, 06:58:04 AM
I think 5W is stock (going from memory here, and that's dangerous).

10w is stock, but you made a stab at it.

Quote from: cmit37 on September 12, 2006, 09:06:13 AM
Oh crap 
I just spoke to the Hagon people and they said that the springs must be out when measuring.
Third time lucky I guess? I already washed the bike twice today to get rid of the oil so I think I will try to measure the volume of the stock springs and just pour that volume in the forks without taking the progressive ones out again.
Can anyone guess the volume of a stock spring?

Dont go around it. You are risking damaging bike and yourself. Just pull out the springs, and excess oil and do everything in the right order.

10W is factory.
Remember that with progressives you also ran an inch less oil than factory since the spring has a lot higher volume than the factory spring and spacer.
Also check that you aren't excessively preloaded.

Hey bro...i would just do it right at this point. Take out the forks....empty out the oil completely. Fill it up...measure it and pop the forks back in. It only takes like 1 hour more to do it the right way...but its much more accurate (at this point at least).

take it easy,
Ali