[dlare]

Yep, the Progressive 12-1205B damper body is the one with the u-shaped, clevis mount on the bottom. I've since changed to the lighter 03-1367B springs and it rides better than the HD (03-1368B) springs.

Dave_J and WESTGL, you guys both running the Formoza FD1 165/60R14 tire?

Dean

 

[westgl]

I am running the Formoza FD1 165/60R14.

I think DaveJ is running the FD2, I wanted the FD2 because it is a lighter tire, but could not find it readily available at the time.

The FD2 is a little Narrower, a little taller, and a little lighter, than the FD1

Base line Stock OEM Tire: 160/60HR-14 Bridgestone TH01 OEM Replacement tire; 21.3-OA dia.x 6.5" width, ; 13.7 -LBS. current price $118.99 free shipping Motorcycle super store (for reference)

1. Federal Formosa FD1, 165/60R14 75H BSW OA Dia., 21.9", sec. width 6.4", tread width 5.2", tread depth 7.8mm, cold PSI 36, Weight 14.10-LBS, $63.41 +free shipping to my door = $63.41.

2. Federal Formosa FD2, 155/65 HR14 75H, OA Dia., 22.1", sec. Width 5.9", tread Width 4.7", tread depth 7.7mm, cold psi 44, Weight 13.22-LBS, $44.60 + $21.05 shipping to my door = $65.65.


Because of the radius of the Motorcycle tire you only have, at any given time, about 1" of tire width, in contact with the ground.

With the CAR Tire you will have More than double the contact patch at any given time.

Now That being said the FD1 (I am sure the FD2 is the same) Car tire has more of a radius or rounded profile than a lot of car tires out there do.

I had to get used to how Quick the New Car tire turned in to a turn it is faster than my Motorcycle tire was that was the only thing.

Since the Car tire has More Grip, and turns in Faster, for me the Car tire handles better, than the motorcycle tire did, this is down played, why? i dont know, no body want to come out and say how much better the car tire really is.

For me the Car tire is Great, i will not go back to a motorcycle tire, Unless, i just Cannot get a Car tire.

But from what I here, i will not have to worry about a new tire for quiet a while.

 

[westgl]

The Progressive shocks and the Car tire are a winning combination, for me.

On this site the OEM Rear shocks have been described as having dampening in only one direction of travel, That is the big problem, that means shock travel, directly rely's on spring only!!! in one direction of it's travel.

Spring with No Dampener is like a pogo effect, the dampener is what stops the spring from a continued bounce, till it looses energy.

That is why the rear tire feel's like it is not holding the road, because it is NOT!!

For me the OEM stock Suzuki Rear shocks were not doing there job, it was like they were Worn out at 12K miles, you Don't realize this, until you ride with the new Progressive shocks are on.

Put a Car tire on and Better yet.

 

[Dave_J]

Like I said above, I ordered a set of shocks and springs from Powersports Superstore yesterday. They shipped them off UPS and the tracking number said the left Calif and will be delivered by 8-02 close of day. Thats tomorrow.

 

[Dave_J]

Got Springs?

They are here. I inspected them and all is copasetic. I will be wrenching tomorrow for sure. I will try to snap a few Pic's.

 

[Dave_J]

Well I wanted a magic carpet ride but its not there. Compaired to stock, I'd say much better. But it does quickly show how bad the fronts are too. The big jolts are now minor but still a jolt. The front end has some to do with that too. The stock shocks have very little gas charge and you can collapse them real fast. The Progressives are gas charged and takes some effort to collapse.

Pressed the top bushings and sleeves out of both old and new and put the stock older one in the Progressives to fit the top stud. Requires washers over the sleeve.

Click on Pic's to expand

Stock as a rock, and rides like one.
View attachment 14441

Stock all apart
View attachment 14449

The stock looks bigger and is by 1/4 inch or so. Progressive is fatter.
View attachment 14457

View attachment 14465

View attachment 14473

View attachment 14481

View attachment 14489

Clevis mount on the bottom. Needs a washer on the inside.
View attachment 14497

 

[dlare]

Went for a nice long ride this afternoon, two-up over some familiar roads that we've done many times before. HUGE difference with the new Progressives with the 1367 springs. Mucho better than stock

You should enjoy them DaveJ

Dean

 

[westgl]

Well Dave there is always,

Cheapest way to do the front is.

Drill the dampeners holes to the recommended (3/8" or 8mm I believe, it is what Race tech suggests and in the knowledge center) hole size as this reduces the Fork jolt.

Then go to 15w fork oil, I used stock Oem Oil height 5.08" when collapsed, with spring installed, if you haven't already gone to 15w fork oil,

then add a 2 or 3 washers in each fork leg on top of the spring before you put in the spacer, to preload the stock spring and get rid of dive and front suspension sag, providing you as much of that short 4" travel as you can get, without losing an 1" or more by just sitting on the bike.

I have much less front end dive, the front end does stay planted on the road, Handling and grip improved substantially, in the front.

My Burgamn 650 has come a long way But it is not as comfortable as my goldwings or my new NC700X

But NOW it is not bad at all either, much better than before

That NC700X is the most comfortable bike i have ever ridden, better then a Goldwing,

Honda does Chicken right.

 

[westgl]

hey Dave what year is that Goldwing you have in the shed

 

[westgl]

I have been toying with the idea,

I have a set of 84' GL1200 Forks, Brakes, Calipers, Vented Rotors, and 16" wheel
and i have a new set of Progressive fork spring for these forks and new seals.

I would have to get a 70 series low profile tire, so the OD of the tire would closely match the burgman 650.

I think this would provide a very good ride for the Burgman650, the disc brakes are a little bigger on the Gwing to.

I measured/mic'd the fork tubes they are the same size, and would slide right in to the triple trees, but I would have to have them stick up through the trees just a little as they are about 1" longer

All that would be left is some SS brake lines.

But i have not measured the center line of the forks when mounted on both bikes.

 

[westgl]

I have seen the cantilevered forks, and they are much more comfortable, than just about any other fork design.

Using this method you could get a longer fork travel, keep your stock wheel and brakes.

Using this method you could use the same shocks on the rear for the front suspension.

It uses a coil over shock, I would be better to use a long one like a 14" long coil over shock.

The one I used on my Burgman is 14.25"

What is the length of the new shock mounting center to center?

 

[Dave_J]

My GL1100i is a 81. I bought it on Oct 3th 2009 and totaled it Oct 5th 2009. I did put almost 1000 miles on it doing a three pass blast on Oct 4th. Yes one day ride from 5:30 AM till about 11 PM.

I got everything to put it back together but my son took the good forks to have the seals replaced. The guy that was going to do the work decided one day to retire and took everything in his shop to the scrap yard. About 15 customers lost their parts and he will not do anything to help. Small claims requires a invoice and my son did not get one, the guy is my son's wife's uncle.

It will become the power for a reverse trike someday soon.

 

[westgl]

A reverse trike I have thought about that for my 84 GL1200, using a VW front beam suspension.

I think that this suspension and brake setup should be fine for reasonably quick trike.

I would put the front disk brakes on it.

I would go low and short.

I have a picture of what I want to build.

I had a bug and put the sway away adjusters, and a thicker swaybar, it handled really good.

I dropped the front down a couple inches, and tightened up the suspension & ride, for better handling, it still had a nice ride as i did not tighten it to much.

My Spyder RT has upper & lower A-arms.

 

[Dave_J]

http://www.reversetrike.proboards.com/ TripleThreat has a nice short and low trike. A Spider RT is nice but sets too high and CG matches that high stance. Some of the low all wheel drive reverse trikes can pull almost 0.9G. The 1500 and 1800 GL's have a reverse gear setup. On an older 1000, 1100 1nd 1200 you must design in a system to back up.

Thread drift, sorry.

 

[dlare]

WestGL,

What's involved in drilling out the damper holes a little larger? Do the parts slide right out the top, or do the forks have to be basically disassembled with that pesky screw that goes up thru the bottom?

Dean

 

[westgl]

Yes the fork Must be disassembled, to get at the Dampener.

The Dampener, is held in by that Loc-Tite on the screws in the bottom of each leg of each fork.

Usually one comes out easy the other is a little harder.

The easiest way to remove those screws, is to use a impact to remove the screw, while forcing a wooden broom handle, down inside the fork tube to hold the dampener from turning.

Once the Dampener's are removed the existing holes are smaller, and can be drilled larger to let the fork oil pass threw the holds more quickly, this reduces the felt jolt.

The Race tech Gold emulator if you choose to use them is like a check valve that has a adjustable orifice for flow rate.

Those pesky bolts if removed MUST have Blue Loc-tite put back on them before installation a long with the copper washer that came off when it was removed.

That method gets them out fast.

 

[westgl]

DaveJ

Some of the guys that run Goldwings from the pre reverse bikes, have a starter motor off of a motorcycle (Like a goldwing they are rebuild-able if not abused)with the starter gear welded to the starter shaft,

Then use a emergency brake to lower the starter motor to the tire, the gear rests against the tire tread Push button to activate the reverse starter motor and spin the tire, when down pull E-brake lever to hold Starter reverse away from the tire

 

[westgl]

I agree a reverse has to be

1. Low, to keep the weight down as low as possible
2. Keep the mass of the weight as close to center spine as Possible, to aid in Yaw/handling
3. Keep the trike as Short as Possible, I have seen so many attempts that just miss it.

The Roadstercycle is close to what I am talking about except they use a Yamaha V-Max and a 1932' Ford Model A Front end and suspension.

But they have the dimensions about what i would like,

Link to Roadstercycle

The Roadstercycle Does NOT have a Reverse.


Just Substitute a Honda Goldwing Engine /Trans, and Goldwing From Swing arm back and a VW front end,

then fab a frame from VW front end to Swing arm, I have a large 6 gallon gas tank that came off of a Large Suzuki Cruiser, use it like the Roadstercycle

 

[Dave_J]

I am not sure if I like this rear shock/spring. To me it seems when I am on real rough roads it is a bit too stiff. I am going to drain/flush/refill my front forks to see if it helps.

One of the things I have found doing some research on fork oils, not one bit of truth in advertising. On company's 15W may have less viscosity than another company's 5W. Here is one listing: http://www.mediaturbo.com/clients/marzocchi/forkoilviscosity.html

I have also research automotive ATF's as most older motorcycle manufactures recommended Dexron back then. ATF's are one of the most researched and refined oils out there. It must do so many things in a transmission in extreme heat ranges.

I am going to try ATF +4 as it is a full synthetic and has a very stable viscosity rating around 10.7W and a viscosity index of 210, the index rating of some 5W's on that list above. Ford Type F synthetic by Redline is a bit thicker.

 

[westgl]

I agree with you on ATF i been using it for many things, it is a great lube and cleaner.

I also run ATF in my Goldwing forks, it is a good lube that does not break down.

Other Fork Oils Break down in a year or two.

I would not mid trying some DexVI, in my B650 all DexVI is Synthetic.

I have a 83' Goldwing that had a frozen engine when i got, I did the ATF and diesel Conditioning mix & let it sit for a week then go turn the rear wheel with trans in 5th gear, engine turns over smoothly, and is a very smooth running engine.

I have used ATF on a government .45 Pistol as a gun lube

ATF is a very refined Oil

I condition/clean engines by running a quart of ATF in a engine's oil (drain one quart oil then add i quart ATF) I do this 300 miles before a Oil change, and the amount of varnish/sludge that it is flushed from inside the engine is amazing.

I just take it easy on the engine, if I am doing a engine flush, to the bike, until the 300 miles is up and the flush is replaced with a fresh oil change & Filter

The engine runs much smoother after the flush, and i have never had a problem with a wet clutch doing this.

I did it to my B650 when i got it.