| Author | Message | ||
     Thefleshrocket |
I've got an early '08 1125R and weigh about 210 in gear. The stock fork spring seems too stiff--for example, even after setting down a wheelie not very gently, still has almost an inch of travel left after compressing even with the preload completely backed off. So my first question is informative--what is the spring rate on the early '08s, and what is the spring rate on the later '08+ models? Racetech's site says 0.990kg/mm but I don't know if that's the heavier or softer spring. Second, does anyone have a set of the softer springs that they'd like to sell or trade (for my heavier ones)? | ||
| Kinder |
Sounds like maybe more suspension adjustment is needed. I'm not very good at it. Had mine done by a track guy. Mine you having some room left if your doing hard wheelie drops is prob not a bad thing.  In gear when it got set up I was 275-280ish... spirited twisties still have 1"-2" of travel to go. Roads here are not the best and I have small chicken strips (1/2" at most) on the rear. Before getting it set up properly at high speeds in a straight the front would feel light/ loose and corners were a fight. Now its awesome. | ||
| Tbowdre |
man you guys are gargantuan compared to my 160 with gear. I definitely need springs. race tech has some pretty cool tools on thier web site for respringing. Jdugger has posted that custom springs are not a big deal and I bet the guys that provide that service are pretty informative. me, I am lazy and not a pro racer. So I will prpobably get the race tech stuff | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Kinder, I have the compression damping and spring preload backed off all the way--there's nowhere else for me to go! I don't do wheelies all that frequently and I try to set them down gently. I've had other bikes which were properly sprung for my weight and the ziptie would indicate just about complete use of suspension travel. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
Flesh I have an 08 made in june and if the earlier ones are a higher spring rate I will swap you.} | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Boogiman, I'm not sure when the spring rates changed from firmer to softer--maybe someone can chime in on that. What's your rider weight? | ||
| Rogue_biker |
Fleshrocket, I'm on the same boat as you and have the same bike. I weight just around 200 lbs. The bike always had stiff suspension, much stiffer than my Firebolt. When I had the fork seals replaced and fluids replaced by a local shop, the front fork got even stiffer. I have all the settings backed way off and it's still stiff and has problems absorbing bumps, especially small ones. Several consecutive bumps on the road has the bike jumping around! It's worse under braking. I can feel the spring compress when I get on it at a standstill and sag is correct but it's still really stiff....like something is not allowing the spring to move as quickly to absorbe bumps! It seems to me it's the damping that's causing most of this. I realize now that the springs are just too stiff for my body weight, but more importantly, the fork fluid is either too thick and/or too high. I love the bike but hate the ride. I plan to have this rectified on the my next tire change when it's convenient to remove the fork tubes. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
I'm pushing 275 suited plus 125 if I'm 2up tons of brake dive and I've got the preload cranked pretty high not maxed but pretty high. | ||
| Rogue_biker |
I was under the impression that brake dive can be controlled with compression damping. If you have sag set properly, brake dive can be minimized by cranking up compression damping so it doesn't allow the springs to compress that quickly. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
Rogue anyone i don't have owners manual and the link above is dead. i printed the page of manual from the link previously to adjust my suspension. which adjusters do what? | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
does anyone know or can anyone look up which screw or bolt head i should be adjusting for compression dampening? i don't recall and the digital owners manual isn't there anymore. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Rogue, increasing compression damping to combat brake dive will also make the front end ride more firmly or, possibly, more harshly if the damping is set too high. Also, under extended braking (such as from high speed), the fork will still bottom out--it will just take a little longer to do so if the compression damping is set more stiffly. The best way to combat brake dive is to have fork springs that are appropriate to the rider weight and then set the damping accordingly. Boogiman, the compression damping adjusters are the two flat head screw-looking things at the bottom of both fork tubes. Turning them to the right increases compression damping; left decreases it. You never want to leave the adjuster screws all the way closed, so if you turn it all the way to the right, back it off at least 1/4 turn. Also, I recommend adjusting both screws at the same time, 1/2 turn at a time. IE make a 1/2 turn adjustment, then ride the bike and see how you like it. If that doesn't seem to make enough of a difference, then you could go as much as 1 turn at a time. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
thanks flesh i couldn't remember top or bottom for compression. do you know if our springs are the ones to swap? if so lemme know i'm pretty big and ride two up so if i have the lighter springs i could def benefit from the stiffer ones | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Boogiman, let me know how you want to go about swapping springs. Have you ever had your fork apart? | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
not the 1125 forks no but i did do the honda years ago. if you can because i daily commute on mine send me urs first then i will send mine. im in 32244 zip code. i have fri-sun off so if they got here thursday i would get my old ones off on friday afternoon | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Boogiman, that's not a problem--I commute in mine but have several other bikes too.  I'm taking my 1125 to MotoGP this weekend, so it wouldn't be until next week some time at the earliest that I could get them apart and shipped off to you. I'll also send you the fork spring compressor tool--you'll need it to be able to get the fork apart. PM me your complete shipping information. Thanks! | ||
| Froggy |
Wouldn't it be easier just to send whole forks? A few bucks more in shipping, but hell of a lot easier in terms of assembly. Also, on the bottom of the fork there should be a sticker, if my hunch is right, the older spring forks will have .1AM at the end, the newer lighter spring forks will have .1AMA | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Froggy, yeah, it would be easier to just swap forks in their entirety, but I'd prefer to keep my fork and just swap springs. I know what my fork has been through and I'm the only one who has had it apart. Not that I don't trust Boogiman, I just prefer to stick with what I know. Where'd you find out about the .1AM vs. the .1AMA? Now I can't wait to get home and check my fork, although I don't remember ever seeing a sticker on it anywhere. | ||
| Froggy |
It is seriously something I pulled out of my ass, but given what I know about these things, it is probably right. I'll look at my forks on my 08 when I get home, I believe mine is also a late production 08. | ||
| Jcjohnson33 |
I was looking at my forks and the sticker is on the inside of both forks at the bottom. Top number says R J0122.1AMB followed by L J0121.1AMB. It just inside the top mount for the caliper on the right fork and in the same spot on the left fork but without the caliper mount. Mine is also an '09 though. So don't know if the '08 has the .1AM or .1AMA vs the '09 with .1AMB | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
i fell you flesh mine are clean never been opened no leaks and arrow straight. at the same time they have been worn in by me so im good with just swapping springs | ||
| Froggy |
I just looked at my bikes, my 2008 R built in April 2008 has .1AMA forks, my 09 CR has .1AT forks, and my XB which has 08 1125R forks (unknown month) is also .1AMA | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
My '08 has the .1AMA fork. Boogiman, what does the sticker on your fork say? | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Also, how do I determine my bike's build date? | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
the date is on the sticker by the vin number at the neck of the tank/frame | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
no stickers... | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
i looked them over last night with a flashlight will look again when i get home from work later today. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Okay, mine's an April '08 bike. The sticker is on the inside of the right fork leg, near where the upper caliper mount is. It's silver and it's tiny--maybe 1/3" tall and 3/4" long, if that. Since Froggy's April '08 bike also has a .1AMA on the fork, hopefully the .1AT denotes the later fork with the lighter springs, and hopefully that's what your bike has, Boogiman! | ||
| Froggy |
.1AT is for the CR only, as it has different forks than the R. | ||
| Froggy |
I just looked it up, the later springs, which are used in the 09 R and CR, part number is J8113.1AMB and they are $6.22 each, you probably are just best off buying new springs and installing them at your leisure. |
