Subject: Re: Replacing front fork springs
Author: Maggie Miller
Date: Nov 18, 2001, 4:50 AM
Post ID: 1708924014
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I read the thread about front fork springs and oil and just had to relate
personal experience on the racetrack in the late 70's.. I had been running
a Yamaha RD250 in the WERA production class and had stuggled with choppy,
underdamped fork action. The front tire would actually hop over rough
asphalt.. a little unnearving in corners. After doing all the normal stuff
(rebuild, new seals, new steering head bearings), out of desparation, I put
90W Hypoid Gear oil in the front.. and the bike never handled better. I used
90W for rest of the season.. Of course, I blew the seals out in the last race
;-). A footnote.. nothing does more to improve the steering "feel" of a
bike than replacing the steering head bearings, and periodically checking
them for proper torque.
Tom Miller
Charlotte NC
72 Ambo, 75 850T
| Subject: Re: Replacing front fork springs The front springs on my '72 Eldo might not have been all sacked out but I was bottoming out way too often for my taste, especially when two-up. I had already 'rebuilt' the forks with no improvement. I bought the Dutch WP progressive front springs from Moto Int. and experienced an immediate improvement in handling, and less bottoming out. But it still wasn't where I wanted it. Then someone on the Guzzi list said to use 70 wt motor oil in the forks (50 wt where it is colder). This brought around further improvements. I wonder now if I had gone for the 70 wt oil in the beginning, would I have bought the progressive springs? |
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<FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2>I read the thread about front fork springs and oil and just had to relate personal experience on the racetrack in the late 70's.. I had been running a Yamaha RD250 in the WERA production class and had stuggled with choppy, underdamped fork action. The front tire would actually hop over rough asphalt.. a little unnearving in corners. After doing all the normal stuff (rebuild, new seals, new steering head bearings), out of desparation, I put 90W Hypoid Gear oil in the front.. and the bike never handled better. I used 90W for rest of the season.. Of course, I blew the seals out in the last race ;-). A footnote.. nothing does more to improve the steering "feel" of a bike than replacing the steering head bearings, and periodically checking them for proper torque.
<BR>Tom Miller
<BR>Charlotte NC
<BR>72 Ambo, 75 850T
<BR>
<BR>
<BR><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Subject: Re: Replacing front fork springs
<BR>
<BR>
<BR> The front springs on my '72 Eldo might not have been all sacked out but
<BR>I was bottoming out way too often for my taste, especially when two-up.
<BR>I had already 'rebuilt' the forks with no improvement. I bought the
<BR>Dutch WP progressive front springs from Moto Int. and experienced an
<BR>immediate improvement in handling, and less bottoming out. But it still
<BR>wasn't where I wanted it. Then someone on the Guzzi list said to use 70
<BR>wt motor oil in the forks (50 wt where it is colder). This brought
<BR>around further improvements. I wonder now if I had gone for the 70 wt
<BR>oil in the beginning, would I have bought the progressive springs?
<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
<BR></FONT>
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