Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Wow! Progressive fork springs

really do work...I was a skeptic, but man...lets see how to explain it...hmmmmm a firmer, but somehow softer ride...it did seem to make more of a difference then the hagon shocks...but maybe its just because both of them make the complete difference...I don't feel every little pebble, crack or what have you in the road...a much better ride and feel...seems to steer easier. I was always happy with the handling...but the rider comfort is what I have been after and I think I am there...I LOVE THIS BIKE...Happy New Year everyone!

They'll put a spring in your step

jh

one the best and cheapest upgrades you can do

Frank

What are the details on the springs? (i.e Part number, brand, where purchased)

Best upgrade under $100. no doubt

Anybody use the PS Front Lowering Springs: 10-1564 from FastEddy?

How about the 412's lowered to 11.5" or 11"?

I am looking to lower my bike an inch or so and was wondering if it effected the handling?



Thanks

Lowering front and back seems essential to prevent pipes from dragging, especially the longer pipes like long cannons.

eddy

I had the opposite experience, I lowered Wendys bike 2" in the back and the pipes would scrape once in a while if the road or drive entrance was sloped the wrong way too much but then I lowered the front 2" and it scraped worse and much more easily. I agree it does matter what pipes you have as to how or when they would scrape. Hers are the stock BA slash cuts from 04, gutted of course!

I think , from experience , he means that when just lowering the rear the back end of the pipe drags sometimes. If you then lower the front the back tip of the pipe raises a little so they won't drag as easily. When lowering 2" I found that instead of dragging the back tip once in a while the whole pipe drags much more often.

I agree. That just does not make any sense. My experience has found it hard enough not to scrape pipes, even with top notch hagon shocks with the preload properly set.

I think I may have it sussed now though as the Staintune pipes I have angle slightly up instead of perfectly parallel.

Mind you, this may not protect me if I come across a tight curve that is common in many of our mountainous ranges that provide brilliant riding. Add to that a dip in the road as you are leaning right over, as I've experienced once or twice and a scrape is quite possible if not probable.

So, how lowering a bike an inch is going to improve this situation is beyond MY reasoning.

In saying all this, I'm giving Ian the benefit of the doubt in his interpretation, but I think lowering our bikes is just asking for trouble. Of course if you wind your pre-load down on very stiff springs will help prevent this problem but who wants to ride with stiffer than normal springs?

Ahh, I now get FE's point...however from my perspective that is just minimizing an already bad situation, made worse by lowering, but "less bad" by lowering both ends...

did you have to put your bike on a rack to make sure it was straight after you mucked with the front, or do you only need to do that if you mess with the trees?

My bike isn't lowered because when I ride alone I would drag my pipes all the time and don't want to do that even though I like the low look. I lowered Wendy's bike out of necessity , she is 5'2 and wasn't comfortable with the seat height so I lowered the back 2" so she could reach the ground more comfortably.

Maybe some day I will put long 1 3/4" drag pipes with fishtail ends on then lower it since the smaller dia. should give me more clearance on cornering.

The new fork springs from Fast Eddy fixed my Speedmaster. The front dive was so severe when using the front brake I nearly lost control a couple times. The stock springs were dangerous for me, a 230 rider.

Lets me splain it better. Straight away, I am reporting from response from others. I had a hard time at first trying to figure it out, But here goes. If you lower only the rear, the pipes are lower to the ground, where the problem comes in is in a tight turn, because now that is manifest in a hard aggressive turn with the suspension loaded up resulting POSSIBLY with pipes scrapping. This is most commonly found with guys who have long cannon type pipes, the farther back they go the closer to the ground in a tight corner...theoretically.

Again, this is what some folks on the site have reported, Me? I drag my floorboards long before pipes and my side stand "hook".

Just offered for consideration as it was an issue for some folks. Old Roadie I believe can speak to it personally.

All I do know for certain,Progressive Suspension recommends that you do the front to match the rears in height and they say for performance reasons not aesthetics.


eddy

Yeah , what he said . You need to get as close to the same damping and spring load from front to rear as you can for the suspension to work right . Soft forks and hard rears ain't gonna work right .