Thinking of reverting back to stock shock ...

[Blue_SV650S]

Got a ZX636 shock on my curvy road bike. I think it is a massive improvement over the OE shock 8) especially as I am no whippet :oops:

Anyway, although the rear end was greatly improved, this just really highlighted the inadequacy of the front (which is still standard)!! ... at least when the front AND rear were plops, the bike was balanced. I now have a taught rear and a loose front ... and it is the feel from the front that generates 85% of my riding confidence ... as far as I am concerned - within reason - the rear can do what it wants as long as I know what the front is up to ...

I can't really justify spending out on the front end to be honest, but I really don't like the unbalanced feeling the bike gives me now!

Anyone else reverted back to stock or always just done the front too? :scratch:

[G]

You have the skill and parts knowledge to do the front stupidly cheaply/quickly I imagine.....just get it done ;)

[sinbad]

Try running the rear with the ZX shock and an intentionally appallingly low tyre pressure? Seems like less effort. :)

I reckon the stiffer springs and oil fork mod is one of the cheapest to do no? You're obviously competent enough, I'm surprised you haven't done it already, just because you can.

[Blue_SV650S]

You have the skill and parts knowledge to do the front stupidly cheaply/quickly I imagine.....just get it done ;)

Emulators are what about a ton aren't they? Would be silly not to do new seals at the same time too (although the seals are actually relatively new) and some new oil ... and some new springs ... we are looking at £250 here aren't we?

These days I only ride it now and then, and when I do it is just for a jolly; it seems hard to justify that sort of expense on it ...

Even a set of progressive springs are what £80? so with some oil and postage, £100 all in? ...

I suppose rather than the hassle of reverting back, I could take all the preload and damping off the 636 shock to make that horrid and we are back to how it felt with the OE shock!!! :lol:

[Blue_SV650S]

Try running the rear with the ZX shock and an intentionally appallingly low tyre pressure? Seems like less effort. :)

I reckon the stiffer springs and oil fork mod is one of the cheapest to do no? You're obviously competent enough, I'm surprised you haven't done it already, just because you can.

Yeah just thought about setting the ZX shock up badly rather than taking it off!! :D

When the bike was stock, it was a bit soggy, but predictable ... I really didn't care ...

But I had this ZX shock that had been sat on the shelf for ages and decided to make use of it ...

And this is where we are ....

I might keep an eye out for some 2nd hand springs if someone is upgrading to emulators from progressive ...

[sv650k4]

Emulators are what about a ton aren't they? Would be silly not to do new seals at the same time too (although the seals are actually relatively new) and some new oil ... and some new springs ... we are looking at £250 here aren't we?

These days I only ride it now and then, and when I do it is just for a jolly; it seems hard to justify that sort of expense on it ...

Even a set of progressive springs are what £80? so with some oil and postage, £100 all in? ...

I suppose rather than the hassle of reverting back, I could take all the preload and damping off the 636 shock to make that horrid and we are back to how it felt with the OE shock!!! :lol:




aye for what you have said ther your looking at around £250 ish if you cant do the front 2 make it good all round then if you feel its better all over with the standrd rear shock then thats wot i would do fair enought you say its better at the rear with the zx shock it but worse on the front i would defo rather have the standard back in if thats the case!

;)

[St0rmer66]

I paid £62 delivered for Hagon Progressive fork springs and Hagon fork oil. I think ordering from Hagon directly made it slightly cheaper than that too (which I found out afterwards). The bike is fantastic now, I find myself wanting to ride it a lot more. On a ride out with my dad and 2 uncles, I absolutely hammered them on the twisties; Uncle on GSX750F.. couldn't come near, Dad on ZX9R couldn't keep up with the pace, Uncle on Thunderace kept up on the straights due to having double the horsepower but I lost him in the corners.

Night and day improvement over stock (with ZX10R shock as well).

[yorkie_chris]

I'd just add some heavy oil and preload on stock front... would be a very quick and bodgetastic way to improve them...

[chakraist]

Mate, weren't you going to buy a porsche or a duke? And haven't you just got a new kart? :P

[Blue_SV650S]

Mate, weren't you going to buy a porsche or a duke? And haven't you just got a new kart? :P

Its not the actual money as such, its the justifiability!! [-X

I paid £62 delivered for Hagon Progressive fork springs and Hagon fork oil. I think ordering from Hagon directly made it slightly cheaper than that too (which I found out afterwards). The bike is fantastic now, I find myself wanting to ride it a lot more. On a ride out with my dad and 2 uncles, I absolutely hammered them on the twisties; Uncle on GSX750F.. couldn't come near, Dad on ZX9R couldn't keep up with the pace, Uncle on Thunderace kept up on the straights due to having double the horsepower but I lost him in the corners.

Night and day improvement over stock (with ZX10R shock as well).

I could justify £62 at the old girl ... but what spring rate are the progressive?

I'd just add some heavy oil and preload on stock front... would be a very quick and bodgetastic way to improve them...

I have got 13.5w oil in there at the mo ...

[yorkie_chris]

Couple of preload spacers then. Progressives don't have a marked rate IIRC

[Blue_SV650S]

Couple of preload spacers then. Progressives don't have a marked rate IIRC

Surely a progressive spring must have a rating? even if it is a indication of initial rate and end rate? Are there not different progressive springs for different people??? ... the same progressive spring isn't used by a 9st and 19st rider?!?!? :scratch:

I have actually fitted preload adjusters to it ... but that isn't the solution ;)

[Biker Biggles]

Get springs with the right rate for your weight and damp them up with heavier oil.That is a cheap mod and would probably be good enough to balance up the quality of the front against the Kwak shock.(Which isnt an Ohlins or WP is it?)

But you already know that so why am I telling you??????

[yorkie_chris]

Progressive spring has a formula not a rating, usually spring rate as a function of compression.

[Blue_SV650S]

Progressive spring has a formula not a rating, usually spring rate as a function of compression.

I thought a progressive spring was not really 'progressive' ... it just as a part of it that is at say 70kg/cm then another part that is 90kg/cm ... obviously once the 70KG bit become coilbound, the 90KG bit kicks in ...

Or you telling me it is made up of a whole bunch of ratings and every coil is different? ... I can't believe that .. ;)

[johnnyrod]

Blue are you still banging on about forks? Seems to have been years! No reason to replace the fork seals unless they're leaking. New springs make the biggest difference by a mile, and unless you ride with a pillion then just get linear ones. If you can afford the extra for emulators then do so, but the springs are the worst bit. The idea of making the back worse to match the front strikes me as pretty barmy.

[Blue_SV650S]

Blue are you still banging on about forks? Seems to have been years! No reason to replace the fork seals unless they're leaking. New springs make the biggest difference by a mile, and unless you ride with a pillion then just get linear ones. If you can afford the extra for emulators then do so, but the springs are the worst bit. The idea of making the back worse to match the front strikes me as pretty barmy.


Linear springs are ~£80 aren't they? ... that is 30% more than progressive ... I can't see how they are better either ... they just allow emulators to function better ...

[Blue_SV650S]

Oh and YC ... looks like progressive springs are exactly as I thought .. not progressive across the range at all ... just have 2 rates!! ;) .. so why can't I know the 2 rates? :scratch:

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa167/slarkster/IMG_9617.jpg

[chakraist]

If you like, I'll buy the shock off you...?

[Dangerous Dave]

I thought a progressive spring was not really 'progressive' ... it just as a part of it that is at say 70kg/cm then another part that is 90kg/cm ... obviously once the 70KG bit become coilbound, the 90KG bit kicks in ...
That is correct, I run Hyperpro springs in the front of the 650.

[Blue_SV650S]

so what are the cheapest springs I can get and what rate are they?!?!? :p

[Blue_SV650S]

I paid £62 delivered for Hagon Progressive fork springs and Hagon fork oil.

£70.50 :(

http://www.hagon-shocks.co.uk/HagShocksPr.htm

[erik]

Oh and YC ... looks like progressive springs are exactly as I thought .. not progressive across the range at all ... just have 2 rates!! ;) .. so why can't I know the 2 rates? :scratch:


make yourself one of these and measure them:
http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e118/edorp/fork%20spring%20measuring/?action=view&current=IMG_6506e.jpg

You're correct that those springs are dual rate springs. The original springs on my bandit and my fzx250 were like that. Properly progressive springs can be identified by the gap between the coils progressively diminishing from one end to the other. The rate increases as the closer together coils progressively bind. It's as simple as that.

[yorkie_chris]

So they're not a progressive spring then. They're foolin ya :-P

[Blue_SV650S]

make yourself one of these and measure them:
http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e118/edorp/fork%20spring%20measuring/?action=view&current=IMG_6506e.jpg

You're correct that those springs are dual rate springs. The original springs on my bandit and my fzx250 were like that. Properly progressive springs can be identified by the gap between the coils progressively diminishing from one end to the other. The rate increases as the closer together coils progressively bind. It's as simple as that.


I am not going to buy springs and then measure them, I want to buy the appropriate springs, I want the manufacture to state the rates to me .. like they do with linear ones!! ;)

So who do truly progressive springs and not just duel rate?

[Blue_SV650S]

Oh and nobody has pointed me in the direction of a supplier for £60 all in ;)

[erik]

Have you had a look at www.sonicsprings.com? They're US$80 for a set of linear springs.

[Blue_SV650S]

Have you had a look at www.sonicsprings.com? They're US$80 for a set of linear springs.


Cool, but bearing in mind I am in the UK, by the time I have paid shipping and got collared for import duty ... prolly back up to the £70+ mark again .. :(

[Stig]

Yes. Put the standard shock back. Zero cost. Bike balanced. End of.

No wait, that won't be the right thing to do either will it. No of course it wont. That's far too simple.

OK, one last try. You don't particularly care what the back end does. So sell the rear shock, put the original back in and spend the money toward sorting out the front end. Although I am sure you will find a reason why this is also no good as an option.

[Dangerous Dave]

http://forums.sv650.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=2191&d=1221157334

Hyperpro springs, a little more progressive than the picture makes out.

[Blue_SV650S]

http://forums.sv650.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=2191&d=1221157334

Hyperpro springs, a little more progressive than the picture makes out.

If they are truly 'rising rate' springs then they are better than the other ones, but ouch £105+postage (http://www.pdq1.co.uk/hyperpro.htm)!! :shock:

[Alpinestarhero]

Hagon fork springs arnt that expensive (£56) and fork-oil change is something that should be done every now and then anyway.

Stop faffing about, just sort out the front end :p

Personally, I'm going for hagon shock and springs sometime in the new year