Best fork springs for curvy?
 

im very near to changing oil and seals on my front forks, whilst im there im going to replace the springs, has anyone got any experience of the ohlins springs available from jhs racing? any advice on what else to use?

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

what weight are you without leathers?

Ohlins and K-techs are the same virtually quality wise. SV650Racer on here will be able to give you a little bit of discount.

I've got the k-techs as they're cheaper than the ohlins and in stock in the UK most of the time, the ohlins you way weight a few weeks for.

I've got K-techs with Putoline race susp fluid and there ok.

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

Linear steel ones FTW ;)

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

Im 67kg and looking to prep the bike for a few track days this year,

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

Linear and get on to one of those spring calculation websites, I'm sure someone will be along with a link soon as to what rate you need. Go for the later curvy ones and fit a set of preload adjusters to make adjusting the preload easy. Some thicker fork oil and you'll be fine on a track day.

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

Tim the wise budda follow his tips

Spring weight you'll be looking at 0.8 to 0.85 kg/mm
15w oil too

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

Is it dangerous to only upgrade the front? I just read this:-

Does this require changing the rear shock as well to maintain balance between the front/ rear?
Yes. If you stiffen up the front end w/o increasing the rear ride height you will find that the bike has way too much weight on the back of it. As you get moving quickly (100? mph or so...) the bike will start wobbling, then headshaking. Bad. Very bad. When I bought my bike it was stock, it was friday pm, and I was racing the next day. Added preload to the front forks to get the proper sag. It wobbled BAD. Dropped the front ride height, and it still wobbled. Played around in EVERY morning session (****ed off race control..) trying to get the bike to work, then I gave up and put it back to stock preload and ride height and it stopped wobbling.

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

I've never had that above 100mph with me stock shocker.

Had impressive controllable wheelies off big crests

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

im up for changing the rear too, thats why credit cards were invented and why im doing lots of overtime at present lol

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

Haha

What you budget for the rear?

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

Tempted to get one of those lol not sure I can trust myself though.

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

once ive changed the fronts and got a couple of other little bits, ill have a think about it. i wouldnt change the front suspension on a car without doing t he rears, so it makes sense to do them together on the bike

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

At your weight, I would have said the standard springs are fine!!?!?!?

There are two ways to play the SV front forks.

1. Progressive springs and thicker oil (depending on weight)
2. Linear springs and emulators.

Option 2 gives the best functioning suspension, but is ~£100 more expensive to do.

Option 1 is ample - unless you intend to race it, then you need option 2!

For more info on progressive springs, look at the following thread, which was posted by a thoroughly pleasant and helpful chap! :smt082

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=118024

Oh and there is a 3rd option, which is GSXR front end swap! ;)

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

i find the front end very soft thou. could this be down to needing an oil change instead?


is a gsxr front end that much better then the linear and emulator option?

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

And who is writing that exactly?

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

http://www.sv650.org/sv_faq.htm#SV650 Suspension FAQ

Scroll down and click on 'Can I fit a GSXR frontend to my SV?' Not sure who wrote it.

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

well due to the dollar sign its a contribution from one of our americian cousins

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

not done the gsxr swap myself, but yes, it will be better as they are proper cartridge forks and will work better. the emulators are a fudge of the real thing.

all that said, unless you want to race or trackday it (racing only allows EDIT: standard forks (external) by the way) then emulator or just progressive more than enough.

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

Who says racing only allows emulator?

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

although him mixing pre load and stiffness (losing all credibility in the rest of what he said ) ... the essence of what he is saying is actually true - even if his experience noted there is actually something different entirely.

'stiffen the front and you will need to stiffen the rear or the bike will become unbalanced' I 100 percent agree with!

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

I've got Hagon Progressives in mine & for road use I think that they are the mutts nuts, they stiffen the front end up no end. It will show the rear end up tho, so a ZX10, or 6 rear shock also works wonders.
If you are racing, then let the track lads tell you whats best :)

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

should have said 'minitwin' racing, not just racing I suppose!

unless they have changed the regs over the past couple of years, you have to use standard fork eternals

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

Externals yes, internals no

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

You can buy really expensive* after-market full cartridge internals if that is what you are trying to get at? (had forgotten about that option).

Due to cost and diminishing returns over emulators set-up, I don't think they were/are a very popular option though?




*or at least they were when I last looked at them a few years ago now, have they come down in price now?

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

Nope they're still really expensive.
What isn't, is paying a cheery yorkshireman a much smaller sum of money to put some other cartridges in there though

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

Now why would anyone want to do that?!!? :D

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

ill see what my budget allows later on the year but for now i thinkk springs will be ordered soon, although the bikes in bits at present so would be stupid of not to change rear shock right now.
really could do with more overtime

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

I'd highly recommend doing them together. I actually did mine the other way round. i.e. I upgraded the rear shock and then felt compelled to do the front.

Read here http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=112444 for another thoroughly interesting post by a very helpful guy! ;)

Re: Best fork springs for curvy?
 

You can buy ZX shocks dirt cheap off ebay. Mine was 2 years old, looked like new & cost £40 (I think) :)

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

Yeahhhh but, saying that is presuming the SV is anywhere near balanced to begin with?

Stick some stiffer springs in the SV and it won't kill you, it will stop it bottoming out on bumps the size of a skinny rollie

Re: Best springs for curvy?
 

I think it is very even front to rear, just a bit soggy and soft at both ends ...