Air assist fork caps!

[TownsendsFJR1300]

My nose doesn't "shoot up",

It just firms up the forks depending on the air pressure amount..

 

[RoadGator]

Well me being a porker at 263lbs the dive is noticeable and yea I can feel the nose coming up. I scared the crap out of my self thinking that it was coming up and going to go over once. Thinking about springs too.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Well me being a porker at 263lbs the dive is noticeable and yea I can feel the nose coming up. I scared the crap out of my self thinking that it was coming up and going to go over once. Thinking about springs too.

With JUST adding the air, sitting still, you can adjust the nose higher (not too low as the stock springs let the forks drop almost halfway of their travel)

And W/O that static sag and decel sag, the air literally just helps the springs keep the forks where they should be..

I'm about 205lbs BTW. The hard part is finding those valves. I saved them over time in my junk pile...

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Just an update with some specific sag #'s at various PSI's.

(Total movement is a hard stop @ 50MPH, FRONT brakes ONLY, rider weight about 215lbs). About 80F outside, forks are cold (not ridden before hand). 7.5 weight fork oil-recently changed-forks stock, spring and stock spacer still installed.

No air.....................................................9.5 lbs of air....................................................15 lbs of air
Static- 33 mm's...................................... Static-varied from 12-20 mm's (sticky)...............Static-16 mm's
Static with rider- 45 mm's.........................Static with rider- 28 mm's..................................Static with rider- 22 mm's
Total movement- 104 mm's.................... .Total movement- 93 mm's.................................Total movement- 97 mm's


Much more than 15 PSI, the ride is a little too stiff for me. At 15 PSI(each leg), less than half the sag.

[MENTION=15974]FinalImpact[/MENTION]

 

[gnyce]

I am seriously considering this. It seems a 'smaller jump' than doing the R6 fork conversion. I'm not sure that I'm experienced enough to know that my suspension would do better 'fixed', but hearing just about everyone talk about it, there must be something to it that I'm currently unawares...

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

You'd be very surprised how mushy and how far the stock forks sag.

I didn't realize how much until, I did this mod. You can see by the numbers, it definitely improves how it sets, nose dive etc.

I bought a used set of caps and some old MX style tube schrader valves I gathered over time.
I did used the lathe to drill the caps but you can do it by hand. Just keep the hole as tight as possible...

 

[FinalImpact]

I am seriously considering this. It seems a 'smaller jump' than doing the R6 fork conversion. I'm not sure that I'm experienced enough to know that my suspension would do better 'fixed', but hearing just about everyone talk about it, there must be something to it that I'm currently unawares...

When you're in the apex of turn and road irregularities change your trajectory with no input from the rider, that is a fault of the suspension not controlling movement.

Now add in the fact that say a single bump has very different impact on the front vs rear and some notice the mismatch creates a rocking effect as the damping and spring rates are so poorly matched front to rear that a flaw in the road upsets the bike.

When the suspension is doing its job as it should, the bike is very stable and predictable. Much more pleasant to ride especially if your area has lots of twists and less than perfect roads... Where I ride has more corners than straights and making the bike behave as it should was well worth the money spent!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Its too bad before you trash something, you don't try it FIRST.

THEN, post the pro's and con's...

My suspension is very predictable...

 

[FinalImpact]

We have different needs... not trashing....
Fixing the rear damping really made huge difference in corner entry, apex, and exit as the two ends are well matched in both spring rates and damping rates. Getting this balance is huge deal when leaned over on a rough road.

You said it yourself that the land there is flat and has few corners. Mine is the opposite. Thus we have different expectations & needs from the bike and that's fine...

When is the last time you were going 90mph on the chicken with a river on one side and rock wall on the other?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Its been awhile since I rode the Dragon,and the Cherohola in the Smokie mountains.

Mountains, some corners with no guard rails and drop offs that you cannot see the bottom.

Fairly infamous for fatalities, however, no you won't see me EVER doing 90 in those conditions.
Too much to loose and become another fatality. Triple digits on the Cherohola, in certain places, oh yea..

And that's on my FJR.

 

[agf]

You guys in the states and europe that get up to those kinda speeds...... here in nanny state Australia, 110 km is the recognised top speed, although there is some area in the top end where apparently there is no limit (At least there used to be). my toppest top speed is only 135 kmh at a quick burst for overtaking on a freeway- not something I would entertain for long as I value my license too much

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

You guys in the states and europe that get up to those kinda speeds...... here in nanny state Australia, 110 km is the recognised top speed, although there is some area in the top end where apparently there is no limit (At least there used to be). my toppest top speed is only 135 kmh at a quick burst for overtaking on a freeway- not something I would entertain for long as I value my license too much

Trust me, where I live, moderately crowded city, the highest speed limit is 50MPH. I might do 65 getting to speed and then back down as we're not shy of police.

12 hours away in the Smokie Mountains, Cherohola Highway: The Cherohala Skyway, a National Scenic Byway which has some nice long slightly curvining streches with some sharp turns where triple digits aren't hard to do safely (and police and NOT generally there).

Now the "Dragon" , US 129, has 318 curves in 11 miles, no side streets and is world renowned: http://www.129photos.com/ , 129 Slayer The Dragon Photo Specialist on US 129 (Lots of links) can be very dangerous.
Hitting 100 there is very limited and "neutral gravity" (an upgrade and quick drop) in one spot is a blast at a moderate speed.

Some folks here mention everytime they go out they hit redline. I take that with a VERY LARGE grain of salt. 2nd gear will get you
to 90 MPH. They either live way out in the country (there's lots of flats in the mid section of the US) or some "tall fish stories".
Riding on the edge (90MPH), on a regular road at high speeds, it only take's a little sand on a corner to take you out. You know it and I know it.
You wouldn't be around that long with that combo...

 

[FinalImpact]

No tall tales here... The bike does what I ask of it. 20 miles out is a nice river run with no side streets and lots of sweepers. Ever notice I replace my tires as the sides are worn off while having ample tread bars in the middle? Its product of different terrain... More corners than straights!

And yes, I geared it down as some of the best corners have it on the bubble of too fast for 1st (redlined) and too slow for 2nd.
I'm happy with the bikes performance. So if your setup works for you, great. End of story. I'm only trying to point out that not everyone has the same needs. Nothing personal.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Well, it's been over THREE years since this mod.

I've added air TWICE since then (total). I lost 5lbs, in about 1.5 years from each leg, with 15-16 lbs being the magic #. No too soft, not too hard, very stable ride...