Forks Revalve respring

[Guest max]

I found a site on the web called aftershocks-suspension http://www.aftershocks-suspension.com/pages/price.htm that will revalve and respring my Marzocchi forks to my weight. Who else is a good source for that work?

[al_roethlisberger]

Aftershocks is good, so it Lindemann Engineering.....

 

The only issue is that you have to be very clear about your style of riding, as many of these shops have most of their experience in valving tuning toward the performance racing end of the spectrum... and for some people, that may not be quite what they were looking for.

 

Another issue is that with the relative rarity of the V11 Sport range, many have little experience with the Marzocchi forks.

 

Lindemann has done several at this point. I think Lex is quite satisfied with the resluts, where Mike Stewart wasn't so much Part of that may be luck, mixed with personal preference. You might ping them.

 

I'd call both Lindemann and Aftershocks and see what they think about working on the Marz...

 

al

[Mike Stewart]

I have used both Aftershock and LE for fork repair. I still am not happy with the LE revalve/respring for my 00 V11Sport. Another friend of mine also dislikes his forks after the LE treatment, even after he had them redone a second time. So be careful when making a decision about revalving. Aftershock raised my wifes fork back to the stock length and serviced them for really cheap and they seem to work well. Todd (RacerX) had a set of V11 forks reworked and they are really plush. I believe he sent them back east somewhere to have them worked on (Computrack)?

 

Mike

[Janusz]

I would suggest before going full Monty start with replacing just your front springs for harder if you are over 175 lbs. and see how it works for you.

 

I am very happy with that route; I would revalve only after proper springs+ proper and informed damping adjustments did not work for me.

 

Highly unlikely. But it is easy to screw up the valving on the other hand.

[Guest chong-chong]

I would suggest before going full Monty start with replacing just your front springs for harder if you are over 175 lbs. and see how it works for you.

 

I am very happy with that route; I would revalve only after proper springs+ proper and informed damping adjustments did not work for me.

 

Highly unlikely.  But it is easy to screw up the valving on the other hand.

Is that the general rule, that if you're over 175lbs you should go with stiffer springs?

[al_roethlisberger]

... I think it's safe to say that if you are over 180-ish lbs. *and* the front forks aren't performing as you would like(such as not being able to achieve the correct sag) ... then new correct spring rates for your weight are probably the first step in modifying the forks. Revalving can be done at the same time, and perhaps logistically it's the right decision to have it done at the same time... such as when one has to ship their forks off.... but revalving isn't necessarily required to achieve a satisfactory result from the stock forks.

 

I've heard less complaints about the new 43mm Marz forks in the 2003+ bikes BTW.

 

Of course, the very first step is to try to adjust the sag, rebound, and compression damping appropriately on the OEM setup. I suspect that for many people under 180lbs, a well setup Marz fork will do fine. It just depends...

 

al

[dlaing]

Chong Chong,

If that is a picture of you in your avatar, you must need new springs.

Read some of the threads about sag.

That will help you determine if you need firmer springs.

[Guest captain nemo]

I promise to send in my settings when I am finished with my current projects. But, as I say, I am 170 and have found a combination of settings on the stock equipment that I am very satisfied with. It is both highly stable and plush. I can run over railroad tracks without any bucking or unsettling - at a fairly good clip of speed. I used to own a Lario which is much lighter than the V11 - a 650 4 valve - and it handled very well. While the V11 seems much heavier, it is as stable in the corners and in high speed tracking. Of course, it has way more grunt.

[Lex]

Max,

 

I had LE "do" my forks and, after a "re-do", I am very happy with the results. My front end is plush but well controlled. I haven't worked with Aftershocks but have heard good things about their work.

 

I'd also suggest trying the fork spring replacement first. In my case I need the full Monty because of my size but a person closer to average could be very happy with just springs.

 

Again, FWIW, I'd suggest fork spring replacement from anybody over 150 pounds. The springs MG uses are VERY light, something like 0.6 Kg/ Cm. The SOP replacement is (IIRC) 0.9, 50% stiffer. Mine are 1.05, only a little over 10% stiffer than the replacement and I weigh 260 pounds. That should give you some idea of how light the stock springs are. Another test, if it takes more than 20 MM of pre-load to reach the correct sag the springs are too soft. I'd bet most folks who have "fixed" the sag are running twice that.

 

Good luck sorting it out, it is worth it,

 

Lex

[docc]

I added 16 mm to the front preload to set my sag (I'm 160pounds) but feel that it shifted even more weight to the rear, unloading the front leading to traction loss. I did drop the triple tree 10 mm but should have gone further.

 

The real answer is to follow Lex's advice: get the right springs.

[al_roethlisberger]

[snip]

 

The SOP replacement is (IIRC) 0.9, 50% stiffer. Mine are 1.05, only a little over 10% stiffer than the replacement and I weigh 260 pounds.

 

[snip]

 

 

Lex

 

 

...wow Lex, 260lbs and 1.05 springs. I'm 200-210lbs depending on the weather , and that's the rate Lindemann put in my Ohlins when I took them in. I hope that's not too stiff

 

BTW, I think someone at Ohlins/MG may have finally gotten a clue, as the springs Lindemann took out of the Ohlins were .95 which I suspect would have been just fine

 

Ah well, I'll have my various parts in soon enough, so I can ride it around and see how it feels.

 

al

[Guest vkerrigan]

With advice from board member Prof. Wacko and mechanical help from Guzzi Guru Dave Blue, I contacted Ken Zeller @ Evoluzione and through RaceTech, came up with a package for my forks. I weigh 225 w gear and installed 1.0 RaceTech springs, set preload for 15 mm, used Motul synthetic 2.5-5w fork oil and reassembled. The results are great. I run much less compression damping on the forks now and its noticably more compliant and smoother. Spring assembly ran about $115.00.

[Guest captain nemo]

As you know, I am an 'intuitive Guzzisto' and I put a lot of emphasis on the 'seat' of the bike. In other words, when I sit on the bike, I can see and feel where the weight is being distributed. I don't like the feel of many new sports bikes with the ass end jacked way up in the air (to display the new l.e.d. lighting). The seat height is too tall. I need my feet squarely on the ground and a comfy reach to the bars. If it's a long reach, I'm too far back. Also, I want a slight bias toward the front. I'll drop the handles to get this feel. When I do a lot of cornering I use engine braking which also throws weight up front. No brakes. After the apex I am slowly rolling on the power - the bike sits down and I'm shooting out. If I feel my shocks are plush, stable and on the road without bouncing, I don't care what the numbers say. So far so good - and I have run with very big dogs in the past. They were all impressed with the old world, retro, underpowered and 'insignificant' performance of the Guzzi!

[Guest WildJackal]

vkerrigan

 

Did you do anything with the rear shock spring or setup?

 

Forgive my ignorance but does your LeMans use the Marzocchi/Sach combo?

 

Thanks

[Lex]

I hope that's not too stiff

 

Al, only time will tell. It may have to do with how we presented ourselves and our riding style to LE. I called myself an aggressive touring rider as opposed to a full on sport rider. My riding style ( 350/ 400 two-stroke twin Yamahas and old BMWs taught smoothness if nothing else ) is touring, for me, getting off the throttle and onto the brakes are two separate actions. Fast sporting/ race track riders make the change in a single, smooth flow. If LE was setting up the bike for a more aggressive rider I'm not surprised the springs are proportionately stiffer and maybe the damping as well.

 

a package for my forks

 

vkerrigan, that sounds like a good package. I'd bet it would provide most folks with a big improvement for a (relatively) small cash outlay. You could always build on it with more work later but I suspect most folks would be happy with springs and the right oil. I'll add a plug for good (read expensive, sorry) fork oil like the Motul you used. I've done side by side comparisons (not with Motul but other high end brands) and the "ridiculously over priced" fork oil is really worth the extra cost. Don't save a few dollars and buy cheap stuff. I don't know how it works but the good brands seem to greatly reduce "stiction" while still providing the damping you want.

 

Did you do anything with the rear shock spring or setup?

 

Forgive my ignorance but does your LeMans use the Marzocchi/Sach combo?

 

Wild, you asked vkerrigan but I'll be rude and poke my nose in. The rear shock is also under-sprung for most riders. Since this is were the majority of the rider's weight is carried by the shock it is even more sensitive to the rider's weight than the forks spring. Again, I did the full Monty and had LE re-valve and re-spring my shock. It is now very good, I wouldn't be surprised if a well set-up Ohlins or Penske would be better but given the poor (more accurately, old fashion) design of the V11's rear suspension I'm not sure how much better. After the re-valve LE selected a 575 in/pound spring. That would be too heavy for most folks. Anybody done any work on selecting a good rear spring for normal sized riders?

 

Yes, the Le Mans that do not have Ohlins uses the same fork/ shock combination as the V11 Sport.

 

I have a start of a web page for setting rear sag on the V11 here: setting the V11's sag. You may find it useful.

 

Cheers,

 

Lex