V11 sport fork options

[griswoia]

I'm sure this has been covered but don't know what the most recent/up to date options are.

Basically I'm 230 and my 2000 sport's front end is a bit overwhelmed.  Yeah I know there are olhins but what about new springs or changing the oil?

Opinions and links are all appreciated.

[GuzziMoto]

Somewhere in this forum I wrote something up about how the early forks have basically zero compression dampening. I also talked about how, if you block off one of the two large bleed bypass ports in the cartridge tube, you can force the oil to go through the piston and valve stack and end up not only with dampening but have an adjuster that does something beyond the last inch of travel.

The early forks have two large bypass ports that allow so much oil through them that the oil only needs to go through the piston and valving after the piston is past at least one of the two ports. And that doesn't happen until you are something like 3/4 the way through the suspension travel.

Changing the oil won't help much unless you resolve that issue in my opinion.

New springs are good, but we found that once we actually got the forks to have compression dampening we were OK with stock springs. At your weight, you may want stiffer springs, but I would address the utter lack of compression dampening first.

From memory, I was working on the forks and happened to put the forks together without the springs installed. That made it easy to see what is going on. No matter what I did with the compression adjuster the compression leg had zero resistance to being compressed. I looked at it closer and saw the two large bypass ports and figured out that I could block one of them off and that would force at least SOME of the fork oil to go through the valving in the piston. The way it was stock it only really forced the fork oil through the valving after the piston was past at least one of the two bypass holes. So really, it was more like an adjustable hydraulic bumpstop.

[LowRyter]

In the case of my 2000 Greenie, I find the fork to be fairly compliant.  My big issue was having it set too stiff.    I was going to Race Tech for revalve/respring route but I neglected to play with the adjusters. Once I did, it made a huge difference. 

I wrongly assumed that everything should be stiffer.  I found just the opposite.  The front end bounces and deflects and when it's too stiff it contributes to weave at speed.  I discovered it was much worse when I had a new tire installed and the tech had put 40 lb of air in it.  Then it dawned on me that front was just too stiff.   Softening the adjusters made a big difference and I discovered there was a lot more adjustability than I guessed. 

I'd suggest playing around with it first.  If I still didn't like it, I'd contract Race Tech.  They don't list anything but others here have gotten their products.  

[docc]

Springs (Traxxion Dynamics) better matched to my weight and lack-rabbit* riding style helped mine (under 200 pounds in gear) along with oil selection and, especially, matching the Öhlins spring/ride height in the rear. Even tire selection/ air pressuure is part of the balance. It's a package challenge, IMO.

Guzzimoto's compression damping mod has long interested me. As well as recent interest in the Andreani cartridges (watching for some actual feedback on them applied to the V11 . . .)

*edit: "jack-rabbit", heh, yep. That's what I meant . . . I type like they build Porsches. Build 'em fast and fix 'em at the end of the line . . .

[Chuck]

Quote

lack-rabbit

[docc]

Heh. I just saw that and edited it, but not before getting called out by the quick-witted . . . 
 

Some of us  may remember the kind of thing John Cameron Swayze used to put Timex watches through. That would be me and my Sport . . . 

[Chuck]

Quote

quick-witted

Lack witted..

[docc]

1 hour ago, Chuck said:

Lack witted..

I reckon that makes me jack-witted! 

[nobleswood]

Having a suspension guy to help refine & evaluate what you've got & how to fix it is worth quite a lot.

As you're in Atlanta going to see what Traxxion Dynamics can do for might get you sorted.

I am currently doing something similar, having found a suspension guy, and hope to rebuild the forks with Racetech gold valves this winter.

[knumbnutz]

I welded up one of the holes as suggested and it worked well.
I eventually replaced the fork insert with the andreani inserts and they're better still with more finer adjustability.



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