[Vulcan Verses]

Part Numbers:
92033A-1201 RING SNAP/RETAINING RING

THey are oil/air. You can add air pressure to give a firmer ride. Don't over do it or you will pop your seals. Buy a progressive air shock pump.

This is follow up to my recent posts on stock tire air pressure. As I noted in both posts...inflating or deflating the tires from reccomended air pressure to make the "ride" better is the wrong route to go. You may endarger yourself and wear out your tires prematurely.

The fault lies with the shocks and front forks..not the tires. Most riders under 187 lbs have said the bike transmits bumps harshly and quickly. The reason here is mostly do to the stock springs in the rear. For lighter solo riders they are too stiff..changing the 4 settings really doesn't seem to help.

If you have made your Vulcan a solo rider and have experianced this..I'd reccomend getting some after market shocks that have lighter springs..but allow you to place some pre-load on them for adding luggage or highway/twisty road riding. There are what is termed "progressive" springs..i.e. springs that have been wound in such a way that they progressively get stiffer when compressed. The company called "Progressive" is a diffrent thing..so don't get confused by the names here.

Not quite a complete answer..Progressive shocks ..are shocks and springs made by the company of the same name..however..a progressive shock or progressive spring is a spring that has a progressive rate. The company Progressive Shocks does make springs and shock (springs) that are progressive..but so do other companies. Springs are rated in pounds..(how much weight is required for the spring to compress 1 inch) A progressive spring may be said to have a rate of 80/100..meaning that the spring will compress easier at first (80 lbs) and then become stiffer after a predetermined amount of compression..so it acts like a 100 lb spring instead. This is idealy what you would want on a bike..a spring that is fairly soft for a short amount of travel to soak up the small bumps--road grooves pavement cracks etc....and stiffer to handle the larger ones- potholes and small animals... A true progressive spring is wound so that it may go from 70lbs to 130 lbs following a curve . Some springs are called duel rate and actualy consist of two sepperate springs stacked on top of each other..one being a lighter weight. There..confuse you now? Knifemaker

Do remember that under hard braking the front end should dive,,,if you make it too stiff..you may jeapordise the bikes handling..and cause too much stress on all the stuff mounted at the front. I do not know if any one here has tried adding some pre-load to the stock fork springs...or adding a heavier fork oil. This might be a good test for someone to undertake before spending the money on the Progressive springs. Knifemaker

Re. Progressive fork springs: You gain front end stability and less dive when stopping. As far as doing the work yourself, I cheated and had my shop put in my progressive springs when I had my seals replaced... Love them!!
As for the effect of the Progressives, I can vouch they do away with most of the "dive" and, IMHO, improve overall handling quite a bit. Given they only cost $56, I think it's clearly a thing to do if you're gonna be doing your seals anyway (or even just changing the fork oil, for that matter). grambo

Spend 8 1/2 hours with Curby rebuilding the front shocks on my bike yesterday. The OEM springs had started to relax too much, causing some front-end diving, to the point where my tool-bag would hit the fender. Had a slight leak on one. Curby is good. The key is to have all the right tools-and he has them (I thought my tool collection was good...). You also need a place to get the bike off the ground. We disassembled the complete front end... tire, fenders, calipers, windshield mounts, fork tubes and all the stuff inside. Used an impact wrench to take out the bottom bolts on each fork (imporant: without an impact, it will only spin, since nothing is holding it inside the tube). Replaced oil seals, dust seals, and a other parts. We cut the OEM metal spacers to 7" since the Progressive springs are longer (did not use PCV). MUCH better stopping power and corning. Feels more precise. The Progressive Motorcycle Springs provide a soft spring rate initially for a plush ride, but resist excessive bottoming as the spring compresses. Used Amsoil 10W Medium weight.

All parts replaced with Kawasaki Part numbers :

http://home1.gte.net/res0ak9f/bike.htm

Starman.

However; - the Kawasaki manual has some errors in it and does not show all the info. We had a backup Clymers manual which helped, but it had some errors as well. I suggest doing ONE fork at a time, so the unassembled fork can be referenced. During the rebuild, EVERY part was carefully inspected and cleaned. Think Kawasaki would do that. LOL. Curby was great about this.

"bamvtwin" <[email protected]> wrote: > >
You get the springs for the front (forktubes) and shocks for
the rear. I have both and it doesn't stiffen the ride!
They are > literally > > progressively wound so that the first
part of the travel is soft, > > then the rate gets higher
because the 2nd half (of the travel) of > the > > coils are
more tightly wound. They lessens brake dive, improve > >
handling and make the bike feel less "sloppy" when two up. The
> front > > springs are practically a must and for only $60 or
so you can't > beat > > the performance for the buck, besides
your fork oil needs changing, > > doesn't it? The rear shocks
have an adjustable preload collar. This > > determines/adjusts
"sag" which depends on a rides weight. > >
Re: Progressive Springs - Progressive part # 11 1128 was
$57.95 from MAW well worth it! I also used Amsoil
(synthetic)10W fork oil a 9" height with the spacers cut to
6 29/32". If anyone is on a tight budget you can transmission
fluid instead of "fork oil" because it too is a quality 10W
oil.
Bruce Detroit

I'm not sure there is anything wrong with our suspension. Alot of the riders in magazines are used to "tighter" suspensions , like you find on the streetracers..It really depends on the load on the bike. For an average sized rider ( 165-185 lbs ) The shocks/forks on the 750 are fine...for the intended purpose. If you weigh more or want to scrape up some footpegs at high speeds...you can at least adjust them "stiffer" if you want. I actualy think the springs in the rear are a bit stiff to start with..but that's my opinion...I don't weigh that much...lol. The 750 is not a canyon racer , and shouldn't have that tight of a suspension. What is right for you may not be right for someone else...or what they like. Just looking at the rear shocks..there are seveal options on the 750 ..there are four settings ..I believe these are for rebound dampening..you can also add air ( see your manual for psi limits)..this is compression dampening..Although they make it sound like a pre-load adjustment..haven't really noticed a change in that when adjusting. However...most bikes can benifit from well made (and tailored to the rider and riding style) after market shocks. Basicly , don't go by what someone else says...go by what you think you like. Knifemaker

I did the spring job myself. Replaced the oil seal and dust cover. I cut the stock spacer down. Not a big deal to cut, it is just a light tubular steel piece. Make sure you cut it STRAIGHT. The only problem I had was getting the bottom allen bolt out (this hold the entire inside assembly together. Very tight; I stripped the allen head and ended up making a straight slot out of the allen head, using heat, and used an impact wrench. I suggest you avoid what I did (at one point I though I would be buying alot of new stuff). Get the exact fitting (forgot the size) allen tool and use an impact gun to jolt the bolt loose. I was alittle hesitant to do the job, but now having done it I could repeat it in a 1/2 hr. as long as that bottome allen bolt comes out. Call out if you get stuck. The progessives are really good. Not harsh. Very controlled. Cut the spacer to the length that the instructions indicate. I was tempted to cut them alittle shorter to make sure the ride was soft enough (I have an 88 w/ air forks so I figured I could make it stiffer if I wanted) but ended up doing as they sd. Glad I did. Ride is good. And as the famous Grambo said " easier to take off alittle more than add it back on" GC

I'll second this with the bottom allen bolt. I almost stripped mine. I ended up taking it to the shop and having them break it loose. I also used a piece of 1 1/2" PVC pipe to drive the fork oil seal into its seat.

 

[Vulcan Verses]

I am preparing to install my Progressive fork springs. Mechmo has got me screwed up on something. We read Grambo's write up, the info in the Vulcan Verses, and have a Clymers on hand. My questions:

Which of the following should be replaced during this operation:
1. ring snap (kawasaki's term)/retaining ring (clymer term - # 3 in the clymer diagram, p. 378)?
2. ring snap, fork (kaw term)/stopper ring (clymer term - # 17 in diagram)
3. which of the above are the "circlip" that was written about in prior posts on this subject? (I am assuming the circlip is the ring snap, fork/stopper ring)
4. dust seal
5. oil seal (#18 in the clymer) Further, does Ayers have those items above that should be replaced during this operation?

Please remember that anything I say is my opinion and my experience is limited to having done it a couple times (successfully) myself and reading all I could find on VROC. The C clip referred to is the one at the top of the fork. The retainer for the top plug. The manual I used recommended replacing it. I did on one, not on the other (vn750). AFIK, all you need to replace is that clip and the springs themselves. And the spacer if you aren't cutting down the stock one. That said, this would be a good time to replace the fork oil and have a close look at the dust seal. If your forks are leaking any .... telltale is the "ring" around the fork and light oil residue on there... it is also the time to replace seals. But if all's OK (mine were) then I don't know of a reason to. It's not a major deal if they need it later.

The spacer doesn't wear, but you need a different length (shorter) for the Progressive springs. The Progressives are longer than stock and the spacer goes from the top of the springs to the bottom of the plug that holds it all in. I just cut my stock spacer shorter (careful to cut it straight). Seven inches IIRC, though you might want to try it at 7 1/4" to get a little more preload (stiffer). You can see the pics (follow the link to my Yahoo pics page) showing the top of the cut spacer protruding about that far from the top of my forks before putting the plugs back in. grambo
___________

Q: How big of a job is the Progressive front spring replacement? Is that something that could be done.....say, at Kentucky Lake, assuming somebody that knew what they were doing was going to be there? Any special tools required?

A: The short answer: an hour or so with two guys. Hacksaw for the spacer; furniture clamp for holding top "plunger" down (preload) while you get the circlip out and back in; and a ratchet tie down for holding the forks compressed (so ya can do it without removing wheel,etc.... run it through the wheel and around the handlebars at the dash. And a small screwdriver for removing the circlip. That's about it. I have a write-up somewhere and a few pics still on my Yahoo photos. Anyway, it's really pretty easy. I was gonna help Jax do it, but he never got round to coming to Cookeville until I was already packed to leave the country <g> grambo

From the message board Try Links > Tech > Grambo's Progressive Spring install

Progressive spring install:
Take a look at Gadgets page and do the fork springs yourself. www.gadgetjq.com/gadgetsfixitpage.htm

 

[Vulcan Verses]

Sempai's posting on the progressive spring installation: Well we can get around that firewall and filter *L* Here's the page content: Installing Progressive Fork Springs Instructions are for the 1500 Classic & Carbed Nomad From Rudi Kiefer, Wilmington, NC VROC #121 Note: Doing the work is quicker than it took me to write this, so it's really not a big job.

Tools needed:

a. Some way to take the weight off the front wheel. I use a car jack on each side of the frame, but there are many different ways.

b. Some small and very small screwdrivers.

c. Wood dowel or similar "tool", 3/4" diameter

d. Woodworker's Kwik-Klamp, or a helper
Should have mentioned: I used a small round stone in my dremel to make a small depression in the clamp to keep it from slipping off. It doesn't affect the use of the clamp for intended purposes. grambo

e. One foot of 1" (outside diameter) PVC pipe, the strong kind (schedule-40 I believe it's called), very cheap at the hardware store. Go to a small store where they will cut a length for you, the big shopping centers will make you buy a whole 10-foot stick.

f. Hacksaw to cut the PVC to 4" length.

g. A very sharp knife to get the Progressive springs out of that ^% #@**!!! factory shrink wrap.

Procedure:

(1) Jack the bike up so the front wheel is slightly off the ground.

(2) Block the front wheel in position so it can't swing around. I put a heavy toolbox on each side of the wheel.

(3) Put a blanket on the tank to avoid scratching by dropped tools, etc. Now do the following procedures on each side:

(4) Remove the chrome cap from the triple clamp. Careful, it's made of plastic and expensive to replace if it breaks. Pry it out gently with a screwdriver or such.

(5) Press down on the bronze-color plug which you see in the top of the fork tube. I used a thick wood dowel. If you don't have somebody to press down on it for you, a woodworker's clamp can be used to apply pressure. Worked for me.

(6) With the plug down, remove the metal retaining ring, using a very small screwdriver. Careful if you work outside, it might go "sproinnnnggg" away into the blue yonder.

(7) Take the plug out and pull the stock fork spring out slowly. I propped it up in a halfway-out position (just stick a screwdriver into it) and took a 1-hour coffee and cookies break to allow the oil to drain down into the tube. This will save you from re-measuring the oil level, although it would be good to do that.

(8) Remove the old spring. Insert the new spring so that the narrow- wound coils face upward toward the handlebar.

(9) Make a 7" long spacer out of 1" PVC pipe available at the hardware store. Get the thick type pipe (schedule-40, I think it's called), not the thin one. It's cheap.

(Note this: I went with 7-1/8 due to my weight... Us big boys need a little more spacer...Bulldog)

(10) Insert spacer on top of the new spring.

(11) Insert plug. Press down on it and insert the retaining ring.

(12) *Very important*! Check carefully to see that the retaining ring is seated properly all the way around.

(13) Put chrome cap back on.

Wrap-up:

(14) Take the bike off the jacks.

(15) Go for a test ride on a bumpy road and be surprised!

(16) Learn that the remaining limitation on handling are the stock Bridgestone tires. Do preparatory work on the wife (or significant other) explaining the purchase of 2 new aftermarket tires. For more pre-load on the fork springs, you can experiment with longer spacers. Some in our group have had good results with 4.25" and even 4.5" spacers. Enjoy your new suspension, and great handling!

That's a good write-up. But there are a couple things to add. One is changing the fork oil while you're at it. This requires draining the oil and then compressing the shocks to measure the refill amount (where the ratchet tiedown comes in). Also, I just cut off the stock metal spacers to where I still had about 1/2" of it protruding from the top of the fork. This increased the preload a bit. A bandsaw is helpful to make sure they are cut straight. I will make sure the link to the pics works and see what all I can find to post about this operation. In any case, it's definitely a do-it-yourself job for most anyone. grambo

I changed over to progressives a couple weeks ago. The bike is under a year old so I didn't change the oil. Put it on the center stand, slid a floor jack under the engine. It takes so little pressure to tilt it onto the back tire. Covered the tank with a blanket, used a socket and bar clamp to compress spring. Two small screw drivers to take out rings. Pulled the springs part way out to let oil drain back in. The instuctions indicate the new springs displace more oil than the oem, so what ever stayed on the spring I wasn't too worried about. I read some were, I thought that you needed 1 inch pvc to use as a spacer but it was too big. I cut down the oem spacer and put it back in. I might make it 1/2 inch longer if I did it again. Put it all back together with new rings. Works good. I don't feel like my nose is going to hit the pavement now when I brake hard and it handles so much better. Some time I'll go back and see if it really said 1 inch pvc.

Two tips for future fork spring installers:

I had two problems, putting the even amount of fluid into each fork, you can measure volume or measure height of fluid from top of fork. I chose the latter, but I overfilled and had to siphon some out. Not fun, and time consuming. If I had to do it again, I would get the progressive fork fluid tool. Second problem was the #%$ retaining clip. It took 5 minutes to get the first one off, about a minute to get the second one off. I did it by myself. Getting them back on was an even worse job. Tip, use Ray's tip below, but also jack the bike up so the front wheel is completely off the ground, but stable. This will extend the forks to the max and make the compression job Ray describes below even easier. And last tip, find a patient helper and do the job on a day when you are in a very good mood and have lots of patience. I did not use a helper, but I was in a good mood. I think I only cursed once and it was mentally, not verbally. So it is not a very hard job to do, if you have patience. No test ride yet, it is raining :-( Time to go back out and work on the bike For some reason I find working on the bike very relaxing....EXCEPT when working with dumb retaining rings that is. ;-) Sempai

 

[Vulcan Verses]

Pick's version of the progressive spring installation:

I found my old post about installing the Progressive fork springs. Since there has been quite a bit of discussion lately, I thought it might do somebody some good. Originally posted July 23, 2004. Note that the 1" PVC pipe was too big and I had to go back for 3/4". As I re-read this, I was reminded why I like Stewart. And this group. Very helpful.......

Well, the real story is, Stewart came over today to help me install the Progressive fork springs. Since he had already done this on his own bike, I knew if would be a breeze on mine. He promised to leave Mechmo at home, locked in the garage.

Before he arrives, I must run to Ace Hardware for some locktite and 1" PVC (schedule 40) which they cut for me - 2 pieces 7 1/4" - to replace the stock spacers. Stewart arrives (a little late - he had to stop for some coffee so he wouldn't fall asleep while doing the job). Remove the windshield, remove the right fork cap, push down on the fork top while Stewart deftly removes the circlip. Easy as pie.

Pop out the fork seat, remove the stock spacer, washer, and spring. Ten minutes into the job and we are almost half done.

Move to the left side. Remove the fork cap, push down on the fork top while Stewart deftly removes the circlip. Easy as pie. Pop out the fork seat, ---- OOPS, it won't come out! Like it is stuck in there and no amount of pulling, prying, or yanking will get it out of there. It looks like the top of the fork tube may be slightly out of round. Tried using the Dremel to shave off the offending part of the fork tube and make it "rounder". After an hour of trying, we finally loosen the top fork clamp, thinking that this may be squeezing the fork tube too tight. This helps a little, but we still can't get it out. Even tried a little pulling with a makeshift come-along. No luck. Squirted some PB Blaster and then some silicone spray, trying to get it to slip out. This helped a little. Since I have an '86 model, it has air assisted forks. I was able to get a vice grip on the air "nipple" and rock it back and forth until it finally popped loose! Finally! 2 1/2 hours into the job, and we are almost half done.

Try the PVC spacer -- it's too big. When did Mechmo show up? I could cut the stock ones, but I don't have a good saw for that. My neighbor does, though. I call him but he's not home. I could go back to Ace and try getting a smaller size PVC, or maybe they have a saw there to cut the stock ones. Back to Ace to get a smaller spacer. I take one of the stock ones with me so I can measure the size. The next smaller size is 3/4" and it looks too small. Guy says he has a saw in back that he can use to cut my stock spacers, but of course I only brought one of them with me (I must be dumber than Mechmo). I spend 48 cents for 2 pieces of 3/4" PVC. Again, they cut it to 7 1/4" for me.

Back home, and the 3/4" will work just fine. Meanwhile, Stewart can't get the stock spring out of the left fork. It won't budge. The right one pulled out with a wire coat hanger, but the left one was like welded in there or something. Spent an hour or so looking for and trying out various pieces of metal hooks with no luck. The spring wouldn't budge. I think Mechmo was peering in the garage window and laughing at us. Finally got mad -- back to Ace (we're on a first-name basis now) for a tool. I explain that I need a steel rod with a hook on the end. I had the other stock spring with me so they would know what I was trying to grab. He said he would have to bend some rod for me. Took me in the back room, put a torch on the rod until it was bright red, then whacked it with a hammer to flatten out the end. Heated it up again and bent the tip to make a "hook", then put it on the grinder to narrow it a bit and smooth it out. Tested out well on the stock spring. Charged me 52 cents for half a pound of steel, and I had my fork-spring-pulling-tool.

Back home, Stewart tries out the spring puller. It budged. Just a little. With Stewart holding the bike steady, I got on a stool and yanked with all my strength. It moved. Did it again and again, and it finally came out. Now I was worried about how this would all go back together. Stewart drained the oil from the fork and measured the new oil (10 oz. in each fork). I carefully insert the new Progressive spring, expecting it to jamb on the way down or something. It slides all the way to the bottom, just like it should.

Stewart puts some locktite on the fork oil drain bolt and reinstalls it. The oil, washer, and spacer go in easily. The fork seat requires a slight assist from a BFH, but doesn't cause too much trouble. Then, while holding down the fork top (which is MUCH harder to do now), Stewart deftly installs the new circlip. WHEW! Four hours into the job, and we are a little more than half done.
The other side goes back together without incident (Mechmo apparently lost interest and wandered away). Looks like rain, so I elect not to take a test ride. Have a lot of stuff scattered around that needs to be cleaned up. Just sitting on the bike and rocking a little, I can tell this is going to be MUCH better. I take Stewart and his lovely wife for some food at the Petunia Festival "Taste of Sauk" and we say our good-byes. Back home again, even though there is a light sprinkle, I run it down the road a little to test. It is a big improvement. I didn't realize how soft the front end was before. Now I'm ready for Kentucky! A great big THANK YOU to Stewart for spending most of the day helping me with this one-hour job, and to Lori for letting him do it and for coming along to meet me! I owe you one, bro! ***************************** Jim "Pick" Foster Dixon, IL

 

[Vulcan Verses]

Knifemaker version of progressive spring installation:

First like to thank Dan and John for coming by this morning to help with this proceedure. It is obvious that you do need at least an extra pair of hands to do this , and two extra pair were even better. I didn't take as many photos as I had planned, but with the following guide and the pics I did take you should be able to have a good understanding of what needs to be done.

First thing to do is put the bike up on the center stand and then using a jack or a crate support the engine up so the front wheel is off the ground. Remove your windsheild if it will be in the way and lay an old blanket over your gas tank in case you drop something. Pull the wires and cables away from the fork cap on both sides. On the right side I just bent the wire holder there out of the way, and on the left side I unbolted it from the top of the upper tube clamp. Then unscrew the fork cap.

You need to push the fork plug down to get at the retaining ring. This is the hard part really..The retaining ring is just a thin wire circle with a open gap that fits into a groove against the inside wall of the tube. The preload of the fork spring forces the plug up..and the rounded shoulder on top of it forces the clip into the groove. So you need to push the plug down...we did this by having Dan use a small section of an old bicycle handle bar that I had padded at one end. You need to use a hollow tube as the fork cap bolt it part of the plug and sticks out from the center. While Dan held the plug down I used an ice pic and tiny screwdriver to pull enough of the clip out to grab a hold of it with a set of hemostats (needle nose pliers will work too..) This is where is pays to have help..I could not see doing this by myself..

Once the clip was out , Dan let off the pressure carefully and the spring pushed the plug up out of the tube.

After both clips and plugs are out , you can remove the spacers. These are metal tubes that sit on top of the springs and are what you need to cut down to use with the new springs.

Put a 90 degree bend on one end of a long piece of wire like an old coat hanger, so it sticks out about 3/8 of an inch ... and use that as a hook to pull the old spring out... Be carefull not to lose the washer that sits on top of the springs....Only pull it up about 12 inches or so and let some of the oil drain off. Then grab a rag and remove it as you wrap it up a bit so you do not drip oil over your tank..(I did say use an OLD blanket to cover it...lol)

Next, if you plan on changing the fork oil , you need to drain the forks. Remove the drain screws at the bottom of each fork leg , and use an old cup or pan to catch the oil. I used some old plastic drinking cups..just make sure they will hold more than 12 oz. To get the last bit of oil out you need to compress the forks several times. So the oil won't spray your floor or tire, I took two Zip Lock bags and closed them around the bottom of the fork tube to catch the oil (see photo) We took a piece of wood and fed it between the front spokes so we could pull the tubes up, Dan pulling up on one side , me on the other. ( We used a shovel handle ).

We did this several times in a row, pulling the forks (and wheel) up , basicly pumping the old oil out into the bags. Do this untill the the drain holes seem to stop dripping between pumps.

Next, cut your spacers. I had thought the progressive springs were 2 inchs longer than the stock ones. I measured roughly a 3 inch diffrence. The stock spacer measured 9-3/4 inchs (9-13/16 to be exact) The instuctions that came with the springs say to use a 7" spacer. Which is the length Dan had used on his. I decided to use an extra 1/4 inch of preload, so cut the stock spacers down to 7-1/4 inches with a hacksaw. I then took them to my grinding wheel and squared up the ends and made sure they were the same length. After removing the burrs and going over the edge with 220 sand-paper..my caliper measured each at exactly 7.257 inches.

I washed them off with paint thinner to remove the loose metal that had stuck to them.

Next remove the bags from the fork tubes and reinstall the drain bolts. (wash them off to before installing)

I used a measuring cup to meter out, as close as I could tell, 10.8 oz (320mL) of 15w Bel-Ray fork oil. used a piece of tape to mark the cup so I would be sure each leg got the same amount of oil. It was roughly at the 11oz line. Used a small funnel to fill each leg. Then we placed the new springs in each tube, making sure the washer on top was sitting flat. Then the newly cut spacers were installed and using the same proceedure for removing the plug clips..we installed them back. Much easier than removing them, although we had to reposition our tools a few times to make sure they were properly seated in their grooves. This is important because you do not want them shooting back at you. So take the time to make sure they are seated properly..you might even hear the plug "Snap" them in. Install the fork caps and return your wires, wire clips/holders to where they were. Reinstall your windscren if applicable.

Check to make sure the drain bolts are not leaking, remove the jacks, and you are ready to ride.

Post notes: After all was done, I poured the old oil I had drained out of one leg into the measuring cup. It was slightly higher than the mark I used to fill it. (see photo) I'm not too worried about this as the instuctions that came with the springs say they displace a bit more oil than the stock springs..meaning you should use a little less. Couple this with the fact that there will be a small amount of oil still sticking to the internal parts even after you drain the tubes..So I am not concerned about this. I had thought of trying to measure the oil level as per the instructions..but feel after seeing how close the the two amounts were..I again am not worried here.
I am also glad to report that when we were lifting the wheel to "pump" the forks, I did not notice any binding or hesitation of the forks as they compressed. This is can be a major problem with some fork braces. They should not bind or hinder the action of the forks. So my impressions of the quality of the SuperBrace product remains intact..

Photos are in the folder "Forks" at my yahoo site below...

Again thanks for the help Dan and John..
Eric

 

[Vulcan Verses]

The Progressive Suspension website lists the shocks for the VN750 as a 412-4207C (Heavy-Duty type). I have found a shop that has a set of 412-4019C (Heavy-Duty type) that I can get for a song. These 4019C's are for a Harley dresser. What do you guys think? Can they interchange? Does the weight of the bike make a difference in the shock? Is there a difference in the body diameter? The size of the eyelet? I can shim that with bushings if need be. Anybody know?

I think you need to talk to Ray abt this. He did some changes with the 412's and if I remember correctly he told me the heavy duty ones were too stiff ?

I doubt that Ray weighs as much as I do. I'm the perfect weight for my height (if I was 8' tall). The heavy duty shocks are necessary...

I got my answer from Progressive. The Harley shocks I'm looking at will work. I just have to use a 1/4" cam adapter to shorten up the follow thru of the shock. They have these in stock at my buddies shop, so for about $160 total, I have a set of Progressive 12.5" Heavy Duty shocks for the riding season. Evan Breyn ~ The Bulldog

Here's something I read in Motorcycle Consumer News. Triple the life of your fork seals by spraying where the seals meet the fork tubes with silicone spray. It stated several riders in a local club bought identical bikes at the same time, some doing this, some not, some starting several years down the road. Pretty much, statistically, fork seals lasted much longer based on how soon/often they were sprayed. Interesting.