• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

How much fork pressure? [Help the newbie!]

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
I'm new to motorcycling and my '82 GS650L......So excuse my ignorance. I was riding my bike the other day, and found the front suspension bottoming out. I found...and checked...the air fittings on top of the forks. Each of them registered about 7 psi. The tag on the fork said max 36 psi.....so I guessed and put in 20 psi. The bike rides soooo much better now...but I'd love to know what the correct pressure is. [I've ordered a repair manual....but it won't be here for a week.]

Thanks!!!

Keith
 
36 psi sound sto high, my friends yammy virago only takes 10 to 12 psi.
 
The right pressure depends on a lot of things, including the level of the fork oil, grade of oil etc. On my 78 GS1000 I run 11psi most times, but I still have the original springs which are a bit soft. Oh yes, I have the European spec fork, it runs a little more pressure.
 
The correct answer is Zero psi!!! you should measure from the bottom of your triple clamps to the top of the seal caps when the wheel is off the ground, then roll it off the stand sit on the bike and have a friend remeasure in the same spot. Subtract the second figure from the first and if it ends up a figure more than 30mm(1&1/4") you need to fit spacers to your fork spings inside the forks.
You should not use air in the forks as it encourages foaming of the fork oil excess heat , which makes the fork oil breakdown sooner, and of cause places extra stress on seals etc. using air is just hiding the problem of it not being setup correctly to start with.
Dink
 
Dink said:
using air is just hiding the problem of it not being setup correctly to start with.
Dink
Click to expand...


Then why the air nozzles in the first place?? My Honda had them too. :twisted:
 
Tim because in a perfect world you would change the springs and damping to suit each individual load you put on a bike( like racers do ) but this is not practical on a road motorcycle and the air adjustment is provided to allow you to adjust for a heavier load, like when loaded up two-up touring. However as most bikes are most often riden solo and mostly unladen except the rider it only makes sense to set it up correctly to start with so you then have it working at its best most of the time.
Dink
 
..which is why on my air forks I change it to suit two up, camping gear on, racetrack, gravel....who rides only solo??!!

And I have Fournales air shocks on the back...a good match.

BTW, I have only ever changed fork seals once!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top