Gold valves
Thread Starter
Connie Demico does toad?
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 383
From: Lakeway
Gold valves
If one is bound and determined to stay with the stock forks are the gold rebound valves a must have game changer? Springs are kind of a no-brainer, but how much do the gold valves sweeten the pot? That is the 169$ question.
El Cheapo
Back Marker
Back Marker
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 202
From: NW of Philly.
How old is the oil in your current fork?
Have your OEM fork ever been adjusted or tuned to your needs?
What are you trying to get out from the OEM forks?
What kind of riding are you planning to do most after you tune your OEM forks?
Are the OEM forks bottoming out often when you ride?
Consider the answers, you can go about the tuning in different ways.
Have your OEM fork ever been adjusted or tuned to your needs?
What are you trying to get out from the OEM forks?
What kind of riding are you planning to do most after you tune your OEM forks?
Are the OEM forks bottoming out often when you ride?
Consider the answers, you can go about the tuning in different ways.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,082
From: Menifee, CA
Administrator
MotoGP
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,402
From: Kempner, TX
This thread is already going the way of an oil thread.....
My only contribution to it is.
There is a quote from the owner of Race Tech that always rings true when I see thread like this, and responses from some riders.
"The best you've ridden is the best you know." - Paul Thede
So those wanting to glean info here from this thread.. Ask your self.. Who is responding? What have they ridden... not read about, but what bike with what suspension on what riding conditions.
My only contribution to it is.
There is a quote from the owner of Race Tech that always rings true when I see thread like this, and responses from some riders.
"The best you've ridden is the best you know." - Paul Thede
So those wanting to glean info here from this thread.. Ask your self.. Who is responding? What have they ridden... not read about, but what bike with what suspension on what riding conditions.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,066
From: NYC
Glock, have you done the springs and oil yet? I have the same valve question. I just added spacers to my stock springs and raised the oil level with thicker oil. Night and day difference so holding off on GVs. Even though I own a pair.
Administrator
MotoGP
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,402
From: Kempner, TX
"Want" is a whole nother category
The OEM forks limit a rider in wheel and brake selection.
But Brake mods are possible as well to make up a large part of that, leaving wheel selection.
Wheels can be adapted, if you have time, money, skills and equipment or more money.
Though if the end state is to Mod and / or replace wheels, Mod and upgrade brakes, Mod and upgrade suspension, change bar and control positions (higher or lower) and you are a tinker (vice "wanter" and have others do the work at a price) starting with a front end swap makes more sense.
So as CAT stated above....
You have to honestly define what you want, what you're capable of doing as part of the MOD's and what you;ll have to farm out, coupled with your budget..
That will lead you to a set of choices to decide from.
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 807
From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
+1 to E. Marquez and the other members' thoughtful comments
Jack Flash is selling Jamie's valves and a set of springs for $175 plus shipping. If you're in the 160 to 195 lb. range and can do the work yourself or know someone who can, go for it.
Jack Flash is selling Jamie's valves and a set of springs for $175 plus shipping. If you're in the 160 to 195 lb. range and can do the work yourself or know someone who can, go for it.
Thread Starter
Connie Demico does toad?
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 383
From: Lakeway
I have a leaking fork seal and I only want to go in there once! I would hate to change seals and oil and springs only to find that it really needed some valve work to compliment the changes and bring it all together.
I'm maxed out on preload and ten and everytime I cranked the settings up some more, the front end felt better, more planted. It would seem then that some honest improvements there could pay real dividends back on the road. But like I said I only want to do this once. Forks seem like a voodoo area to me, but my friend says we can rebuild this type of fork in a couple of hours or so. I will probably put on the fork brace first so I can feel the improvement with the current setup, then shoot for the rebuild.
I was not aware that Jamie had such a price for springs AND valves, surely makes him a front-runner when I go shopping.
Thanks guys, certainly not trying to start an oil thread. But I am definitely not doing a front end swap, some suring up of the stock stuff will be fine. If not, I'll go CBR1000.
I'm maxed out on preload and ten and everytime I cranked the settings up some more, the front end felt better, more planted. It would seem then that some honest improvements there could pay real dividends back on the road. But like I said I only want to do this once. Forks seem like a voodoo area to me, but my friend says we can rebuild this type of fork in a couple of hours or so. I will probably put on the fork brace first so I can feel the improvement with the current setup, then shoot for the rebuild.
I was not aware that Jamie had such a price for springs AND valves, surely makes him a front-runner when I go shopping.
Thanks guys, certainly not trying to start an oil thread. But I am definitely not doing a front end swap, some suring up of the stock stuff will be fine. If not, I'll go CBR1000.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,066
From: NYC
Glock, for the seal, check out this vid
Most fork seals that have "gone bad" just have a bit of debris causing the leak.
Also, for the preload, you can open the forks, on the bike, one at a time (brace the bike from sag) and add a spacer to add preload and stiffen the front end. You can either make them of pvc and split it, or aluminum and make only one cut, put it in and button the fork tube back up.
And you can add like an inch of heavy fork oil (30wt) while your in there. Less air space and greater viscosity will give you more damping to go with the spring.
Some may call these temporary, but really, you can get pretty close like this and NO disassembly. Forks stay on the bike.
Its mostly between race racetrack tricks to tweak suspension but I did it on the (daily)hawk and it is great. I also have cbr1000rr forks on my SSS hawk. Those are another level but this is very good.
Most fork seals that have "gone bad" just have a bit of debris causing the leak.
Also, for the preload, you can open the forks, on the bike, one at a time (brace the bike from sag) and add a spacer to add preload and stiffen the front end. You can either make them of pvc and split it, or aluminum and make only one cut, put it in and button the fork tube back up.
And you can add like an inch of heavy fork oil (30wt) while your in there. Less air space and greater viscosity will give you more damping to go with the spring.
Some may call these temporary, but really, you can get pretty close like this and NO disassembly. Forks stay on the bike.
Its mostly between race racetrack tricks to tweak suspension but I did it on the (daily)hawk and it is great. I also have cbr1000rr forks on my SSS hawk. Those are another level but this is very good.
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EngineNoO9
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