Forks question!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 325
From: MN
Forks question!
ok guys i know that one of the most important things i can do first to modify my bike is the suspension set up for me, now i have been lookin on ebay and such for fork springs and such because that is what i was told was needed to stiffen them up a bit, i cant find parts anywhere! i dont know that i have the mechanical ability or tools to do this job but any insight on how they fixed their front suspension problem, i am a solid 235 lb guy and i know they need to be stiffened a bit, i dont have the money to do a gsxr swap or anything so any ideas on how to make the stockers work would be great. thanks guys!
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,132
From: Phoenix, AZ
Well the easiest option is to send them to Greg (Hawkrider on the forum) and have him do it. I don't remember the exact cost, but it is far less than a fork swap.
If you are going to do them yourself, you would look at getting springs sized to your weight from either Sonic or Race Tech
http://www.sonicsprings.com/
http://www.racetech.com/
You are not likely to find any on ebay, they rarely do come up used, but not very often.
Also consider re-valving them at the same time since that will help even more and they are already apart to do the springs.
If you are going to do them yourself, you would look at getting springs sized to your weight from either Sonic or Race Tech
http://www.sonicsprings.com/
http://www.racetech.com/
You are not likely to find any on ebay, they rarely do come up used, but not very often.
Also consider re-valving them at the same time since that will help even more and they are already apart to do the springs.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 380
From: Warrenton Virginia
They don't need to be stiffened a bit for your 235 (not a note on anyones size) they need much much stiffer springs. You can find springs at racetech and a few others but your best set would be to buy a cheap set of forks and have them shipped to someone like jamie daugherty and have them resprung and maybe revalved. The springs aren't to much, probably less than 100. The valves are a little more. I'm sure one of our local suspension experts (greg, jamie, others?) Will let you know.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 325
From: MN
They don't need to be stiffened a bit for your 235 (not a note on anyones size) they need much much stiffer springs. You can find springs at racetech and a few others but your best set would be to buy a cheap set of forks and have them shipped to someone like jamie daugherty and have them resprung and maybe revalved. The springs aren't to much, probably less than 100. The valves are a little more. I'm sure one of our local suspension experts (greg, jamie, others?) Will let you know.
o well! hopefully i can find some forks and i do know we have some suspension experts and i was hoping for their input on this issue, thx guys
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,864
From: Fort Wayne, IN
At 235lb I would suggest 0.95kg/mm springs in the forks. Just for those it would cost you $85. That's really a good start, as your budget allows there is more you can do to increase the performance of your stock forks. For another $200 you can get those completely setup for you. As you have suggested, that's some of the best money you will put into your bike. It's a fraction of the cost of slip-ons and improves the ability of the bike much more so.
Don't forget your rear suspension too!
Don't forget your rear suspension too!
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,138
From: Austin, Tx
At 235 you have no reason to be self conscious about your weight. The much better news is you don't have to spend a thousand bucks on a Penske rear shock.
The bad news is the front sucks. I've ridden with big guys (285) on the Superhawk and they can bottom stock equipment in a parking lot.
If you do a search about the rebuild you will find a post that shows all the parts that come out of the "stack". When you find that post you will understand what I mean about suspension gurus.
If you can't afford to do the rebuild simply stay off the wrist. When you can afford to do it box them up and send them off. Fed-X actually has triangular poster tubes that perfectly fit the Superhawk legs.
Remember suspension is a factor and function of: rider + ATGATT, prevailing local road conditions, style of riding - Hawkrider quizzed me about all of it before he built my set.
I got the bike back on the road and it was "Holy ****! - I gotta new motorcycle."
The bad news is the front sucks. I've ridden with big guys (285) on the Superhawk and they can bottom stock equipment in a parking lot.
If you do a search about the rebuild you will find a post that shows all the parts that come out of the "stack". When you find that post you will understand what I mean about suspension gurus.
If you can't afford to do the rebuild simply stay off the wrist. When you can afford to do it box them up and send them off. Fed-X actually has triangular poster tubes that perfectly fit the Superhawk legs.
Remember suspension is a factor and function of: rider + ATGATT, prevailing local road conditions, style of riding - Hawkrider quizzed me about all of it before he built my set.
I got the bike back on the road and it was "Holy ****! - I gotta new motorcycle."
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,066
From: NYC
If you want the quick cheap solution (first step anyway), add a little fork oil to each leg. Thats what I did to let me not bottom until my race tech springs & valves came. Its kind of bootleg but it does help in the meantime
COBB Member
Superstock
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 292
From: NorthEast Connecticut
I'm not self conscious about my weight, 290lbs, just get a tad sensitive if ya call me a fat f#%k without a smile on yer puss.
However, when I got my hawk the front end sucked bad, so.. while waiting to do the USD mod, I put in heavier oil, 3/4" longer spacers on top and a fork brace, night and day stability wise, if I wasn't doing the swap I'd go with new springs and if the budget allows, send em to Greg for set-up.
However, when I got my hawk the front end sucked bad, so.. while waiting to do the USD mod, I put in heavier oil, 3/4" longer spacers on top and a fork brace, night and day stability wise, if I wasn't doing the swap I'd go with new springs and if the budget allows, send em to Greg for set-up.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 325
From: MN
At 235 you have no reason to be self conscious about your weight. The much better news is you don't have to spend a thousand bucks on a Penske rear shock.
The bad news is the front sucks. I've ridden with big guys (285) on the Superhawk and they can bottom stock equipment in a parking lot.
If you do a search about the rebuild you will find a post that shows all the parts that come out of the "stack". When you find that post you will understand what I mean about suspension gurus.
If you can't afford to do the rebuild simply stay off the wrist. When you can afford to do it box them up and send them off. Fed-X actually has triangular poster tubes that perfectly fit the Superhawk legs.
Remember suspension is a factor and function of: rider + ATGATT, prevailing local road conditions, style of riding - Hawkrider quizzed me about all of it before he built my set.
I got the bike back on the road and it was "Holy ****! - I gotta new motorcycle."
The bad news is the front sucks. I've ridden with big guys (285) on the Superhawk and they can bottom stock equipment in a parking lot.
If you do a search about the rebuild you will find a post that shows all the parts that come out of the "stack". When you find that post you will understand what I mean about suspension gurus.
If you can't afford to do the rebuild simply stay off the wrist. When you can afford to do it box them up and send them off. Fed-X actually has triangular poster tubes that perfectly fit the Superhawk legs.
Remember suspension is a factor and function of: rider + ATGATT, prevailing local road conditions, style of riding - Hawkrider quizzed me about all of it before he built my set.
I got the bike back on the road and it was "Holy ****! - I gotta new motorcycle."
hopefully i will have a decent budget for the SH this spring however im trying to convert my KZ650 into a cafe racer at the same time....VERY slowly but its coming along and on a college students budget and trying to mod 2 bikes...its slow going
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 325
From: MN
I'm not self conscious about my weight, 290lbs, just get a tad sensitive if ya call me a fat f#%k without a smile on yer puss.
However, when I got my hawk the front end sucked bad, so.. while waiting to do the USD mod, I put in heavier oil, 3/4" longer spacers on top and a fork brace, night and day stability wise, if I wasn't doing the swap I'd go with new springs and if the budget allows, send em to Greg for set-up.
However, when I got my hawk the front end sucked bad, so.. while waiting to do the USD mod, I put in heavier oil, 3/4" longer spacers on top and a fork brace, night and day stability wise, if I wasn't doing the swap I'd go with new springs and if the budget allows, send em to Greg for set-up.
ok good stuff guys, greg if you read this could you PM me with how much you are charging for a fork setup?? i would love to get some pricing done and see what i can and cant afford
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 250
From: NJ/NYC
Guess I will need to send my forks off to Jamie or someone and get both front and back set up for me. Can I put two sets of forks on each side to help compensate? 6'2" 290 but losing slowly.
It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't like pasta so much LOL
It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't like pasta so much LOL
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,138
From: Austin, Tx
I know I can't get into my leather jeans anymore. I'm only 16 over but it's all in the wrong spot. A little bit of sweatin' would be the solution and being able to work more than two days at a time because of the weather would also help.
Always Learning
Back Marker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 148
From: Northern Illinois
Does anyone know of , well anyone in the Illinois, northwest suburbs area that can rebuild front forks? I know this is one of the "must do's" to a Hawk and being 220 I am thinking it is NEEDED!
Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 115
From: Henderson, NV
+1 on that. If you want the ultimate ghetto cheap upgrade you can also replace the oil with a heavier grade. Of course if you have the $ better to get springs and a guru to revalve it.
Always Learning
Back Marker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 148
From: Northern Illinois
OooooK... Well than that just opens the door for a BOAT LOAD of more questions. What is the cost (if I pull them) typically to get them rebuilt? Just a thought. If I yank them, how hard is it to actually rebuild them? Aaaaand, Smoking stated he was waiting for his racetech springs and valves to come in, does that mean that most likely he would be rebuilding them himself? And how... I'll stop there b4 I get too chastised for being a nube.
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