Front Fork has air valve???

Okay,
So, I just got my brand spanking new 1987 VFR700F2 home, and was looking at everything. I unscrewed a black cap off the top of one of the front fork tubes (not sure of the exact term) only to discover an air valve much like the valve stem on a tire. I had some air shocks on an old Suburban that I cold raise and lower by raising or lowering the air pressure.

Is this the same deal? Enlighten me from my ignorance, please!

 

I asked the same thing when I did my shocks...

*if* you are going to run any pressure in them, just make sure you don't put too much in them or you could blow your fork seals

use a bicycle pump, and go slow

generally, no need for adding pressure, was the answer I got

 

It was Honda's way of making the forks more "progressive" in their travel resistance, much as a progressively wound spring does, or adjusting oil height in the fork tubes to vary the size of the air chamber volume. Same general idea, kind of the early days of adjustable suspension. Varying the air pressure will also adjust initial (or "static") sag to some degree.

Anyway, they tend to be really low pressure, as mello dude already pointed out. It is worth buying a pencil-type low pressure air gauge, like 0 - 20 PSI, as the max pressure is probably less than 15 PSI. The CB1100F (1983) calls for an inflation range of 0 - 8 PSI, and 2 PSI seems to work the best. I always use a hand pump, and it takes very little motion to over-inflate them, like 1/2 a stroke.

Sorry I don't know the pressure for your bike, but hopefully the above helps a bit.

 

the max pressure is 6 psi, but few riders put air in the forks........

Progressive (brand) springs do help the forks if you decide that help is needed..

 

Yeah, 6 is indeed the max for the front, but there is no minimum. I personally ride without any, since 25 year old fork seals provide a plenty stiff setup.

The rear shock requires at least 7psi. I'm not sure what will happen if it's lower, but it probably won't be good. I believe the max is 43psi, bit not sure. I know for sure it's more than 40, but you'll never want it that high... your lower back will return the favor the day after using more than 15psi. I think the high end of the pressure range is strictly for use with perfectly flat surfaces... public roads are too bumpy.