News from the 2nd gen front fork front

I've had my m/c licence for over 50 years, and I acquired a 1988 FJ from a good bloke just over a year ago. I've been "sucking and seeing" it: braided lines, new pistons in calipers & master cylinders, front rotors, pads etc; fuel pump innards; sprockets and chain; the latest and greatest moffset regulator...

Been reading a lot about how shite the suspension is - front and rear.

Put new oil in the front forks, had no air pressure in the Schrader - geezus it understeered, especially when gassing it up, pumped the valves to 4lbs, yeah, it leaked out of the right side, dust seals perished - did the plastic card trick to remove the detritus from the seals - pumped a few pounds doesn't leak.

Every self-appointed expert says the springs are too soft - wouldn't support a baby let alone a 'real' man on a 'real' bike - half believed, as who am I to blow against the wind. I remember buying aftermarket springs for an XJ 600 but I can't remember any difference.

Decided to get serious:
Left fork: 1psi; Right Fork 2psi
Front Rider Sag: 42mm
Free Sag: 14mm (33% of rider sag)
Target %: free sag 60-70% of rider sag
Way off!!! It appears that the spring is too soft as all the experts vehemently explain.

However

Left fork: 5.5psi; Right Fork: 5.5 psi
Rider Sag: 35mm
Free Sag: 20mm (57% of rider sag)
Target %: free sag 60-70% of rider sag
A tad less than target - bump the 5.5 psi to 6psi (maximum recommended - Haynes & Workshop) and take it for a ride (waiting on some 50 cent valve cores as the rubber does tend to deteriorate in that toxic environment after 25 years);
after I've put the radiator fan override switch in, and found a coolant reservoir (it didn't have one??).

Now I know the valving ain't so great but the poor bitch/bastard is 25 years old and what can you expect - can't wait to buy an over priced gold-plated emulator.

Have the new Honda seals, dust caps, and bushings sitting in a parts box but it ain't broke, yet, not by a long shot.

Maybe the springs would only support a 90lb weakling but the suspension doesn't seem to have been designed to those parameters, and yes, I vaguely remember reading why air is not a good suspension design parameter but on the other hand, compared to some of the suspension I have ridden around over the years...the FJ's suspension is not a worthy candidate for some of the opinions cast in such gay abandon.

Some great stuff on this forum and I have learnt a lot in this last year.

Back to the work on the chicken strips.

 

Hi and welcome to the MadHouse:welcome:

It sounds like you are having fun getting the bike set-up as you want it.

Just take care working on those chicken strips.




SkiMad

 

Skimad

Thanks for your welcome. On reflection I think I was a bit over the top in my post. There are a large number of generous people contributing their invaluable knowledge which would not have been possible to do at the time that the 1st & 2nd generation bikes were manufactured - a great resource.

Thanks again

 

i liked the improvement i got when i switched out stock springs for Progressive (brand) springs, but their recommendation for spacer length was wrong. (Too long and zero static sag, about 5mm with rider aboard.)

Dija measure your springs to compare with factory specs ??:eagerness:

 

Squirrelman

The stock springs measured like they were new.

Thanks

 

I bought new single rate springs from a place in Oklahoma that were closer to the spring rate I needed for my weight.
How heavy are you with your riding gear and get a spring rate calculator to help you out.
If you are too heavy for your spring rate it won't matter what you do with anything else.