supertrapp

[Sean Smith]

I'm now thinking of installing a heavier spring on my stock shock before sending it off to GPS-Suspension for (hopefully) servicing. Which size spring do I need from eshocks.com? Is it the 2.25" I.D. x 9"? If the stock spring rate is 288lbs (according to Dual-Star), I'm thinking of either a 400lb or 450lb spring- I weight about 180 in full gear, ride 1-up and am primarily a street / dirt road rider. Opinions? Where can I find a cheap shock spring compresser or does someone have on I can borrow? Thanks, Sean Smith Louisiana, A17

[Devon]

I'm using the 400lb/in 2.25"x9" from eshocks.com over a stock shock. I weigh maybe 165 in riding gear. I would guess you would want a 400 or 450, depending on how you ride. Devon ssmith@... wrote:

>I'm now thinking of installing a heavier spring on my stock shock >before sending it off to GPS-Suspension for (hopefully) servicing. > >Which size spring do I need from eshocks.com? Is it the 2.25" I.D. >x 9"? > >If the stock spring rate is 288lbs (according to Dual-Star), I'm >thinking of either a 400lb or 450lb spring- I weight about 180 in >full gear, ride 1-up and am primarily a street / dirt road rider. >Opinions? > > >

[Lujo Bauer]

> Where can I find a cheap shock spring compresser or does someone > have on I can borrow?

I borrowed a strut spring compressor from my local auto parts store (Pep Boys). I had to buy 4 small u-bolts because the ones that came with the compressor were too massive for motorcycle springs, but other than that I was happy with how easy the spring compressor was to use and how well it worked. The next time I change a spring, I'll do it the same way (except the part where my bike falls off the milk crate). YMMV, springs can blow your fingers and other body parts off, etc, etc. -Lujo

[Lujo Bauer]

> I'm using the 400lb/in 2.25"x9" from eshocks.com over a stock shock. I > weigh maybe 165 in riding gear.

What's your opinion of how the bike (and stock shock) works with that spring vs the others you've tried? Any complaints? -Lujo

[Jean-Philippe Granger]

How does the stock shock deal with damping this stiffer spring's motion? My rear shock is busted and I have to either rebuild it or buy a new one (Progressive Suspension 420) before I can even think of taking my bike out. I'm 6'3" and 180lbs. I want a stiffer (and higher) ride. The Progressive Susp. unit looks great because it's a new shocks and a stiffer, progressive spring, but pricey for my Canadian pesos. I could probably cut costs by 60-70% by rebuilding the shock myself and getting a stiffer spring from eshock.com, but would a rebuilt stock shock be able to dampen double the spring?? JP Granger -----Original Message----- From: Devon [mailto:bigfatgreenbike@...] Sent: February 13, 2004 5:42 PM To: ssmith@... Cc: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] Rear Spring from eshocks.com? I'm using the 400lb/in 2.25"x9" from eshocks.com over a stock shock. I weigh maybe 165 in riding gear. I would guess you would want a 400 or 450, depending on how you ride. Devon ssmith@... wrote:

>I'm now thinking of installing a heavier spring on my stock shock >before sending it off to GPS-Suspension for (hopefully) servicing. > >Which size spring do I need from eshocks.com? Is it the 2.25" I.D. >x 9"? > >If the stock spring rate is 288lbs (according to Dual-Star), I'm >thinking of either a 400lb or 450lb spring- I weight about 180 in >full gear, ride 1-up and am primarily a street / dirt road rider. >Opinions? > > >

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[Thor Lancelot Simon]

On Fri, Feb 13, 2004 at 05:53:20PM -0000, Jean-Philippe Granger wrote:

> > How does the stock shock deal with damping this stiffer spring's motion? > My rear shock is busted and I have to either rebuild it or buy a new one > (Progressive Suspension 420) before I can even think of taking my bike > out. I'm 6'3" and 180lbs. I want a stiffer (and higher) ride. The > Progressive Susp. unit looks great because it's a new shocks and a > stiffer, progressive spring, but pricey for my Canadian pesos. I could

It's been suggested here in the past that you don't really *want* a progressive spring on the rear shock -- the swingarm movement is, itself, inherently progressive (though in a rather odd, trigonometric way that isn't much like the "progression" of most progressively wound springs I've seen...) Thor

[Devon]

jpgranger@... wrote:

>How does the stock shock deal with damping this stiffer spring's motion? >My rear shock is busted and I have to either rebuild it >

Not so well. It deals with a 400lb spring OK, and you can always crank up the rebound damping a bit. I never liked how the stock shock worked with the 500-560 PS spring, it never had enough rebound. Remember though it was night and day compared to stock springs.

>or buy a new one >(Progressive Suspension 420) >

I really suggest you don't do this. I have one, disassembled in a box in my closet. In the end, I haven't yet decided to try and fix it, or simply publish an autopsy online. Probably the latter. If $425 for a shock doesn't make you choke, I suggest you try to swallow $650 for a Works or other good, rebuildable shock. You should call local suspension tuners and see what they are comfortable rebuilding and revalving. This will ensure easy, quick service and valving that suits your riding. Long story short the PS420 shock can't be revalved. It's only rebuildable by shipping it back to Progressive. Avoid it.

>before I can even think of taking my bike >out. >

FWIW if you don't go fast on rough terrain, a $60 bash plate, $50 radiator bar, and $25 handguards are all you NEED. The rest is either nice to have, or really nice to have.

>I'm 6'3" and 180lbs. I want a stiffer (and higher) ride. The >Progressive Susp. unit looks great because it's a new shocks and a >stiffer, progressive spring >

As others have mentioned you already have a progressive linkage on the rear suspension and don't need (or necessarily want) a progressively wound rear spring. eshocks.com sells straight-rate springs that fit the KLR shock perfectly, for the same price. Try a 450 or 500 lb straight-rate spring.

> but pricey for my Canadian pesos. I could >probably cut costs by 60-70% by rebuilding the shock myself and getting >a stiffer spring from eshock.com, but would a rebuilt stock shock be >able to dampen double the spring?? >

When you rebuild it, try thicker oil (10w or 7.5w) and a 175psi gas charge. I had the unusual circumstance of back-to-back testing a freshly serviced stock shock, and then a new 420 shock (same spring on both). The 420 is only a modest improvement over stock. If it was revalveable it would totally be worth the money. Too bad PS won't sell tools, parts, or share any knowledge with outside tuners.

[Sean Smith]

Thanks for the input Devon, I ordered the 400lb spring from eshocks. I figured there would have to be some improvement over the stock spring. I just got tired of having the preload cranked up full, tippy toeing and still bottoming out so often. -- Sean Smith Louisiana, A17 '04 R1150RT (For Sale)

----- Original Message ----- > > > Not so well. It deals with a 400lb spring OK, and you can always crank > up the rebound damping a bit. I never liked how the stock shock worked > with the 500-560 PS spring, it never had enough rebound. Remember though > it was night and day compared to stock springs. >

[TLrydr@aol.com]

I bought one of the gray springs from Fred, Beats me the spring rate. But i like it One of the top 5 things i have done to the KLR Mike In a message dated 2/13/2004 2:46:47 PM Central Standard Time, bigfatgreenbike@... writes: << I never liked how the stock shock worked with the 500-560 PS spring, it never had enough rebound. Remember though it was night and day compared to stock springs. >>

[bigfatgreenbike]

TLrydr@... wrote:

> I bought one of the gray springs from Fred, Beats me the >spring rate. >But i like it One of the top 5 things i have done to the KLR >Mike >

If the spring has a gap between the retaining collars and the inside diameter of the spring (like the spring is a little too big) then I'd guess it's the 500-560 progressive. Note that the "size" issue isn't an issue, the spring still fits safely on the stock shock. It's just the rate and the progressive wind that doesn't suit my particular setup. -- Devon Brooklyn, NY A15-Z '01 KLR650 '81 SR500 cafe racer "The truth's not too popular these days....." Arnold Schwarzenneger, in The Running Man