What front fork springs do you have?

[Dragonryder]

I installed the Traxion 1.0 springs when the bike was a 2 wheeler several years ago. I need to rebuild the forks soon and was thinking of changing to progressive. As a 2 wheeler it was great keeping the tire grounded in the twisties. It seems as a trike the front end seems harsh, more stiff. I am looking to soften it up a bit. It has the 6 degree rack installed.
06 wing with a CSC XL conversion done in 14. Anti dive has been disabled from day one.

 

[mhgoldwing]

Because of the rake you will probably need to reduce the spring weight. I would call and discuss with Traxxion.

I have the AK20 cartridges, 6 degree rake, but wife and I are heavy so I'm running the 1.2 springs and they are fine

 

[CrystalPistol]

Ummmmm ..... if you're gonna ask a question that is specific to a certain platform, it might help in getting replies to state what it is you ride.

 

[JaysGone]

I am not the original owner of my trike.
Based on how it was built it is raked and with my past knowledge of Hondas crappy as they come front suspension.
I believe my bike has progressives in it. Bangs on every ripple in the road and almost no movement of the front forks otherwise.
Honda GW fronts do ride extremely harsh.
When its time to rebuild or I get around to it.
Stock OEM springs are going in.
If it has OEM springs now?? No clue what Im going to do.
Might just sell it. No way that Im aware of to get the front end to do its job and absorb much of anything.

If I seem a little critical of Hondas front end. I had a 99 Valkyrie. It rode like a box O rocks.
For the top of the line machine to still have no improvements made all these years later. Yah Im not happy with it compared to almost every other bike Ive owned. Ive owned plenty of them in 40 years of riding. None have been anywhere near as poor smoothing out the road as these 2 have/are.

 

[jrw54]

If you are riding a GL1800 there is a possibility that the anti-dive valve could be stuck causing the harshness of your ride.

 

[JaysGone]

If you are riding a GL1800 there is a possibility that the anti-dive valve could be stuck causing the harshness of your ride.

Nah its fine. I did the nickel mod and it just made a bad situation worse.
If I pound the front brakes it will dive about a half inch no more.
Just the way Honda has the front end 1 shock, one dampener is BS.
Just makes for a stiff crummy ride for a top shelf bike/trike.
Ive been tempted to scrap the dampener for another shock leg but am too lazy and too cheap to try the experiment. I guess Ill just put up with it. I did for 8 years with the Valk and 4 so far with the Wing.
Im just thankful for the very good roads down here. Most are exceptionally smooth.
If I lived up North or in the Midwest.
The trike would be long gone.
My Yamaha Road Star rides like a Rolls compared to the Wing.

 

[Fabricater]

Nah its fine. I did the nickel mod and it just made a bad situation worse.
If I pound the front brakes it will dive about a half inch no more.
Just the way Honda has the front end 1 shock, one dampener is BS.
Just makes for a stiff crummy ride for a top shelf bike/trike.
Ive been tempted to scrap the dampener for another shock leg but am too lazy and too cheap to try the experiment. I guess Ill just put up with it. I did for 8 years with the Valk and 4 so far with the Wing.
Im just thankful for the very good roads down here. Most are exceptionally smooth.
If I lived up North or in the Midwest.
The trike would be long gone.
My Yamaha Road Star rides like a Rolls compared to the Wing.

I have 6 deg rake with stock spring on my 1800.they are soft, to soft for my liking. I did put 5 wait fork oil in it when I did the rake. I am thinking I will try to mix 5 and 10 wait fork oil to firm it up some.

 

[JaysGone]

Both bikes have the same stiff response to them. They only real discernible movement is under hard braking.
Compared to other bikes and my current Yamaha they have the least amount of movement of any bikes Ive owned.
Granted no bike has 4 inches of movement.
But Id settle for 2 inches..........
I know the Valk had progressives in it. I changed them out and adjusted the dampener side as much as I could. Im reasonably sure the original owner had them put in the GW when it was raked too.
Id check it out myself. But too much work to do it. I may not like it but Ill live with it for the foreseeable future. I have for 4 years already.

 

[scribe5]

When I rebuilt the front forks my 2005/Champion SA conversion about three years ago, I used the springs from Race Tech. I contacted them with the make model of bike/trike and the weight of driver and passenger. I also told them the kind of ride I like. They sent the appropriate springs and I could not be happier.

 

[JaysGone]

When I rebuilt the front forks my 2005/Champion SA conversion about three years ago, I used the springs from Race Tech. I contacted them with the make model of bike/trike and the weight of driver and passenger. I also told them the kind of ride I like. They sent the appropriate springs and I could not be happier.

Id make it a pretty safe bet with the PO. He must have used 15w in both sides to get them as stiff as they are instead of 05w left and 15w right.
Given my druthers. Id be using 10w or ATF in both. I used ATF in the Valk which is basically 10w and it was OK after that with a new set of OEM springs
Just too much trouble to check the GW for me. I wont crack the suspension unless I have to for a leak or something.
Mechanics want way too much in labor to work on the bike. I don't blame them one bit.
Im not too happy working with most things mechanical on this bike. Thankfully not much to do in that dept. Its been a super dependable bike. Too hard to get to anything with the fairings and floorboards on.