Trike Rake Kit measurement change on GL1500

[Ruffrider]

Ok folks have a 6 degree triple tree installed. Bike seems to me sitting to close to the frt fender. What measurements are yall getting? Not sure if I have progressive springs or not will ck soon. I just happen to have a new set on the shelf from another wing I have owned!!!

Thanks, Ralph

[Ruffrider]

Ya'll cannot walk out an measure the frt bumper to fender clearance on your 1500s comeon guys

[stacebg]

Ok folks have a 6 degree triple tree installed. Bike seems to me sitting to close to the frt fender. What measurements are yall getting? Not sure if I have progressive springs or not will ck soon. I just happen to have a new set on the shelf from another wing I have owned!!!

Thanks, Ralph

moving the wheel forward drops the bike.. its geometry!!

6 might drop the bike 1-1/2 to 2 inches

[CrystalPistol]

6 degrees, should have fork extensions about 2-1/2" long or longer tubes in total. Progressive 11-1152 springs for a 1500 will not be good.

Better springs are the 11-1122, but the best ones for a 1500 sporting a 6 degree kit are the 11-1112, no joke.

Not wishing to reinvent a wheel, I'll just quote a write up of my own trip looking for a good ride with a GL1500 Trike with 6 degree rake kit. I wrote it in 2010 .... it's been another 12 years, it still holds true. While you may hesitate to follow my lead ..... I'm telling you that these Progressive # 11-1112 springs intended for a Kawasaki are the BEST for same money for a GL-1500 based Trike with 6 degrees "rake kit".

Below is "how" I arrived at that conclusion and it still holds. I had read many accounts of guys finding that the Progressive springs intended for a 1200 rode better in a raked GL1500 trike front end when used with 3/4" spacers, that without the spacers the 11-1122s weren't long enough to keep the front up .... so that if you use the 11-1122 springs, they will need a spacer added to get the front up where it should be.

I will also tell you that with that 6 degrees added rake laying the tubes down you do NOT want the #11-1152. They are brutal in this application with rake kit. Note also my Fork Oil choices. It's easy to change the oil as you experiment. I ran straight 10 wgt Bel Ray Fork Oil in the forks, or a 50/50 mix of 7wgt & 10 wgt.

"My last word on Fork Springs for 1500 with 6 degrees"04-06-10

Progressive # 11-1112 is for Kawasaki KZ1200/1300 (in my 1500 trike)

20.75 " L <>1.19" OD <> 45/70 Lbs/In.<> near 0.210 wire <> 54 winds

Progressive # 11-1122 is for GL-1200 GoldWings

20.00 " L <>1.34" OD <> 45/70 Lbs/In. <> near 0.230 wire <> 50 winds

Progressive # 11-1152 is for GL-1500 GoldWings

20.50 " L <>1.35" OD <> 35/80 Lbs/In.

Things happen for reasons. In 2004 I purchased my already triked 97 GL1500 SE / Lehman trike, I knew this bike since purchased new in Oct '96, it was first '97 delivered in H-burg. Original owner triked it in '97. He was a Lehman installer, they rode it for years as he built others for folks. It already had Progressive # 11-1152 as indicated by the receipts they kept in a book of all items for it. Complete with records and a trailer!

I had it a month before I ordered a Champion EZ Steer in 6 degree flavor, got one of the last before they stopped making the 6 degree one he said. Near $900 shipped, I installed Oct '04, reused the Progressive # 11-1152 springs as all I had on hand.

Rough ride and front end sagged. Look at spring rates above, see why? I do. Couple years ago, tired of the beating, being a procrastinator too, I looked around and found a set of springs listed for a 1200 on Ebay, I ordered them, as number sounded familiar to what I was looking for 11-1122. Got them, slipped them in in place, WOW!, it was wonderful. They fit a little loose in the bore, squeaked at first, but oh ... What a Ride they gave! Looking later on box I see they were really Progressive # 11-1112 springs, not the 11-1122 springs I thought I ordered. The squeak went away first ride. Speed forward, I keep eyes open on Ebay, one day picked up a set of the 11-1122 springs for a GL-1200 cheap, new in box.

I get them and put on a shelf. March 20th, we take a ride over to the Maple Festival, great trip, fun ride. That evening or the next, while cleaning the trike I decided to slip the recently acquired 11-1122 springs in place and removed the 11-1112 springs. I made up 5/8 spacers and that with the shorter 11-1122 springs held the front up near top of stroke at rest. These are the springs Progressive sells for the GL-1200 and the OD is very nearly the same as stock 1500 springs. Took several rides since, still a comfortable ride, 10X better than those 11-1152 springs originally in it, and front set up ... but memory told me the "wrong" 11-1112 springs rode better, swallowed bumps better, and held the front up as well as the 11-1122 springs with spacers ... even without spacers.

Saturday we had a near 250 mile ride planned, we went. Saturday night as cleaned it up from what was a dusty ride, I decided to slip the "wrong" 11-1112 springs back in. It's really easy now, can do it in 30 minutes. Jack under front of motor and set on wooden blocks. Remove Schrader valve and drop 5" long smooth 1/4 bolt in hole to keep it all together when loosened, just loosen top clamp and bring out cap & tube extension as one unit (I have fork tubes mounted so about 3/8" of top extension protrudes above top clamp so that top of original fork tube is inside bottom ... so now the top clamp helps align the cap & tube extension with fork tube as I stand over with speed wrench and chest board I made up). Remove springs one at a time, I wipe new springs with fork oil and insert, put back together.

Sunday, we take another 268 mile trip. Yep. memory was right, these Progressive # 11-1112 for Kawasaki KZ1200/1300 will now remain in my GL1500's 6 degree raked front fork tubes from here on out. I might play with fork oil weights, have a 50/50 mix of 7 and 10 wgt BelRay Fork Oil in it now, about 8.5 weight, 350 CC each. 325 CC is enough though. The 1122s were good, and if not for a mistake I'd be using them and not know any better ... but for a mistake in reading a number on my part and the shippers (the listing showed 11-1122, the numbers on the box so similar upon receipt that I just didn't notice, and the length looked right!). These 11-1112s work bumps and bridge joints and ripples and etc ... even better.

I already had Progressives in my '85 GL1200 ..... I remain contented with a spare set 11-1122 in a box on a shelf .... those 11-1112s stayed in the Trike. Current owner loves it.

I don't have it to measure, but you can see in these pics. The blue one was not mine, but it is the one I tried that convinced me to change mine in 2004. The picture with the trailer tongue in view was stock too, the day I brought it home in 2004.

[Marc H]

I agree with Les on this one.Mine is gone so I can't measure for you but it had 1152s in when I got it and the fork protectors would hit the fairing when turning in yard and hit bump.After reading his post I went a straight wound spring instead of Progressive and the ride was night and day better and no more hitting.

[Ruffrider]

Wow Les an CP what a post. Thank you very much!!! I just ordered a set of 11-1112 for my 1500. You mentioned fork extentions what size did you use an were they nessasary with these springs?

Thank you for a great post.

[CrystalPistol]

Wow Les an CP what a post. Thank you very much!!! I just ordered a set of 11-1112 for my 1500. You mentioned fork extentions what size did you use an were they nessasary with these springs?

They were about 2" long, threaded male one end goes into top of fork tube, fork cap threads in the extension. They were then clamped with about 1/8" of the top of the tube within the top triple tree that was in the 6 degree Champion E Z Steer kit. I thought Papa Zook here was making them too? You can see in the drawing above that leaning the tube back 6 degrees will otherwise lower the front of the trike. Those springs would hold ours up all the way at rest, but if the tubes are too short, it's still too low.

[Ruffrider]

Thanks for the info on the extensions. Will check Papas web site an give him a call.

Thanks again. Ralph

[Ruffrider]

Well Papa Zook did not have any an no idea where to get any. Said 40mm was correct size an good luck!! Was hoping someone has a set they no longer need? Springs came today.

Be Safe. Ralph

[CrystalPistol]

Well Papa Zook did not have any an no idea where to get any. Said 40mm was correct size an good luck!! Was hoping someone has a set they no longer need? Springs came today.

Be Safe. Ralph

I just looked all over, can even find EZ Steer kits with the extensions, they are like $700 for whole kits I see. I paid $800 in 2004 for my kit, looks exactly like the ones I found tonight, but you just looking for extensions. I know a half decent machinist could make them in aluminum if he had a fork cap to go by for threads and recesses, one end male, one end female, say 2" long, he/she just would need to measure tube OD to get the right fit in the upper triple tree. I'm guessing on the 2", it's likely closer to 1-1/2".

You can run the 11-1112 springs in your stock fork tubes until you find a machinist. They'll still hold the forks fully extended and ride better than the others, but you'll need to tip-toe over speed bumps, but then you do anyway. Might be that a slightly thicker fork oil would minimize compression, say 10 or maybe 15 wgt ... or even ATF?

You can draw it out using a scale and compass. You can look at the blue and the orange in my drawing above and see it's not huge. I think stock fork angle is near 27 degrees, but you can measure. The 6 degree kit lays them down to 33 degrees. I drew it out to scale using 27 degrees stock and 33 degrees raked.

For every inch of fork length from lowest triple tree to axle center at rest, you loose 0.044643" actual ground clearance due to laying the tubes down 6 more degrees. If we are talking about 20 inches, you'll loose 0.892856" in height, that is less than an inch. To get back to the OEM height would take 1.085714", or not much overran inch.

I am guessing on the 20 inches. If in your shoes, I'd try those springs before I paid for extensions, I know they hold the front up better due to the laid back rake and higher initial spring rate. If you do, please measure from floor to lower cowl before and after ... and post your results here. I think you'll be happy.

You can look for extensions as you enjoy the new springing. I promise you'll not loose anything and will gain in pleasure with just the spring swap. You already have the 6 degrees added.

[Ruffrider]

Thank you Cristal Pistal. I found a set of one inch extentions at Hawg Halters in NC. Thats all they had. Raised bike up very well with the springs you recommend so far happy with it. Now back end sits to low!!

Thanks again, Ralph