Ok, second question Front forks..

[mggf]

Do you add air to the front forks on a 2001 Honda GL1800?

If so where and how?

On my previous Yamaha I added air but as I search for info on this for the Honda I find northing. So how do you adjust the front forks for ride?

[GoldWingrGreg]

No ... no air to add to the front forks. Does your front end seem low ??? To tell ... put your fist (pinky down) between the front fender the front cowl. How much add'l room ya got ???

[mggf]

No ... no air to add to the front forks. Does your front end seem low ??? To tell ... put your fist (pinky down) between the front fender the front cowl. How much add'l room ya got ???

A bit more than a fist. The bike sits very level front to back. Based on my previous trike I thought I needed to check the front air, but no… so I don’t need the little hand air pump anymore.

[GoldWingrGreg]

A bit more than a fist. The bike sits very level front to back. Based on my previous trike I thought I needed to check the front air, but no… so I don’t need the little hand air pump anymore.

"A little more then a fist" ... humm. From here that sounds like you have very little fork travel before the forks bottom out. To tell ... take a nylon tie and tie it around the fork pipe, and tie it just above one of the outer fork seals. Go for a ride. At about 30 mph, force the front end to nose dive heavy, by slamming on the front brake. The idea is to brake hard enough to bottom your forks. Once back home, measure from the top of the fork seal to the bottom of the nylon tie. Total fork travel from top to bottom is about 4.5" While off the trike, how much distance you got ???

[mggf]

"A little more then a fist" ... humm. From here that sounds like you have very little fork travel before the forks bottom out. To tell ... take a nylon tie and tie it around the fork pipe, and tie it just above one of the outer fork seals. Go for a ride. At about 30 mph, force the front end to nose dive heavy, by slamming on the front brake. The idea is to brake hard enough to bottom your forks. Once back home, measure from the top of the fork seal to the bottom of the nylon tie. Total fork travel from top to bottom is about 4.5" While off the trike, how much distance you got ???

Well I’ve just spent a delightful morning (NOT) working on this bloody bike front wheel. Whomever designed this stuff should be shot. Case in point: installing the bolt in the clip that holds the speedo cable and the upper support for the aluminium wheel fairing. I can’t see the clip to get it in the correct position, my sausage fingers can’t feel it nor turn the bolt to screw it in. It took me an hour to get that one part back together. But I digress….

I wanted to check the brakes as they make a bit of a scraping noise when used but they appear fine. They only scrape when first applied and as I live on a gravel road I assume dust.

Next I wanted to check the Anti-Dive (I’ve read about) which has never been touched on this bike and I think was locked. When I disassembled it the bike rose up a pinch, the plunger is stuck out quite a bit. I tapped it with a plastic hammer and it popped back in/up. I immediately checked the seals and they appear ok, no leaks thankfully. I have ordered the spacer kit from Amazon to bypass it. I can now jump up and down on the running-boards and the front actually moves. I may have done this on a back road on my first ride where I hit a bad piece of pavement but wasn’t on the brakes at the time and the front really slammed down. The rear of the bike with the airbags didn’t seem to be bothered at all. So then I reassembled everything where each screw must hold multiple pieces. I really appreciate that..

I will attach a zip tie on the bottom of the left fork before going to town later and measure it when I return and comment again. Thanks for this suggestion it’s a great way to test and I sure wouldn’t have thought of that.

Thanks so much for your reply.

[cScjhb]

I added the shim that eliminated the anti-dive valve operation on my trike a couple years ago. Maybe my imagination but the trike seemed to ride a bit better. I also added a fork brace and that helped too. The anti-dive is designed so that the back wheel doesn't get light when doing a heavy stop. That's something that's not needed after the bike is converted to a 3 wheeler. Both the fork brace and anti-dive are very easy installs.....

[mggf]

I added the shim that eliminated the anti-dive valve operation on my trike a couple years ago. Maybe my imagination but the trike seemed to ride a bit better. I also added a fork brace and that helped too. The anti-dive is designed so that the back wheel doesn't get light when doing a heavy stop. That's something that's not needed after the bike is converted to a 3 wheeler. Both the fork brace and anti-dive are very easy installs.....

I’ve heard this before which is why I’ve ordered the shim. The brace may come later. Thanks

[GoldWingrGreg]

Thanks for this suggestion it’s a great way to test and I sure wouldn’t have thought of that.

Thanks so much for your reply.

You're welcome; however, I was thinking you had a 5th gen Wing (2001-17). So for all I know, all of my suggestion do not apply. For me, I totally live in the 5th and 6th gen world, neither of which have a speedo cable.

[mggf]

You're welcome; however, I was thinking you had a 5th gen Wing (2001-17). So for all I know, all of my suggestion do not apply. For me, I totally live in the 5th and 6th gen world, neither of which have a speedo cable.

I always look forward to your posts to again look at that cute gal…… oh back to my original train of thought…

Mine is a 2001, a full 22 years old although anyone here looking at it thinks it’s new. I have no idea what Gen that is. I assumed it’s the speedo cable as it runs down to the front hub and rides on teeth the circumference of the inside of a brake disk. Maybe not a speedo. This is my first Wing and I’m still learning. Our last bike was a white Yamaha Royal Star Venture I knew it inside and out.

I intended to ride it yesterday but was diverted to my car by the other half to pick up things we couldn’t get on the bike. Today for sure. Zip tie is on.

I’ve been removing weight from the front too like highway pegs that I can’t reach because of my legs. Man they’re heavy. Every little bit helps.

Later…

[pwhoever]

What you are describing sounds like the front ABS sensor.