Fork Questions...

[VW_NUT]

Hey Everyone,

I have some for questions for you guys.  I am trying to get some ideas for Hangin_Biposto's front forks.  What diameter are the front springs?  I believe the lightest .80kg/mm springs that race tech sells will be too stiff, so I am trying to find the diameter so I can have a friend get me some a different bike.

How do the forks work with stiffer springs and the stock damper rod?  Or is it worth getting the racetech emulators.  Keep in mind this is for a rider thats 110-115 lbs with gear.  Any advice or suggestions are appreciated. (also if the emulators don't do much the $150 would be better spent elsewhere on the project.)

[tomacGTi]

IIRC when I plugged into the Racetech website a while ago, the b4's spring rate was like .574 or something ridiculous like that. You can also cut off portions of the progressive spring to up the rate as well (known as the NCRick mod on the MaxZuk boards).

A fresh rebuild to stock specs and send her out is what I would recommend first and go from there since she is so light.

A couple of threads that you may be interested in:

http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=5523.0
http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=6156.0


-Randy

[erik]

I think 0.8kg/mm wouldn't be too bad, I've got some '98 R1 springs in my bandit (here's my old post on it: http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=7543.0 )that are 0.77kg/mm and they're good, a bit stiffer might be better, but I'm 80kg. Depends on what the rider wants, I guess. The stock bandit spring outer dia is 35.3mm from what I measured. I know kawasaki z750s springs fit, but they're about 1.08kg/mm and seemed way to stiff.

Other than the springs, my forks are standard (standard 10wt oil as well). I don't know how emulators would affect things. Mine are good enough for me (but then I haven't ridden anything better for any length of time).
Maybe since your friend is light, the rear shock will be ok, but for me it was bottoming out (felt really harsh on sharp bumps) and the exhaust was scraping on corners. I'd suggest thinking about a different rear shock before getting emulators.

[gsxr400 racer]

Emulators rule

[VW_NUT]

Thanks for the info guys!  We have a bandit 1200 rear shock, so that should be an improvement over the stock one.

[Forde]

hagon do progressive springs for the bandit 400.  They are not very expensive.  Im ordering some shortly from www.wemoto.com.

HTH

[Banditmax]

What emulators fit the GK73 forks jay not sp ones just the standard 73 ones

[gsxr400 racer]

rgv or the bandit ones id have to look again

[VW_NUT]

I think 0.8kg/mm wouldn't be too bad, I've got some '98 R1 springs in my bandit (here's my old post on it: http://forums.banditalley.net/index.php?topic=7543.0 )that are 0.77kg/mm and they're good, a bit stiffer might be better, but I'm 80kg. Depends on what the rider wants, I guess. The stock bandit spring outer dia is 35.3mm from what I measured. I know kawasaki z750s springs fit, but they're about 1.08kg/mm and seemed way to stiff.

Other than the springs, my forks are standard (standard 10wt oil as well). I don't know how emulators would affect things. Mine are good enough for me (but then I haven't ridden anything better for any length of time).
Maybe since your friend is light, the rear shock will be ok, but for me it was bottoming out (felt really harsh on sharp bumps) and the exhaust was scraping on corners. I'd suggest thinking about a different rear shock before getting emulators.

If the outside diameter of the stock spring is 35.3mm, I should be able to fit a 36mm spring in there right?

A local shop has a bunch of .7 springs just laying around.  I figure a .7 with a little pvc preload should be about right.  Stock oil weight is 10W right?

Thanks again! You guys are so much help.

[erik]

From my notes, I measured the fork tube inner dia as 36.2mm approximately (I think my calipers didn't reach past the thread in the top, so it was only approximate).

The R1 springs in mine are 35.8-35.9mm OD and only just fit. I think springs increase in diameter slightly when they're compressed, so I was a bit worried they might be too tight a fit, but they seem fine.

You'd have to try the 36mm springs to see if they fit, it sounds like it'd be close.

[gsxr400 racer]

mine came with tl springs cut down to fit before i changed my front end