[ZZnoTop]

A little suspension alchemy...? 🤣
While adjusting the ride on my Racetech .80 kg/mm fork springs.
( They are really stiff to match my top gun 9.3kg/mm rear spring with 2" billet gen 2 lowering links. )
While getting my ride comfort dialed in I removed the caps on the fork tubes at least 30-40 times minimum. Each time adjusting fluid levels. Or preload spacers but I kept reaching a point where I didn't need more fluid pressure or spring pressure... it felt like I needed more air pressure without any other changes.... Like back on my goldwing with the Schrader valves in the caps.
So, I thought of a way to increase only the air pressure in your forks without adding Schrader valves. Not sure if other people do this too? But 1/3 of the air in my forks can't be compressed anymore. So under compression It raises the air pressure of the remaining 2/3 air in the fork tube which makes for a very comfortable Hwy air ride. Smooth and firm and shock absorbing.
It was super simple. Instead of hollow PVC spacers I made sealed spacers out of;
(2) 3/4" PVC couplings
(4) 3/4" PVC plugs

I belt sanded them to the right length that I needed and used a washer below and above the spacers.

You could probably also use the threaded couplings and plugs if you need more preload or wanted to be able to open up your forks & adjust your preload

The extra air pressure really tamed the racetech heavy springs. 💪😎👍

 

[ZZnoTop]

You could also take out the factory OEM spacers and trim them down a bit to make your sealed spacers even longer... in turn increasing the pressure on the remaining air I would assume. I didn't need to trim the OEM spacers at all.😎👍

 

[DPelletier]

Well...... the air in your "sealed spacers" is no longer acting like air - it's a non-compressible item now whether it's air, plastic, steel or......oil. You'd get the same effect by simply raising the oil level though, at some point, the fork will hydraulically lock before bottoming - which is why there is a minimum air space required. I don't recall what that minimum air space is on a KLR.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[ZZnoTop]

Well...... the air in your "sealed spacers" is no longer acting like air - it's a non-compressible item now whether it's air, plastic, steel or......oil. You'd get the same effect by simply raising the oil level though, at some point, the fork will hydraulically lock before bottoming - which is why there is a minimum air space required. I don't recall what that minimum air space is on a KLR.

Cheers,
Dave

I 100% trust YOUR knowledge on KLR suspension 😎👍 with weaker springs or thinner weight oil I could see a possibility for improvement that way too. I tried that with the 15wt and found diminished results quickly with the heavy duty springs. I don't want it totally stiff & I also don't want it totally springy either. So At the peak of performance IMO the sealed spacers improved the ride quality... as compared to the hollow PVC or the additional fork oil or preload spacers lengthening . I tried literally every combination I could think of trying to perfect the ride quality. 30-40 different combinations & I think I made a quantified improvement by only increasing the air pressure once my oil and spacer length was figured out. & I would say it is most noticed above 70mph. Very little vibration and very smooth. 1 handed cornering with bumps @ around 60-70mph smooth too. It feels like I just added air. Nothing else. Goldwing style sir👍 & If I bounce the bike at any given speed my suspension is "even bouncing" & "flat landing"... I think this is worth a try for some guys trying to "dial it in" on the cheap cheap 💪😎👍

 

[pdwestman]

I think that you ought to check the decimal point position on your RaceTech Fork Springs. 8.0kg/mm seems a Might Stiff!
I think they actually are .80kg/mm fork springs?

 

[ZZnoTop]

🤣👍 yes sir you are correct I was .0100% wrong!
Thank you

 

[ZZnoTop]

Ok guys... be careful getting your suspension setup perfect... I "accidentally" jumped my bike over some railroad tracks at about 40 mph in town today🤣 and it was AWESOME 👍 I saw them coming & my suspension feels Great so Instead of braking I stood up of course... Wow the suspension felt amazing but I don't want to do that again on the streets. I must've gotten at least 2 feet of Air. The Harley in the lane next to me hit the brakes & I said watch this! No bounce solid flat landing Too. He probably rode straight to the Kawasaki dealer 💪🤣👍

 

[PeteK]

Or, 8.0 kg/cm

 

[pdwestman]

Or, 8.0 kg/cm

Did you look at a RaceTech fork spring chart before posting?

I did.

 

[PeteK]

Notice “cm” instead of “mm”.

 

[pdwestman]

Yes, but the RaceTech chart that I read uses kg/mm so lets not confuse the numbers.