bartonmd Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 WARNING: DO NOT INSTALL GOLD VALVES UNLESS YOU ALREADY HAVE, OR ARE PLANNING ON BUYING A REAR SHOCK!! It's a good thing my Ohlins will be on my doorstep in the middle of the week With the Race-Tech springs and 5W oil, the front and rear were in about the same boat... Now the stock rear shock sticks out like a sore thumb! I also changed all of the bushings and fork seals with factory Honda ones, so there's more stiction right now, before they get broken in too... I did notice that there is slightly less rebound damping than there was, stock with 5W oil, and it feels a bit different, like maybe there's not enough, when pushing up and down on the bike sitting still, but it doesn't feel bouncy in the corners, so I assume it's OK? Then again, people run 2.5Wt oil, so I assume being a bit less than with stock valving with 5W oil, is OK... I will say that the biggest improvement was the springs and lighter oil, from a bang-for-buck standpoint, but the valves take it into a whole new league! Now I can't WAIT for the Ohlins rear to show up!! I had Louie send it directly to Ohlins USA to get the right spring put on it, and they're drop-shipping it to me, so I'll be ready to ROKK when it gets here... Then going to East TN all next week!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB4XX Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Then going to East TN all next week!! Mike When? Where? Who? :icon_think: I should get my wheels tomorrow...Its like Christmas isnt it? BTW, I have been running gold valves and race tech springs for nearly three years. If it's the mod you can afford to do at the time, do it. I have my Hyperpro spring on a stock shock going in when I do the wheels this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcrich Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Then going to East TN all next week!! oh really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Josh, Actually, the stock shock was pretty good when 2-up, or being of your... um... stature... but weighing when I do, the high speed compression damping on the stock shock is ROCK HARD, but is almost OK when 2-up... On the travel plans... The wife and I (and her sister and my nephew) are doing the time-share thing in Pigeon Forge from the 10th to the 16th. I figure that since the wife's sister and nephew are heading down there with us, they'll go do girl and kid things while I ride... I also know the wife is riding with me at least one day... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpg Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 maybe a dumb question, but: when someone speaks of Race Tech's "Gold Valves", this is referring to a valve kit that acts as a "cartridge emulator" - yes or no?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBRBob Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 maybe a dumb question, but: when someone speaks of Race Tech's "Gold Valves", this is referring to a valve kit that acts as a "cartridge emulator" - yes or no?? No. FYI, the reccomended damping setup is pretty soft on this bike. I ran 10w and then 20w. It stull seemed a bit soft. Not that I want it to ride hard but it wallows a bit. I will revalve it in a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted March 6, 2007 Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 maybe a dumb question, but: when someone speaks of Race Tech's "Gold Valves", this is referring to a valve kit that acts as a "cartridge emulator" - yes or no?? No. FYI, the reccomended damping setup is pretty soft on this bike. I ran 10w and then 20w. It stull seemed a bit soft. Not that I want it to ride hard but it wallows a bit. I will revalve it in a few months. OK, thanks. I'll see how it goes, but I may end up running 7.5 or 10wt... Worst case, now that I've done it, changing the valving wouldn't be all that bad, espcially since you don't have to do anything to the slider bushings or fork seals on this bike to do so... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Bird Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 What does "stiction" mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawkxx Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 What does "stiction" mean? Think of friction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBRBob Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Stiction......... force require to overcome static friction. What it takes to get the forks to start moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunedain Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Stiction......... force require to overcome static friction. What it takes to get the forks to start moving. Yes, and theoretically it should be near zero. There are only 3 forces that work on your suspension. Friction, Spring and Damping. With good maint on linkages and regular oil changes your firstion should be near zero. Spring forces are constant (will not discuss progressive rates here) So damping is what we really can play with to make the bike haddle it's best. Emulators are for the old style damping rod forks and gold valves are for the newer cartridge style forks. Both are basically a "set it and forget it" item. and I totally agree that you suspension works as a unit front and rear together what you do to the front you must do (the like) to the rear. Good deal man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Stiction......... force require to overcome static friction. What it takes to get the forks to start moving. Yes, and theoretically it should be near zero. There are only 3 forces that work on your suspension. Friction, Spring and Damping. With good maint on linkages and regular oil changes your firstion should be near zero. Spring forces are constant (will not discuss progressive rates here) So damping is what we really can play with to make the bike haddle it's best. Emulators are for the old style damping rod forks and gold valves are for the newer cartridge style forks. Both are basically a "set it and forget it" item. and I totally agree that you suspension works as a unit front and rear together what you do to the front you must do (the like) to the rear. Good deal man! After they got broken in some, there was not much stiction at all, but with the all new Honda bushings and fork seals, they took a few miles to break in and feel really good... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpg Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 maybe a dumb question, but: when someone speaks of Race Tech's "Gold Valves", this is referring to a valve kit that acts as a "cartridge emulator" - yes or no?? No. Doh! In researching suspension upgrades, I somehow forgot to pay heed to the fact that even though the XX's stock front forks are A) miserable and non-adjustable, they already are, indeed, cartridge forks.. For whatever reason I assumed all cartridge forks were highly adjustable and work very well - oops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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