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I'm old... it takes two people to put my front forks back together... I even made a special tools that would let one person push and hold the spring in place while I seated the top nut and tightened it. You can spend some serious money getting a set up that will let you do it by yourself... so that may be some of the cost too... taking apart the front fork should be a rare thing. I am glad to hear about the progressive springs but was there any side effect that was not a good result even though the dive is gone?
For me(not talking for others), it's not the bumps that are causing the issue. After all, what goes up...must come down.
What's causing my issue is the "dive" where there was never any 'UP" motion. There are times when that up and down motion help...like riding over speed bumps. If you apply the front brake heavy when your front tire first hits the bottom entrance to the bump, the rebound back up will carry you over the speed bump without ever feeling the bump at all.
However, when just coming to a stop, and putting both feet down while squeezing the front brake, the front end dives hard. That's NOT where it should dive because no bump was ever hit. I'm not naive either, as I understand forward momentum will naturally cause some forward weight shift just as it does in a car. But not enough to compress the forks half way down. It should be much more gentle that that.
Applying more rear brake solves this problem. I always apply both at stops and don't have a dive issue when stopping. I know some guys don't like using the rear brake much, but I've never understood why.
Applying more rear brake solves this problem. I always apply both at stops and don't have a dive issue when stopping. I know some guys don't like using the rear brake much, but I've never understood why.
Yes, I agree with you about also using some rear brake to come to a stop. I can stop using only the rear brake, a la Police officer motors. I just don't like to do it that way.
I use BOTH brakes when coming to a stop, but that still doesn't stop the diving, for me at least. But just before I finally stop, I put both feet down while applying more front brake. I do it this way because it gives me more balance. Plus, if one foot slips, the other is still there for balance. You don't have that with a ONE FOOT stop. Not saying either one isn't correct, it's just my way works for me.
Yes, I agree with you about also using some rear brake to come to a stop. I can stop using only the rear brake, a la Police officer motors. I just don't like to do it that way.
I use BOTH brakes when coming to a stop, but that still doesn't stop the diving, for me at least. But just before I finally stop, I put both feet down while applying more front brake. I do it this way because it gives me more balance. Plus, if one foot slips, the other is still there for balance. You don't have that with a ONE FOOT stop. Not saying either one isn't correct, it's just my way works for me.
First, no decent bike should keep you from stopping properly which is using both front AND rear brakes. The discussion shouldn't have to extend beyond that statement.
If you live in hilly country you have to get at least one foot on the ground but you can't pick which side and sometimes you must get both feet on the ground. I don't know about you guys, but I was born with only two feet.
Yes 15 wt feels pretty good! Was trying to use more rear brake too. I just got out of the habit as my rear brake doesn't seem to do much. Plus I'm duck footed & with the big kuryakyn AC I need to kinda pigeon toe around it to get to the brake. Definitely less nose dive & nice ride with the 15 wt.
Man my rear brake is used 90% of the time, it works fantastic, IMHO. For the OP, look into intiminators. Lots of guys over on the sportster forum have gone that route, and they say makes a HUGE difference. The intiminator valve allows fast flow to glide over small and large bumps, but also controls the flow when braking hard, to prevent nose dive. Pretty sure this is how most premium suspensions are designed, with a similar type of performance.
I know they had to enlarge and add holes to their damper tubes, but that is a minor mod. They are placed on top of the damper tube, between the damper and spring. Modding the damper, and 5 w oil (I think) and placing those in the forks is it.
Now do not know if anyone has used them on touring bikes, but they should work, unless maybe not designed heavy enough for our bikes.
Ummm when i went to motorcycle riding school they taught us the front brakes like in cars do the majority of braking. I have a 90% rear braking friend with a dent in his head because he never learned to brake his modern RK properly so he high sided from the 90% rear brake only and dented his head.
As for the choice of front fork hardware to eliminate "dive"
Why does it cost so much
Why is everyone's hardware the best?
Well do not misquote me, never once said I do not use my front brake, nor do I endorse or condone, NOT using it. I use it when I need serious braking. I am not one of those thats afraid to use my front brake. I was merely addressing the earlier comment that his rear brake is almost useless.
Compared to many of the other bikes I have owned and ridden over my 53 years of riding, it works fantastic. I agree with the OP, the front end of these bikes nose dives horribly. So did my sportster, prompting me to fix it, like I too, will have to fix this one. Its nice to have a soft suspension when in the bumps, but its almost scary when you have to hit the front brake with anything more than light pressure. That rapid shift of weight, is not good, especially on less than ideal angles or surface conditions.
For the record, when I hit my rear brake, since they are linked, it also hits the front brake, which is most likely why it works so well, but every time I stop, my right hand is covering the front brake lever.
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