2023 LRST forks too soft- discuss!
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 536
Likes: 252
From: Western Australia
2023 LRST forks too soft- discuss!
G'day everyone,
I have decided that the forks on my LRST seem to have very little damping. from new it was plush, sure, but it definitely is getting worse over time as the forks settle in (6000km now). Unfortunately for me I have been blessed with great suspension on previous bikes and I kinda know what good is, now.
Has anyone checked the oil in the forks, as supplied? I think I will try different oil before I go to damping changes and/ or springs- it seems to have very weak low and high speed damping in both directions. collapses quite dramatically under braking also. I can't help think that the HD spec of 5w is not what's in there. Has anyone changed the oil and for what viscosity? we are in a fairly warm climate which I think is playing a big part here, too.
Also, has anyone fitted the Progressive springs? if so, what part number?
I do not intend to do a full fork internal swap, I don't believe it's necessary. These are good quality Showa forks, so springs and oil/ shimstacks will cure it for sure.
Thanks!
I have decided that the forks on my LRST seem to have very little damping. from new it was plush, sure, but it definitely is getting worse over time as the forks settle in (6000km now). Unfortunately for me I have been blessed with great suspension on previous bikes and I kinda know what good is, now.
Has anyone checked the oil in the forks, as supplied? I think I will try different oil before I go to damping changes and/ or springs- it seems to have very weak low and high speed damping in both directions. collapses quite dramatically under braking also. I can't help think that the HD spec of 5w is not what's in there. Has anyone changed the oil and for what viscosity? we are in a fairly warm climate which I think is playing a big part here, too.
Also, has anyone fitted the Progressive springs? if so, what part number?
I do not intend to do a full fork internal swap, I don't believe it's necessary. These are good quality Showa forks, so springs and oil/ shimstacks will cure it for sure.
Thanks!
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 536
Likes: 252
From: Western Australia
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 727
From: South Austin Texas
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 511
From: Colorado
The internals are pure junk. There is no compression dampening, and only minimal rebound dampening. Oil viscosity won't do squat for compression, or dive, it will only increase rebound dampening, and I doubt that much.
They are sprung way too soft. Period. You need stiffer springs. Now you could increase oil level, which decreases the air volume and it will be higher pressure under compression... Minimize brake dive. I suspect that alone is not enough for tourers because they had to add the hydro cup to help it from bottoming out. The air space... Air spring is there to help bottoming out.
They are sprung way too soft. Period. You need stiffer springs. Now you could increase oil level, which decreases the air volume and it will be higher pressure under compression... Minimize brake dive. I suspect that alone is not enough for tourers because they had to add the hydro cup to help it from bottoming out. The air space... Air spring is there to help bottoming out.
Tourer
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 294
Likes: 169
From: California
All softails are plagued with horrible suspension. The single best mods I did was upgrading the suspension on my bike. Id recommend getting a full cartridge kit right away, skip the bullshit. If you can swing the price shoot for GP, if not Ohlins. Its life changing
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,191
Likes: 2,423
From: USA
Dollar for dollar, the DK Custom Intiminator is probably darn hard to beat for improved damping of the front suspension.
Somewhere on here @FranBunnyFFXII did a writeup of her impressions of it on her bike. Worth finding and reading, imo.
Somewhere on here @FranBunnyFFXII did a writeup of her impressions of it on her bike. Worth finding and reading, imo.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,321
Likes: 1,884
External adjuster to fine tune makes Olins worth every penny in my book. Harley inverted forks have the same guts as the regular forks.
Last edited by Durham man; May 9, 2024 at 06:40 AM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,535
Likes: 42
From: Bossier City, LA
@Durham man Are you running shims to get the tubes all the way down in the trees or an aftermarket top triple tree?
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,535
Likes: 42
From: Bossier City, LA
Dollar for dollar, the DK Custom Intiminator is probably darn hard to beat for improved damping of the front suspension.
Somewhere on here @FranBunnyFFXII did a writeup of her impressions of it on her bike. Worth finding and reading, imo.
Somewhere on here @FranBunnyFFXII did a writeup of her impressions of it on her bike. Worth finding and reading, imo.
I ran these with straight rate springs in one of my Dynas and Road glide. There was a member named Fabrik8r who used to modify the shim stack in them and I was the guinea pig for the 49mm dyna guys. He could basically tune the valving for your riding style. Having since had Ohlins cartridges I will say there is zero comparison between them and the valves, but if you've never ridden a Ohlins equipped bike the intimidators and straight rate springs are massive improvement over the stock junk.