Front forks
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,528
Likes: 933
From: Long Island
Front forks
Hey guys, anyone upgrade their older glide front suspension? Has anyone used the progressive cartridges as I’m in need of seals anyway and maybe get rid of the air.Thanks for any advice.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 800
From: Colorado
Year would help, but on my 97RK, rebuilt the front forks and use 15wt on them to oem levels. On the rear shocks, replaced the 7.5 weight oil with 12 weight (mix of 10 and 15) and added an extra ,5 ozs (11.5 total per shock). As for air pressure, is just used to set sag alone.
The factory set up is 10w in the forks, and 7.5 in the rear shocks, and just has the bike to marshmallow'y.
If you are looking for something with a little less stiffness than 15/12, then 12w in the forks, and 10 in the shocks.
Also, since you can pull the air tubes to add a little more oil into the shocks with them still on the bike using a syringe, may want to just start with 11oz in them to begin with, and if the back end feels too soft at bottom of stroke compared to the front end, then start adding in a little more oil per shock to get the front and back bottom of strokes match up (do not exceed 12ozs)
So $70 in parts to rebuild the forks, and 2 bottles of maxima fork oil will have you at a done deal for around $100.
Seal driver I just make from the some plastic stock on the lathe, and already had a mitty vac on hand for doing brake bleeds.
Note, trick to using the mitty vac with the shocks, is cut a piece of the HD tubing off that can spare about a inch of line, and use that on the shock fitting, and connect the mitty vac hose to it. To fully drain, air fitting downward to begin with with vacuum, then tilt the shock so the fitting is the lowest part to pull the last of the old fluid pull via vacuum, once the all the all oil has made it way down to the fitting. If you find that the seal on the shock is leaking, Honda sells the replacement seals for under $20 for both shocks.
As for cartridges for the forks, and new shocks for the rear, your still back at having to change the fluid in them from time to time, and on some systems, both have to be sent back to the manufacturer to do that work instead,
The factory set up is 10w in the forks, and 7.5 in the rear shocks, and just has the bike to marshmallow'y.
If you are looking for something with a little less stiffness than 15/12, then 12w in the forks, and 10 in the shocks.
Also, since you can pull the air tubes to add a little more oil into the shocks with them still on the bike using a syringe, may want to just start with 11oz in them to begin with, and if the back end feels too soft at bottom of stroke compared to the front end, then start adding in a little more oil per shock to get the front and back bottom of strokes match up (do not exceed 12ozs)
So $70 in parts to rebuild the forks, and 2 bottles of maxima fork oil will have you at a done deal for around $100.
Seal driver I just make from the some plastic stock on the lathe, and already had a mitty vac on hand for doing brake bleeds.
Note, trick to using the mitty vac with the shocks, is cut a piece of the HD tubing off that can spare about a inch of line, and use that on the shock fitting, and connect the mitty vac hose to it. To fully drain, air fitting downward to begin with with vacuum, then tilt the shock so the fitting is the lowest part to pull the last of the old fluid pull via vacuum, once the all the all oil has made it way down to the fitting. If you find that the seal on the shock is leaking, Honda sells the replacement seals for under $20 for both shocks.
As for cartridges for the forks, and new shocks for the rear, your still back at having to change the fluid in them from time to time, and on some systems, both have to be sent back to the manufacturer to do that work instead,
Last edited by Dano523; Oct 27, 2020 at 05:06 AM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,204
Likes: 1,192
From: Anywhere we stop
I have gold emulators and Progressive springs in the front of mine along with the air system being intact. I does ride stiffer than stock but much smoother, it is a tremendous improvement over stock. It reacts quicker to bumps and never bottoms. Haven't used cartridges, but I hear they are pretty good....maybe in the future.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,721
Likes: 243
From: NC
Look at RaceTech single rate springs for your set up. Give them a call if you have to. Upgraded my '96 a few years ago and have no complaints. The rear I ditched the air and put on some Drag Specialty shocks until I can afford a better set up. Might do something there in the spring. It's a toss up between the RaceTech rear shocks and the Ohlins. Either way you go you won't regret the upgrade.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 101
Likes: 9
From: Truckee
Ping me in a week or two. I just bit the bullet and invested in Lengends front and rear suspension. Bought the Revo-A's for rear and cartridges for the front. Packages arrive last night. Will spend next few days installing.
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Tourer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 263
Likes: 25
From: MN
Please update in this thread when you have them installed and have a few miles on. Looking at Legends for my 85 Low Rider, woudld like to hear your opinion.
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Stage II
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Miami
Please let us know how it goes!! I'm having a really hard time making a decision on what to buy and Legend is a front runner.