Racetech spring weight
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 482
From: MA
Racetech spring weight
Hi guys, curious what spring rate you're running if you have racetech springs, and what you weigh/riding style.
Reason i ask is I've been told 3 different things (yes, I emailed racetech) so I'm trying to get a consensus....
I weigh 180lb, ride pretty aggressively by myself 60% of the time but 40% of the time I have a 120lb passenger and take it a bit easier. Bags aren't loaded unless Im on a trip. Just a few pounds normally, couple tools and a sweatshirt...
Suspension guru told me to go with 1.0kg, Racetech email told me I need custom 1.2kg, but reading on this forum it seems most guys my weight are running .95kg....Also read .95kg is way too heavy, and way too light. lol.
I want to order it once so looking for some help. What were you advised to get? Are you happy with it? Thanks!
Reason i ask is I've been told 3 different things (yes, I emailed racetech) so I'm trying to get a consensus....
I weigh 180lb, ride pretty aggressively by myself 60% of the time but 40% of the time I have a 120lb passenger and take it a bit easier. Bags aren't loaded unless Im on a trip. Just a few pounds normally, couple tools and a sweatshirt...
Suspension guru told me to go with 1.0kg, Racetech email told me I need custom 1.2kg, but reading on this forum it seems most guys my weight are running .95kg....Also read .95kg is way too heavy, and way too light. lol.
I want to order it once so looking for some help. What were you advised to get? Are you happy with it? Thanks!
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,684
Likes: 4,294
From: Northeast, NJ
Totally understand about the headaches of trying to figure out all the variables with this mod.
I have Racetech springs and Emulators in my Switchback. I went slightly lower weight than what they recommended. On retrospect, I think I should have gone for their recommended weight, but it's not that much of a difference. I'd go with what Racetech recommends along with whatever fork oil they recommend. That will give you a taut ride with some plushness when setup right.. If you're willing to experiment with fork oil weights/brands, you could go with a slightly lighter spring. I wouldn't go below the 1.0 if they are recommending a 1.2. Also recommend getting preload adjustable fork caps. These will help you dial in the preload.
I have Racetech springs and Emulators in my Switchback. I went slightly lower weight than what they recommended. On retrospect, I think I should have gone for their recommended weight, but it's not that much of a difference. I'd go with what Racetech recommends along with whatever fork oil they recommend. That will give you a taut ride with some plushness when setup right.. If you're willing to experiment with fork oil weights/brands, you could go with a slightly lighter spring. I wouldn't go below the 1.0 if they are recommending a 1.2. Also recommend getting preload adjustable fork caps. These will help you dial in the preload.
Last edited by rauchman; Mar 7, 2018 at 02:19 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 221
From: farmington michigan
I too looked at raceteech according to the calculation on line I needed a 1.38kg that I did not find so I called and they told me to use the 1.0 kg because that's all they had. Now rebuilding front forks is no small task and I only wanted to do it once so I kept looking that's when I found patriot. I'm 250 and even progressive said all the had for me was the heavy duty spring
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 482
From: MA
Totally understand about the headaches of trying to figure out all the variables with this mod.
I have Racetech springs and Emulators in my Switchback. I went slightly lower weight than what they recommended. On retrospect, I think I should have gone for their recommended weight, but it's not that much of a difference. I'd go with what Racetech recommends along with whatever fork oil they recommend. That will give you a taut ride with some plushness when setup right.. If you're willing to experiment with fork oil weights/brands, you could go with a slightly lighter spring. I wouldn't go below the 1.0 if they are recommending a 1.2. Also recommend getting preload adjustable fork caps. These will help you dial in the preload.
I have Racetech springs and Emulators in my Switchback. I went slightly lower weight than what they recommended. On retrospect, I think I should have gone for their recommended weight, but it's not that much of a difference. I'd go with what Racetech recommends along with whatever fork oil they recommend. That will give you a taut ride with some plushness when setup right.. If you're willing to experiment with fork oil weights/brands, you could go with a slightly lighter spring. I wouldn't go below the 1.0 if they are recommending a 1.2. Also recommend getting preload adjustable fork caps. These will help you dial in the preload.
I have the preload adjusters on my FXR but theyd be pretty useless under the road glide plastics no? Or tune them then put the plastics back on and forget it?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,684
Likes: 4,294
From: Northeast, NJ
Yeah I'm leaning towards the 1.0 I just found it odd most on here my weight were told to run .95......the guys I found running 1.2+ were all over 220lb so thats why Im confused.
I have the preload adjusters on my FXR but theyd be pretty useless under the road glide plastics no? Or tune them then put the plastics back on and forget it?
I have the preload adjusters on my FXR but theyd be pretty useless under the road glide plastics no? Or tune them then put the plastics back on and forget it?
I think you'll be fine with the 1.0's. I understand stock HD springs are in the neighborhood of 0.65kg's so you'll see a big difference. Personally, I like a straight wound spring vs. a progressive also. You can still futz with oil weights and levels as well to help dial it in. Definitely worth the spring and oil change.
Can't speak to the RG, but if you can see the fork caps you should be able to adjust the preload with the preload adjust cap.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,624
Likes: 189
From: Newcastle, Ca.
Runnin rt 1.0 springs at 210 lbs. Passenger weight does not come into play with front springs. 1.0's keep the bike up nicely through the twisties, not stiff and not soft. Setting up the valves and damping correctly is important. Let me know if you need setup specs for doing this correctly.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
I used Race Tech springs in my Glide for a while and used the recommended springs as per the calculator on their website. They were fine and a great improvement over stock springs. I'm a similar weight to you.
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Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 482
From: MA
Did you do the gold emulators also?
....While we're on the subject...anyone use the Ricor intiminators? Same idea as the RT gold valves right?
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 482
From: MA
Runnin rt 1.0 springs at 210 lbs. Passenger weight does not come into play with front springs. 1.0's keep the bike up nicely through the twisties, not stiff and not soft. Setting up the valves and damping correctly is important. Let me know if you need setup specs for doing this correctly.
Racetechs email told me to run 1.2 cause I'm too heavy for 1.0???? Maybe he read me email wrong or something?
Did you drill extra holes? What color spring/how many turns? If you remember....thanks!
