bike was due in today for frt springs, but they are on back order and the more I read, the more I feel it may have little impact replacing the frt springs before having the bike suspension set up. When I check on spring weights, my body weight is almost exactly the same as the stock spring, but my bike has done 23,000 miles. My only concern was when the fork oil is due a change, the bike is now 7yr old and 23k, is it worth just changing the oil and if so, do you have to pay to remove the forks or can it be done in situ Any advice appreciated as I am thinking whether to just oil change and then get the suspension set up and save the money for an exhaust Thanks
Wait wait wait........am i reading that right, you have booked your bike in to get new front fork springs of the same rate that's already in there??? Why do you think you would be better off doing that? Who was going to be doing the spring change work??? We're they going to be servicing the forks at the same time as the spring replacement? Anyway forks should be getting serviced around the 7.5k (road) miles mark. As for trying to change the oil with the forks in situ I would advise against it as you would not get all the oil out properly and due to the mileage you should really be getting the bushes inside the fork checked for wear and replaced if required.
It was the place I bought it from, it was ease of dropping off 5 mile away, with assumption that oil change, springs and set up would be a noticeable improvement, but the more I read about the springs being the same spec, but as it was booked in and just the spring cost added to the strip I carried on, but with the bits on back order it gave me a chance to re-think. Reactive suspension are relatively close, I may call them again and ask for a straight forward service and set up and see what they say. Based on 7,500 miles I am well over due. Thanks for advice
If the fork springs you have in are correct for your weight, just measure them when you take them out to check they're still within tolerance. It should tell you the dimensions in the handbook. Also, yes, to do the job properly you do need to remove the forks from the bike - a simple enough job with a headstock paddock or Abba stand. Take one off and get that done, refit and then do the second. As Shiny said, you will need to check the bushes and also seals, and will need to take the internals out too to get all of the old fluid out and flushed. Make sure you also get the correct weight of fluid for when you put it back in and measure it not by how much you put in (although this is a good guide), but by the air gap you leave between the top of the fluid and the top of the fork itself. That's if you're doing it yourself of course and by the sounds of it you're not, in which case Reactive are a good place to go to and they will advise better on your needs. Me personally - get the fluid changed, check the internals are all ok and get it set up, remember to set the shock up at the same time.
