Bike much lower after Progressive Suspension front/rear

[ncj01]

I spent a stupid amount on my old '98 w/50k, including new Progressive rear shock, and the prog front fork springs.

Bike is now much much LOWER to the ground. I didn't measure it before/after, but:
*side stand is hard to get down unless bike is perfectly vertical or even leaning away from stand-side
*center stand takes herculean effort to get down (bike up)
*bike just "looks" lower
*bike sits barely off vertical on the side stand on perfectly flat ground
*can't get side stand down at all with the wife on
*pegs scrap even easier

The preload was wherever it is from the factory, so I opted to attempt to tighten it up.
*it was probably just less than half compressed
*i took it to just over half compressed (long session with a screwdriver and a sledgehammer)

I also wasn't sure about the position of the fork tubes in the triple clamps, so I took them down to perfectly FLUSH with top of triple clamps (they were ~2mm above prior to me messing with it).

I haven't ridden it again, but it clearly helped "some" as the sidestand and bike-lean is much improved in the garage...

 

[ncj01]

I'm 6-1 / 205 if that matters.

 

[ST1100Y]

Have you compared springs and the shock with the OEM parts for any visual difference in length? I've Hyperpro fork springs and a Wilbers shock and while unloaded the ST stands exactly as with the OEM suspension (I'd played with the adjustable fixing part of the shock to gain exactly the same height during installation), same side stand angle, identical effort when using the main stand. Only when mounted it 'feels' a tad higher as the new suspension doesn't sink in as much.

 

[George]

You can add more spacer inside the fork to add preload and height. In fact, I thought that was part of the procedure with Progressive springs tho I might be dis-remembering. Double check the instructions which came with.

 

[Slydynbye]

By any chance did you change the rear tire at the same time?

 

[SteveST1300]

Thats odd when I changed my fork springs and rear shock the bike sat much highe.

 

[STay froSTy]

I have the same setup front and rear. Progressive fork springs requires the oem spacer to be cut to 3.25" for the left fork tube and the spacer on the right to be discarded. The fork work was done many years ago by a LBS and I took the time recently to change the fork oil and found the spacer to be cut to 3.0" which felt low up front when I put the progressive rear shock on. I cut another spacer out of PVC at about 3.4". I feels correct but still alittle unsprung so I went to a 7 wt oil.

Hope that helps.

 

[EJ's 97ST]

Mine's is a tad higher (not lower) with new front and rear but not by much, I'm using Sonic 1.1 front springs (7.5w oil) and Progressive 465 in the rear, but then I'm also setting on a Russell Day-Long as well.....

EJ

 

[Woodchuck]

My bike is lowered 1 1/2 and we heaterd up the kick stand and bent it out so the bike sits on the proper angle like before, then just sprayed it black. It works great.
Lyle

 

[ST1100Y]

In fact, I thought that was part of the procedure with Progressive springs tho I might be dis-remembering. Double check the instructions which came with.

I'm wondering why aftermarket fork springs would require tampering with the spacer tubes? Their only supposed to offer a different spring ratio/character, but not to alter the standard height of the vehicle (unless one purposely aims for a lowering kit). And wouldn't a change in the basic height also change the suspension geometric, thus alter the handling of the bike?? (especially if changes in front and rear are not identically). Having to cut the side/kickstand would be a definite no-go IMHO.
The adjustment on the length of my Wilbers shock were only within a few millimeters, just to ensure it'll have the same height as the OEM piece while unloaded.

 

[George]

I'm wondering why aftermarket fork springs would require tampering with the spacer tubes? Their only supposed to offer a different spring ratio/character, but not to alter the standard height of the vehicle (unless one purposely aims for a lowering kit). And wouldn't a change in the basic height also change the suspension geometric, thus alter the handling of the bike?? (especially if changes in front and rear are not identically). Having to cut the side/kickstand would be a definite no-go IMHO.
The adjustment on the length of my Wilbers shock were only within a few millimeters, just to ensure it'll have the same height as the OEM piece while unloaded.

I haven't screwed with the fork springs in STick in almost 20 years when I added the Progressives but I seem to recall they were not the same length as OEM and required changes to at least one of the spacers. Anyone? Bueller?

STanley (nee ReSTored) came with the fork springs already changed out and lipSTick is still stock. Each time I've rebuilt forks since adding Progressive to STick, I've just put'em back together the same way they came apart, so...

 

[ST1100Y]

...when I added the Progressives but I seem to recall they were not the same length as OEM and required changes to at least one of the spacers.

Weird, the Hyperpro springs for my ST1100 (non ABS) were only marginally longer then the OEM ones (which already had some miles on though...), and due their firmer character a slightly higher effort was required to screw the caps back in... but probably depending on the MFG of the retrofitting kit; maybe some use springs of identical diameter for several bikes/models, requiring to alter the lengths of those spacers...

 

[dwalby]

maybe some use springs of identical diameter for several bikes/models, requiring to alter the lengths of those spacers...

I believe that is the case, its a common spring that's used for multiple applications, so its length is a compromise between those applications.