Tales from the Emporium

**NordieBoy** · 13th July 2009, 11:47

Right.

Looking at the numbers above it seems like my rear spring is slightly too hard but perfect with a bit more load/weight strapped to the back of the bike. The front is a bit soft but the Intiminators help in that regard. I know I should have measured the sag settings of the Intiminators + stock springs before I pulled them out...

Yesterdays ride showed the front to go through potholes at speed very nicely but the rear felt a bit high. Making the bike a bit skittish but there was a lot of slippery bits and I'm running E-07's...

I'll have a go through the Maungatapu as it is then drop the rear 20mm and see if it feels better/worse and work from there.

I may also try 5mm less preload in the front which would bring it closer to 30% race sag.

God I hate fiddling with this thing

**Monstaman** · 13th July 2009, 14:29

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

The 45 is a 520?

Heya Fran .. well bugger me the sprocket is 48 T!!

Would like to go to 15/43 to keep the bigger front sprocket as it is not as much torture on the chain and the chain lasts substantially longer overall going odd # to odd # rather than even # even #.

**warewolf** · 13th July 2009, 14:35

Let me know when you are going...

The rear sag for my 640A:
was static 51mm 17%, race 98mm 33% - when you road it
now static 33mm 11%, race 87mm 29%

WP suggest static 17mm 6% and rider 90-100mm 30-33%.

It'll probably be much better for you, but that's only a 7.0 spring so likely a little light. Feels much better to me, but haven't worked it hard yet. The snowy trip wasn't a good test.

**NordieBoy** · 13th July 2009, 17:54

I just measured up and 5mm less preload in the front would mean 0mm preload

The back of mine felt better at 33% race sag but bottomed too easily.

Sounds like you need a bit heavier spring to get to those recommended specs.

I'm going to pull the shock from the spare bike and fill it with proper 10W shock oil and get it re-gassed.

It's only done 28,000km worth of suspension actuations as opposed to my current one at over 60,000km worth.

I'll see what the difference is and then when the dollar strengthens get a gold valve and head seal kit from ProCycle.

**NordieBoy** · 13th July 2009, 17:59

Originally Posted by Monstaman

Heya Fran .. well bugger me the sprocket is 48 T!!

Would like to go to 15/43 to keep the bigger front sprocket as it is not as much torture on the chain and the chain lasts substantially longer overall going odd # to odd # rather than even # even #.

Go for it on the auction.
I've just ordered a 14/15 in 520 and a 520 chain today.
520 conversion time.

Should be a bit cheaper for a 520 chain/sprocket combo and just need to see how long they last.

**warewolf** · 13th July 2009, 18:53

I would be very interested to re-test your bike having changed the fork springs from .40 to .47s; that's up 17.5%. To put that in perspective, the .46 in the 640A is way too soft but RaceTech suggest only .473, all of 2.8% increase... I will go .48s unless the suspension tuner says otherwise. The damping seemed more problematic than your spring rate - and given the good performance of the incheatimators, that says something about how the springs felt!!

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Sounds like you need a bit heavier spring to get to those recommended specs.

Nuh uh. Lighter. At WP's recommended static sag of 17mm 6%, race sag is only 69mm 23%. So I'm not heavy enough for the spring. It's probably ideal for a fully-laden trip though.

And we won't mention the front... way too light, even without a full tank.

**NordieBoy** · 13th July 2009, 21:57

That's right. Lighter spring - wider gap in the static to race.

Damn...
Just did some calculations.
The stock 0.40kg/mm spring would actually be able to get me pretty close to 20% static & 30% race sag.
The main problem with it is that it's a progressive and dives severely under braking.
I don't want progressive with the Intiminators.

If I could get a straight wound 0.4 it would probably be ideal.
EDIT: Damn. The KDX200 uses a 43mm fork too and my bro want's to try my .47's depending on overall spring length.

You need to test it now.

What % do WP recommend for the front of the 640A?

Dual Sport Suspension recommends 8-12% static and 20-30% race front and rear.

I think once my shock is working properly(ish) and not bottoming out so easily it'll make the front feel different too.

**JATZ** · 13th July 2009, 22:05

I got some 750 fork springs here if you want to give them a shot, can measure them tomorrow

**warewolf** · 13th July 2009, 23:28

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

The main problem with it is that it's a progressive

Say no more. What's the start and end rate?

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

EDIT: Damn. The KDX200 uses a 43mm fork too and my bro want's to try my .47's depending on overall spring length.

You need to test it now.

wed-thu-fri mornings.

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

What % do WP recommend for the front of the 640A?

25-40mm static out of 275 total = 9-15%. Race sag not mentioned. I've got 43mm static from 11.5mm preload; race sag 61mm 22%. Std preload is 4mm, don't have a sag reading but it has to be at least 50mm/20% just factoring in the reduced spacer length... with only half a tank of fuel. As I crank up the preload to get the desired static sag, I'm losing all the race sag = spring too weak.

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Dual Sport Suspension recommends 8-12% static and 20-30% race front and rear.

I'm at those numbers on the rear. It is a normal linkage non-PDS shock so should follow the normal rules. But maybe like Ohlins they have different requirements due to internal features? They similarly don't recommend anywhere near as much static sag.

**Monstaman** · 14th July 2009, 11:41

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

If I could get a straight wound 0.4 it would probably be ideal.

Fran there is a crowd in Christchurch that makes springs, I got a set of linear rate 5 mm wire spring made for my Hypermotard and they are brilliant, they were only $25.00 for a pair.

The factory springs were progressive wound and were set for a 100 kg rider plus gear which is 30 kg more than me.

**cooneyr** · 14th July 2009, 12:30

Originally Posted by Monstaman

Fran there is a crowd in Christchurch that makes springs, I got a set of linear rate 5 mm wire spring made for my Hypermotard and they are brilliant, they were only $25.00 for a pair.

The factory springs were progressive wound and were set for a 100 kg rider plus gear which is 30 kg more than me.

Was it Bellamy and East?

Cheers R

**Monstaman** · 14th July 2009, 14:21

Originally Posted by cooneyr

Was it Bellamy and East?

Cheers R

No, this is them

CBC Resleeve and Spring Specialists
53 Brisbane Street
P O Box 7044
Sydenham
Chch

Ph(03) 377 1373
Fax(03) 377 1364

**cooneyr** · 14th July 2009, 15:50

Originally Posted by Monstaman

No, this is them

CBC Resleeve and Spring Specialists
53 Brisbane Street
P O Box 7044
Sydenham
Chch

Ph(03) 377 1373
Fax(03) 377 1364

Good cause the B&E coil springs we got for a landcruiser a few years ago were orible.

Cheers R

**Monstaman** · 14th July 2009, 16:11

Originally Posted by cooneyr

Good cause the B&E coil springs we got for a landcruiser a few years ago were orible.

Cheers R

Same, I actually broke a front coil in half at Christmas in Reefton on my Prado kinda truck, that was a B&E one as well.

CBC did a beautiful job for the bike springs

.

**NordieBoy** · 15th July 2009, 15:14

Originally Posted by Monstaman

Heya Fran .. well bugger me the sprocket is 48 T!!

Would like to go to 15/43 to keep the bigger front sprocket as it is not as much torture on the chain and the chain lasts substantially longer overall going odd # to odd # rather than even # even #.

If you don't want the 14t front on the auction, I'd take it off your hands.