Any way to tell if your front springs are stock or not?? Easily.

[JaysGone]

Any way to tell if your front springs are stock or not?? Easily.

I bought my 2010 Motor Trike used with 10K on it.
It now has 22K miles.
From day one the front end has been relatively stiff.
No better, no worse then my 1999 Valkyrie was with OEM springs.
When I put progressives in the Valk it became un ride able for me and I removed them within a week.
Since they still use the same front legs more or less.

My question is this:
Is there any way to tell if the front springs are indeed OEM or progressives??
Without anything to compare them too as in another stock bike.
Or having to disassemble the front end.
As crappy as the ride is to me. Im assuming they are progressives. Or one leg is unadjusted properly maybe.
The front is raked. Done by MT when new.
I don't wish to wait another 20K or so till the front end is due for a rebuild.
Nor spend the $$ to take it all part just to find out they are OEM as is. Maybe shot at 22K?? Already.

My front tire was a new MPA. Im a believer in running a low front psi. So I do run it at 36psi. At max 41psi its way to stiff and bouncy for my liking.
The psi thing is an old issue here with me and for most of you here, so that's not the answer. It does ride best at 32psi but even Im not comfortable that low in the front. But if it was a 2 wheeler and on the rear. That's where it would be.

 

[Solidbob]

ADV Stuck

I would bet your ADV Valve on the front forks is stuck.... Look here: http://www.triketalk.com/forum/threads/21536-ADV-valve?highlight=Disable+ADV

It really will ride 90% better.... FYI

 

[FRR]

Jay, I've got the same thing with my 2012 Wing with a new Hannigan kit on it. I'm told that when the bike was converted to a trike often times they put spacers in the forks. My Tech tells me that if you just take the the top the spring I'll fly out about a half a mile away. Mine rides as rough as the cob with virtually no suspension in the front. I was thinking seriously about contacting Hannigan on this site since they are so good about responding but they probably would've asked me to do a lot of things that I am not capable of doing.

 

[Gold Rush]

Can't think of any positive and easy ID. From the sounds of it I'd bet the original owner asked MotorTrike to put the heavier Progressive springs in when the rake kit was installed. My '06 beat me to death with the Progressive springs in. If I had not decided to buy the 2015 and convert it I was planning on going back to OEM... But that all became unnecessary...

Back when I had my '06 converted the MotorTrike installer convinced me I did not want the rake kit. It didn't take me long at all to realize he just did not want to do the work required to do that install. Zook hooked me up with a GREAT rake kit (followed by four more for my friends). When I installed the kit I added progressive springs and did a total fork rebuild. Two winters later I pulled the forks apart and the sliders were worn worse with only 25,000 miles on them then the OEM ones were with 78,000 miles. That tells me that the 25K is a good point to be planning a total fork rebuild if you stay OEM. If you go aftermarket I don't have any idea... :AGGHH:

The point here is this: OEM springs are pretty cheap and I believe will suit most owners very well support and handling wise but they will weaken quick so at that 25K I'd plan to replace the sliders and springs.

You could try disabling the anti dive valve (ADV) as Bob mentioned or take a look at how Roadsmith does it here ( http://trikeshop.com/media/docs/ht-hts1800-instructions.pdf ) on step 46. I did that to my '06 MotorTrike as an interim fix and it worked very well. You'll have to manufacture the strap and hunt up one spacer and one new bolt but that's not difficult.

Hope you get this sorted of Jay. I know the pain you are going through. :xszpv::xszpv:

 

[JaysGone]

I did do the ADV mod with a drilled nickel for the spacer.
It didn't change a thing so Ive since taken that out. Still have the nickel though.
There isn't a heck of a lot of movement in the front end. Sure if Im doing a panic stop it will dive.
But under normal riding the forks seem to have very little movement in them maybe an inch to an inch and a half max. That's what makes me think they are progressives.

Needless to say Im not at this point in my life going to take the front end apart.
I don't have the strength anymore to mess with caps on the legs.
When I changed the fluids in my Yamaha last year. Replacing the caps took me a few 100 tries it seemed trying to push the caps down on the springs using a T-Bar wrench and a 6 point socket. I was totally wasted and in pain for a week but eventually got it done.

I guess the answer for me is when or if the front end craps out or the seals leak. Honda will get to do it.
When they rebuild I will make sure they use new OEM springs.

- - - Updated - - -

Can't think of any positive and easy ID. From the sounds of it I'd bet the original owner asked MotorTrike to put the heavier Progressive springs in when the rake kit was installed. My '06 beat me to death with the Progressive springs in. If I had not decided to buy the 2015 and convert it I was planning on going back to OEM... But that all became unnecessary...

Very interesting PDF. I wish MT had one like that.

Some day maybe Honda will go with a "normal" 2 spring shock front end and get rid of the crappy system they are using now. I hated it on my 99 Valkyrie. Friends with the 1800 hate it and no one I know with a GoldWing is happy with it. Its a 20+ year old design that's got to go.
Time for a new front end Honda.
I looked at the new Valkyrie last week. Fits me to a T as is stock and a good price.
But has the same danged front end. To me that's a no go sorry Honda.
A Yamaha Raider is looking better to me for a new 2 wheeler.
Sorry guys just venting now. It really sucks when there is nothing you can do but take it as it is, or look at something else.

 

[mhgoldwing]

I use the Traxxion springs which are linear instead of progressive and I am happy with them. Of course, I also have the Traxxion Ak-20 cartridges and no anti-dive.

I would eliminate the anti-dive system then adjust springs accordingly.

 

[Illini_Triker]

my trike has stock spring in it and rode like a log truck on a rail road. put in the progressive springs made it ride 100 times better before it would bottom out on most roads now never

 

[JaysGone]

my trike has stock spring in it and rode like a log truck on a rail road. put in the progressive springs made it ride 100 times better before it would bottom out on most roads now never

Mines just the opposite. Stiff as a board.
I feel every pebble in the road.

 

[FRR]

I agree. Mine is too stiff

 

[Marc H]

From past experience with my v star progressives are a love hate thing.You love the handling but not as much the ride.Zook can back me up here that the last mile to my place is one ruff ride not matter what you have.I was considering looking for stock springs too but a surprising side note to my recent riser change was that getting a more upright seating position and not having as much weight on the bars has took alot of the noticable edge off the harshness.I didn't realize I was on the bars at all but this proved to me I was.

 

[Illini_Triker]

It could also be the new Avon tire I installed at the same time

 

[jaxbobg]

.....My Tech tells me that if you just take the the top the spring I'll fly out about a half a mile away......

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

I know it's not what you meant but got me to thinking.

Many years ago there were a lot of times I wished I could instantly fly a half mile or more from my second wife's nag, nag, nag.