Folks,
I upgraded from a GL1200 to a GL1800 about four months ago. Now that I've put some miles on it, I can officially call the ride, specifically the front suspension, harsh compared to my GL1200 with brand new Progressive springs in the forks and rear shocks.
Here's the specs: We're lightweights, meaning my wife and I COMBINED weigh 270#. I'm running on a completely stock suspension on an '06 with 56,000 miles on it. I've got the rear preload set to #7, which on my bike is where the pump just starts to load up.
I think the rear suspension is fine for us, but the front end is really harsh over expansion joints and other small bumps, way more harsh than my GL1200 is with the upgraded suspension.
When I say harsh, I mean it jars the hell out of my RAM mount handlebar-mounted portable GPS! It shakes the thing nearly to death when taking bumps compared to when it was mounted on my GL1200.
I'm 99.9% sure that the anti-dive valve is NOT sticking, since I have actually ridden another GL1800 on which the anti-dive valve stuck a few times while riding, so I know what that feels like. That said, I don't know what weight fork oil in in the forks, or when the last time was that it was changed.
I guess my real question is this: Is the stock front end suspension on my GL1800 responsible for this really harsh ride up front?
If the answer is YES, I already know my options (Progressive, RaceTech, Traxxion), so no need to go into that subject too deeply.
I just want to know if I have to take one of those options to solve this harsh front suspension problem, or if perhaps a flush and some different weight oil might do the job.
I'm not the type to ride the twisties fast, but I need to fix this harsh front end.
Other than this issue, I'm lovin' this bike.
Thanks very much for any advise that you can provide.
***
I upgraded from a GL1200 to a GL1800 about four months ago. Now that I've put some miles on it, I can officially call the ride, specifically the front suspension, harsh compared to my GL1200 with brand new Progressive springs in the forks and rear shocks.
Here's the specs: We're lightweights, meaning my wife and I COMBINED weigh 270#. I'm running on a completely stock suspension on an '06 with 56,000 miles on it. I've got the rear preload set to #7, which on my bike is where the pump just starts to load up.
I think the rear suspension is fine for us, but the front end is really harsh over expansion joints and other small bumps, way more harsh than my GL1200 is with the upgraded suspension.
When I say harsh, I mean it jars the hell out of my RAM mount handlebar-mounted portable GPS! It shakes the thing nearly to death when taking bumps compared to when it was mounted on my GL1200.
I'm 99.9% sure that the anti-dive valve is NOT sticking, since I have actually ridden another GL1800 on which the anti-dive valve stuck a few times while riding, so I know what that feels like. That said, I don't know what weight fork oil in in the forks, or when the last time was that it was changed.
I guess my real question is this: Is the stock front end suspension on my GL1800 responsible for this really harsh ride up front?
If the answer is YES, I already know my options (Progressive, RaceTech, Traxxion), so no need to go into that subject too deeply.
I just want to know if I have to take one of those options to solve this harsh front suspension problem, or if perhaps a flush and some different weight oil might do the job.
I'm not the type to ride the twisties fast, but I need to fix this harsh front end.
Other than this issue, I'm lovin' this bike.
Thanks very much for any advise that you can provide.
***