I have a 1000 k3. A performance shop installed a RACE TECH valve kit., because I didn't find the front fork on my particular bike compliant over bumps. It rides over bumps as opposed to compressing. Takes a major bump before the fork compresses. This is by far the worst front end I have had on any bike.

The valve kit has not made the slightest bit of difference. to the compression. damping.

I am having serious doubts as to the skill of the mechanic who did the work. Has anyone any ideas why the compression damping is non compliant.

I have tried aligning the front end, but this made no difference.

Any help would be appreciated.

They come with a tape to teach you how to install and adjust them. Make sure you get the tape from the shop that did it.

It made an amazing difference on my last bike, so I tend to think it just wasn't set up right.

the gold valves do make a diff but if your concerned about rebound and compression you just need to adjust the settings, im surprised they didnt ask you how you wanted it setup... but did they also put in the right springs for your weight..

Yes the right spring was put in, a RACE TECH .85 kg. The fork, now with the kit in, and when new, has a lot of stiction, the forks don't copmpress over bumps unless it is a hard bump.

In hindsight I should have nagged Suzuki until they replaced the forks, now that the kit is in, I doubt if they would replace the forks.

Adjusting the rebound and compression make no difference to the compliance.

The forks have been aligned, so the problem is not the forks out of alignment. I am somewhat baffled.

GMAN111 said:
I have a 1000 k3. A performance shop installed a RACE TECH valve kit., because I didn't find the front fork on my particular bike compliant over bumps. It rides over bumps as opposed to compressing. Takes a major bump before the fork compresses. This is by far the worst front end I have had on any bike.

The valve kit has not made the slightest bit of difference. to the compression. damping.

I am having serious doubts as to the skill of the mechanic who did the work. Has anyone any ideas why the compression damping is non compliant.

I have tried aligning the front end, but this made no difference.

Any help would be appreciated.



What other bikes have you had? Because, this is the BEST front end I've experienced. I've dealt with a GS500 front end (weak), a SV650 front end (weak) and a Lindemann Engineering modified front end on our 94 Gix 750 race bike (SUPER SWEET) and of all these, the Gixxer out of the box is the best.

I think you answered your own question if you say adjusments make no difference.

You got a botched job. That doesn't sound right at all.

The other possibility is they overfilled the forks. But lots of stiction when everything is properly aligned comes from incorrect installation (greasing the seals included) or really crappy oil.

Sorry man, looks like they need to come apart again. Provided what you reporting is accurate.

What I am reporting is accurate. I have been riding bikes 30 years, and in that time have owned and ridden many. I know how it should work, and it doesn't. It didn't when new, and still doesn't (with kit in). I hope to find anohter mechanic who can make it work properly.

Thanks for the help guys.

I think the shop f'ed it up because after I got mine in, the front felt like I was riding on air.

I'm sorry to say they screwed up your forks and installed something wrong. I had Penske internals put in my forks along with new compression and rebound adjusters the stock adjusters are to blunt and offer no range of adjustment, I also had low friction seals installed. I click of adjustmen makes a noticable difference. Did you adjust the sag when you installed the forks back on the bike? Don't know where you are located but if you are in Georgia I have an excellent suspension guy for you I shipped my stuff to him I'm in NY

Another vote for a botched job... http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I don't think it's spring-rate or comprssion adjustment... Keep in mind if the mechanic screwed the shim-stack up then the valving is going to be fucked no matter what the rest of the adjustments are. Sounds to me like this is what happened... One good thing about this(if it is, in fact, the problem...) is that it is completely repairable/reversable. You're just going to have to find someone who knows what they're doing or as a last resort send the fork off too Race-Tech and have them do it. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

Good Luck. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

wait...

your forks were binding up before... changing the valving isn't going to do anything for that. I'd suspect either your forks were bent, your bushings were sticking, they were put together incorrectly in the first place, the cartridge was faulty, etc.

the tuner should have noticed such problems, especially if you told him what problems you were having (in which case changing the valving should have not even been suggested by them). but I wouldn't say that they didn't valve it correctly. more than likely, they valved it right - according to racetech specs (racetech authorized dealers are required, or at least encouraged, to use racetech specs), it just didn't do anything.

Just a thought, but what if at the factory, they assembled your forks with too much oil...?
And suppose the guys that did your forks, put the same amount of oil back in..? That might explain why your forks don't have much damping...just a thought.... http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I changed the oil in a buddy's forks. The moron that changed the seals had the oil level at 55mm in one fork and 70mm in the other. They worked but he had nearly 2 inches of unused travel. Set the oil level at 120mm and they worked very well. As he got faster we had to add 10mm more and they worked really good. Don't think oil level is the problem. Maybe oil weight however.

I have to agree with Leanangle on this one. Stiction in the bushings and possibly the internal preload. Some aftermarket springs are different lengths.

I had a TLR that we could never get working right. Tons of stiction, I could turn the damping adjusters from one extream to another and I would only notice just a little difference. These were done with Race Tech springs and valving. It's very frusterating.