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Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - Printable Version

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Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - know your limitations - 19-05-12

I've been looking into various front and rear suspension options over the last couple of months and will ultimately be purchasing one of Devilsyam's R6 shocks when funds allow.
In the meantime, I want to take advantage of the cheap/free adjustments I can make to increase ride height and quality.
I've tinkered with preload, compression and damping settings front and rear and have been much happier with the new feel to the bike.

I've now ordered a 25mm jack up kit for the rear but have also read various posts on the forums relating to dropping the front forks 10mm or so through the yolks.
This pic shows how my forks have been since I purchased the bike but I have no reference to know what the fork height should look like as standard.
Have they already been dropped? If so, any guesses as to how much?
If they haven't.... where do I take the "drop by 10mm" measurement from?


Mine is a 2002 Gen1 1000


Experience tells me that this question will be bread and butter for some of you fine Foccers  Wink


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - tomjimtom - 19-05-12

Hi,
No, they haven't been dropped. I took the measurement from the point in your picture, raised the forks 10mm measured from the top yolk to the indented ring on the fork (both sides!)

(this drops the bike down a bit, think you've got a bit confused by the terminology of dropping the forks - They actually stay in the same place!!)
Hope that helps Smile

Tom



Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - know your limitations - 19-05-12

(19-05-12, 12:59 PM)tomjimtom link Wrote: think you've got a bit confused by the terminology of dropping the forks - They actually stay in the same place!!)
I know they stay in the same place :rolleyes
My understanding is that dropping or raising relates to how much fork top shows through the top of the yolks.
If the fork clamps were loosened and front of the bike was supported securely by a jack and  raised, this would mean less fork top was showing above the yolk (dropped)
Conversely, if the front was lowered on the jack, more of the fork tops would be showing (raised).


Or am I a mile out here?




Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - paul1606 - 19-05-12

As you say if the jack was lowered the forks would raise through the yokes this is classed as" dropping the front forks". the terminology is a bit confusing all it means is you drop the front end of the bike suppose it should be called "dropping the yolks" There you go clear as mud Wink  doing this though does give a better feel to the front end & helps you keep a tighter line


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - sadlonelygit - 19-05-12

no!
mine were dropped 20mm (with no preload) or thereabouts but i was running hard springs so the chance of radiator/mudguard interface were low.

stop messing about and get an R1 front end.



Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - know your limitations - 19-05-12

Thanks so far for the comments,  but I am now more confused than when I started  :'(
Tom and Paul, your descriptions are in effect, polar opposites of one another, so who is right?


I want to increase the ride height of the front end, so surely raising the front end is the only way to achieve this, not lowering it.
Is what I've done in this picture an option? (I have and will not ride it like this until I know it is safe).
I loosened the pinch bolts, jacked up the front and the forks dropped 10mm, (as near as but no more) DOWN through the yolks.
The front is now more raised and feels more suited for me.


Oh and SLG, thanks but a new R1 front end doesn't qualify for the cheap/free adjustment. Ta anyway.


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - Falcon 269 - 19-05-12

If you drop the yolks you'll be making omelettes. :lol


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - know your limitations - 19-05-12

Ah Mike!
A bit of definitive  pretty please!


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - Falcon 269 - 19-05-12

You have raised the front end by lowering the forks through the yokes.  This is the complete opposite to what virtually every other Gen 1 Fazer owner has done but if that's what you want ...

By doing this you are moving the C of G even further back that normal.  The standard weight distribution already puts more weight to the rear than is ideal for good steering feel.

I fear you'll end up with the front feeling even more vague and the additional weight shift to the already weak rear shock isn't going to help that end, either.

Finally, having only half the fork leg clamped tightly in the top yoke is questionable from a safety perspective.


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - know your limitations - 19-05-12

Cheers Mike,
As I said, I wouldn't ride it like this without qualified feedback.
I was just trying to paint a picture as to whether, "does this look right?" or "how about this?"
What are my options for raising the ride height at the front, if any?
Answers may need to be a  little "playschool" for my understanding. I'm trying though!




Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - know your limitations - 19-05-12

(19-05-12, 02:39 PM)paul1606 link Wrote: suppose it should be called "dropping the yolks"
You got that right, not very amateur friendly!


Anyway, gonna put it back to Pic no.1 and leave well alone.
Hope the 25mm jack up kit will give me the ride height I want.....


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - paul1606 - 19-05-12

Sorry matey  (just assumed you needed more front feel)  didnt read your original post correctly about raising the ride height ,Although doing this is as mike says will give you a vague front end feel as if riding on the omelettes . Smile 


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - cable tie - 19-05-12

  Wink  I thought this was a april foolish joke LOL and yah was pulling our leg .  Wink
However if you want to change the feel regarding height on the front end have you thought about a set of higher bars  !! obviously not foc but than not expensive if it makes you happy!!

Dave  Big Grin


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - Falcon 269 - 19-05-12

(19-05-12, 03:45 PM)know your limitations link Wrote: Anyway, gonna put it back to Pic no.1 and leave well alone.

Hope the 25mm jack up kit will give me the ride height I want.....

First thing, sensible decision. Smile

Second thing, what exactly are you trying to achieve with the ride height?

The jack-up kit will raise the rear and put more weight forward (generally considered a good move with the Gen 1) but is contrary to what you seemed to have in mind when considering pushing the forks down through the yokes.

Are you just trying to make the bike taller overall?  Or are you trying to get a more upright riding position?  It's not really clear what you're after here. Smile


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - know your limitations - 19-05-12

(19-05-12, 04:56 PM)Falcon 269 link Wrote: Are you just trying to make the bike taller overall?  Or are you trying to get a more upright riding position?  It's not really clear what you're after here. Smile
Trying to make it taller overall Mike.
My first Gen 1 was definitely taller but as it was trashed and has now been sold, I don't know how this was achieved.
When I got this one, the lower ride height was the first thing I noticed.
From the few pics and video I have of the old one, the forks appear to have been left well alone so I can only assume it had shorter dog bones, which I'm going to try and are on their way.
Their have been various posts which suggested dropping the forks would help increase ride height but it hasn't helped that my "logical" interpretation of dropping the forks was incorrect. :o
(19-05-12, 04:42 PM)cable tie link Wrote:   Wink  I thought this was a april foolish joke LOL and yah was pulling our leg .  Wink 

I know it appeared like that but my favourite member signature whose name escapes me, says something like, "better to ask a stupid question than make a stupid mistake" Smile


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - paul.s - 19-05-12

dropping the forks gives the impresion of more ride hights to the rear (it doesent tho its just the rear ends up higher in relation to the front)wich transfers the bikes c of g further forward aiding turn in speed and giving more feel to what the front tyre is doing (at the expence of putting more load on an allready squishy set of forks) which is allso what fitting shorter dogbones will do  its about altering the handeling characteristics of the bike nothing whatsoever to do with making the bike taller Smile


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - richfzs - 19-05-12

speaking of stupid questions, are you sure the bike is lower than the last one? Is there any chance the seat you've got now, is non-standard, or may have been cut down to suit somebody with ducks disease?


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - know your limitations - 19-05-12

(19-05-12, 06:37 PM)paul.s link Wrote: dropping the forks gives the impresion of more ride hights to the rear (it doesent tho its just the rear ends up higher in relation to the front)
Could be a bit of smoke and mirrors at play. Seems there can be things that give a feel without being truly measurable.
That said, there is one factor to ride height that I've completely overlooked (and thankfully I'm not alone)..... the seat.


Just looked at some old pics of my previous bike and I think the seat was in better shape, literally and possibly not as squashed as my current one.
First pic is my current seat, second, slightly grainier pic is my old seat. Any thoughts?


Rich you win a prize, probably. You did your post as I was typing this!


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - Falcon 269 - 19-05-12

Could be camera angle but it looks to me like your current seat has been under the knife.


Re: Have my forks been dropped through the yolks? - paul1606 - 19-05-12

have you grown since your last gen 1  :lol