About the front fork suspension

[camos]

I have been following several threads on forks which has made me wonder about the setup on my 89 VR. Recently I had the forks apart to change the oil and found there was no long spacer (26 and 58 on the fiche), just a washer, the short aluminum cap (28 and 60 on the fiche) and the threaded cap bolt. The springs are OEM not Progressive since the winding is linear with the top having a tighter winding and a wider winding at the bottom. The handling is good with no bottoming or pogoing.

 

It would seem there is no normal pre-load. From what I have read about the experience of others, with the setup my forks have there should be issues and yet there aren't any. Does anyone have any idea why?

 

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/search/Yamaha/Motorcycle/1989/VENTURE%20ROYALE%20-%20XVZ13DW/FRONT%20FORK/parts.html

[MiCarl]

The description of you spring sure sounds like a progressive spring to me. If it's got a smooth (linear?) transition from close windings on one end to loose windings on the other then it is a progressive rate spring (not necessarily from Progressive suspension). If it's got close windings on one end and abruptly changes to a looser winding (essentially 2 different springs made from one piece of wire) it's a dual rate spring.

 

Regardless, it may not be a stock spring. The springs in my '89 are definitely not stock and not progressive rate either. If I recall correctly the winding is the same along its length.

 

I can't imagine there is any way you could be happy with a stock spring and no pre-load. Even with pre-load they're pretty bad.

[camos]

The description of you spring sure sounds like a progressive spring to me. If it's got a smooth (linear?) transition from close windings on one end to loose windings on the other then it is a progressive rate spring (not necessarily from Progressive suspension). If it's got close windings on one end and abruptly changes to a looser winding (essentially 2 different springs made from one piece of wire) it's a dual rate spring.

It could be that my description is as confused as I am. The springs look just like the pic in the manual. They have two types of windings, close at one end and looser at the other. Describing them as linear to me means each type of winding is the same until it changes. Progressive springs do not have linear windings because they progress more or less evenly from close to loose. I put a set of Progressives in my Virago and that is how they looked.

 

Regardless, it may not be a stock spring. The springs in my '89 are definitely not stock and not progressive rate either. If I recall correctly the winding is the same along its length.

They are definitely dual rate. I did not think to measure the length of my springs so they may very well not be stock. That is the only reason I could think of that would make them work well without the spacer.

 

I can't imagine there is any way you could be happy with a stock spring and no pre-load. Even with pre-load they're pretty bad.

That was my thought too, gathered from what I have read on this forum, and is what has prompted me to ask the question.

[Prairiehammer]

Clive, You MUST have aftermarket springs, perhaps not Progressive® brand.

Follows is a pic of the stock 1986-1993 spacers.

And a pic of Progressive® springs alongside stock 1986 springs.

[Karaboo]

Do you mean your cap bolts screwed off with no spring pressure (pre-load) behind them?

[camos]

Clive, You MUST have aftermarket springs, perhaps not Progressive® brand.

Follows is a pic of the stock 1986-1993 spacers.

And a pic of Progressive® springs alongside stock 1986 springs.

My non-progressive springs look like the one on the right. There is no mistaking the lack of those spacers. From the pic it looks like part of the spacer fits into the spring and the other end fits into the aluminum cap with the o-ring on it. The springs on the 89 must not be OEM although they were long enough to require some compression to get the bolt cap started. I do recall that 5 or 6 years ago when I had the 90 forks apart it was a lot more difficult to get the bolt cap started.

[camos]

Do you mean your cap bolts screwed off with no spring pressure (pre-load) behind them?

As mentioned earlier, there was some pressure from the springs when RnR the bolt cap. There was enough pressure to require leaning into the ratchet when starting the bolt cap. It just wasn't as difficult on the 89 as I recall it was on the 90.