Straight rate fork springs

[B.E. Coyote]

Rebuilding my forks next week and want to put in new springs. I know progressives seem to be a favorite here but they just arent for me.

 

Can anybody share their weight and what straight rate springs that worked?

[B.E. Coyote]

And can anyone confirm I'd the road star and road star venture use the same fork springs?

[Du-Rron]

And can anyone confirm I'd the road star and road star venture use the same fork springs?

 

2006 Roadstar Silverado spring 4WM-23141-00-00

2006 Royal Star Venture spring 4XY-23141-00-00

 

The part numbers are similar but a Yamaha Parts Expert will have to tell us if they are the same. Maybe somebody will chirp in.

[B.E. Coyote]

Thanks.

 

I was wondering if the very similar parts numbers were for different rates.

 

Neither the sonic or race tech sites are very clear.

 

Yamaha didn't do anybody any favors with naming a 2nd different bike "venture" and having it part of another line of "road stars"

[Freebird]

I recommend the Sonic Springs. They do have an application specifically for our bikes. I put them in the '99 that I had and think that they are much better than Progressives.

[MiCarl]

2006 Roadstar Silverado spring 4WM-23141-00-00

2006 Royal Star Venture spring 4XY-23141-00-00

 

The part numbers are similar but a Yamaha Parts Expert will have to tell us if they are the same. Maybe somebody will chirp in.

 

Working backwards on part numbers:

 

00-00 = revision and color numbers

23141 = means it's a fork spring

4WM/4XY = first model it was used in.

 

Every Yamaha fork spring will have 23141 in that second field.

[B.E. Coyote]

Ordered the Sonics.

 

Never heard back from their customer service,

But the progressive site lists the same spring for the Royal Star and Royal Star Venture.

 

Used that to go ahead with the Sonic order.

 

New springs, seals, dust seals, bushings etc.

 

1999 with 91,000 miles. Doubt that it has ever been changed.

[Freebird]

You really should try to contact their customer service. The thing that sold me on Sonic is exactly what you are saying. Progressive sells the same spring for the Venture and the Royal Star. The Venture, due to the fairing and etc., needs a slightly heavier spring and Sonic has one that specifically works for the RSV. I tried to find my order information but it seems to be gone.

[B.E. Coyote]

They do have 3 choices in spring rates and I used their online calculator to choose. Their calculator is based on the total weight of the bike plus rider weight.

 

Hate that there is no phone number on their website, just one of those web based "contact us" email forms.

 

Sent an email last night and this morning. No reply so far.

[Freebird]

You should be OK then. One word of warning. Unless they have changed it, they used to not send enough PVC tubing that you add to the top of the springs. The springs are shorter than stock and you use the PVC pipe for spacers. For some reason, they didn't send enough when I did mine and Rick Butler ran into the same issue. We contacted them to let them know but I can't say if they ever changed it or not. It's no big deal, I had plenty of it laying around. Don't remember what size it was but it it was 3/4" or 1" I think.....regular schedule 40 PVC pipe.

[ragtop69gs]

I am running the Sonic 1.2 springs and they were a great choice. I also went to 15 weight fork oil at the same time. The ride is a little bit stiffer but not harsh and the bike handles the twisties much better now, no more feeling of understeering and tracks through the curves exactly where I want it to go.

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Edited January 7, 2018 by ragtop69gs

[Rick Butler]

Guys,

 

For all of the 2nd gen Ventures, you use the 1.2 kg/mm spring rate in a Sonic. Since the RSTDs don't have that heavy fairing, you can probably get by with a 1.1 spring rate.

 

Rick

 

I am running the Sonic 2.2 springs and they were a great choice. I also went to 15 weight fork oil at the same time. The ride is a little bit stiffer but not harsh and the bike handles the twisties much better now, no more feeling of understeering and tracks through the curves exactly where I want it to go.

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[ragtop69gs]

You should be OK then. One word of warning. Unless they have changed it, they used to not send enough PVC tubing that you add to the top of the springs. The springs are shorter than stock and you use the PVC pipe for spacers. For some reason, they didn't send enough when I did mine and Rick Butler ran into the same issue. We contacted them to let them know but I can't say if they ever changed it or not. It's no big deal, I had plenty of it laying around. Don't remember what size it was but it it was 3/4" or 1" I think.....regular schedule 40 PVC pipe.

When I did my forks 2 years ago Sonic was still sending the springs with not enough spacer, I used thick wall PVC well pipe. I didnt trust the standard thin wall PVC you find at the big box stores.

 

Thanks @RickButler for your suggestions and guidance when I undertook my fork rebuild, I am totally happy with the results. [emoji106]

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[B.E. Coyote]

They still do not send enough pvc.

[grubsie]

How do you know what length the PVC spacers should be.

[grubsie]

How do you know what length the PVC spacers should be? Never mind. I asked before I read about correct preload at Sonic Springs.

Edited January 13, 2018 by grubsie

[bongobobny]

Hey! Self Serve Technical Thread!! Cool!!!

[grubsie]

Got my Sonic 1.2 Springs last week. Had my buddy make up 2 1" aluminum spacers that I used on the lower side of the damper tube to lower the front end 1" and still be able to keep the top of the fork tubes flush with the top of the triple tree. My buddy is getting expensive on the work he does for me. (Just kidding) This time it cost me a 12 pack that I had to sit and split with him. Oh, the price we have to pay sometimes. Also, I modified the upper fork tins by drilling 2 5/8" holes in the exact location of the clamping bolts on the lower triple tree. This will allow me to do any fork work in the future if I need to without having to tear off the fairing again. My buddy is fabricating some stainless plates that will hide the holes.

 

Anyway got everything back together and finally had a chance today to take a test ride now that I got my modified Monster Oval mufflers back on the bike. I have to say, wow!, what a difference in the handling and feel of the front end. Between lowering the front and rear of the bike 1" in combination with the sonic springs, it's like a whole new machine. It now feels lighter than my '02 Ultra Classic and seems to handle better also. The ride was great but short. It's damn cold out there today.

 

My plan for the spring was to keep the RSV or the Ultra. Mostly along the lines of which one sells first. Now, I can't see me parting with the RSV. Now I guess I have to get to work on a vmax final drive and a 130 tire up front. Almost not feeling bad about letting go of the Ultra. After all, it only has a CD player, but the RSV has a cassette player and you can't beat that.

 

Here's a pic of one of the upper tins with the holes drilled in it.

[B.E. Coyote]

It says in the directions that come from sonic.

At least as a starting point. You could add longer ones later if you need more preload.