Hi all,
The performance of the forks on my 1971 Roadster have been in decline for a couple of years and after fitting a new disc and caliper I've come to the conclusion they're in need of an overhaul. Having had mixed results over the year reconditioning forks I think this one needs a pro. Before heading to one of the regular suspension companies I thought I'd ask if there was anyone in the club interested in helping out?
I'm based in Leamington Spa and so someone local'ish would be ideal.
Many thanks, Simon..
Depends what you're using as…
Depends what you're using as a reference and what you' want to achieve. Standard Roadholders will never match a modern bike.
Beyond changing bushes there's a limited amount you can sensibly do to the standard fork. And it sounds like you are quite capable of that.
You could take the forks to Maxton https://www.maxtonsuspension.co.uk/files/forkconversions.htm. They will keep the sliders and stanchions and replace the internals to get you closer to modern performance. Makes quite a difference.
Thx.
Thanks for the suggestion Stan. I'm not necessarily looking for modern but the performance has worsened over the last few years, lumpy / bouncy on compression and topping out on extension. I suspect they are worn. Have dropped a line to Maxton.
At the risk of telling you…
At the risk of telling you something you already know, the alloy caps on the damper tubes wear quickly and reduced the damping effect. So, if you haven't replaced them already, it's something quick and cheap to try.
Lansdowne
If it is the damping that you want improved, you could consider the so-called Lansdowne conversion.
It worked for me. And no more "clonk" when forks extend fully.
More info for example here: https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-motorcycle-repair/norton-commando-lansdowne-adjustable-dampers-zmmz19mazhur/
Hi, not that difficult and plenty of info on line etc.
However some improvements that I do on my Commando's are to add 180cc of 15wt oil and progressive springs which works for me, You can buy all the bushes and seals in a set from RGM or Andover Norton.