front fork spring upgrades

[BigMark]

Anyone had much experience with this? Seems a simple job but there are a few choices of progressive springs about.
I would like the front to be stiffemed quite a bit as mine dives way to much. I still want a comfy ride nothing that stiffens it to sports standards. ( I am sure you get the jist).
 I dont actually have a problem with the rear but something in the back of my head tells me i should upgrade them both with the same brand?

Thanks Guys.

[Sqn Leader]

Hagon progressive front springs and a hagon rear shock with remote ajuster work very well and are good value.........

[Sin_Tiger]

+1 for Hagon, good value and decent people to deal with.

[Loops]

I've been running Hagon springs for about 40k miles now.  When installed they made a noticable improvement, firming front end but not excessively.

On the rear I've had a Ohlins for 17k miles what can I say - expensive but so much smoother, more controlled etc etc.

Mind you the gus who took out old rear shock said there wasn't really much wrong with it, even though it had done 55k miles.

The don't make Ohlins for the efi Tigers any more - shame.

Cheers

Loops

[Chris Canning]

I use Ohlins front and back,but putting springs on there own won't do it, you need to change the weight of oil and in some circumstances the amount,i ride two up long distance,i was never happy with any of the shocks i've had on any of the 3 tigers i've owned,riding at anykind of pace,after an hour/hour and half, shock doesn't know if it's coming or going,on it's maximum everything i can remember my other remarking it was like being on a rollercoaster,it had done 10,000 miles.

What i have found,some folk will tell the stock shock is OK,ever tried to sell secondhand one :( ,doesn't matter what you replace it with,it'll be a major improvement.

[John Stenhouse]

I put a white Power on my 885 Girly, vast improvement, front has some stiffer oil in it which helps a bit, next job is some spacers to pre load the front a bit

[Chris Canning]

I put a white Power on my 885 Girly, vast improvement, front has some stiffer oil in it which helps a bit, next job is some spacers to pre load the front a bit

You'll be wasting your time with spacers,all that is doing is compressing the originals,you'll be on the way to a pair of girder forks,and as i was chastened on another board,not such thing as White Power :roll: ,it's WP,churlish i know,but hey ho.

[zombie]

I got lucky a few years back and had one of the Aprilia race suspension tuners take my forks and he put progressive springs up front with cartridge emulators in and it transformed the bike and still works great to this day , I just swapped out the oil and replaced the seals  after 40k and still in good nick.

[Bixxer Bob]

Funny this,  my Blackbird has primitive suspension for such a powerful, otherwise well-sorted bike.  It needs a fair bit of muscling around due to it's length and tendency to run wide give half a chance.

After years on that, the Tiger was very nimble if a bit top-heavy.  It has a noticeably shorter wheelbase.  As a result, on stock suspension and semi nobblies, and despite the rough fen roads around here, I can touch a toe down and have only very slight chicken strips on the rear tyre.  She soaks up the bumps really well with the soft, long-travel suspension.  I suppose if you're used to a well-sorted sports bike, the Tiger is a bit basic, but I just chuck her around anyway.  Am I missing something??

[John Stenhouse]

In terms of the rear shock yes, like you I wasn't convinced that is til the rear shock went west, the WP (Happy now Chris) was a revelation

[Sin_Tiger]

but I just chuck her around anyway.  Am I missing something??

Nope, you're having fun.  :D  Lucky bugger  :P

[Chris Canning]

Funny this,  my Blackbird has primitive suspension for such a powerful, otherwise well-sorted bike.  It needs a fair bit of muscling around due to it's length and tendency to run wide give half a chance.

After years on that, the Tiger was very nimble if a bit top-heavy.  It has a noticeably shorter wheelbase.  As a result, on stock suspension and semi nobblies, and despite the rough fen roads around here, I can touch a toe down and have only very slight chicken strips on the rear tyre.  She soaks up the bumps really well with the soft, long-travel suspension.  I suppose if you're used to a well-sorted sports bike, the Tiger is a bit basic, but I just chuck her around anyway.  Am I missing something??

Well it's all a bit relative i guess,i've been riding a bike long enough to know what i want,rarely do i get it out of a stock bike,after 3 Africa Twins with 21" front wheels my Tigers seemed fantastic,after a while i realised it wasn't doing what i wanted,so i altered it till it did,i've recently bought a K1200r Sport,i want to go one way and the bike wants to go the other when it comes to corners,with a change of suspension,and up the ride height at the rear,it'll get there.

[BigMark]

I use Ohlins front and back,but putting springs on there own won't do it, you need to change the weight of oil and in some circumstances the amount,i ride two up long distance,i was never happy with any of the shocks i've had on any of the 3 tigers i've owned,riding at anykind of pace,after an hour/hour and half, shock doesn't know if it's coming or going,on it's maximum everything i can remember my other remarking it was like being on a rollercoaster,it had done 10,000 miles.

What i have found,some folk will tell the stock shock is OK,ever tried to sell secondhand one :( ,doesn't matter what you replace it with,it'll be a major improvement.

I tend to ride 2 up a fair bit of the time. Are you saying that despite your alterations you were still not happy or that the weight of oil made a difference?
 I just dont like the dive that the front end does two up.

[Chris Canning]

Can i digress,the front forks on the Tiger are shall we say basic,you are never going to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

I'll hold my hands up and say i should have had mine re-valved years ago,but the two basic things you can do,put some progressive springs in them,there are several options,and change the oil.

This is were it get a little complicated,you have a measured amount in each leg of a certain weight,stock is 10wt,i run mine with a standard amount but 15wt,i'm not saying that is right,it suites me,there are all sorts of variables,the important thing when tinkering,don't ride it 10 miles round the block and make you mind up,it's need to be a lot further,suspension changes(alot) as it gets warm.

If your in the UK,and determined to get a decent result,phone Maxton and have e'm revalved,the springs and dif oil weight is a sticking plaster,when you really need 10 stitches!!!

While there are other pictures of mine on here,this is my offering