Fork travel length

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  • Silent
    XStremely XSive
    • Jan 2009
    • 343
    • San Jose, CA

    #1

    Fork travel length

    Anyone know what the fork travel is on a '79 Special? I'm trying to calculate my static sag and spacer length, but I'm missing that 1 number. Thanks
    Ray

    '79 XS1100 Special - An XS Odyssey <<-- Click it, you know you want to!
    '07 FJR1300
  • DiverRay
    Moderator
    • Nov 2004
    • 7605
    • Star, IDAHO

    #2
    Front forks, ALL Xs1100 '78, '79 is 6.9" or 175mm. That is TOTAL travel.
    Ray Matteis
    KE6NHG
    XS1100 E '78 (winter project)
    XS1100 SF Bob Jones worked on it!

    Comment

    • Silent
      XStremely XSive
      • Jan 2009
      • 343
      • San Jose, CA

      #3
      Thankie, just the info I was after, now I can do the math to set my sag
      Ray

      '79 XS1100 Special - An XS Odyssey <<-- Click it, you know you want to!
      '07 FJR1300

      Comment

      • SFerinTEXAS
        XSive Maximus
        • Jun 2006
        • 876

        #4
        now I can do the math to set my sag
        Feeling a little dumb here. How does one set the sag on an XS ? And for what purpose ?
        79SF
        XJ11
        78E

        Comment

        • Silent
          XStremely XSive
          • Jan 2009
          • 343
          • San Jose, CA

          #5
          Setting the static sag properly keeps you in the 'sweet spot' on yout suspension travel. Makes the bike handle better. I run between 28-33% of total travel for my sag. I'm currently at 27% wich is ok, but I'm going to shave 250-300 thou off my preload spacers and bring it closer to 33% for my style of riding.

          Some light reading. Tons more on the net.

          Wiki
          SportRider
          Ray

          '79 XS1100 Special - An XS Odyssey <<-- Click it, you know you want to!
          '07 FJR1300

          Comment

          • Dragon Tamer
            XStremely XSive(Deceased)
            • Sep 2006
            • 426
            • Half way between Chili and Winter Wisconsin.

            #6
            I place a nylon zip tie around the fork just above the dust shield and drive it for a day or so and see how far it has moved upwards, this will tell you how much travel the forks have been doing. If you feel this is too much try adding air/fluid/spring tension and see what happens. Have you tried just changing the fluid? Just that little application may make a startling result!
            The Old Tamer
            _________________________
            1979 XS1100SF (The Fire Dragon)
            1982 650 Maxim (The Little Dragon)
            another '82 650 Maxim (Parts Dragon)
            1981 XS1100SH (The Black Dragon)

            If there are more than three bolts holding it on there, it is most likely a very important part!

            Comment

            • Silent
              XStremely XSive
              • Jan 2009
              • 343
              • San Jose, CA

              #7
              Originally posted by Dragon Tamer
              I place a nylon zip tie around the fork just above the dust shield and drive it for a day or so and see how far it has moved upwards, this will tell you how much travel the forks have been doing. If you feel this is too much try adding air/fluid/spring tension and see what happens. Have you tried just changing the fluid? Just that little application may make a startling result!
              The forks were just rebuilt by LE Suspension. New seals, oil, Progressive springs, bushings, and tubes straightened. The tubes being bent is the main reason I didn't do it myself. I haven't had a chance to set the sag for my weight since I picked up the bike in January. This is something I do with every bike I've had. The zip tie route is nowhere near as accurate as a percentage of travel.
              Ray

              '79 XS1100 Special - An XS Odyssey <<-- Click it, you know you want to!
              '07 FJR1300

              Comment

              • SFerinTEXAS
                XSive Maximus
                • Jun 2006
                • 876

                #8
                So this is a component of spring tension and will be addressed by adjusting the length of the spacer ?
                79SF
                XJ11
                78E

                Comment

                • b.walker5
                  XS-XJ Guru
                  • Feb 2009
                  • 1745
                  • Invercargill, New Zealand

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Silent
                  The zip tie route is nowhere near as accurate as a percentage of travel.
                  Might not be as accurate but it's more than sufficient for 30 year old suspension that was never designed to be on a race bike. I've used both methods and find the difference between the two to be negligible at best. Zip ties are permanent residents on my forks.

                  1980 SG. (Sold - waiting on replacement)
                  2000 XJR1300. The Real modern XS11. Others are just pretenders.

                  Woman (well, my wife anyway) are always on Transmit and never Receive.

                  "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" Albert Einstien.

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