Decision: rebuild/beef up suspension...OR...

[Flaferalcat]

Well, I have a tricky decision to make. I knew I was being rough on the suspension, constantly running up and down the dirt/rough roads around here; often standing up. But, last week when I left for a trip to the Dragon, I really noticed....my front suspension is shot! With the bike oaded for travel and speeds up to 75mph plus, that front was bouncing around terribly even on the freeway, and was definitely unsettled. It's one of the reasons I turned back at Tifton. I don't have much space to work on the thing, and this time of year I use every bit of shed space I have to get landscaping equipment in/out. I can limp by at reasonable city/country speeds, but Freeway is out, and so is carrying cargo. To rebuild the front means I have to wait until October/November when I can some time/space to work, and both front and rear are going to have be beefed up.
Or, maybe it's time to trade up and out? My wife and I have discussed it, and as of yet there's no easy answer... I also still have a few bugs I'd like correct from the BASS-Tards at Ride-Now who worked on it. (never again!) And, quite honestly, I really don't like the thing for long distance touring.
Decisions-Decisions-Decisions....

 

[ld_rider]

And, quite honestly, I really don't like the thing for long distance touring.

Might be time to cut your losses and look for something more suited to the mission statement. Or, spend thousands trying to make exactly what you want, which is kinda fun to do...Ask me how I know ;-)

 

[Beemerphile]

And, quite honestly, I really don't like the thing for long distance touring.
Decisions-Decisions-Decisions....

Properly sorted, it is a decent distance bike. Otherwise it can make you want something else.

 

[paprides]

I've considered those myself. For $1500 you can unfold the forks from the bike and ship them to a quality rebuilder for cartridge emulators et al, and order up a matching rear shock. It will transform the motorcycle - having well sorted forks and shock.

When I lay still in the middle of the night I want to return to more horsepower and weather protection. Then I ride this light little thing and ride by the gas pumps and the feeling goes away.

For a while.

 

[Flaferalcat]

lol Yeah...Sipping fuel it does really well!
For me, it's also a great "rural commuter" as I like to call it. Running errands, a quick trip to the market, etc...
Long distance touring & comfort though....(sigh) My A$$ has been spoiled by the Vision. But, when Summer gets here, I like the NCX's lack of wind protection more better...(more better?...is that legit? lol), than the full fairing of the Vision, which at 35 mph will keep you dry in a rainstorm.
Anyway, it's paid for and has it's own corner of the shed for now, so there's no rush to make any decisions for awhile.

 

[marotajo]

Sounds like you need a bigger shed!

 

[dduelin]

$1000 in the suspension will make it right, $350 in the forks and $650 in a shock. Cogent Dynamics baby.

 

[LM15]

Eric, I, and another forum member, upgraded the suspension with Race Tech on front and Penske shock on the rear, and it was approximately $1100. We both had the work done by Kent Soignier at GMD Moto Suspensions in Fairmont, Ga. I was riding up that way to a long weekend ride with the MP3 Gathering folks and had called ahead for a reservation. I was there at 9am and was finished after lunch.

I must say Kent did a first class job and I have had no problems or complaints.

 

[Flaferalcat]

Thanks guys! As soon as things get straightened out around here...I'll look into those. I haven't rebuilt/tuned a suspension since the late 90's ...

 

[Fuzzy]

Eric, I, and another forum member, upgraded the suspension with Race Tech on front and Penske shock on the rear, and it was approximately $1100. We both had the work done by Kent Soignier at GMD Moto Suspensions in Fairmont, Ga. I was riding up that way to a long weekend ride with the MP3 Gathering folks and had called ahead for a reservation. I was there at 9am and was finished after lunch.

I must say Kent did a first class job and I have had no problems or complaints.

Guess I'm the third guy. Very happy with mine.

 

[Beemerphile]

Guess I'm the third guy. Very happy with mine.

I'm kinda sorta the fourth guy. Kent at GMD did the RaceTech trick on my R100RS. I sent the NC forks to RaceTech in California because as of that time they hadn't done one and were not sure what it needed.

 

[LM15]

Wait, the Kent at GMD count is off by one, I think . Fuzzy was the forum member I was referring to, as I found out about GMD from him. So, that count would be Fuzzy, me (LM15) and Beemerphile.

Unless any other members have used GMD.

 

[Flaferalcat]

Eric, I, and another forum member, upgraded the suspension with Race Tech on front and Penske shock on the rear, and it was approximately $1100. We both had the work done by Kent Soignier at GMD Moto Suspensions in Fairmont, Ga. I was riding up that way to a long weekend ride with the MP3 Gathering folks and had called ahead for a reservation. I was there at 9am and was finished after lunch.

I must say Kent did a first class job and I have had no problems or complaints.

Is there another name for these guys? Like GMD computrak? Because Google maps and Bing have never heard of them... YET

 

[Flaferalcat]

$1000 in the suspension will make it right, $350 in the forks and $650 in a shock. Cogent Dynamics baby.

Thanks Dave. Did you just order parts, or have the work done by them?

 

[marotajo]

website:

GMDAtl.com

 

[dduelin]

Thanks Dave. Did you just order parts, or have the work done by them?

I ordered the parts and did the work myself.