new GS racer

[patrino]

Got a good chunk of work done tonight.

Removed the bodywork for paint, wrapper the headers, disassembled the forks, plus a bunch of misc stuff.

The bits from RaceTech showed up. Anyone run Gold Valves in their front end? There are a number of tuning variables in the damping: valve preload (seven settings), valve spring rate (two options), most importantly. As usual, I'd rather not reinvent the wheel, so if you have experience with them, please let me know.

Ordered some aluminum stock from McMaster-Carr yesterday, so should be able to resume work on the new brake hangers once the front end's back together.

[John Kat]

The bits from RaceTech showed up. Anyone run Gold Valves in their front end? There are a number of tuning variables in the damping: valve preload (seven settings), valve spring rate (two options), most importantly. As usual, I'd rather not reinvent the wheel, so if you have experience with them, please let me know.

Make sure you follow the instructions fully
In particular: make sure you drill the extra holes in the damping rods ABOVE the bottom out cones.
Also go with the recommended valve spring preload of 3 turns as a starting point.
I left mine at this level in the end

[patrino]

JohnKat, here's a photo, could you please help me understand what you mean by "above" the bottom out cones?

Also, anyone able to please confirm that I've got the aluminum part oriented correctly relative to the damper rod? My parts diagram all show this direction as correct, but looks like the previous owner installed one of them in the other direction. It's stuck in the slider now, and I'm having a tough time getting it out. I tried heat and penetrating oil. Fashioned a hook-like deal I'm going to try to yank it out, slide-hammer style (need to go to the hardware store tomorrow to get some additional bits.) Sheesh.

[John Kat]

I forgot to take a picture but the extra holes have to drilled above the existing holes i.e. where the damper rod is larger in diameter.
It's explained in RaceTech's note at the beginning of the second page.
The orientation of the cone in the picture is correct.

[patrino]

ah, got it. So the "bottom-out cone" is the part of the damping rod that has been turned down to a smaller diameter?

Looks like at the end of the day I'll have:

1. two pairs of the OEM holes in the bottom-out cone, which I've enlarged to 8mm
2. one pair of holes in the larger-diameter part of the damping rod (I need to add these)

Sound right? I'll have the extra set of holes down in the bottom-out cone, but I don't think those will matter. I'm guessing a couple extra holes won't matter, since the Gold Valve will be what's responsible for compression damping, not the damping rod hole diameter.

[John Kat]

ah, got it. So the "bottom-out cone" is the part of the damping rod that has been turned down to a smaller diameter?

Looks like at the end of the day I'll have:

1. two pairs of the OEM holes in the bottom-out cone, which I've enlarged to 8mm
2. one pair of holes in the larger-diameter part of the damping rod (I need to add these)

Sound right? I'll have the extra set of holes down in the bottom-out cone, but I don't think those will matter. I'm guessing a couple extra holes won't matter, since the Gold Valve will be what's responsible for compression damping, not the damping rod hole diameter.

No the bottom out cone is the piece of aluminum that slides on the bottom of the damping rod.
It locks the hydraulics when the fork is fully compressed.
You should test the fork tube without the spring installed to make sure everything slides smoothly.
You are right the enlarged holes will not play a big role now that the extra holes have been drilled above.
The compression damping is now taken over by the Gold Valve.
As I mentionned earlier, start with the recommended spring preload first

[patrino]

Got everything back together last night, everything moves well.

Thanks for the assist!

[Big T]

Patrick

Dave W told me later that this is you

I can't believe you didn't mention this

Todd

[overboostin]

What class do you plan on racing in with all the suspension mods? I was looking on ahrma for a qualifying class for my build and I wasn't sure anything qualified with all the suspension mods.

[hjfisk]

What class do you plan on racing in with all the suspension mods? I was looking on ahrma for a qualifying class for my build and I wasn't sure anything qualified with all the suspension mods.

Vintage Heavyweight superbike , it is in the hand book . Page's 49-51 . Has to run restricted though, meaning the 29mm carbs max . All suspension mods are acceptable. Looks like fun

[patrino]

Finally got the forks and front wheel back on the bike last night. Next job is to rework the caliper hangers.

In the meanwhile, changed the oil and filter, finished up the seat pan, and sent the bodywork out for paint. Borrowed an electric knife to cut the seat foam.

Tentative plan is to race only locally with OMRRA (Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association) in 2014. I ran a couple AHRMA events on my DT1 road racer with AHRMA last year (Sears Pt. and Miller). Ton of fun but probably not in the budget this year. We will see!

I'm not 100% sure of the AHRMA class legality but yes, I believe it's Heavyweight Superbike.

[mrbridgeport]

I don't see anything on it that would not let it run in AHRMA superbike heavyweight. -joe

[patrino]

Tank, fender and seat section have been painted. Need to get a Suzuki decal for the tank.

Painted the wheels too (rattle-can), and the front brake hangers are nearly done. My setup required the rotors be turned down a few millimeters. I have a friend who's a machinist, he's turning them down today.

http://brokenbonepatch.com/picts/non_gfb/fender.jpg

http://brokenbonepatch.com/picts/non_gfb/new_tank.jpg

[CivilRock]

Patrick,

I had a hoped this was you. Now I know with those links. (I have a couple broken bone patches on my leathers).

Bike looks sick. I love it. You're going the right direction focusing efforts on suspension and brakes. Can't wait to hear what kind of lap times you hit with that beast.

In trade for any free advice given here is the mandatory reciprocal agreement that you post more pictures. You have to understand that pictures of your bike (in whatever state it happens to be in) is actually pornography for this group of knuckleheads. Myself included. Respectfully, you are not holding up to your end of deal. We don't want a peep show, we want the full monte.

-Kevin

[CivilRock]

I don't know if you're still working on getting the calipers lined up with the rotors, but instead of stacking all your washers between the fork leg and the adapter, you might put one behind the rotors, one on either side of the adapter, etc. As far as losing them during a frantic rain race, I'd glue, wire, or weld them in place.
Another direction to go would be a fully round spacer between the wheel and rotor. There's 6 bolts there and a lot of surface area as opposed to 2 with an off-set caliper adapter.
Just some ideas, as I've dealt with (and contemplated this problem) on several bikes.

-Kevin