?? Slide forks up or down??

Moving your forks up or down 5 to 10 mm at a time was part of the set up for my old dirt bikes......quickens or high speed stabilizes the front end. Has anyone experimented with the Silverwing fork tubes? Thanks, Jeff.

Jeff it is not possible to slide the forks up or down on the Silverwing.
This is due to the fork having a groove in the top which one of the retaining bolts slides through. i believe it is the top bolt, as I recall. Changing to stiffer progressive springs (mentioned elsewhere on forum) does change the rake a bit by holding up the front end an inch or so.

Hope this answers your question.

MaxB (just a shadetree mechanic)

Thanks Max. I've been wondering about handling characteristics of the SWing. It's just so much different than anything that I've ridden. Let's say you put on the Sumitomo tire on the rear. I understand it's taller? Would this change the way the front end feels? I've rotated my bars up to there maximum as suggested by JeffR, and I like the difference in feel, and also lost most but not all of the shoulder pain that I feel, during and after a ride.
I've located two perfect bolt up spots behind the fairing, just below the handlebar pivot...... I'm going to bracket out of the fairing into some type of knee pad or pads. I'm determined to find out how the Silverwing will respond with the additional leverage from the hips/legs/knees. Hate to cut into the fairing, cause I'm not a surgeon, but I play one on television. Thanks again Max....Jeff.

Jeff, it will NEVER be a sports bike in the handling Dept. Enjoy it for what it is. you can improve it some. But it will never carve canyons like a sports bike or a sports tourer.
You can tuck your legs back under you and get almost the same feel and carve like that. Rather than have your legs stretched out in front. Helps a little.

MaxB (been there done that, now sits on the porch with the old dogs.)

Hey Max. Good points. You know though, I'm really impressed with the Silverwings cornering abilities, and its abilty to flick, lean hard, left and right. I like the way she corners hard. My curiousity is with the SW's straight line feel. In other posts, items like "shoulder pain", "uneasiness", "getting used to the SW."....I'm missing that gyroscopic, freight train, laser like feel, and thats why I wondered about sliding the forks down to the top of the clamps. This in theory would as you pointed out, increase the rake, and give the bike a less quick steering feel. I do think that I have to give the SW more input at the bars than I'm used to...... at highway speeds, hence, shoulder pain. Have checked the forks for tweaking, steering bearings are ok, tire pressures right on, tire wear normal...... I know I should just enjoy it for what it is......just seems like I'm overlooking something that I should address. Thanks Max. Jeff.

Get a set of HYperPro fork springs. They sure helped my Silverwing. They are a little pricey. but really helped overall "feel" of front end. I think the OEM springs are a bit mushy, myself. These help in corners when you hit a bump. No more wallowing. they help a little with straight line also.

http://www.hyperpro.com/

Call them and they ask a bunch of ?'s A few people on this forum recommended them. I'm glad I got them. They tighten up the whole feel of the ride. It's more sport tourer now. (Good thing)
MaxB

Hey Max......Good on ya...I appreciate your advice and background on the SW. Now if you can help me with my new neighbors. She's 70, he's a 30 yr old hippy. Cute couple, I thought this could be entertaining, and couldn't wait to see how this would play out. Second day in,wanted to borrow money. Next day mowed the yard at midnight. Next day wanted to borrow my mower because for some reason he ran over something in his yard he didn't see the night before. Next night knocked on my door about 10:15 wanted me to help move a bed and dresser upstairs. well I seem to have wandered a bit........Oh yeah........I knew there was a reason I was telling you this......He wanted to borrow the SW. Max...I honor your opinion on this and await your reply and anyone else who would offer a less than lethal suggestion on how to make my neighbors move to Canada......or at least Wisconsin.......cause, well you know......Canadians and Wisco's are a kind and generous people.....Where the women all look like Shania and the men all look like Paul Shaeffer. Hey Dennis B has his stuff on the new "for sale" site .Jeff.

TALL FENCES make good neighbors. and NO to all borrowing. Don't you have a bad back and can't lift over 2 lbs.
If he's mowing grass after bedtime, I go out in my scivies and Yell at him.

As far as borrowing the SW , get a $10k deposit cash.

IF he persists, Beat on his door at 5Am and tell him you need help unloading 5K lbs. of patio bricks.

MaxB ( who only lends tools if they buy them)

Jeff Rosenkranz wrote:

Hey Max......Good on ya...I appreciate your advice and background on the SW. Now if you can help me with my new neighbors. She's 70, he's a 30 yr old hippy. Cute couple, I thought this could be entertaining, and couldn't wait to see how this would play out. Second day in,wanted to borrow money. Next day mowed the yard at midnight. Next day wanted to borrow my mower because for some reason he ran over something in his yard he didn't see the night before. Next night knocked on my door about 10:15 wanted me to help move a bed and dresser upstairs. .

That's weird, because I do the same kind of things... and I just moved. But I'm not 70 yet
I did have a problem in my old neighborhood (and this is one reason for the new neighborhood) of bums knocking on my door. Now, these aren't the same kind of "live next door" bums. These are actual hobo-bums that don't live anywhere. A lot of times, they were so intent on giving me their back story, I really had no idea what in the heck they were trying to get me to do.
Funny, I always give them a solution to their problem, but it's never what they like to hear. The guy who needed money to get to the hospital didn't want me to call the police for a free ride downtown (close to hospital). The guy who had his bike stolen didn't want my son's old (but perfectly usable) bike. The guy who wanted money (finally! Just come out with it and ask for it.. don't tell me all your freakin' problems, because I bet I've got more!) didn't want to cut down the giant maple in my yard for cash.
I don't get it. Anyway.. keep a skateboard near by. Or a bicycle with an almost-flat tire. An old coat (Yeah, I've gotten rid of them by offering them the shirt off my back, so to speak) is good to have by the door too.

You can borrow my lawn mower all you want, but don't take it out of my yard! mahahahaha

Jeez Max....good one. It actually sounds as tho you may have had to do those things. Your choice on the patio bricks....Lowes or Home Depot. Let's see, six foot privacy fence, $28 per section, electric cattle fence wire, 28 cents per foot......And ya know.... I always thought hippies were sooooo laid back. Peace man.........Jeff.
Hi Ash......Great idea with the lawnmower, " Borrow it all you want as long as it stays in my yard". Flower Power...man.....Jeff.

Here we just walk too the door with 45(9mm works also) in hand, can I help you. UM'mmm sorry wrong house!Problem solved.
Craig

Hi Craig. But would that peace loving hippy stick a daisy in my Smith and Wessons barrel. ?? Just kidding....I dont actually have a Smith and Wesson......however, it does say Daisy on the lever action. And Red Rider on the barrell. Spent my pre-teen years hearing, " Your'e going to put your eye out!" Jeff.

Which eye is the patch on, and does it have a Daisy on it? Course I think the skull and cross-bone looks best. Back too the subject at hand when I put my 300+ on the Wing it changes how it sits considerably (low-rider).With me and my better half on it, it high centers on speed bumps.I can say it carries an overload well.
Craig

Hey Craig. Well now there ya go. Your post is a hit upside my head! I've been concentrating on the front end, and.........take me a minute to run out to the garage............................................................................................................................. I'm back.......Well dumb butt me,..... the rear shocks are adjustable!!!!! Never even gave it a thought.!! Tomorrow I'm going to play with the pre-load and see how she reacts. When you are lucky enough to ride with that Texas sweety of yours, where is your pre-load set, and where when you ride alone?
I seriously never considered that the Silverwing had adjustable suspension, either front or rear. My GSXR was so infinitely adjustable, that I sort of compromised and gave up. Jeez, I haven't muttered the words compression or damping in a long time. Thanks for the heads up...Jeff. Oh, left, and not sure.

To the max with and without.
Craig

Almost forgot make sure and read the manual before setting if you don't set it right it takes some reworking to get it back like it belongs .Can't remember but I think somewhere on this site there is a discussion of the procedures.
Craig

Hi Craig. I owe you a brewsky. Last eve I checked the shocks,and found they were adjustable for pre-load. This morning put on the readers, found that one shock was on 2 and the other on one. Cranked them both to five and took a 30 miler along the river. BIG difference. Much more presice. Thanks much. Now about that beer........when we have the big SW rally at Dennis B's lake side Chateau, I will personally ask Shania to deliver one to you. Cheers, Jeff.

Dang it.....should wear my readers more often.......PRECISE...... there, I feel better. It's those Catholic school Nuns that haunt me to this day about correct spelling. Jeff

Got a couple of problems, one is I don't drink beer(151 BACARDI), two I quit that 32 years ago after becming a bottle baby. Now if Shania wants to give me a big hug and sing for me the better half wont even protest. Just hope you don't wind up like me, to see the keyboard I have to have my specs on then to see the monitor I have to either take them off or get 6 inches away from the screen. Glad ya found the adjustment, but confused as to why one would be set different from the other unless they rode it side saddle. Then on the other hand maybe they only turned in one direction and that made it easier to lean toward the lighter setting.
Craig

Jeez Craig, sorry about the eyesight. A co-worker had found some supplements that targeted vision, and had significant results with them. Hope that you can maintain! Carrots?
I too wonder about the miss matched shocks. I bought the SW from a physician who had dropped 'er on it's side.....and gave up. The bike made it to the shop and was given a clean bill of health, mechanicaly, but could use some new plastic. I'm O.K. with the less than perfect body work. I guess it's sort of a blessing after hearing about Dennis B's damaged body panel. That first scratch is the worst.........anyway........with the pre-load set at 5, I'm a happy camper. Thanks Craig. Jeff.

As long as I can see to ride I'm happy with the eyes just have to work with the close up stuff.Glad too hear your a happy camper now, mine was used and already had some scratches on the right side, looked like it had something scraped against its plastic above the exhaust from front to back. Small and hard to see but it's there have thought about getting something to touch it up with but not bad enough to worry about.Not like its gonna cause it to rust or anything of that nature.Ride safe.
Craig

Hi Jeff,

That's not the first scratch my scooter. About 1 year and a half ago the clutch let go when I was making a tight u-turn in a parking lot and the scooter pined my leg. Almost broke it. The crash did $1,300 worth of damage to the right side of my scooter. Honda was happy to see me coming.

Holy Buckets Dennis. $1,300 in damage.Ouch! And insult to injury, landing on your leg. Good thing you didn't break it.......you know we're both 5 or 10 years out of our teens, and those bones dont heal as quickly either. Most of my 20 plus bikes have been naked bikes......some plastic, as on Dual sports, and dirt bikes, but we do seem to pay a heavy price for our swoopy body work. Your right side damage....did it include the muffler? I've always questioned practices like the mirror stalk being screwed into the master cylinder. Big expenses for small tip overs. Since the Windjammer fairing of the 70's, to the full body work of today, [the engine is where?], I wouldn't trade away the wind and weather protection..... I guess. Jeff.

Hi Craig. Maybe we can use our scratches and scrapes to our advantage. They say the ladies are impressed by scars. " Well Lucy, yes, I scraped this side of the bike on a passing meteor, that was about to vaporize the Mayors 2 yr old daughter. Received the Congressional Medal of Honor, but I might not live through the night,......so.......Well anyway, we can dream cant we. Jeff.