Race Tech emulators in a Jackal?

[moparrob]

Looking to upgrade my 2001 Jackal front suspension.  I bought the Hyperpro springs but I have seen some threads about people using Race Tech emulators in their (non-adjustable) Jackal front forks, but their website does not show a direct application. Does anyone happen to know what other bikes have 45 mm front forks which might be a similar application?

All advice is appreciated.

[jpv7]

Looking to upgrade my 2001 Jackal front suspension.  I bought the Hyperpro springs but I have seen some threads about people using Race Tech emulators in their (non-adjustable) Jackal front forks, but their website does not show a direct application. Does anyone happen to know what other bikes have 45 mm front forks which might be a similar application?

All advice is appreciated.

Contact Matt Wiley at Racetech.  He is the man...

[moparrob]

Thanks will do.

[kingoffleece]

Hamlin has also done them.  You can ship the forks.

[John Croucher]

Save your money.  They are not worth the time and effort to install and hours spent finding the perfect sweet spot you dream of. 

I installed a pair of tubes from a Bassa/Sport 1100.  One side is compression, the other rebound control.  I can not tell any difference in changing the settings with these adjustable fork tubes.  Others have said the same. 

[jpv7]

Save your money.  They are not worth the time and effort to install and hours spent finding the perfect sweet spot you dream of. 

I installed a pair of tubes from a Bassa/Sport 1100.  One side is compression, the other rebound control.  I can not tell any difference in changing the settings with these adjustable fork tubes.  Others have said the same.

Not my experience at all, and i've used them on several bikes.  It's important to follow Matt's instructions carefully AFTER you let him know your details (weight) and what kind of riding you want to do.  My V7ii fork works great - no adjustments needed after initial install.  And yes, i know a good fork when i ride one - I've spent lots of time on the track.

[PeteS]

This is well worth the effort. It will transform the front end. A friend did this to his Aluminum 15 years ago. I believe the kit was for a Yamaha but don't know the specifics. He has since passed away so I can't get further info but do know the local guy who put them in. If you hit a dead end I can see if this guy happens to remember.

Pete

[mechanicsavant]

I’ve got nothing but good things to say about  Race Tech emulators . It took a few adjustment to get them that suited me . I’m very satisfied. If I’m going on a long (week or more ) or doing a track day it’s no big deal to take them out fora quick adjustment . Then return them to daily rider duty .

[moparrob]

I’ve got nothing but good things to say about  Race Tech emulators . It took a few adjustment to get them that suited me . I’m very satisfied. If I’m going on a long (week or more ) or doing a track day it’s no big deal to take them out fora quick adjustment . Then return them to daily rider duty .

Once you have removed the fork caps, spring and spacer, and have collapsed the fork tubes, how far down the fork tube is it to reach the emulators to remove them?  Any special tips or tricks to get at them quickly/easily?

[kingoffleece]

I have them in a V7 and a Norge.  Much improved from as delivered.  Money well spent.

[kingoffleece]

As mentioned, it's best to know what you're doing.  I helped Hamlin rebuild a 1050 Tiger Racetech job that was done to the customers bike by "the best" shop in Toronto, Canada.  Guy wanted to know why he didn't feel any "improvement".  They were installed backwards.

[moparrob]

As mentioned, it's best to know what you're doing.  I helped Hamlin rebuild a 1050 Tiger Racetech job that was done to the customers bike by "the best" shop in Toronto, CA.  Guy wanted to know why he didn't feel any "improvement".  They were installed backwards.

I have rebuilt the front forks with emulators in a 2004 Yamaha FZ1000 and a 2007 Harley Roadster (each of which was really easy).  Learned how to set sag, preload, etc. Just haven't worked on this type of Guzzi before and there is very little English language literature and very few user forums to tap into.  Oh well, part of the charm of owning a Guzzi I guess.

[Roebling3]

2 Rd's a Suzuki GT, 3 - SV650S's. They would have gone into the V7 III R, but I wanted the more easily adjustable K-Tech system. Race Tech are good people. Talk to them. R3~

[reidy]

I have them in a Bonneville. They make a massive difference and are surprisingly tunable. Effectively this means that you should be able to get very close to the handling you are after. It also means that you should be able to get a long way from the handling you are after.

One thing to note that I discovered, it may be very obvious to everyone else, is the only way to change rebound damping is to weld up and redrill the rebound holes, or change the weight of the fork oil. Therefore try to set your rebound damping first by using heavier or lighter oil. If you change you rebound last it will upset all of the compression settings out.   

The other tip is experiment. You emulators should come with three different colored springs. They make a difference and it only cost time to change them. The disk is pre-drilled with one or two holes and dimpled for two more. If you feel you need less low speed compression damping drill the extra hole. If you don't like it fill it with metalset.

Steve

[mechanicsavant]

I sometimes forget that many folks don’t have adequate facilities to do what i consider to be relatively easy tasks . For this I apologize. Usually I’m doing the adjustments w/ bike on a HF lift , bike on center stand , a wood Bloch under the front of the oil pan & a strap across the rear. The fork caps easily removed (on a V7 )there’s nothing in the way i use a telescopic magnet (also HF ) to retrieve spacer/spring & valve . Then usually a 1/2 turn on spring adjustment & back together . Also a good time to verify fork oil level . It takes me about 30-40 Min. Total .
The most difficult part of installation was making sure that even the tiniest metal burr didn’t remain on the fork damper rods after modifying them .

[ohiorider]

Contact Matt Wiley at Racetech.  He is the man...

Matt has spent time with me on the phone, helping me set the Race Tech valves.  The valves came with a damper rod/spring/valve kit marketed by another company, so I was initially curious how Race Tech would respond to my request for information.  Shouldn't have worried.  Matt Wiley was more than helpful.  His comment to me was, "I understand you didn't buy the valves directly from us ...... but they are our valves .............."

Bob

[reidy]

I would be interested in what settings that this knowledgeable bunch have found to work.

As I said in a previous post I have a set installed in a Bonneville. I followed all of the recommendations and was not happy with the ride over small ripples and medium to low speeds. I stumbled on an Australian BMW forum and a number of the members were using the lightest (silver) springs and three holes in the damper plate. I tried this setup four years ago and have seen no reason to go back.

My local roads are average bitumen with a lot of ripples and uneven surfaces. My set up uses a 15 weight fork oil which gives good rebound damping control. I use the silver springs with 1 3/4 turns of preload and 3 holes in the damper plate and slightly heavier than stock fork springs.

I find this gives a comfortable and controlled for my local roads and riding style. I am not a track rider but suspect if I was using this on the track I would be sacrificing some "feel" when exploring the limits of traction.

Therefore my advice is set them for you. It may be helpful to others if people post there settings and how they got to that point. For me I am happy because I have achieved a much better ride. Someone's suggestion may give an idea of a setup that takes my better ride to an exceptional ride.

Steve         

[kingoffleece]

One of the big benefits of using a shop that has done hundreds of these jobs is the experience of the installer.
Something to consider: the OEM's provide recommended settings for a LOT of motorcycles. It's unlikely that they have actually tested every possibility. Chances are good that at least some of them (settings) are relayed back to the manufacture from trusted field installers based upon what works after years of feedback.

Doesn't mean you have to and doesn't infer superior knowledge to some.  gGldvalves require disassembly to adjust-it's nice to get it right the first time for a certain percentage of users.