One functional fork leg

[YellowDuck]

As I continue to get acquainted with my new V85, I came across something I have not seen mentioned here (or anywhere).

I am familiar with having rebound and compression damping adjustments on different legs (I have two bikes, including a V7 850, with cartridge setups like that), but before the V85 had never seen spring preload on only one leg.

It turns out, that's the only leg with a spring in it!

Some forks have all damping action in one fork leg, and the only spring in the other ("separate function" forks).  The V85 is the first bike I have encountered with all of the damping AND the spring in the same leg.  The left fork leg just locates the axle!

All the reviews about this bike that I read and watched, and no one mentioned that.  It's pretty unique I think.

[Dukedesmo]

Never heard of such a thing, I have a couple of MTB, bicycle forks that have the (air) spring in one leg and damping in the other but the 'all in one leg' and on a motorbike is a new one to me.


I have to say, it sounds more like a cost-cutting exercise than a technical innovation.

[Vagrant]

No doubt it was the cheap way out. But way better than no adjustments. Plus it actually works well when set up as the book says.

[mechanicsavant]

The bean counters strike again !

[YellowDuck]

No doubt it was the cheap way out. But way better than no adjustments. Plus it actually works well when set up as the book says.

I agree that it is certainly cheaper, and also that it works just fine.  There is no reason at all with modern forks that the springing shouldn't be confined to a single leg.  I had racing suspension experts telling me that 20 years ago - they had tested it even back then.  And the rebound adjustment on the V85 seems to provide a lot of useful range.  Screw it all the way in, and the forks are *VERY* slow to return; all the way out and they are very bouncy.  It's not really rocket science.  Compression damping I don't know - it's a lot harder to test / evaluate.

[kingoffleece]

Think of the $$$$ you'll save on the rebuilds/renew service(s).