GL1800 (Any Year): Progressive fork cartidges

[rayg05]

Any more thoughts on progressive front fork gas cartridges. I know when they came out there where some issues. There have been discussions on websites but nothing I could find recently. Have they been fixed and if you have them what do you think of them? How do you tell if you are getting the newest edition of them.Thinking about upgrading to them in near future. Thanks Ray

[rayg05]

Moderator maybe this should of been in the tech section sorry, if so can you move thanks, Ray

[wingleader09]

If I am not mistaken, Progressive is now on the third generation of their Monotubes. As I understand it, the seals on the gas cartridges have been improved to stop leaking. Rocky can explain better than I can.

[RaConnol]

I like mine and I have had them over a year now, no issues.
I also have installed Rocky's thinnest shim.

For the trip down into Mexico, I installed the shim to disable the anti dive. I didn't want the front end locking up if I got on the brakes late before hitting a Tope (big speed bump) and then blowing out a fork seal. The Topes are everywhere around here!

Rick

[misterk]

i have had them since july, about 15000 miles ago. i luv them, however you may want to change out your triple to tree also. I weigh 210 and I used no Shim and I have the third-generation.

[rayg05]

Ya I already have the anti-dive disabled with progressive springs in. It it time to refurbish the whole front end. I am also thinking about getting Rocky's triple tree.
Rick can I ask how much do you weigh for using Rocky's thinnest shim, I go about 260 and like the progressive springs that are in there now. I was thinking of no shims at all. Thanks Ray

[RaConnol]

I weigh 225. Talk to Rocky and he can help you decide which shim, if any, will work well for you based on your weight and riding style.

Rick

[glarson3]

I weigh 225. Talk to Rocky and he can help you decide which shim, if any, will work well for you based on your weight and riding style.

Rick

Riding style and what type of ride you want. I have about 18k on my 1st generation monotubes no shims. I also had the Rocky tree installed. Best improvement I've made on my bike. Rocky can help you choose the right shim, if any.

[aht_six]

I have the first generation monotubes installed with the 2 shims. I think they're great, 30,000 miles so far, no problems.

[genedjr]

I highly recommend the Rocky Tree upgrade. It helps at speed, but is amazing in the parking lot.

http://fearlessriding.com/tag/rocky-tree/

For those that have access, its not hard to DIY. Not pretty, but it makes a huge difference in handling.
...gene

[RaConnol]

I did the front shock rebuild with PMTs., Rocky's TT, Pyramid Steering Head bearings on the front and a new 2014 rear shock and a new Progressive rear springs.
I had the other guy's videos which cover all the required steps involved and I was able to do it all myself. Took a few weekends over the winter, but I had the time and was never in a rush.

I also installed a new front tire G709 and Alpin PA3 and centranmatics front and back. GW is a very nice ride and smooth as glass on the open road.
Not so smooth on the cobble stones roads here in Mexico, but much better than stock. The RF Alpin is the only tire I would consider using down here.

Rick

[rayg05]

Thanks for the replys. I am going with the PMT's & rocky tree, already have a new 14 shock and Progressive rear spring, will be a nice winter project, Ray

[Riverdawg]

I did the Rockytree, all balls, and monotubes in one weekend, but it was a long Saturday and finished lunchtime Sunday. Had some phone help from Rocky while ordering the tree and also the other guy's DVD's. Those two sources probably saved me a couple of hours and not a small amount of grief. And it was 95 degrees both days. I'm adding a Traxxion brace this weekend, so I'm about done working on this thing.

[JohnK105]

The newer monotubes only have one spacer per side and Progressive recommends for most riders a spacer is probably not needed. If you leave the anti-dive spring and washer setup off the bottom of the left monotube, if you decide you either need to add or remove spacers in the future, you'll be able to pull it out just like the right side, w/o completely disassembling the fork.

Riding with the wife the other night and got forced into some holes in the road. We both agreed "WOW, that was rough but it would have really hurt before". Didn't upset the bike's line, just felt more like the stock setup did hitting broken pavement. No spacer installed.

John

[macgyver0856]

I had replaced first gen tubes. Ive had them on several years and just did a front end rebuild , I was getting allot of pogo effect lately so i removed the one shim. I see no difference in the ride other than less pogo effect.

[Rocky]

Any more thoughts on progressive front fork gas cartridges. I know when they came out there where some issues. There have been discussions on websites but nothing I could find recently. Have they been fixed and if you have them what do you think of them? How do you tell if you are getting the newest edition of them.Thinking about upgrading to them in near future. Thanks Ray

FYI:
Progressive has had three generations out there to date.
The originals.


The second generation that had white bushings in place of the original black (Big/small black bushings)
That had a new "Hi-Pressure oil seal in the new white bushing.



The Third generation which now have been re-valved and more gas charge to the shock itself.
They also improved the length of the Bushings so they now are longer embracing the shock more so that the white bushing did.
This ensures the bushing stays where it was designed too.
The Hi-Pressure oil seal is in them as well.

Here is what by now I'm sure is what everyone will see when they receive a set of Mono Tubes.
Note the look and thickness of the black bushings.





You'll also note upon receiving a kit that one spring is a little loose (Right shock) and the other (left) is tight.
This gap will disappear when you compress the shock cap into the fork tube. this is by design!.
You'll notice the right shock has a round non-removable 3/8 spacer on it.
This again is by design with the change of the much longer bushing in the originals on the bottom of the above picture.
They shortened the bushing lengths due to the increased gas charge and re-valving.

The result is a smoother gas shock even though you'd think more gas charge would be stiffer,But it is not- Trust me I have installed over 40 plus sets and I can tell when they are smoother on a test ride.

As for the Spacers that come in the kit.

The originals had 4- you could add up to 2 per shock depending on your weight.

The 3rd generation Mono tubes only come with 2 spacers. only 1 per shock now.

I had a shim kit made back on the originals. The kit consisted of 6 shims. 1/16 1/8 3/16
I wanted more adjustment in firmness than the kit's 1/4 thick shims.
after all we all like different things.
I wanted to bring more to the table than try this!.

You'd be surprised what a mere 1/16th will do for ride comfort. (Play with your rear settings and you'll see what a couple numbers feel like)
After all the rear shock pre-loader only moves 1/2 from 0-25 if the shock actuator is completely full.
So 1/16 matters to the forks to as far as pre-load that equates to ride comfort goes too.

I don't put and shims in for guys weighing under 250.
After that mark it's the rider info that tells me what to suggest they start with as far as shim thickness goes.

My Partner makes the shim kit I mentioned above. http://www.dhsracing.com/GL-1800.htm

Keep in mind that the rider sits above the rear shock and passenger behind it. so you really don't want to much pre-load on the front shocks/forks unless you are loading them up with weight.

As Traxxion found out. to stiff a shock/fork and you'll have to "Raise" the fork tubes in the triple trees to put more load on them and restore the geometry of the bike.

The good and the bad.
The good is you can change the shim thickness if you want a firmer ride or a smoother ride?.
The Bad is the forks have to come apart again to change shim thickness.

I have never believed in disabling the ADV.
Progressive Mono Tubes were designed to utilize the ADV. unlike other brands that will tell you the ADV is junk and disable it on their kits.

My ADV still functions as designed and does not lock up the forks under hard braking. If that were the case I'd be replacing fork seal on EVERY ride by the way I late brake in a corner..lol

A test for disabling the ADV or not I tell my customers goes like this.-------

Go for a short ride around your neighborhood and brake as you normally would to see how the bike stops (does it nose dive?)
Then try a few hard braking stops to see if the bike will nose dive under hard braking?.

Now---
Remove the front fender and the left (sitting on bike) chrome caliper cover.
Remove the two 4mm allen bolts holding the top portion of the ADV to the bottom portion (They are both sealed-so no fluid will leak out for this test)
Ty-wrap the top ADV to the fork slider so it doesn't get in the way of a moving rotor during the test.

Now go for the same ride and see if the bike nose dives under your normal braking?.
Now try braking hard and see if the bike nose dives.

You and only you will decide if you like the ADV disabled or not.
A functioning ADV will stop the bike pretty close to level.
A disabled ADV will cause the bike to nose dive under HARD braking unless you have 2x4's for springs in the forks.

[Haste Maker]

Great info Rocky, my stock front forks should be here today, then I will be going with the Progressive set-up.

[rayg05]

Rocky I agree with Haste Make on great info. My question above 250Lbs what do the spaces do? Make the ride harder or smoother? If I don't use a spacer will front end seem (for lack of better wording)to have a pogo effect. I don't do peg scraping but get a little aggressive once in awhile. I want a firm ride but nor necessarily a rougher ride. I am thinking about not using a spacer at all. Thanks in advance for your reply, Ray

[RaConnol]

Great info Rocky, my stock front forks should be here today, then I will be going with the Progressive set-up.

That bike is far too clean....

This is my little Honda Girl sitting here in, Bucerias, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. We start the trip home to Canada on Sunday.
I just washed the HG, as the dust down here is unbelievable as many places got washed out last week with Odile and Polo passed off shore.
However, for 90 percent of the roads here the PMT, and Rock's TT have been perfect on the front. the 2014 shock with the Progressive Spring have been excellent as has the Aplin PA3. The winter/mud RF car tire down here is, IMHO, an absolute must.

The look on the ADV riders when they see what mud/rain this GW can tractor though is priceless. Simply put, I have at least twice the traction of their 50/50 ADV tires.

Rick

[pippomaranga]

i had them installed in may together with a new rear stronger spring: much better ride all works fine. no shims at all and i am bit over 200 pounds. !!! if you intend to install the progressive monotube is almost mandatory to have that weak rear spring changed too.