Are these Progressive Shocks and forks good for me

I like to ride with sport bikes in the twisties.



Progressive:
11-1106 Fork Spring kit $92.95

430-4206B 430 (BLK) CRZR 12.5" shocks $499.95 for 2 $999.90

Total Cost: $1,092.85

The Progressive webpage for the shocks http://www.progressivesuspension.com/me ... index.html

The fork springs. http://www.progressivesuspension.com/fo ... index.html

What do you guys think or is there a better solution. I am spending $1,000 plus for this. I want the best I can get for my money and I am new to this stuff.

Any Ideas

 

use the1K for a down payment on a bike made in this century

 

I like my XJ650 maxim and the front forks need rebuilt and I need rear shocks. I want to build this bike and I can ride it in the twisties and out ride the sports bikes.

So I want to know if you guys with your expirence have any recomendations for this build.

Joanne

 

The Maxim was never intended to hit the twisties like a sportbike. The seating position on a Maxim will also not allow for you to take the twisties like a sportbike. Spending that much money for the slight improvement in handling isn't really worth it.

 

Trust me on this I do not ride the same style as the sport bikes. I have my own style something like flat tracking.

I stay on them and outride most of them on this XJ650 and for sure on my XS650.

THis is my bike and I want to upgrade it.

Yes spending that much money is the question. Can I go cheaper on the shocks for another model of what?

Joanne

 

I hear that the front springs and a set of 412 progressive shocks is the reasonable man's (sorry Warrior) ticket. I've never run anything but stock so I'm looking forward to my first set. I cannot see dropping $1k for suspension upgrades on this type of bike but if that isn't an issue for you, throw whatever floats your boat on there and have fun. Or buy a modern bike. Good luck on the road you choose.

 

WP, the combo of their front fork springs and either the 12-series or 412 series shocks will work just fine; the 430's are overkill, you won't notice the difference (except in your bank account) between the 12/412 and the 430's on this type of bike.......it's too big, too heavy, and too antiquated in other suspension factors for the rear shocks to make any meaningful difference.

The 430's are very cool-looking, though.........

 

Thanks but I am hearing that the Works and the Hagon are a better deal then the Progressive.

What do you guys think.

Joanne

 

Depends on your budget you've allowed. My wife is running the same ideas on her 82-650 Mxim .. sortof flattracking. Here's early mockups .. much more has been done by now ...

Day she got it at the PO's house ...

(pic photobucket issues)

A bit more current ...

(pic)

And here's something inspiring in the Maxim line ..... for the adventourous of us out there ...

(pic)

So it sounds like you and her are headed the same way. If you like to monkey with your own supension and such, the WP shocks are totally rebuildable. Seals, valves, and all. They start at $445 for Steel Trackers and are a hell of a buy for tear down shocks. Do you need them? Well, do any of us really need anything other than air/food/water/shelter?

A bike is only as good as you make it. If you're happy with $200 welded body shocks that are designed around car tech, the Progeressives are fine. If you want motorcycle shocks made for mototcycles, that can be torn down and revalved, rebuilt (and also recycled as in using them on the next bike you build. 12 inch shocks are SOOPER common amongst early UJMs .. so are 12.5s).

If you want to go *trick* think about WP's and perhaps Racetech Emulators up front or Ricor pucks up front. Replace springs up front with PSI's or Ohlins. Go for it. It's YOUR bike, let 'em laugh! Just keep in mind that these ARE shaft driven bikes with welded steel tube frames .. so their limits are hit rather early. There IS a point of reduced return on investment when you start getting higher up into the shock pile.

Get a fork brace too. The Tkat seems to be the best. However he is having trouble with understanding the XJ lineup right now. But he'll get it right.

Have fun!

Holeshot ...

 

Why is this a problem: Just keep in mind that these ARE shaft driven bikes with welded steel tube frames .. so their limits are hit rather early.

I hada XS650 and it was stock and needing much upgrades. I used to have the wobblies. I still could take a lot of riders on 650cc and such sports bikes. As they would say, I could really rail that bike.

I have a new XS650 and could upgrade it into a street tracker and the XJ650 just be a good rider.

What do you think, Money in not as important as the bikes ability and safety.

Hope she enjoys her bike! let me know how it goes for her.


I also could change out the front end to a Seca front end and have dual front disks what do you all think.

Joanne

 

Now we're talking.

 

Picked up a complete front end from a 83 Seca, forks, triple tree, brakes (duals), master, rotors, tire, rim for $40. So soon I will be rebuilding it and installing it on my 81 Maixim.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/2417899787.html

 

SWEET deal that! That is a Maxim setup WP, no slots in the rotors. Roseville? Ever been to Denio's out there? I used to find the neatest junk there when I was a young man.

 

I did not know that the Maxim came with duals. I dont know, but I heard only the Seca had duals.

Yes I have been to Denio's. When I was a child, me and my family sold christmas items there for several years.

 

duplicate PLEASE DELETE

 

WP, you got a heck of a deal there! Good thing the guy didn't know exactly what he had.

That is the front end off a 1982 XJ650R Seca.

The 650 Seca was a one year model - 1982 ONLY.

The headlight bracket is the 650 Seca bracket, not a 750 Maxim bracket.

Out of curiosity, what do you plan to do with the ugly little plastic Yamaha fork emblem?

I am mildly interested because my 650R was missing that piece when I purchased it.

 

Princessa.....that is an XJ650 Seca front end, the stock discs on those models are not slotted......I think Robert mis-spoke a bit!.......just be aware that the 650RJ (Seca) front forks do not have the "leading axle" design that the 650 Maxim does........this change will change the front end geometry of the bike, as the "tilt angle" of the steering headpipe is different between the Maxim and Seca models to accomodate the change in the axle position (relative to the angle of the fork tubes as they go thru the steering brackets). You may end up with a front end that has "unique" characteristics when braking or hard cornering.......the bike may become "tippy" or overly sensitive to steering inputs, or the opposite.....very sluggish.

BTW, I can get you a better deal on those 430 shocks if you're interested......like I said, they're overkill, but they sure are neat looking.

 

I'm trying to budget for a set of these;

 

I am missing mine so dont know if I want to give it up yet, maybe. The VIN checks out as a 1982 XJ650RJ Seca. You are right.

 

You are correct.

I will try it out without much work, but you could be correct. I might just ebay the items.

I am not sure what I am doing yet, but will look to you if I chose to go that way.

wow wow what are those.

 

http://gazisuspension.com/products.html

I changed from the Seca 'leading axle' set up to a non leading axle set up from a XJ750P, and found that the XJ750P had different offset on the triples that took into account the change (both frames were identical). Worth doing some research on it anyways.

 

Wow $800+ for the shocks, but you pretty much pay for what you get.

Thank you for the info regarding the triple tree offest that might make it a worth while project then.

The question, Do I want to fix this bike up into a tracker or do I want to do the XS650 build up instead. I like the XJ for the less vibrations and the pickup, but I like the two cly better than the 4 cly becasuse of the ability to lean one way then lean the other way so quickly do to the engine rotating mass. It is harder to lean back and forth the 4cly than the 2 cly and there are a lot more upgrade parts for the XS650.

We will see.

 

Which is better

Works Performance Dual Rate Fork Spring Kit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... K:MEWAX:IT
only have 5 hours to place the bid.

or

Progressive FORK SPRINGS 80-83 YAMAHA XJ650 MAXIM & SECA
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... K:MEWAX:IT

 

The WP is a little bit "one part fits all" for my liking, did you see the list of bikes it allegedly fits?

The Progressive Suspension springs are more bike-specific and probably a better choice, but I believe XJ4Ever gets less than that for them; check with chacal.

 

Hmmm.... I'm going off of my decrepit memory of older 650 Secas (of which I've only seen 2 and that was decades ago). Mia culpa, I defer to the greater wisdom of the XJ guru...

 

Note that the Works springs are "dual-rate" springs (just like the factory springs, except that works makes them as a 2-piece (!) spring).........whereas Progressive springs are just that.....progressively wound, so there is no sudden transition between "spring rate A" and "spring rate B":

Inner Tube Fork Springs:

Top-quality aftermarket progressively wound FRONT FORK COIL SPRINGS don't just "restore" the performance to your front forks, they actually improve it over the original equipment. Spring and suspension technology has come a long way in the 30 years since the XJ model bikes were designed and built, and our line of performance front coil springs will not only get rid of the sags and "mush" in your front end, but will give your bike a crisper, more controllable and predictable ride and handling quality due to their superior design, engineering, and manufacturing.

Original coil springs are what are known as "dual rate springs"........they have one fixed spring rate until a certain level of compression is reached, and then a firmer, stiffer rate (stronger resistance to compression) takes over (soft, soft, soft, soft, boom! stiff, stiff, stiff.......).

Replacement springs are what are known as a "progressive rate springs".........meaning that as the load on them increases, they get progressively firmer (softest, softest, soft, less soft, firm, firmer, firmer, really firm), rather than the "all or nothing" transition that takes places with the stock springs. Progressive rate springs tends to give both a smoother, less harsh ride, as well as increasing the performance of the front suspension during enthusiastic driving and the suspension action that it creates.

 

I can vouch for this with back-to-back comparisons. I have two 550 Secas, the '81 has fork springs in it that came out of my '83 with only 7100 miles on them; the '83 has Progressive Suspension's springs.

Ridden back-to-back, it's immediately easy to tell the difference in the responsiveness of the two front ends; Progressive's fork springs are as big an improvement over the stockers as their rear shocks are over the stock KYB's.

Len, you didn't give the lady a price...

 

Well out on the twisties agains a few other 600cc sportsbikes and they cant touch me in the twisties even with my wobble and bad suspension.

I am still looking to some good ideas.

Chacal has some good ideas for shocks but havent found them yet. So I will look more for something good for me.

 

All I meant when I was saying that shaft bikes have limits is the manner in which the rear end rises under throttle and falls during decell. It creates problems with ground clearance when in turns, depending on how you ride. Late-apexing can be difficult to pull off without shutting the door on whomever it is you're drying to pass. Rudely so. But hey, if you've overcome it .. more power to ya is all I have to say! Right on, then!

And I thought I'd mention .. pricing on the 430 shocks isn't $499 EACH, they are $499 per pair (list, that is).

I gotta tell ya, I used to race FT/TT on a HD XR750 at Ascot and Perris (and many others, etc ..) back in the late 1970s in the Junior Division, and if you're good enough to put it on sport bikes with a 650cc shaft drive cruiser, (with crappy suspension and no fork brace, no less!) you're unique and one hell of a rider! Go for it then!

If I may ask of you, to protect the fragile egos of some of us old burnouts, please just post a pic of you on your machine so I know who to avoid in the corners. HAAHAA!!! The guys at the shop would never let me live it down if a chick on a cruiser put it to me! Haahaa!

Go get 'em, I say! If you're having fun, that is all that matters!

 

Thanks Holeshot for your support.

I do very well with my bikes both the 81 XJ650 and the 81 XS650. The expirenced riders in my club say I am a dam good rider, but, like you, they said, I should upgrade to a more modern bike. They say my skills are far over the bikes ability.

I still like my old bikes just need to upgrade the suspension and with my riding I need to constantly overlook my bike, including frame for stress related issues, I do beat it on the twisties.

On my xs650 I snapped the swing arm bolt and it was 3/4 of the way out when I noticed the rear wheel flexing.

I do respect your comments just understand I am only interested in upgrading my bike.

I think I will make my maxim into a mild sport/crusier bilke and my xs650 into the tracker.