Forks and Fork Fluid

[PAVALKER]

As a result of an uneasy handling issue, and a "rubberyness" or "Jello" like shake while sitting on the bike and jiggling the handle bars a bit, I have been busy removing my fairing, front wheel, forks and steering head bearings.... which were indexed and loose.  The looseness or bearing indexing really didn't appear noticeable until I pulled the forks and the weight was off the steering head.    I have the new bearings in and it's now time to work on replacing the fork springs with Progressive Springs while I got the front end disassembled as such. (I've had the springs and been holding off for a good opportunity to do them and this seems like it).  Need to get the fork oil and such yet (maybe seals as well?).   Considering fork seal replacement , but not sure I want to do that if they are not needing replaced.  So a few questions I have are.....

- Has anyone installed Progressive Fork Springs on an Interstate and noticed significant improvement?  I did it on my VTX and believe they are better.  The nose dive is gone.

- When changing springs, did you notice a difference in fork fluids from one tube to the other?  On my VTX I had one fork tube with what appeared to be motor oil and the other was what appeared to be automatic transmission fluid?  I am not sure why that was the case and am still curious, and curious to know if others found that on their Valk (I have not yet opened my Valk forks up and am asking for curiosity).

-  What is the average lifespan for fork seals on the Valk?  I have 19k on my I/S and 25K on my VTX and no fork seal issues on either.  Not sure if I would be changing the seals needlessly or not, and possibly causing an issue when there is none.

Those little brass nut inserts on the fairing required some finesse and ..... and some required epoxy to reseat them in the fairing.  This has been a little project...... and I hope it all fixes the handling uneasiness I have come to experience lately..... but if not I will continue to search for the cause. 

Any info and suggestions are welcomed ....

[Old Geezer Richard]

Hey Pavalker ,On my 98 std with 70,000 miles on the clock,  I just replaced my fork seals and dust catchers and Progressive front springs along with some very low low mileage I/S OEM shocks set for the rear, set at the highest setting and the old Fat Lady rides and handles greattttt  ..... And I had ordered some new wheel dampers also but did not need them yet or shock bushings ...... and I had thought about up grading to the progressive shocks 440's HD's 13 inchers this summer but that almost $500 price tag changed my mind ... no more pogo stick and wobbling into the curves anymore .....what a difference .... WOW!!!!

[PAVALKER]

So Old Geezer..... did you happen to notice the fork oil and what color it was (and if it was a different color in each fork?).  Did you change the springs, seals and dust catchers.... or have it done elsewhere?

[hubcapsc]

It's way worth putting in the progressive springs, you'll notice a difference before you even get
out of your driveway...

There's a way to put them in without taking everything apart, but you've already got the the
forks off... usually, if it aint broke don't fix it, so you need to make the call there, but it is hard
to resist putting in new seals when you have the forks all apart.

There's a tool (or a trick) needed for each side to overcome a preloaded spring (different on each
side). I borrowed the tool for one side from a VRCC member, and bought a 99 cent trick for the other
side at Lowes:



The manual gives two methods for  how much fluid to put in: one by volume, the other by measuring the
fluid level from the top of the forks, springs out... I liked the measuring method...

Non-leaky Valkyrie forks with the right amount of fresh fluid and progressive springs are
great forks. I have a little video camera that I hook to my air wings sometimes... it is really
telling to see the unsprung parts bouncing down the road and the sprung parts gliding along
smoothly...

How'd it go replacing the steering head bearings? That whole business about changing out the
pressed in bearings, and the critical adjustments in getting stuff tighted back correctly sounds about
100 times harder than rebuilding the forks to me...

-Mike

[Stanley Steamer]

Joe and I both had them done at the Hoot a few years ago.....here are a few posts I made about it on the Delphi VRF forums...pay CLOSE attn to the fork oil weight....



"my front end is diving again almost like the OEM springs....8-((.....

After we replaced all the seals, I put back a Honda 10 Weight oil in the forks and we measured it all to the Clymer manual specs....however, I think the Progressive website calls for a 15 weight oil....that's what I get for not doing a little research before hand....8-((....I can't believe it'd make that much difference....

"I'm not sure what weight of oil the guys put in it up at the Hoot a couple of months ago, or if they added a little extra(Progressive website says more oil equals less air to be displaced thus a stiffer feel) fork oil to stiffen the front up, but with the interstate, you can't just turn the tops out of the forks like you can on the standard/tourer meaning the forks have to come back off.....8-((....

at least the hard part(replacing the seals) is done....should only take half the time next time...."


"We've been over this subject before....you don't notice how much "better" the PS springs are until you have them installed...Smokin Joe and I had ours done at the Hoot a couple of years ago...Man, what a difference...no more nose dive at hard stops....it definately made a big improvement to me IMHO....made me feel a lot more confident in cases where I needed to get on the fronts brakes in a hurry....ok, fast forward a couple of  months later,...It was the the 4th of July weekend maybe and my right fork seal started leaking, I thought at the time that those guys may have added too much fork oil, but after helping a buddy of mine replace my seals, it was obviously just a factor of the bike being almost a decade old.....ok....we used a 10W oil that the Manual specified when we replaced the seals...we very carefully measured out the proper amount of oil and double checked our measurements a couple of ways...but when I was leaving his house, I thought we had Fu_cked it up...they felt as spongy as the OEM springs...he and I checked with progressive and THEIR recommendation was for 15 weight oil...DAMN!!...so we pulled the springs a couple of weeks later and put the 15 weight oil back in and that made ALL the difference...the front end was stiffer again....just the way I liked it...so Gentlemen, be very careful of what type oil you use according to how you stiff you want the front end to be....just my .02 cents in a $1.00 bill sized message...LOL"

[DFragn]

but with the interstate, you can't just turn the tops out of the forks like you can on the standard/tourer meaning the forks have to come back off.....8-((....

Huh? The only difference with the I/S is that the fairing conceals access to the caps.

To remove the caps for fluid level adjustment by fluid oz. only is to loosen the top bridge pinch bolts then remove the fork caps. No need to remove the forks from the triple tree.
Easier to remove fairing then to remove the entire front end just to add or subtract a bit of fluid.

If you're changing/exchanging fluid then you should remove the tubes in order to purge & recharge the fluid in the damper in the right leg.

If you're measuring fluid level by in./mm [as per the manual] it's done with the forks devoid of the springs and fully compressed at vertical [plumb].

I think it's unlikely that most of us would feel the difference between 10 or 15 wt. fork oil. What's really more telling is the adjustment of oil level/quantity. Air compresses - fluid does not.
No need to change out 10 wt. for 15 wt. if it's not too old. just add and an ounce or two to stiffen.

These forks could be run dry but essentially noisy. Fork fluid weight only makes a difference in feel if you abide to the service manuals measurements and most of us would never be able to tell the difference anyway.

If the fork springs feel light [regardless of Brand] then it's most likely due to too little fluid as opposed to fluid weight. IMHO

[PAVALKER]

hubcapsc -

Steering head bearings were somewhat time consuming, especially since I have never done this before I took my time.  Of course I did not have the Honda tools to do the job, but found that using the old bearing races to help install the new ones was a key factor.  Installing the lower head bearing on the steering stem I used the inner old race (old race against new race) and a piece of pipe to drive it on the steering stem.  And, I did use the old races to drive the new ones in on the steering head as well.  Again, not the Honda tools but a piece of all thread a foot long and some large washers of various sizes (sizes of race) did the trick, and beings the races are inset within the steering head, the old races were used to get them back below the rim and inset as required.  I used ALLBALLS brand, but of course they were needle bearings and not balls.  I did notice that the original bearings did not have a top dust seal of sorts like it had on the bottom,.  The Shop Manual did not indicate a top dust seal but based on the looks of the replacement bearings and that ALLBALLS included it in the kit, I opted to install it to help keep out water and ... dust of course.  Actually the torque on the IS is less than the torque for the standard and tourer, according to the shop manual it's 9lbs for IS and 12 for Standard and Tourer.  The bearings are the same on both bikes and with the weight of the fairing etc on the front of the I/S I opted to give it 12lbs.  Why the difference of torques I have no idea.  But with the weight of the fairing etc, I think the 12lbs is in order here.

As for the fork springs..... did you notice a different oil between the fork tubes on your spring change like I did on my VTX or were they both the same color.  Also, as Stanley indicated ... Progressive recommends 15w over 10w (which I didn't notice til Stanley mentioned) and I am curious if you used 10 or 15?  I think I will go with the 15 as recommended, to keep it nice and snug/stiff up front.

Stanley -   Thanks for pointing out the Progressive recommended oil weight.  I didn't even consider that til you mentioned it, and would have used 10w.  Curious if you noticed different colors of oil in your fork tubes or not?  Great catch on the fork oil weight.

I am still wondering about the seals, and thinking that maybe I should replace them while I got the tubes off???  I would really hate to replace the springs and suspension fluid and a few k miles down the road need to pull it off to replace the seals.  However, I am also concerned that maybe it could cause a leak if I fiddle with something that isn't broke (but who hasn't done that before).  Decisions, decisions....   will order the fluid and seals and make my decision on the fly I guess.

[Stanley Steamer]

it's easier to drain the fluid out of the forks if you take them off first...and we did measure the fluid meticulously and also measured the height in each fork with them in the proper position.....as soon as we changed the oil back to 15 wgt, the forks were stiff again....maybe not as much as when the guys initially added the PS at the Hoot...I suspect they did add a little extra oil in addition to the springs...the right side fork seal was visually bad....the rubber was worn and you could seen the spring in there....of course pulling the front end off the ground a few times didn't help much I'm sure.....

[Stanley Steamer]

"Stanley -   Thanks for pointing out the Progressive recommended oil weight.  I didn't even consider that til you mentioned it, and would have used 10w.  Curious if you noticed different colors of oil in your fork tubes or not?  Great catch on the fork oil weight."



made a huge difference!!!....I can't remember if it was Progressives recommendation on only the Interstate or all models??.....you could double check...but I don't remember much about the other oil...it seems like it was darker than the red stuff my buddy and I put back in...and I would not go to the trouble of replacing the springs without replacing the seals, dust caps, and etc while you had them apart... ....I'm just trying to save you the same mistake I made...

[hubcapsc]

 * As for the fork springs..... did you notice a different oil between the fork tubes on your spring change
 * like I did on my VTX or were they both the same color.  Also, as Stanley indicated ... Progressive
 * recommends 15w over 10w (which I didn't notice til Stanley mentioned) and I am curious if you used
 * 10 or 15?

My fluid was fairly fresh, I didn't notice a difference in color... When I first got my tired eBay Valkyrie
and was whipping into shape to ride, I opted to take the forks to a nearby dealer since I was doing
so many other things and I didn't have the tool... bad mistake, they charged me $300.00 to drop in
the springs (I brought them the forks and the fluid!) and they didn't change the seals... I redid the
job myself later when the seals started leaking.

I used 10 weight... I wonder - Stanley Steamer - are you sure you purged the cartridge of air on the
time you were unhappy with 10 weight?

-Mike

[PAVALKER]

hubcapsc    

Tell me about this little plastic tool... what size PVC elbow is that???   I have heard it's either 1.5 or 2 in, depending on who ya talk with or where you read it.   I have the fork spring tool (same as for the VTX and we got it to pass around the local VTXOA guys within the state...).

Progressive recommends 15w for their springs (for the GL1500), even tho Honda recommends 10w..... and that is for the GL1500 (which could be all variations).    I don't see 15w advertised on DLP website.    I will have to call the local dealer to see if they have it.   I did order new seals and my local dealer matched DLP prices....   I was going to order dust seals seperate, but the parts guy said they are included in the Seal set (we shall see).

Nope... local guys says Honda does not sell a 15w oil.  Soooooo Stanley.... what brand and where did you get it??  Would local auto store have that maybe?  Parts guy does have other brands tho......  so let's discuss this weight thing some more here....

[sandy]

Honda OEM seal kits have both seals in them (oil & dust). You have to buy two kits to do both sides. As for 15W fork oil, find an aftermarket MC store. They'll have 15W oil. All the forks I've rebuilt get 15W and the riders like it. RP told me of a trick that I have not tried yet. Take a sliver of felt and soak it in fork oil. Wrap it around the fork tube and install it between the oil and dust seal. Any dust that makes it by the dust seal will be wiped away before it gets to the oil seal thereby keeping it clean.

[hubcapsc]

hubcapsc    

Tell me about this little plastic tool... what size PVC elbow is that???   I have heard it's either 1.5 or 2 in, depending on who ya talk with or where you read it.   I have the fork spring tool (same as for the VTX and we got it to pass around the local VTXOA guys within the state...).

The elbow is just for making it easy to mash down on that rod to unload the spring beneath it so that
the fitting can be unscrewed... my office worker hands are too delicate to mash down on the rod
bare handed long enough to unscrew the fitting  

I think you're thinking of the trick of making a driver to help install the seal with a short piece of
PVC...

I found that a 2 inch schedule 40 PVC pressure coupling was the right size. I sawed it laterally and
ground off the lip inside and put it around the forks and held it together with a hose clamp.





-Mike

[PAVALKER]

Cool.... I have 2in and 1.5 inch in hot standby.....   Thanks.   Seal kit will be coming next week.  I know, I know... I should have planned ahead and had them already..... 

Still open to discussion of this fork oil 10w vs 15w.....

[DFragn]

Cool.... I have 2in and 1.5 inch in hot standby.....   Thanks.   Seal kit will be coming next week.  I know, I know... I should have planned ahead and had them already..... 

Still open to discussion of this fork oil 10w vs 15w.....

Some, including myself, have felt the Progressive fork springs were too stiff and stayed with the 10w at OEM levels. And, then some of those reduced the 10 wt. levels by an oz. or 2 to soften them a hair.

As I stated above, most of us would be hard pressed to discern the difference between the oil weights.

Others have gone with Progressives recommendation, 15 wt. and reduced those levels a bit too. Then again some at 15 wt. at full fluid levels. Those folks must have perfect roadways wherever they go. Here in the Midwest the Progressives were actually impacting otherwise docile bumps.

[PAVALKER]

Well, that is an interesting observation regarding the weight of fork oil.  I guess it could very well be adjusted to a degree by adding or subtracting fluid.  The difference between the 2 weights shouldn't be all that much either I would imagine.  I know the fluid in my VTX was as I stated above, red auto trans fluid in one fork and what appeared to be dirty oil in the other.  I went with AMSOIL 10w (sucked it out and put back in same amount I took out, plus a tad).  I am happy with the front end feel on my X, and was only thinking with the added weight of the fairing etc maybe Progressive is right on with the 15w.   

Oh I can testify the roads up here in PA are not any better than ANY other roads in the US.  Based on my travels, I would suspect that we have the worst, so maybe 10w would be enough.  My brother lives in GA and the roads there are better of course..... no winter to speak of let alone snow and salt. Hmmmmmm....   

Anyone else have recommendations or thoughts on fork oil ?

[DFragn]

I know the fluid in my VTX was as I stated above, red auto trans fluid in one fork and what appeared to be dirty oil in the other. 

Honda distributed fork fluid colors= 5wt. (maybe it's 8wt.) is brown or amber.
                                               10wt. is red
Sounds like a seal replacement for one of the tubes and someone forgot what weight was in there or a matching "color" wasn't available.

[PAVALKER]

I know the fluid in my VTX was as I stated above, red auto trans fluid in one fork and what appeared to be dirty oil in the other. 

Honda distributed fork fluid colors= 5wt. (maybe it's 8wt.) is brown or amber.
                                               10wt. is red
Sounds like a seal replacement for one of the tubes and someone forgot what weight was in there or a matching "color" wasn't available.

Well.... it came that way "brand new" in 02 from the dealer...... and some others have also had it that way, but not everyone.  So not sure.

[DFragn]

I know the fluid in my VTX was as I stated above, red auto trans fluid in one fork and what appeared to be dirty oil in the other. 

Honda distributed fork fluid colors= 5wt. (maybe it's 8wt.) is brown or amber.
                                               10wt. is red
Sounds like a seal replacement for one of the tubes and someone forgot what weight was in there or a matching "color" wasn't available.

Well.... it came that way "brand new" in 02 from the dealer...... and some others have also had it that way, but not everyone.  So not sure.

Curious! Was the left leg red?
The right has the cartridge dampner. Maybe that soils the fluid and turns red brown in time.
Unless Honda did/does that intentionally. I dunno know...

[fordmano]

As a result of an uneasy handling issue, and a "rubberyness" or "Jello" like shake while sitting on the bike and jiggling the handle bars a bit, I have been busy removing my fairing, front wheel, forks and steering head bearings.... which were indexed and loose.  The looseness or bearing indexing really didn't appear noticeable until I pulled the forks and the weight was off the steering head.    I have the new bearings in and it's now time to work on replacing the fork springs with Progressive Springs while I got the front end disassembled as such. (I've had the springs and been holding off for a good opportunity to do them and this seems like it).  Need to get the fork oil and such yet (maybe seals as well?).   Considering fork seal replacement , but not sure I want to do that if they are not needing replaced.  So a few questions I have are.....

- Has anyone installed Progressive Fork Springs on an Interstate and noticed significant improvement?  I did it on my VTX and believe they are better.  The nose dive is gone.

- When changing springs, did you notice a difference in fork fluids from one tube to the other?  On my VTX I had one fork tube with what appeared to be motor oil and the other was what appeared to be automatic transmission fluid?  I am not sure why that was the case and am still curious, and curious to know if others found that on their Valk (I have not yet opened my Valk forks up and am asking for curiosity).

-  What is the average lifespan for fork seals on the Valk?  I have 19k on my I/S and 25K on my VTX and no fork seal issues on either.  Not sure if I would be changing the seals needlessly or not, and possibly causing an issue when there is none.

Those little brass nut inserts on the fairing required some finesse and ..... and some required epoxy to reseat them in the fairing.  This has been a little project...... and I hope it all fixes the handling uneasiness I have come to experience lately..... but if not I will continue to search for the cause. 

Any info and suggestions are welcomed ....

I know of this "rubberyness" or "Jello" like shake you speak of,,,,,, I have similiar issue. It has always been there on my 99 I/S but it has gotten worse with miles when I picked her up she had 232miles on her (yep 232miles total) and she now has just about 19K wow all those miles in just 4 years,,, HAHAHA LOL.

Anyway I noticed it more as miles clicked by and even more so when I went DarkSide, I have gone in and re-tightend the head bearings 2 times now and the last time I even repacked the bearings they looked dry to me. well I will be following this thread CLOSELY to see how it goes for you, I was planning on dropping my bike of at the local stealer at let them have a crack at Her since I have had no luck correcting these woes.
But I will hold off till I see how this works out for you.

Thanks for reporting and sharing.

Really Thanks, I appreciate it greatly.

[Stanley Steamer]

hubcapsc    

Tell me about this little plastic tool... what size PVC elbow is that???   I have heard it's either 1.5 or 2 in, depending on who ya talk with or where you read it.   I have the fork spring tool (same as for the VTX and we got it to pass around the local VTXOA guys within the state...).

Progressive recommends 15w for their springs (for the GL1500), even tho Honda recommends 10w..... and that is for the GL1500 (which could be all variations).    I don't see 15w advertised on DLP website.    I will have to call the local dealer to see if they have it.   I did order new seals and my local dealer matched DLP prices....   I was going to order dust seals seperate, but the parts guy said they are included in the Seal set (we shall see).

Nope... local guys says Honda does not sell a 15w oil.  Soooooo Stanley.... what brand and where did you get it??  Would local auto store have that maybe?  Parts guy does have other brands tho......  so let's discuss this weight thing some more here....

I think i found some Bel-ray 15 weight fork oil at an independent moto shop around here....here's a link I googled...

http://www.dirtguide.co.nz/products/165-suspension_fluids/351-bel_ray_high_performance_fork_oil.aspx

As far as to Mike's Q, we were VERY careful(measure carefully both the oz's and height in the fork) to go step by step in the manual and I'm pretty sure we purged the air from that one side...the only thing we "didn't" do was put the 15 wgt oil in it like the Progressive site recommended...I figure that since it was their product, they must have had a lot more insight into what works the best with their springs on a particular bike??.....we actually did do exactly what the manual said to do the first time which was use 10 wgt oil....I'm just saying it was too "spongy" for my tastes....and I guess I am trading off the fact that I'd prefer the front end to "stand up a little stiffer" in a hard stop(compared to nosediving), than to cushion rough road surfaces.....we have pretty good roads in GA for the most part.....SC I've noticed seems to have a higher % of rough road surfaces compared to other States I've ridden in.....unscientific observation of course!!.....

What DFragn says might work for you also.....just use a 10wgt oil....and if it's too spongy, just take the tops off and add a little more of the 10wgt until it's stiff enough to suit you....I am definately no top mechanic or expert....just pointing out what I did in my case....

[PAVALKER]

As a result of an uneasy handling issue, and a "rubberyness" or "Jello" like shake while sitting on the bike and jiggling the handle bars a bit, I have been busy removing my fairing, front wheel, forks and steering head bearings.... which were indexed and loose.  The looseness or bearing indexing really didn't appear noticeable until I pulled the forks and the weight was off the steering head.    I have the new bearings in and it's now time to work on replacing the fork springs with Progressive Springs while I got the front end disassembled as such. (I've had the springs and been holding off for a good opportunity to do them and this seems like it).  Need to get the fork oil and such yet (maybe seals as well?).   Considering fork seal replacement , but not sure I want to do that if they are not needing replaced.  So a few questions I have are.....

- Has anyone installed Progressive Fork Springs on an Interstate and noticed significant improvement?  I did it on my VTX and believe they are better.  The nose dive is gone.

- When changing springs, did you notice a difference in fork fluids from one tube to the other?  On my VTX I had one fork tube with what appeared to be motor oil and the other was what appeared to be automatic transmission fluid?  I am not sure why that was the case and am still curious, and curious to know if others found that on their Valk (I have not yet opened my Valk forks up and am asking for curiosity).

-  What is the average lifespan for fork seals on the Valk?  I have 19k on my I/S and 25K on my VTX and no fork seal issues on either.  Not sure if I would be changing the seals needlessly or not, and possibly causing an issue when there is none.

Those little brass nut inserts on the fairing required some finesse and ..... and some required epoxy to reseat them in the fairing.  This has been a little project...... and I hope it all fixes the handling uneasiness I have come to experience lately..... but if not I will continue to search for the cause. 

Any info and suggestions are welcomed ....

I know of this "rubberyness" or "Jello" like shake you speak of,,,,,, I have similiar issue. It has always been there on my 99 I/S but it has gotten worse with miles when I picked her up she had 232miles on her (yep 232miles total) and she now has just about 19K wow all those miles in just 4 years,,, HAHAHA LOL.

Anyway I noticed it more as miles clicked by and even more so when I went DarkSide, I have gone in and re-tightend the head bearings 2 times now and the last time I even repacked the bearings they looked dry to me. well I will be following this thread CLOSELY to see how it goes for you, I was planning on dropping my bike of at the local stealer at let them have a crack at Her since I have had no luck correcting these woes.
But I will hold off till I see how this works out for you.

Thanks for reporting and sharing.

Really Thanks, I appreciate it greatly.

Man.... I can't believe you tightened the head bearings twice and even repacked em and the problem still exists. That doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling......    Did it seem to get better temporarily or not?  Did you notice any marks on the bearing races (indexing)?  After I pulled the fork tubes out and the weight was removed from the front end, I could feel the looseness and the notching or indexing on the bearings.  Pulling them out I noticed the indexing on the bearing races and could feel it with my finger nail along the race.  Maybe, just maybe the bearings or races were damaged and you didn't actually correct the problem without replacing the bearings.

As for the fork oil.... I ordered some AMSOIL 10w like I have in my VTX and will use the addition/subtraction method to stiffen/loosen  up if need be.  I did seriously consider the 15w but thought that IF it was too stiff I would have to pull the fork tubes to drain... whereas I could add a bit with the 10w to make stiff if need be.  Plus the price was right on the AMSOIL I guess.  But the main issue is the steering head and getting the Progressives in, which I have had for a year or better.  I intend to start dismantling the forks when the seals get here or in the next day or so at least.

I have been doing quite a bit of research on this suspension issue..... and may provide a few links for your reading pleasure (not Valk specific tho).   Here is one from the VTXOA message board that I found interesting.....
http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207371

[98valk]

there is no set scale for suspension oil like there is for motor oil.
"Suspension oil is labeled by weight because consumers are used to thinking of oil (ie. motor oil & gear oil) in these terms. The SAE weight system has a very broad and vague viscosity range and does not even cover the viscosity range that most quality motorcycle suspension systems require."

http://www.peterverdonedesigns.com/lowspeed.htm

[PSUbag]

I think you guys jinxed me! I just noticed that my right fork is starting to leak. (95,000 miles) Where's the best place to get a seal kit? Ballpark price?

[fordmano]

I know of this "rubberyness" or "Jello" like shake you speak of,,,,,, I have similiar issue. It has always been there on my 99 I/S but it has gotten worse with miles when I picked her up she had 232miles on her (yep 232miles total) and she now has just about 19K wow all those miles in just 4 years,,, HAHAHA LOL.

Anyway I noticed it more as miles clicked by and even more so when I went DarkSide, I have gone in and re-tightend the head bearings 2 times now and the last time I even repacked the bearings they looked dry to me. well I will be following this thread CLOSELY to see how it goes for you, I was planning on dropping my bike of at the local stealer at let them have a crack at Her since I have had no luck correcting these woes.
But I will hold off till I see how this works out for you.

Thanks for reporting and sharing.

Really Thanks, I appreciate it greatly.


Man.... I can't believe you tightened the head bearings twice and even repacked em and the problem still exists. That doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling......    Did it seem to get better temporarily or not?  Did you notice any marks on the bearing races (indexing)?  After I pulled the fork tubes out and the weight was removed from the front end, I could feel the looseness and the notching or indexing on the bearings.  Pulling them out I noticed the indexing on the bearing races and could feel it with my finger nail along the race.  Maybe, just maybe the bearings or races were damaged and you didn't actually correct the problem without replacing the bearings.


http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207371




Well I did notice what I would describe as burnt looking lines in the upper race but nothing on the lower and I ran my finger nail all the way around the race and could feel nothing at all then I even took a very thin feeler guage and still did not notice ANY wear or dent or lip.  Yep the first time I used the chiltons manual then the next time I used the instructions from,, I cant remember name but the instructions write up were called "Shucking the Shakes"..

Yes tightening the bearings did seem to help a little bit for a short period of time, but the first time I checked them I did not add grease at all only tightend them up according to Chiltons. Now the second time I pulled triple tree out and the bearings had NEVER been opened completly up since new and they did seem dry to me apparently common on these girls to be on the dry side from the factory, and the nuts were just finger tight, both times. Worried I will be doing all that you are doing also here in just a week or two, but I may just give in and take it to a dealership that is not close to home but I know that the suspension tech there knows what he is doing. He has been refered to me by 3 people so I think I might just let him FIX it and be done with it.. Good luck to ya and keep us all informed.

Thanks
Matt

[Puffs Daddy]

For what it's worth (and that may not be much), RaceTech also recommends 15w oil for the Valkyrie using their springs. And they sell it over the internet for $30 a quart (two quarts required).

I've just replaced my stock rear shocks with Works Performance units and followed my mechanic's advice to choose RaceTech over Progressive for the fork springs. (Again, that may be nothing more than the brand bias of someone who works mainly on sport bikes.)

I, too, am trying to solve a "rubbery" feel in my front end (on my standard), but that experience is limited to riding on back roads, not sitting still as the OP suggested. Replacing the rear shocks was the first step and has made a significant difference in overall handling, but I'm still trying to get rid of what I think of as "chattering" on the front end.

Of course, I can't avoid the feeling that I may be chasing a nonexistent gremlin that's simply a result of comparing my Valkyrie to my Moto Guzzi with its  European suspension.

[PAVALKER]

I think you guys jinxed me! I just noticed that my right fork is starting to leak. (95,000 miles) Where's the best place to get a seal kit? Ballpark price?

I ordered em from my Local Dealer (Mosites Motorsports) and had them price match HDL or DLP's prices.  Granted, I still have to pay taxes.... but it is less than the shipping and handling from DLP, and I will be getting them sooner I think.  There was a significant difference in price between DLP and my dealer, so I was thankful that he price matched.  I am hoping they come in today or tomorrow..... at the latest.  Fork oil is not hear yet either.... and I am going with the AMSOIL stuff.... so hopefully it will be OK.,

[PAVALKER]

I got the fork seals in (from being ordered... not in the forks yet) but should have ordered the darn bushings as well.  I disassembled the forks today and they appear to be worn.... one on the inside and the other on the outside (same on both sides).  Soooo, needless to say, they have been placed on order and my project placed on hold til the bushings arrive.   I recommend anyone doing it, go ahead and order the bushings when they order the fork seals.  I got the 1.5in white PVC pipe cut in half and read to go as the seal driver, which should work nicely.  

And.... as I think I mentioned earlier regarding the fork oil on my VTX... same on the Valkyrie... the right fork has red transmission fluid in it and the left had what looks like regular oil in it.   I got my AMSOIL Suspension fluid in today.... nice blue in color (not like you will see it LOL).

[PAVALKER]

Whew..... 

I got the steering head bearings replaced, the progressive springs installed, new AMSOIL Fork Suspension fluid, fork seals and bushings and put her all back together tonight... but didn't get a ride in.  The front fairng was the biggest PITA about the whole thing... and it's much better (tight) now too.  I sat on her in the garage and tested the dive on the forks, and it's firmer. 

However, I gave the bars a little wiggle or shake and I still have the  damn jello/rubbery feeling  (I was hoping).  It's like a tail wag... so probably in the rear end I guess (sure after I redo the front end to try and fix that).   I didn't take it for a ride and it doesn't look promising tomorrow (rain) but I will try.  If I don't get it out  I can at least look at it in the garage.

Besides checking rear wheel bearings, shock bushings/bolts and swing arm bearings..... any one have any other ideas??????

[Ricky-D]

Whew..... 

I got the steering head bearings replaced, the progressive springs installed, new AMSOIL Fork Suspension fluid, fork seals and bushings and put her all back together tonight... but didn't get a ride in.  The front fairng was the biggest PITA about the whole thing... and it's much better (tight) now too.  I sat on her in the garage and tested the dive on the forks, and it's firmer. 

However, I gave the bars a little wiggle or shake and I still have the  damn jello/rubbery feeling  (I was hoping).  It's like a tail wag... so probably in the rear end I guess (sure after I redo the front end to try and fix that).   I didn't take it for a ride and it doesn't look promising tomorrow (rain) but I will try.  If I don't get it out  I can at least look at it in the garage.

Besides checking rear wheel bearings, shock bushings/bolts and swing arm bearings..... any one have any other ideas??????

That feels that way due to the front tire gripping the surface.  Put a friction modifier there under the tire and that feeling will disappear.

***

[PAVALKER]

Huh??   "That feels that way due to the front tire gripping the surface.  Put a friction modifier there under the tire and that feeling will disappear. "

I have the same tires on my VTX and in the same garage... but I don't get that feeling with it.