Progressive Suspension 444 shocks and fork springs

[Walking Tall]

2016 R3R with Progressive springs in the front using 7w Belray oil. Progressive 444 -12.5in stock length in the rear. I first went with the HD springs in the rear. Mistake. They are oversprung. I'm 210lbs and I had the preload backed all the way off and couldn't get the right amount of sag dialed in. Even 2 up with the wife, she's another 115lbs, they were still stiff, which is crazy to me. Called progressive and for $63 they sent me the standard rate springs. Just received them last week, but haven't swapped them out.

The front definitely benefits from the progressives since the stock springs are way too soft. The progressives stop all the nose diving under heavy breaking. The rear is a great improvement also. Even with the oversprung springs, the 444s eliminate the knock you out of the seat feeling when you hit a decent sized bump with the stock shocks. I also found it very difficult to get a straight answer on the oil level/ air gap with the progressive fork springs. Seems opinions varied all over the place. Wilbers recommends 110mm on their website. I compared the length of the wilbers progressives with the progressive suspension springs and they were close, only a few millimeters off. I couldn't get an answer from progressive suspension, so I went with wilbers guidance and it is fine.

Good information, thanks. I'm about 60 pounds heavier than you, so I'm hoping the h.d. springs will work for me. What is the 110mm measurement referring to? Is that the distance from the top of the oil to the top of the fork tube, springs removed?

 

[sonny]

Yes with springs removed. I had the same issue could not find any info on how much oil with the new springs. I set my oil as prescribed in the manual and did just fine. Original fork seals still on the bike at 66,000 miles. Handles great. If the forks were over filled it would have blown a seal by now.

 

[Bigjaype]

7 wt oil, interesting. I decided on the h.d. springs on the shocks since I'm 6'6" and about 270 without gear. I hope I made the right choice.

Seriously dude, you may be my brother from another mother. But you're letting us normal sized guys down with the kitty cats.

 

[Ishrub]

Seriously dude, you may be my brother from another mother. But you're letting us normal sized guys down with the kitty cats.

I advise all not to Google 'normal sized guys' !

But for R3 dimensions I found .........twins!

Warning Lupe @mexican you had better sell the Suzuki before this happens!

 

[mexican]

I advise all not to Google 'normal sized guys' !

But for R3 dimensions I found .........twins!

Warning Lupe @mexican you had better sell the Suzuki before this happens!

That poor suzuki!!!!!

 

[Kojack1970]

Good information, thanks. I'm about 60 pounds heavier than you, so I'm hoping the h.d. springs will work for me. What is the 110mm measurement referring to? Is that the distance from the top of the oil to the top of the fork tube, springs removed?

You got it, the 110mm is the "air gap" if you will, from the top of the fork tube to the oil level with springs removed.

 

[Bow]

I can't tell you my experience. But i bought the set and they will be installed next month. Maybe when the weather is good at the end off the year i can tell you my experience

 

[TinCanNavy]

I changed both front and rear to progressives. 444's in the rear made a huge difference. I used the OEM spacer as recommended but had to switch to the provided plastic spacer. When I hit large bumps, while riding, I'm getting a banging/rattling noise in the forks. What causes this and how do I fix it?

 

[1K9]

I changed both front and rear to progressives. 444's in the rear made a huge difference. I used the OEM spacer as recommended but had to switch to the provided plastic spacer. When I hit large bumps, while riding, I'm getting a banging/rattling noise in the forks. What causes this and how do I fix it?

Sounds like loose hardware. Could be the lower fork covers. Anything that they might have loosened to take the tubes out.

 

[TinCanNavy]

Sounds like loose hardware. Could be the lower fork covers. Anything that they might have loosened to take the tubes out.

I did them myself. Being a former industrial maintenance tech I made sure everything went back in place, filled, measured, torqued, and no leftovers. I've done this, before, to two other bikes, and everything was smooth as silk. I'm stumped.