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Display Mesage #104612


Dark Side for a Day: a Metzeler guy's thoughts on The Dark Side
Written by douglasvanb on 6/15/2011 at 11:26 pm

Fred,

The ride is harsher since I rebuilt the forks last year. I actually like the
stiffer ride. Perhaps (if I ever sell), the next owner will want to bump down
to a 10 wt.

Cheers,

Douglas

--- In ipcrc@yahoogroups.com, "goldwingman40" <goldwingman@...> wrote:
>
> Doug,
> If you are using 15 wt. oil in the forks you will greatly increase the
harshness of the ride. I tried it on one change a few years back and drained it
back out and refilled with 10 wt. It sure is good that I installed drain screws,
the ones Honda left out, so I can change the oil without pulling the forks out
completely. I have had Progressive springs in the forks since right after it
came out of the crate in 1992.
> Fred
>
>
>
>
> --- In ipcrc@yahoogroups.com, "douglasvanb" <douglas.vanbossuyt@> wrote:
> >
> > It's possible my bike provides a rougher ride than yours, Bart. I have
custom springs similar to Progressive Springs in the front with a heavier weight
of oil than most people use and there are after-market shocks in the rear. It
gives it more of a sport bike feel when I'm riding alone and a touring feel when
I have a passenger. If anyone is interested, I could probably root up links to
the springs, what oil weight I used, and I could take a peak to see what a PO
installed shock-wise in the rear.
> >
> > Oh, and as we determined, Bart's seat is a whole INCH higher than my seat.
Seems someone shaved most of the padding out of mine. That will be fixed quite
soon. No wonder my knees always have felt cramped!
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Douglas
> >
> > --- In ipcrc@yahoogroups.com, "Bart" <bart.eleveld@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Now that you mention it, Wade, I THINK I did feel a bit less kidney
rattling on my second ride using my own Darksider. Offsetting that was less
rattling due to Douglas's bike being tighter in suspension and bodywork. It
didn't really occur to me on the first ride with the Metzlers because I hadn't
ridden this road for several weeks and had forgotten where it lay on the
rough/smooth spectrum. I did notice some vibration in my back on Douglas's bike
but not so severe that I associated it with the tires. If there was a
difference, it was relatively minor and I imagine rear shocks could also play a
role. I wonder if the lower air pressure that I run in the car tire might not
be the biggest factor in small bump and roughness perception.
> > > Bart
> > >
> > > --- In ipcrc@yahoogroups.com, "Wade" <wbpc800@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Bart,
> > > >
> > > > I'm with you on the sight lines. Am a pretty conservative rider most of
the time. Appreciated your perspective.
> > > >
> > > > Some day I might like the Mick O Pegs. Have to admit that Tim looked
pretty comfortable on our ride last summer. But I agree with you in that there
are higher priorities for the money right now.
> > > >
> > > > Douglas,
> > > >
> > > > What rain and gravel I have been in I have been very well satisfied with
the Avon. Not sure I am the best to evaluate it but FWIW, it has not shown to be
unstable at all for me. (Except the very slightest notice of freeway rain
groves. Really don't notice it any more.)
> > > >
> > > > To the both of you.
> > > >
> > > > There is only one thing that surprised me about your reports, or perhaps
I missed it. You didn't mention the smoothness of the ride. That is one of the
things I like the best. It is smoother and quieter than the MC tire in my
experience. This is something I really like and expected perhaps a comment along
those lines.
> > > >
> > > > Wade
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --- In ipcrc@yahoogroups.com, "Bart" <bart.eleveld@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Anyway, thanks Douglas for participating in the swap. I think it
was instructional for us both, and hopefully for the readers as well.
> > > > >
> > > > > Bart
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

Message Thread for message #104612