Tracer GT Front Fork Spring upgrades? Valves needed?

[Clegg78]

So as the season winds down I am starting to look at bigger projects over the winter.  One of the things I am looking at is throwing the Ohlins YA 537 on the rear (since I want remote preload/comp/rebound tuning.)   It seems pretty straight forward and easy to buy and install.  I am doing some early planning on a 5000mi Denver - Anchorage AK trip next summer and want a lot of tuneability for load/road type. 

The forks have me confused.  I know most all FJ/Tracers don't have fully adjustable forks, but the GT does.   I need to jump the spring rate a bit to get the bike where I want it to haul my fat ass + gear.      I am not smart enough on these kind of forks/suspension on if I can just get the stronger spring installed  and use the native adjustments or if I need some kind of valve upgrade, or a full cartridge upgrade (KTech?).    Obviously I'd love to avoid another $800 purchase+ to upgrade a fork if the native setup is already pretty solid just needs better spring rate and valving to handle that spring. 

In searching the FJ Suspension forum, most of those posts are for the non GT folk so I am a tad confused on what the go-to people are doing for the GT. 

Edited October 5, 2020 by Clegg78

[PhotoAl]

I've been looking at the very same thing.  Read lots of stuff but a lot is for the FJ or non adjustable Tracer.  I have not found the spring to be too soft but I'm 175 (maybe less) wo gear.  What I'm seeing in addition to springs is a progression:

Adjustments - get it set correctly for your riding style

Change springs if they need to be

Change fork oil and set air gap

Best compromise seems to be new rear shock and cartridge emulators in the forks both set up by someone who knows more than I do.  Well how about a lot more than I do :-)  

I found some good info in this thread: 

My cursed 2019 Tracer! | Yamaha FZ-09 Forum

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I read a lot of these posts and don't post much, but I'm going nuts...

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by PhotoAl
Corrected to say have not found the springs to be too soft

[Etrinks]

3 hours ago, Clegg78 said:

So as the season winds down I am starting to look at bigger projects over the winter.  One of the things I am looking at is throwing the Ohlins YA 537 on the rear (since I want remote preload/comp/rebound tuning.)   It seems pretty straight forward and easy to buy and install.  I am doing some early planning on a 5000mi Denver - Anchorage AK trip next summer and want a lot of tuneability for load/road type. 

The forks have me confused.  I know most all FJ/Tracers don't have fully adjustable forks, but the GT does.   I need to jump the spring rate a bit to get the bike where I want it to haul my fat ass + gear.      I am not smart enough on these kind of forks/suspension on if I can just get the stronger spring installed  and use the native adjustments or if I need some kind of valve upgrade, or a full cartridge upgrade (KTech?).    Obviously I'd love to avoid another $800 purchase+ to upgrade a fork if the native setup is already pretty solid just needs better spring rate and valving to handle that spring. 

In searching the FJ Suspension forum, most of those posts are for the non GT folk so I am a tad confused on what the go-to people are doing for the GT. 

I just installed .925 (.90 / .95) in my stock 2020 Tracer GT forks without a revalve and it worked ok. Put 500+ miles on this weekend and had no complaints, I am still breaking it in so I haven't been too hard on it. I'm waiting for a GP Suspension cartridge kit so I just installed springs for my weight and set oil level to make due. I do have a Penske shock installed on it also 

 

[quaxum]

I'm about 85kgs and have changed the front springs to 0.95 springs and they feel so much better after a tuneup. (i felt jittering on the front previously at high speeds on the stock springs. Nv give me any confidence at all).

Just springs upgrades should suffice as the front forks are fully adjustable (which is basically a front cart.)

If you are getting the ohlins rear. Please get it with a correct weighted spring. Ohlins does not ask for any rider weight (at least in my country) and the correct spring costs an extra $3-$400.

Hope this helps with your decision.

 

[betoney]

6 hours ago, Clegg78 said:

So as the season winds down I am starting to look at bigger projects over the winter.  One of the things I am looking at is throwing the Ohlins YA 537 on the rear (since I want remote preload/comp/rebound tuning.)   It seems pretty straight forward and easy to buy and install.  I am doing some early planning on a 5000mi Denver - Anchorage AK trip next summer and want a lot of tuneability for load/road type. 

The forks have me confused.  I know most all FJ/Tracers don't have fully adjustable forks, but the GT does.   I need to jump the spring rate a bit to get the bike where I want it to haul my fat ass + gear.      I am not smart enough on these kind of forks/suspension on if I can just get the stronger spring installed  and use the native adjustments or if I need some kind of valve upgrade, or a full cartridge upgrade (KTech?).    Obviously I'd love to avoid another $800 purchase+ to upgrade a fork if the native setup is already pretty solid just needs better spring rate and valving to handle that spring. 

In searching the FJ Suspension forum, most of those posts are for the non GT folk so I am a tad confused on what the go-to people are doing for the GT. 

Just installing springs with the correct spring-rate for your weight will make a very noticeable difference.  I haven't ridden the GT so can't comment on the valving on the forks. 

On my previous FZ1, I thought the suspension (stock with upgraded springs) felt pretty good until I swapped bikes with a buddy who has an Aprilia Tuono with Ohlins suspension... OMG!!  life would never be the same. 😲

[Basket]

So what brand of springs are you using and where are you buying from? And are they straight rate or progressives rate springs? 

[betoney]

7 minutes ago, Basket said:

So what brand of springs are you using and where are you buying from? And are they straight rate or progressives rate springs? 

I have used both straight rate and progressive springs, the progressive springs were with stock valving and the straight rate springs have been with revalved suspension.  

IMHO, both will offer an improvement (much less fork dive under hard braking) over stock springs, unless you fall into the narrow window that the stock spring rate is designed for.  Progressive springs are softer in the initial part of the suspension travel but get 'progressively' firmer as they compress.  If the stock valving seems adequate to you then progressive springs might be all you need to improve the ride, if you were planning on custom built suspension, I would go for straight rate springs matched to the valving set-up. 

Several suspension centers I have talked to only recommend straight springs as they can't properly set up valving for a spring rate that constantly changes at different parts of the suspension travel. 

[johnmark101]

Suspension building is a bit of a black art which I never felt very comfortable with doing myself.  But then having someone else do it for you can get expensive.  

I spent for a full ride on the Tracer at Traxxion Dynamics.  Penske shock and AK-20's.  The results were excellent as expected.  However on my other bike (Ninja 1000) I had a basic rebuild done, with new springs and valves for much less money and the results were nearly as good!!!  They offer mail in service if you are comfortable with removing your forks and shock.  Consider giving them a call.  They will spend time with you on the phone discussing your needs and quoting prices and options.    

[PhotoAl]

I'm happy enough at the moment with my stock suspension - spent some time getting it dialed in, from best I can figure I'm on the borderline of needing new springs.  Preload is stock with maybe one more click in the front and two in the back, when I go on a trip with luggage will set it harder in the back and a little harder in the front.  Nice to have a bit of softness when on long rides and may hit unexpected rough pavement.   That is where I can see electronically adjustable being nice.  Agree with it being black art.  I think first step is proper springs and then new rear shock.

Nice to see what others have done and see what their results are.  I had a 2012 CBR600RR and a 2014 ZX6R 636 and had no problems with the suspension but they were stiff compared to the tracer - understandably so.  Not sure I'd want to ride them on a 5,000 mile trip even if I could strap everything on it.

The Ohlins or Penske stuff is nice though, think is ability to give a better quality ride - not as harsh over the small bumps but better on the bigger stuff would be nice.  

[Ddog gt]

When it comes to suspension tuning my advice is to always work with somebody local that you can talk to and they will listen to you and then tune your bike to the way you ride and  the way you load it. A good shop will work with you to get it right as their reputation depends on it . Sending components away to somebody in another state or another part of your state makes it very hard to tune over the telephone. Talk to the local riders about who is “the suspension guy” and then go talk to them about what you want and need.