Boxerworks.com

thank you all for the great replies and information. To answer, no, I have no handling issues I'm trying to solve. I ride hard and want a stiff suspension. My fork set up is quite good, no stiction as it is but I want to improve what I have. I get fork dive under hard braking. Living in San Francisco provides ample opportunity to brake hard whilst attempting to get out of the rat race. I want my wheels to stay firmly in the tarmac while I ride both for sport and touring. I use a slightly heavier fork oil and have experimented with volume to get the ride I want. Trial and error. The bottoming springs were an idea to help with the dive under hard braking. Emulators replace stock springs and add the cartridge to act like the more advanced systems. It looks like the best thing for me to do is try them, (the springs), and see if they work for me. If they don't it's another trial and error and I'll resell them. Now.......which is more important, sprung or unsprung weight? (in terms of improving handling and performance)

In terms of handling, the less unsprung weight the better, in terms of performance it makes no odds, weight is weight!

I have a feeling that emulators are snake oil.

Sounds like we do our motorcycling in different worlds Twist, and having seen "Bullitt" I can appreciate the need for good stoppers.
So I'm wondering if you are happy with your rear brake, or if it's performance could be improved to support the front brake more effectively.
The first thing I did to my RS, was to weld in a proper bush to hold the brake pedal spindle, the weedy bit of tube BMW put there is a weak link in an otherwise strong chain. At least they gave us a long lever on the pedal, and with an immoveable fulcrum, and a hefty boot, I find mine works fairly well.

Sunbeem.

twist wrote: I ride hard and want a stiff suspension.

The quickest way in Aus to stiffen up the front suspension is to hit a kangaroo.
I did take particular notice of how good a stiff stuck front end felt.

ME , I'm not sure about your front end, but I'm sure that hitting a Roo would loosen up my rear end!

Charles

Not easy but there is no better place to reduce weight than the wheels

Reduces unspring weight

Reduces overall weight

Reduces rotational inertia

....triple wammy Improves handling, acceleration and braking.

If you have snowflakewheels, going back to spoke will save lots of weight.

Major Softie wrote:Duane has told us before of how the name "progressive springs" bothers him. If I remember correctly, even "progressive wound" doesn't work for him. The problem is: I don't know what they should have been called instead.

Variably progressive?