'96 Skorpion Sport track bike - fork upgrade/setup

[ZzerO]

hi

i'm planning to install stiffer springs into my skorpion, but i was wondering if i could do something else to my fork, without buying something for it. the holes that you guys drilled, is it possible to do this to a stock fork, or do i need race tech emulators to do this?? i wanna make the fork better, but i dont wanna buy the race tech valves etc. is this possible, and what should i do then?

greetz

[hb7]

Change the oil to a 15 or 20 viscosity. You will feel a difference.

[ZzerO]

hmm ok, but drilling holes like you guys did isnt a good idea then?

and what about oil level? add a little more oil? and how much then??

[hb7]

Drilling the dampers is only done *IF* you are installing
cartridge emulators....

Emulators are for when you are convinced that you want
low speed and high speed damping action....

Change the oil , change the springs are good starting points.
Skorp oil level is ~140mm below the rim, fork extended from the top, you need both sides the same.

[ZzerO]

ok, i've ordered progressive wp springs for in the front, now, should i use 15w or 20w oil?? and the 140 mm level below the rim, is this the standard size, or the one you guys recommend??


i'm gonna use my skorpion on the street as well as on the circuit....

[pwillikers]

The stock fork springs are ok for a light rider - someone less than 160 lbs. My Skorp came from the previous owner with heavier springs which is fine because I weigh 185. The stock forks have very little rebound damping, so to rectify that, you would want to reduce the size of the rebound damping holes in the damper rods, hence the practice of brazing them shut and drilling smaller holes as in the pictures in this thread.

To gain better control of compression damping, newer forks have high speed and low speed (speed of suspension movement) damping circuits. High speed damping is for when you hit an object that causes rapid (high speed) suspension movement, severe bumps for example. Low speed damping is for slower, more gradual suspension movement. The original Skorp forks have only "compression damping". Installing in Gold Valves in the original forks permits high and low speed compression damping to be controlled.

When you install the Gold Valves you must remove the original fork's compression damping, you do this by drilling out the small compression damping holes in the damper rods to quite large holes allowing the fork fluid to flow freely through them. The Gold Valves now entirely control the compression damping. To restate, you drill the compression damping holes in the damper rods ONLY if you install Gold Valves (by the way, Gold Valves come with good instructions for drilling etc).

The modification of brazing shut and drilling smaller rebound holes can be done independent of the installation of Gold Valves. However, you should have someone who has experience assess whether your forks have adequate rebound damping and need this modification at all.

As mentioned, my experience with the stock forks is that they have inadequate rebound damping and therefore I'd recommend you use 20wt oil, (especially if you're going to install heavier springs). This will of course increase your compression damping as well.

[ZzerO]

i've overlooked your post, sry bout that

i'm not planning to mount the gold valves, to expencive and i dont know if i can even get them here in belgium...

wont the 20w oil be to hard to ride, on the road? on circuit it wont matter, but i have to ride on the road as well, and belgium hasnt got the finest roads, so...

i, too, weight about 185 lbs( +-82kg) with leathers so the stiffer springs are a good investement. i'm gonna mount them next week probably..

about oil level, 140 mm, is this with the springs in the forks??? and is this the original distance or the one you guys advise???

thanks for the usefull reply's