[LaGrasta]

I have the bike sitting where I want, but to do so, the fork tubes are pushed through the triple trees by about 8 inches (I've not actually measured). I know people machine forks, but I'm not sure where to start. Maybe I just replace them with new shorter forks that fit these trees. Any advice, links, etc

?

 

[LaGrasta]

I just found this,

 

[LaGrasta]

well, that didn't help as it only reviewed cutting the internals, not the actual fork tube.

edit: this video is actually what I needed. No tube cutting, just the internals.

 

[reclinedrelic]

Perhaps send them here; https://franksforks.com/HONDA FORK-TUBES.html

 

[murrayf]

i dont see any way you can shorten the forks by 8 inches on a gl500 and live to tell the tale
how much room do you have between the fneder and the lower brace at your intended ride height?

 

[LaGrasta]

Well, I learned a lot since posting this thread this morning. I guess it's not cutting the tubes, it's having the tubes sit deeper into the forks. I need to alter internals, springs and spacers.
I think I already knew this but forgot.

 

[mtreis86]

Problem is, with that rake, you'll end up punching the radiator with the tire or fender.

 

[reclinedrelic]

the fork tubes are pushed through the triple trees by about 8 inches (I've not actually measured)

I suspect that on measuring, the actual amount that the fork tubes are pushed through the triple trees, will be much less than eight inches.

 

[Ptelpri91]

Hey! Got a bit of first hand info here for ya if you want it...

I used to have the forks of my gl500 poking out by 1'4 inches because it look way cooler, I mean, with all of those insta-cafe racers is hard to ignore how good does our bike look like when messed with.

Went on a speed bump a bit too fast. Triple tree did a wonderful job digging into my front fender and bitting my tyre. Front brake lines and T connector of course dead. Triple tree took damage. Somehow I didn't bend the forks (that I can tell) but headlight lens snapped, all gauges broken, all fuses blown as a result of my spot lights relay smashing against my coils...and I myself somehow didn't fly off the bike. But my helmet did hit the handlebar, breaking the visor and cutting me, my neck had two very sore knots for about 5 weeks, and my back is still sore after 2 months. Im forgetting other stuff I had to repair...but yeah, there was more.

So in brief...for the love of God, don't shorten your forks that much. Specially don't do it yourself unless you know what's up.

Take em to a mechanic. They know how to shorten the springs (might want to look into how much a set of progressive springs are...as if yours are stock they're probably as good as butter by now) and add spacers, pre load and whatnot so they accomplish the following:
1. Shorten your forks by let's say to be on the safe 1 inch.
2. Make sure they're nice and hard so you don't end up in hospital when they depress deeper than the clearance actually have.
3. Make sure the rebound is not affected and you're still having a not so important comfortable ride but most importantly, safe ride. 4. Above everything else, they can advise you how changing the angle of your bike WILL affect its stability and put you in danger.

This all sounds terribly condescending but mate honestly I'm only trying to spare you from my own mistakes...

 

[jlbutler81]

Hey! Got a bit of first hand info here for ya if you want it...

I used to have the forks of my gl500 poking out by 1'4 inches because it look way cooler

ONE FOOT and FOUR Inches? I want to see that >.<

 

[Ptelpri91]

How is your


ONE FOOT and FOUR Inches? I want to see that >.<

Yeah cheers for the correction 🤣 truth is on this side of the river we use the metric system just for the sake of making sense. Imperial as far as I'm concerned is as obsolete as the Empire itself. So yeah just sort of an inch and a half. But whatever who cares anyway a foot and four inches would look pretty cool in all fairness

 

[muzza]

If you could drop the forks a foot and four inches the sump would drag on the ground..... If you want "shorter" front suspension beyond the 1.25 inch of so thats safe with the stock forks , buy a modern front end that fits your measurements.Your rider safety far outweighs any sense of looking cool and dying for it

 

[LaGrasta]

I simply love this site, thank you all for your comments. I will head the advice Ptelpri91, truly.

I guess I need to figure out how to get the look I want, even if compromising the ride a bit, but certainly without being unsafe to ride.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Remember: If form follows function it will always look right and work right but if function follows form it will almost never work right or look right.

 

[sacruickshank]

As a data point, I lowered the front end on my otherwise stock GL500 by about 1cm or 1/2" by sliding the tubes through the triple tree, measured using the factory engraved line in the tube. That was about as far as I wanted to go to confidently avoid the fender hitting the radiator screen at full compression. Plus the GL forks sit above the triple tree by default, so you get a little of the cool cafe look even at the standard settings.

I also have a slightly longer then normal rear shock, so the steering is a little steeper than normal from both suspension mods, but handling still fine.

 

[ChopperCharles]

First of all, you're not going to get a 4 inch drop, much less an 8 inch drop, by messing with the internals of the fork.

The proper way to lower the bike an inch (without sliding the tubes up in the tree) is to put a PVC spacer between the damping rod and top-out spring inside the fork tube, and then cut an inch off of any spring or spacer at the top of the forks. You can probably get away with two inches that way. But do note that this inch or two is removed from your front suspension travel. Gone, can't have it back.

So the better option would be to find some shorter forks.

Charles.

 

[murrayf]

by the way that engraved line is not the top line on the top tree it is the bottom alignment line so you have actually dropped the front 1.5 or the safe max
the top of the tube not the cap the chrome tube is flush with the top of the triple tree or just slightly protruding like less that a 1mm when its from the factory

 

[Sidecar Bob]

 

[jlbutler81]

murryf vs fsm

My CX650 and CB750 are flush, I'm curious what's with the CX500s. All of them I've seen are flush, I wonder if people over the years just put them flush because almost all bikes are.

 

[richnct]

Possibly the logic of the fsm groove alignment spec is that it permits fine tuning the steering BOTH up and down. Raising the bridge rakes the steering a little improving the cruising stability, lowering the bridge quickens the steering and makes it a little more aggressive or sporty. The front and rear shocks, the rear brake pedal, the handlebars and even the clutch engagement permit fine tuning as well. Even though the fsm likely gives “a starting point” specification.