are these the closed cartridge forks like the ones found on painigale base models equipped with marzocchis?
Anyway. Sag numbers?

 

Yes they are beefy 50mm forks with closed cartridges, complete with adjustable compression and rebound damping in both forks.

Sag numbers:
Static 3 to 5 mm
Rider 10 to 13 mm

Good pace on a local 60 mile winding loop with a good 6 mile rutted section. Total travel used only 65mm, I also needed less compression and rebound damping. My v4 tuono on a similiar road uses a little over 80 mm typically and I do not get hammer by the dips and ruts.

If my proposed changes are in the right direction and I still need less spring I may try shortenting the spacers in both fork cartridges. If that does not help I will see what springs are available. But first, I need to identify what I have. The rear shock seems to be working well at the moment. I will focus on that more once I get the forks to behave.

Thank you for trying to help.
Mike

 

Oil viscosity isn't going to fix your issue. Cutting down the spacers isn't going to fix your issue. Target sag should be around 35-40mm front and rear for starters. You need to get the sag in the ballpark and then your damping will function as designed. If you already have all the preload backed out on both ends and your sag is as stated, you need springs. Spacers are there so that the springs in the forks have adequate preload so the suspension will work throughout it's full travel. If you cut them all you do is drop the bike and the forks only operate at the bottom of the stroke. The valving is designed to utilize the prescribed viscosity of oil. Going lighter will not fix the problem. You can ignore this and cut your spacers and throw in lighter oil but it won't fix the overwhelming spring situation

 

I had a similar issue with my Z H2 fork. Sag in the ball park (barely) but the damping just wasn't right. Drained and put in the same volume Red Line 2.5. Plush and controllable. Did the same with my SFV4. A cheap and easy first step. Went the other way with my CRF230L: 20wt.

With the sag okay, doesn't always guarantee that the damping will suit one.

In the old days before fancy forks, external adjusters eg, (60s/70s), that's how I tuned my front ends; experimenting with viscosity/brand/oil height. And all I could afford.

You would probably end up benefiting from springs as posted above, but no harm in trying a different oil first.

 

I had a similar issue with my Z H2 fork. Sag in the ball park (barely) but...

You would probably end up benefiting from springs as posted above, but no harm in trying a different oil first.

He's not close to the ballpark sag-wise, far from it.

Listen to duczilla and buy springs first, it's cheap and will be effective.

 

You are correct, sir.

He can still thereafter experiment with fork oil viscosity. No guarantee after getting the correct springs (sag), that the damping will suit.