So……I’ve noticed recently the front forks are starting to ‘patter’ a little, even over relatively slight road imperfections. On really poor surfaces, I’m getting properly shaken around!!
I don’t think it’s the dreaded steering head bearing issue, but it has got me thinking about the front forks, and the fact I’ve never done anything with them. Isn’t fork oil supposed to be changed every two years? Has anyone ever done this with their SCR……?!
My bike is coming up to 5-years-old (as they all are, I guess!!!
), so it could easily be said that it was about time…..
At the same time, I’ve been watching some Royal Enfield videos on YouTube, by a guy called Stuart Fillingham (don’t worry - I’m not getting one……). I watch them as they are generally good quality, interesting videos; he doesn’t live far from me (so I often recognise his routes); and he is amusingly bolshy.
Anyway, I recently watched a video of his where he installed a ‘YSS Fork Upgrade Kit’
It makes for interesting viewing, and he seems to be very pleased with the results. People installing them on other bikes seem impressed too.
Naturally, I assumed there wouldn’t be a kit for the SCR (aka “The Great Forgotten Motorcycle” TM), and nearly fell out my chair when I saw that there was!!:
View attachment 18284
£260 of your finest English Pounds:
View attachment 18285
From what I understand, the ‘valves’ (above, in black), go in the forks before the replacement (and progressive!) springs, and sit on the damper rod. They then better regulate oil flow and, in a way, ‘emulate’ cartridge forks. You also get fancy new, adjustable fork caps (silver, above), which will look very trick!
I’m a little concerned whether these new fancy caps will fit without fouling the underside of the bars, but fortunately theres a YSS dealer not 15 miles from me, so I toddled over there yesterday, and spoke to a lovely guy (shout out to Brook Suspension!!
You are being redirected... ) - they didn’t have an SCR kit in stock, predictably, but he opened up an Enfield kit for me, and we offered the caps up to the bike, and came to the conclusion they might
jjuusssstttt fit. Of course, if not, I could just get some slightly offset risers, so it’s not the end of the world anyway.
Incidentally, when the guy came out to the bike, and said how much he liked it(
), as well as the usual “I’ve never seen one in the metal before”, he also told me he had had another query from an SCR owner last week, but about someYSS rear shocks this time……anyone on here, I wonder??? They do look nice…..
View attachment 18286
So, I think I might go for the fork kit, and add it to the project list over winter (along with the seat). Of course, updates will be provided in due course, but if it doesn’t feel like Ducati semi-active Skyhook suspension afterwards, I will be
very disappointed!!
Comments, of course, are very welcome (and expected!!)
Ben
