Progressive or regular front springs?

[vmfpg]

Hi

As the OEM springs are made for Japonese guys, I replaced both OEM springs by a kit of Hyperpro for my weight (110Kg), in my Honda dealer. They advised me to use progressive springs on the Tourer and those are the ones I have now.

The bike became a lot better but far from perfect, specially in the front. As so, I went to a specialized suspension shop (I guess I should have done that right from the beggining...) and they told me that the progressive springs are the worst thing anyone can do on a motorbike (they actually told me that Ohlins doesn't even have that kind of springs). I am going to leave my bike there in a week to do a maintenance on the suspensions and then they will tell me their final verdict, but will maintain their idea about progressive springs, for sure...

In the mean time, I would like to know if anyone has an opinion about it; should I keep the progressive springs or should I change them by some normal ones?

Thanks in advance.

[mzflorida]

I have the Hyperpro springs also. Like you, I agree they are an improvement over stock.  I'm going to preface this with my opinion that suspension is a dark art.  Linear springs are far more predictable in performance as the rate remains the same throughout the stroke.  Progressive springs change rates throughout the stroke.  But progressive springs provide a much more comfortable ride in theory.  I'm just a hobbiest but I disagree that one or the other is the worst thing you can do. Each one is just different.  I think cartridges, stiction in the tubes, fluid weight, quality of cartridges all work together to achieve the end result.  Summarizing, neither is better just different.  Again, I'm by no means an expert.  Keep them.  They're cheap.  Change them after you have time to really evaluate them.

[Max2007]

I have progrssive hyperpro springs and tractive shock with liner springs in the rear!
I was totaly unhappy with the  OEM suspension and i started with only Hyperpro progresive springs.
It was way better than OEM but far from good!
Front was better than rear. OEM shock is not the best.
Than i decide to chanage rear shock, got Tractive set for my weight, chanage front fork seals (SKF - i had a lot of stiction in the forks. I would sit on the bike and rear would only suck, front would not move! Now front and rear go up and down.)
Now front is progressive and rear is linear, but the bike suspesion work way better than before!
I was thinking before to chanage the whole catrige in front forks but as time pass, and i got use to this set up i may high % leave it this way!!

[Jfro5867]

I'm a similar weight at 110kg however I get on well with the standard OEM set up and don't have a problem with it. I really quite like it TBH. It's on standard pre-load at the front and I have backed off the front damper 2 clicks (softer).  The rear is standard pre-load and again I have softened it just a touch.   The CT is a heavy bike and I don't want it pogo-ing about so prefer it taut to soggy. It seems to work very well above say 40mph when it becomes quite plush and holds a line really well IMHO. No bottoming out. At very slow speeds there is some harshness over crappy roads but it's very do-able. My last bike had Ohlins but it wasn't like night and day better, at all. Like has been said it's a very personal thing and probably depends upon managing expectations a bit too.

[__Ray__]

When someone says that some good product is the worse you can do and your product is the best than you failed completely as a salesperson by not believing in your product.
When you have a good product you should be able to sell it competing with other good products without talking sh#t about the competition.
I like Hyperpro but to bee real honest i have no experience with Ohlins or Wilbers and since i'm doing quit OK financially i'm not doing so well that i can spend Thousands of euro's on testing the different type's and brands.
If i could i would definitely not spend it at this shop because i never believe a salesmen who cannot pitch their product against quality  products.