I decided to get a little work done on the Swing at a small local bike shop. Had him install the HyperPro fork springs. What a difference! This is what Honda should spec at the factory.

I always used to get a big clunk when I hit the curb coming into the driveway. No more. I think the old springs spent half their time bottomed out. Turns also seem easier to handle - I can hold the turn easier than before. While I only put about 15 miles on the new springs, I think it is a big improvement.

BTW, when I called the local Honda shop, they wanted $123 PER LEG, for a total of $256. Seals were $17 each. I found the seals here

http://hondaparts-direct.com/fiche_select2.asp?category=SCOOTERS&make=HONDA&year=2003&fveh=3418

for $10 each, and paid the mechanic $70 to rebuild the fork.
I think I got a good deal - hopefully the legs won't fall off one day!

Phillip,

I agree with you totally about Honda putting these in as stock. I think if they would have done that then the SWing would be even a better seller for Honda. I have had mine at least 3 years now and it is night and day for me. I think that after a new windshield, which was mandatory for me, that the springs are the 2nd best mod to do.

It makes it feel more motorcycle like and really smooths things out and also helps take the twisties much better IMO. Congrats on the new springs.

Fully agree with the comments on Hyperpro springs they certainly improve the wing, and has been said Honda should have fitted these as standard.

Enjoy the riding.

Wal

The weather has taken a turn for the better this weekend, and temps were in the low 70's. Took a 128 mile ride with some biker bikers (I was only scooter) and loved the new feel of the fork.

I have only been riding for less than two years, coming up from a Chinese 150. When I struggled to maintain the line in a curve, I just thought it was my lack of skill. Now I know different. The mushy springs in the fork just won't let you hold a good line. I had no problems at all - felt like I was on rails.

If you have problems handling the bike, don't think it is you!

Phillip,

As I think I said earlier this would be the 2nd mod I would do if I haven't done any mods yet. I have to have a taller screen than the stock one but if I didn't need a new screen the springs would be my first mod. It really does improve the SWing so much and mine only cost about $155 and I forgot how much to install them but it wasn't all that much.

Thanks to all for the words of wisdom. I am also installing them next week. I will do the removal and installation of the forks. Looks easy enough now that I have read the shop manual. My local shop only charges about $ 80.00 to install the springs. Can't wait to feel the difference

I paid a total of $ 174.00 and bought them from EPM Performance Imports in NJ

Thank you for the tip. I will tell the shop about the spacers. That sounds like more hind-site from some one who knows what thay are talking about.
He assured me, he had done many shock replacements

Hi all! I new to this forum as I'm a new owner of a 05 Silverwing. I was hoping to get some help on the handling of my scoot. I took it for a spin today for the first time as notice some handling issue.

I like to ride the twisties so I took up the hills. I noticed in slow turns, it's pretty tight and stable. But when I hit the highspeed sweepers, the chassis seems to flex side to side quite a bit. Kinda nerve racking really.

Wondering if these Hyperpro springs will solve this issue. My scoot is bone stock by the way. Any feed back to help my scoot to handle better is greatly appreciated.

Tire pressure is set at 32psi and shock settings are factory. I'm 165lbs and it's seems to me like the suspension is mushing as in too soft.

How do you adjust the shocks?

To me, it seems like the frame is torsioning when it's flexing like that. It's just feels like it wants to go into a speed wobble (tank slapper). This only happens on an uneven high speed turn (60-70mph).

Anyone has this issue?

Just to clarify bigbird's point #2 -- you can't actually adjust the shocks; the five positions mentioned are for spring pre-load. That said, I always run on the stiffest setting (#5).

I am still happy with the HyperPros, with the exception that it makes the ride a little stiff at times. I just got back from a 4 day trip to Cherokee, NC. After riding the Dragon, as well as Highway 28, I felt the handling is better than stock. If all I did was putter around town at moderate speeds, I would prefer the stock set-up.

The stock ride felt balanced if the rear spring preload was set to 2 or 3. Balanced, but rather mushy, which is fine for around town and lower speeds. Jacking the rear preload to 4 or 5 gave a stiff ride in the rear (and jolts to the spine), with a mushy front end. With the new springs and the rear preload set to 3, the bike feels balanced. Firmer than stock, but very balanced front to rear.

I believe that, if you like to ride aggressively, you will eventually end up with replacement springs. They won't make the scoot a sport bike, but they help a lot.

Thank you all for the wonderful advices. I will go through the settings and adjustments and hope it feels better. I will definitely check the frame for sure. Most likely will do the longer spacers in the forks to firm up the front a bit to see how that is before forking out the bread for the hyperpro.

You guys rock! Now for the tear down.

I replaced my springs with hyperpro's too. Just finished it yesterday. So far I'm noticing an improvement on my very rough, rocky, bumpy dirt road. The Swing takes these bumps more in stride. On the pavement I can't say I'm experiencing a radical difference. Maybe it's just subtle and will take me a while of riding to recognize it. Maybe the ride seems smoother, balancing out the rougher/harder ride that I've been experiencing since raising the air pressure in my front tire.

As far as the actual job goes, here's what I learned: 1) I don't think an impact wrench is necessary, as some folks have said it is. I did use a 12 volt one to remove the fork cap, but I think it could have been done by hand. Putting the cap back on at the I did by hand with no problem. I didn't find the pressure from the new springs to present any real difficulty.

Here's a nice trick that my friend/helper-that-I-thought-I-needed (based on much of what I read about this job) came up with to eliminate the risk of injury or cap loss from a flying fork cap upon removal: put the top of the fork, along with your hand and wrench into a cloth grocery bag, and unscrew it. The cap will pop off into the bag, and not into your face, for example. It worked like a charm for me.

2) This can be a one person job. It could be a two person job too, but not necessary. Just depends on what you're comfortable with.

3) If you're gonna be replacing your fork seals at this time, you'll need a "special tool" to seat the seals in the inner tube. My special tool turned out to be a length (about 10") of standard 1 1/2" schedule 40 pvc pipe.
I had a scooter mechanic tell me that he didn't want to do this job because Honda required a special $700 tool to do it with. HUH!??? This
high tech tool cost me about $3 at Lowes. It fits snuggly over the inner tube so there's no wobble, and sits very nicely on top of the oil seal. A few taps with a rubber mallet and voila! The seal is seated and its retainer ring can be installed very simply.

Since this job is fresh in my body/mind, and I'd never done it before, let me know if you have any questions about it. I'm happy to share my experience in more detail if needed.

Good description and very good tips.

Matthew,

What pieces of tupperware (and anything else) need to be removed to get access to the fork caps? That's the part that bothers me the most about doing this DIY. Do the forks need to come off the bike?

Have the manual... Not the socket. Thinking about doing this in the fall, as it is WAY too hot to tackle this outside (my only choice) in the summer. Thanks for the information!

Hey Gary,

I removed the front fender - easy to do, and the front wheel - a little less easy but not too hard either. Then the brake caliper is removed from the left fork by removing two bolts (and a third little screw that holds the brake lines in place).
I don't know how one could do this job without taking the forks off the bike. To do that you need to loosen - not remove - 4 crimp bolts (2 for each fork) near the tops of the forks, and then slide the forks out. Loosening the bolts may require a little effort. I put a 14mm box wrench on the bolt and then hit the other end of it with a hammer - gingerly- to loosen them. Then they can be unscrewed with the wrench easily enough.

I think in order to access the caps with the forks still on the bike you'd need to remove all the front end tupperware down to the frame. Something I didn't want to do.

It is next to impossible to loosen the fork caps with the forks still installed on the bike. A socket and ratchet will not fit over the top of the fork tubes. An open end or even box wrench will slip over the caps and round them in short order. You really need to remove the fork tubes in order to invert them and pump out the old oil.
So yes , Gary, the forks have to come off the bike.

On Feb 15, 2011 I checked with the local Honda shop in Charlotte about the spring replacement. They wanted $123 PER LEG ($256 total) plus $17 each for the seal.

My independent mechanic charged me about $70 before a discount for cash payment. If I had not found the independent mechanic, I would have done the job myself. No way was I going to pay that much!

Add me to the list of happy Hyperpro Spring ownerss. Picked up my SW today from dealer 600 mi service and spring instaltion, took ma little ride and the front forks are now GREAT!

thanks
Bob