I just finished a year long damper modification project. The result seems to be simple. Comfortable suspension (meaning a soft ride) is opposite of high performance suspension. If you want quick reacting precise suspension, it won't give you a soft ride. If you want soft and smooth riding suspension, it will feel ponderous and feel less nimble than a race track type suspension.
WTBS, you can slide up or down the scale to adjust your trade offs, but that requires the proper springs for where you want to be on the scale along with adjustable dampers Most people who are riding sport bikes aggressively give up a bit of softness for better handling performance, and most road riders don't want or need exceptionally precise handling so they are more satisfied with a smooth, soft riding bike.
Simple old roadholders are perfectly fine for the average road bike if they are well set up with the proper viscosity oil if you want a soft smooth ride. If you start riding aggressively they feel a little ponderous compared to a higher performance suspension, but the majority of us aren't racing our bikes through the twisties so a soft smooth ride works for the majority of riders.
You can buy drop in damper cartridges for your commando. Landsdowne dampers are single circuit valving with rebound in one fork leg and compression in the other. IMO they might be ok for a racebike. They have external adjustments for rebound and compression. They don't have external spring preload adjustment, nor do they have shim stack dual circuit valves so you have to work those problems out with your local suspension expert
who you'll only find at a local race track...
Cosentino engineering makes a more roadworthy dual circuit drop in damper for commando which has externally adjustable compression and rebound in both fork legs. I'm not sure if their dampers have adjustable spring preload. I made dampers for myself which use the same showa cartridges as they use. I modified a fork cap nut with a preload adjuster to fit my commando forks so mine are fully externally adjustable. I think Cosentino forgo the externally visible controls in the fork cap so they comply with a vintage class race rule that outlaws visible adjusters (<<I could be wrong there)... but they do a trick cap cover that is removable to make adjustments and hides the rebound adjuster control.
The problem with forks is really spring rate. If you want fast reacting forks you need higher spring rates, and if you want a soft ride you need lower spring rates. I tested progressive springs and I didn't like them at all. The whole package of viscosity, spring rate, and damper orifice sizes need to work together. You get them all set to work together but with a progressive spring the rate changes once the softer rate part is compressed..... I found that they felt like no damping at first, then too much damping no matter where I set the damper settings. I eventually gave up on them in favor of single rate springs. Dampers can have externally adjustable orifices to change damping with a turn of the adjuster. Springs are an integral part of suspension and a pain in the ass to change (and test) I tested 5 springs. 4 single rate and one progressive. It's a pain in the ass to remove the dampers, switch the spring, reinstall and start testing different damper settings again and again.
I'm pretty certain I disassembled and reassembled my front forks 20 times and probably 10 times in April...
As far as the fauth modification, the threads I read on it was 90% one guy talking out his ass... so I'm not even sure what it is...
