Progressive Suspension fork springs. Do I have real ones?

Anyone familiar with these?

I'm just trying to find out if I've been burned buying a pair.

Shouldn't the progressive wind of the springs be very noticeable? The pair I have, one can barely notice a difference in the spring wind if any. Three of us were looking at the springs and could not tell if there was any progressive wind.

One end should have a noticeably tighter wind than the other correct?

I called Progressive and they said I should eb able to tell one end from the other. I called the place I bought them from and he says the difference in spring wind isn't really noticeable when looking at them.

Even looking at a pic of the springs (random pic, not necessarily from a Norton) on Progressive's website one can clearly notice one end of the spring having a tighter wind than the other end.

Am I being paranoid or did I in fact get sold a plain old pair of springs?

They did come in a Progressive box with sticker and instructions ect but they just don't look right.

WTF?

I just put those on my bike. Got 'em from Matt Rambow at CNW so I'm quite confident they're genuine. I didn't see a very noticeable difference in the windings from one end to the other. It looked a LITTLE tighter/denser at one end, so I stuck that end at the top to reduce unsprung weight (possibly at the cost of some added noise).

I also did progressives (actually, not that brand, but Race Techs) on my Ducati 900SS and the difference in windings from one end to the other was substantially more noticeable. - BrianK

BrianK said:

I just put those on my bike. Got 'em from Matt Rambow at CNW so I'm quite confident they're genuine. I didn't see a very noticeable difference in the windings from one end to the other. It looked a LITTLE tighter/denser at one end, so I stuck that end at the top to reduce unsprung weight (possibly at the cost of some added noise).

I also did progressives (actually, not that brand, but Race Techs) on my Ducati 900SS and the difference in windings from one end to the other was substantially more noticeable. - BrianK

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Thanks for the quick reply Brian.

Mine were not noticeable really at all. I actually had to convince myself one end was wound tighter than the other. I actually thought about calling Matt and asking him.

Was the box and instructions marked with the name Progressive Suspension?

Did you specifically ask for (or were they listed as) Progressive Suspension springs?

Or just progressive springs?

As progressive springs won't necessarily be manufactured by Progressive Suspension Inc.

RGM Motors sell progressive wound springs, and these are not made by the Progressive Company as far as I know:

http://www.rgmmotors.co.uk/items.asp?ca ... name=Front End
Photo of RGM's springs:
http://www.rgmmotors.co.uk/images/full/full_606b.JPG

These RGM fork springs are about half the price of the Progressive Co. type in the UK, I have a set in my Mk III and they work OK, if the Prog. Co. ones are similarly wound or work any better I've no idea.

L.A.B. said:

Was the box and instructions marked with the name Progressive Suspension?

Did you specifically ask for (or were they listed as) Progressive Suspension springs?

Or just progressive springs?

As progressive springs won't necessarily be manufactured by Progressive Suspension Inc.

RGM Motors sell progressive wound springs, and these are not made by the Progressive Company as far as I know:

http://www.rgmmotors.co.uk/items.asp?ca ... name=Front End
Photo of RGM's springs:
http://www.rgmmotors.co.uk/images/full/full_606b.JPG

These RGM fork springs are about half the price of the Progressive Co. type in the UK, I have a set in my Mk III and they work OK, if the Prog. Co. ones are similarly wound or work any better I've no idea.

Click to expand...

Yes, they are Progressive Suspension springs that came in a new Progressive labled box with paperwork and everything. That is what is stumping me. They literally do not look like a progressively wound spring.

I'm going to measure the coils with a caliper after work as that is the only way to tell since you can't just by looking at them.

Here a picture of the new and old side by side. Top ones stock. http://tinyurl.com/38krhr

easy way to tell is the progressives are a bit longer than stock (about an inch more or less I believe)

mikegray660 said:

easy way to tell is the progressives are a bit longer than stock (about an inch more or less I believe)

Click to expand...

I did the fork rebuild at a friend's and left the old springs there for his parts bin so I'll have to bring one of new springs over to compare.

It seems in the pic someone posted a link to, one can easily notice the tighter wind at one end. I need to get to the bottom of this. Maybe I'm being paranoid but for some reason I think I got stock springs in a Progressive labled box.

I've had a pair of Progressive Suspension springs fitted to my Commando for years. They have a slighty smaller wire section and are progressivley wound ie the coils are closer wound on one end. Can't remember if they were longer or not. don't think they were??

I've just found the instructions for them titled "Street Fork Spring" and in step 3 is written "install the spring with the close wound end towards the bottom" it goes on to say that the springs can be installed any way round etc.

Looks like you've been done, unless they are race springs that aren't progressively wound :? Have a look on www.progressivesuspension.com it might help

Cash

Hi,

I have a set of RGM progressive type springs in my Norvil Rep, these are noticeably different at each end. The tighter coils fit at the top of forks & they work very well.

cash said:

I've had a pair of Progressive Suspension springs fitted to my Commando for years. They have a slighty smaller wire section and are progressivley wound ie the coils are closer wound on one end. Can't remember if they were longer or not. don't think they were??

I've just found the instructions for them titled "Street Fork Spring" and in step 3 is written "install the spring with the close wound end towards the bottom" it goes on to say that the springs can be installed any way round etc.

Looks like you've been done, unless they are race springs that aren't progressively wound :? Have a look on www.progressivesuspension.com it might help

Cash

Click to expand...

I've seen the RGM ones and the spring wire is noticeable tighter wound at one and and thicker than the Progressives.

I also checked online on the Progressive site and the spring winding in the pic is noticeable too. The link that NORBSA48503 posted, it seems the winding is not too drastic at one ned but you can clearly see where the winding gets tighter.

mikegray660 said:

easy way to tell is the progressives are a bit longer than stock (about an inch more or less I believe)

Click to expand...

The "P(p)rogressives" I purchased on Ebay were nearly one inch longer than my stock springs. I merely assumed they were the real deal. I never thought - owing to inexperience - the word might be used in the pure adjective sense (though it makes sense) --just thought it was a company trade name for a reputable spring company that so many here and elsewhere have sung myriad praises. I'll stay in touch with the thread.

wrench

wrench said:

mikegray660 said:

easy way to tell is the progressives are a bit longer than stock (about an inch more or less I believe)

Click to expand...

The "P(p)rogressives" I purchased on Ebay were nearly one inch longer than my stock springs. I merely assumed they were the real deal. I never thought - owing to inexperience - the word might be used in the pure adjective sense (though it makes sense) --just thought it was a company trade name for a reputable spring company that so many here and elsewhere have sung myriad praises. I'll stay in touch with the thread.

wrench

Click to expand...

Wrench, anyone can make progressive wound springs, but there is only one company called Progressive Suspension.

I bought actual (maybe not) Progressive Suspension branded springs but I am thinking I got had and were merely sent stock Commando springs.

There's a pair of Progressive Suspension springs on UK eBay at the moment, and they do seem to have close wound coils.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NORTON-Commando-P ... dZViewItem