Installation of Front Progressive Springs:
I replaced the front springs with the Progressive Spring Kit to improve handling and ride characteristics. It's a fairly simple job. I didn't want to take the forks, etc. off the bike so this is how I did it. Remove the cap on each fork carefully so it doesn't fly away on you. You need to get the front wheel off the ground first to relieve the pressure on the springs.
Pull out the stock spacer and springs.
This is the stock spacer.
These are the stock springs and stock spacers. The Progressive Springs are in the box.
You can do all this with the forks on the bike but you need to remove the old fork oil. I used a gravy syringe with an 18" piece of 3/8" clear hose to suck out the oil down to about 12" inside the fork or the top of the inner fork tube.
I then used a 3' piece of 1/4" copper tubing which fit inside the inner fork tube all the way to the bottom. Attach a 6' long 1/4" diameter piece of clear tube and suck until the clear hose is full. Dump it out and do this about half a dozen times and you'll get all the oil out.
Cut the new spacer as recommended in the instructions from 1" Schedule 40 PVC pipe.
Install as instructed and fill with the recommended volume of new oil. If you don't spill any, one bottle from the dealer is exactly enough. You'll need something like a broom stick to push on the cap to compress the spring so you can get the cap started. Torque it and you're ready to go. The new springs will make a big difference in the handling and ride.
Update: April 2003
I recently also installed the Progressive 412 rear shocks. I used the 11" ones which lowered the rear about 1-1/2". The shocks are a lot stiffer than the stocks but the ride sure improved and the lowered look and feel is great. The only drawback is now to remove the rear axle for a tire change, I need to move the upper V+H exhaust pipe out of the way or take off one of the shock mounting bolts. Getting the bike up onto the Larin lift is now also a little more difficult.
Before and after.