Jump to content

Revalve rear shock?


candybluzx6

Recommended Posts

agreed. the racetech pieces are nice, but for a few bucks more you could spring (pun intended!) for a nice aftermarket shock that has the right spring rate. personally, Elka's have never done me wrong on the racetrack, and have saved me quite a bit as compared to the big "O" or a penske. PM me for the name of a good Elka vendor. (or, if you do want an Ohlins, PM me for the name of a good vendor)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

seat time is king, my friend. if you are just getting started (in racing), then the shock upgrade and freshening the forks would be a good way to begin the season. no sense in upgrading until you are out-riding your current setup. others may disagree, but i've been racing for a while now, and wish I hadn't spent so much in my initial years.

jump on in, the water's fine!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My suggestion is to not go the Elka way. The elkas are a good track day shock and not really a race shock. They typically are undersprung and do not have the right valving. Buddy had one and had to spend something like $500 to get it to "race spec"...

Racetech? The stuff is OK, but the reality is that for a few hundred more, you can buy a MUCH better quality shock and be done with it, grow into it and excel with it. Now, the Racetech cartridges are getting some positive reviews and are being compared to the feel and workings of an Ohlins 25mm kit which is impossible to find easily.

Buy a used Penkse or Ohlins TTX and be done with it. Take it to Reuben and get it refreshed and you'll be golden. You can find a used Penske all day for $500-$700... Issue will be your brand and model of bike.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you played around with your adjustment ranges or kept track of suspension movement with a zip tie?

I ask because I didn't realize how much I was bottoming out my forks until I threw a zip tie on, cranked in preload and started turning up compression. Before making the adjustments, the way the front end collapsed and smacked bottom under braking on the front straight at PIRC was frightening. After it was not nearly as bad, but it would still bottom. The suspension made the decision for me about getting heavier fork springs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yea i called ruben and had my bike set up for me and i like it a lot. Bike feels great to me but just curious if there is more to be gained by after market since this stock set up is all i have rode. And forks havnt been serviced since i bought it new in 2010 ( left over 08 modle) so figured i would atleast refresh and re spring the front for this year

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My suggestion is to not go the Elka way. The elkas are a good track day shock and not really a race shock. They typically are undersprung and do not have the right valving. Buddy had one and had to spend something like $500 to get it to "race spec"...

Racetech? The stuff is OK, but the reality is that for a few hundred more, you can buy a MUCH better quality shock and be done with it, grow into it and excel with it. Now, the Racetech cartridges are getting some positive reviews and are being compared to the feel and workings of an Ohlins 25mm kit which is impossible to find easily.

Buy a used Penkse or Ohlins TTX and be done with it. Take it to Reuben and get it refreshed and you'll be golden. You can find a used Penske all day for $500-$700... Issue will be your brand and model of bike.

What do you think of the low end model penske? Parts are tuff to find for a 08 zx6r and when they do come up they are gone fast

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you played around with your adjustment ranges or kept track of suspension movement with a zip tie?

I ask because I didn't realize how much I was bottoming out my forks until I threw a zip tie on, cranked in preload and started turning up compression. Before making the adjustments, the way the front end collapsed and smacked bottom under braking on the front straight at PIRC was frightening. After it was not nearly as bad, but it would still bottom. The suspension made the decision for me about getting heavier fork springs.

If you are bottoming out and cranking in preload, you need suspension work. Springs are not just what you need. My suggestion would be and has been to have you get suspension work done properly. What I won't allow is poor info being spread to those guys like the OP who is asking legit questions and looking for answers and possibly falling into poor info and going down the wrong track...

Suspension needs to work well and work correctly. If you have to do the crank in the knobs to get it to feel better, you have issues. The zip tye or rubber o-ring idea is to see the travel being used and to understand the travel better. But, just looking isn't the solution. Some bikes have bump stops that limit the travel more than others, but the idea is to get the most use of the available travel of your suspension and yet it working correctly. The right springs, the right valving, right shim stacks and the right oil viscosity and level are all things that go into proper suspension setup. Springs alone are a mask for some other serious issues.

You can buy springs and band aide the issue and yes, spend less money. Or, you can get something like the GP Suspension cartridges and an entry level Penske and be good to go for years.

Proper suspension will net you far better results than any exhaust system, motor build or fancy bolt ons. ergonomics to get you where you need to be in terms of body position and suspension are things to focus on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do you think of the low end model penske? Parts are tuff to find for a 08 zx6r and when they do come up they are gone fast

The double clicker is great. Better than an Elka.

The idea needs to be equal work on both ends. Think of this - would you run a street tire on the front and a race compound on the rear to race with? Or a street rear and a race front? Point is that the front and rear need to work together to get the best balance. Cartridge or suspension work to the front and a stock rear with maybe a spring? Won't work well together. You'll band aide the rear to keep up with the front or vice versa if you do a rear shock and springs only up front.

Spend money now and get it done right. You'll be amazed.

Now, I will agree that if you are just starting, springs, proper oil and oil level and even new spacers to adjust tuning and a freshening rear of the shock and a spring can be a lot better than stock. To start out on and move up, but you will be limited. Tire wear, the ability for it to keep up with a track and then of course if you advance in ability...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are bottoming out and cranking in preload, you need suspension work. Springs are not just what you need. My suggestion would be and has been to have you get suspension work done properly. What I won't allow is poor info being spread to those guys like the OP who is asking legit questions and looking for answers and possibly falling into poor info and going down the wrong track...

Suspension needs to work well and work correctly. If you have to do the crank in the knobs to get it to feel better, you have issues. The zip tye or rubber o-ring idea is to see the travel being used and to understand the travel better. But, just looking isn't the solution. Some bikes have bump stops that limit the travel more than others, but the idea is to get the most use of the available travel of your suspension and yet it working correctly. The right springs, the right valving, right shim stacks and the right oil viscosity and level are all things that go into proper suspension setup. Springs alone are a mask for some other serious issues.

You can buy springs and band aide the issue and yes, spend less money. Or, you can get something like the GP Suspension cartridges and an entry level Penske and be good to go for years.

Proper suspension will net you far better results than any exhaust system, motor build or fancy bolt ons. ergonomics to get you where you need to be in terms of body position and suspension are things to focus on.

What you won't allow?

I asked a simple question, if he has felt out the adjustment range of his current suspension.

Poor info?

I gave a concise example because I didn't feel like typing out a bunch of words no one would bother to read because it gets into my own bike and is not the point of this thread.

You are making assumptions that you have no information to back up.

Springs are a band-aid.....you have to be shitting me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What you won't allow?

I asked a simple question, if he has felt out the adjustment range of his current suspension.

Poor info?

I gave a concise example because I didn't feel like typing out a bunch of words no one would bother to read because it gets into my own bike and is not the point of this thread.

You are making assumptions that you have no information to back up.

Springs are a band-aid.....you have to be shitting me.

And you've been racing how long? The point I was making was that yes, he needs to sort a setup. But, your info is very confusing to a new rider/racer. Springs are a band-aide when talking racing. Until you do a cartridge kit and a proper shock, you are doing band aide style stuff to your suspension. Same with the stock rear.

Stock stuff isn't good enough to race on with simply replacing the springs and oil. At a track day pace? Sure. Race pace? Not so much. Then, if you do the bare minimum based on budget which is fine, to feel it isn't a band aide is simply trying to justify what you did. The reality is that when you have the budget to do proper suspension, you SHOULD. Thus, your ability will increase and you will learn more vs fighting the bike.

You can say the new components on a bike are great and they are actually very good. But, they limit the pace that you'll need to be competitive. Limiting yourself will force pushing the limits. If you are an entry level racer, this can be a bad thing. Limits and possibly not having the reserve needed for when you get into situations can cause body to meet ground.

Of course, this is all just my lame opinion an you can do whatever your heart desires. I won't be on stock shit out on the track. I've done it and know the differences. Trust me when I say good setup and decent at worse suspension can make a world of difference in not only lap times, but your ability to ride/race more efficiently and effectively.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe ya brian ;) lol. I dont have much money to throw at the bike but when i get money it is going to suspension and not power parts cause i know that is not what is holding me back or os the suspension lol. I know i still have a ways to go and a lot to learn but want suspension dome before anything ( minus stuff to make the bike legal to race)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And you've been racing how long? The point I was making was that yes, he needs to sort a setup. But, your info is very confusing to a new rider/racer. Springs are a band-aide when talking racing. Until you do a cartridge kit and a proper shock, you are doing band aide style stuff to your suspension. Same with the stock rear.

Stock stuff isn't good enough to race on with simply replacing the springs and oil. At a track day pace? Sure. Race pace? Not so much. Then, if you do the bare minimum based on budget which is fine, to feel it isn't a band aide is simply trying to justify what you did. The reality is that when you have the budget to do proper suspension, you SHOULD. Thus, your ability will increase and you will learn more vs fighting the bike.

You can say the new components on a bike are great and they are actually very good. But, they limit the pace that you'll need to be competitive. Limiting yourself will force pushing the limits. If you are an entry level racer, this can be a bad thing. Limits and possibly not having the reserve needed for when you get into situations can cause body to meet ground.

Of course, this is all just my lame opinion an you can do whatever your heart desires. I won't be on stock shit out on the track. I've done it and know the differences. Trust me when I say good setup and decent at worse suspension can make a world of difference in not only lap times, but your ability to ride/race more efficiently and effectively.

My racing experience or lack thereof has no bearing when I suggested: observe and act on your observations.

Yes, I followed up with the spring example, but it was to reiterate the above; observe and act on your observations.

Why don't you quote and point out where I told anyone to band aid or half ass their suspension setup? Maybe I missed the part where I gave equipment suggestions and bad info.

I think your use of "band aid" is completely incorrect. Lets use my respringing as an example:

Temporarily cranking preload and compression dampening to compensate for bottoming is the band aid in this scenario, but what is the proper corrective action? Stiffer springs or adjust the spring spacer(I'd consider that a band aid, unless you are fine tuning).

What did I say my action was going to be? Stiffer springs.

Will it fix all my suspension issues? Doubtful, valving is going to be too soft judging from the brake dive, but I won't know for sure until I test the adjustment range with the new springs.

Will my choice to respring be beneficial? Hell yes, it will put the preload in range and allow me to make proper adjustments for sag allowing the valving to act over a longer stoke. So even if the valving is too soft, it will have more range to act on.

Is respringing a band aid? Hell no

Did I tell the OP to go get new springs? No, I asked if he has adjusted and observed his suspension.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...