Ohlins vs New valves and forks?
- Thread starter ZeePopo
- Start date
for do it your selfers here ya go
https://www.hayabusa.org/forum/maintenance-do-yourself/89876-jinkster-attacks-suspension.html
https://www.hayabusa.org/forum/maintenance-do-yourself/89876-jinkster-attacks-suspension.html
So true had mine done by Hudson Valley Motorcycles in Ossining NY.They set the sag and everything and plus i had new tires on my 02 Busa it handles like a 1k!
he did a valve kit and spring on my b-king
combined with a elka 4 way shock the difference is incredible
far more comfort and control at any speed no just at full blast
big thumbs up to john at AT Ive had similar work done by Lindemann as well as traxxion and i would sat AT's work to be at the same level or superior
jtholley03
Registered
Huge difference with Ohlins or Elka and revalving the fronts. Haven't done it on the Busa yet but 929 and R1. You will notice a much smoother ride on the road!
I have Ohlins front and rear on my 2008 Busa. Before that I had my suspension modified by GP Suspension in Oregon City, Oregon. After having ridden with both setups and had some time to think I would say that the additional price might be hard to justify. Dave Hodges of GP Suspension is a genius and a dealer for Ohlins and Penske products. Sadly I have heard a rumour that he is no longer in business. I have not tried to contact him. However Dave was always a great resource, incredibly skilled and reasonable. I would not hesitate to put the question to him about what suits you best when you are considering an upgrade. There is the added "eye candy" aspect to the Ohlins that is also hard to assess vis-a-vis price. The Ohlins products are no doubt worth the price. The question remains " is it worth it to you?"
Both Tuf and I have rebuilt/resprung rear springs on our trackbikes from GP suspension.
Seriously, if you are only street riding your Busa, I'd have a hard time thinking you'd outrode your stock suspension. Although the heavier you get, the more you are asking of it. Have it tuned by a reputable tuner first and make sure the fork oil has been changed in the last 2 years. After that, it's all in the price you want to pay. I've been riding my Gixxer 1k for 3 years on the track, and I'm still not riding above it's limits. If I ever do, then I'd do internals; I just can't see spending THOUSANDS on full forks when I can't ride to the limits of what I have now.
Seriously, if you are only street riding your Busa, I'd have a hard time thinking you'd outrode your stock suspension. Although the heavier you get, the more you are asking of it. Have it tuned by a reputable tuner first and make sure the fork oil has been changed in the last 2 years. After that, it's all in the price you want to pay. I've been riding my Gixxer 1k for 3 years on the track, and I'm still not riding above it's limits. If I ever do, then I'd do internals; I just can't see spending THOUSANDS on full forks when I can't ride to the limits of what I have now.
If you want the best readily available suspension for your motorcycle , and have the necessary funds , then go for Ohlins . If you plan on long term Busa ownership , then I guess the expense is relatively more justifiable . If you weigh 250 lb ish , like I do , and you want your Busa to haul your ass around a track occasionally , and don't want an additional track bike , then Ohlins on the Busa could be a good decision . I have now set my new Ohlins suspension up to where I am very happy , the best my L2 has ever handled . In reality , the new set up is perhaps only marginally better than the previous set up ( Ohlins 30mm cartridges for GSXR1000 fitted up to Busa Gen2 fork and SU046 rear shock , all sprung and set up to my weight ) , but there is also a major gain from the close to 4kg weight reduction from fork swap over , very much aiding the Busa's flick-ability . Marginally better in this case though , is now what I can only describe as superb handling , certainly one of the very best handling motorcycles I have ever owned , and for that mater ever ridden .
There are very obviously cheaper paths to a great handling Busa , all have been examined and discussed on this forum , so plenty of choices to explore for suitable kit for your own application . Just one more thing , the L2 is now even more so , one very serious sweeping corner weapon . Definitely no small thanks to the Ohlins additions , personally no $ regrets there .
Cheers
There are very obviously cheaper paths to a great handling Busa , all have been examined and discussed on this forum , so plenty of choices to explore for suitable kit for your own application . Just one more thing , the L2 is now even more so , one very serious sweeping corner weapon . Definitely no small thanks to the Ohlins additions , personally no $ regrets there .
Cheers
Mythos
Registered
My 14 had a stock suspension that needed to be upgraded. I love my ohlies but they don't really let me go any faster. No more floaty feeling going into a corner but I still don't go any faster. The busa's stock suspension is good AFAIC and I'm close to 220 myself. If you have problems with it, I'd just go with internals. One real shortcoming of the Ohlins forks is that the fork tube is shaped in such a way that you can't lift the forks more than an eighth inch and that is really pushing disaster. The forks are not round all the way down so you would not want to clamp them where they flatten on the sides or you'd have a lot less contact with the clamps. At least that's how it is with the 14. They look awesome though.
Hi Mythos ,
Yes the torque recommended for Ohlins is the same as Busa factory for latest FGRT208 . The FGRT , not the best fork body for lowering the bike , but Brocks straps kit I think would work for Drag racing . There is a bloke in Eastern Australia that I know off who runs cut down Ohlins , do not know what variant Ohlins , but I 'd say his was a rare case (www.bikereview.com.au under custom bike review for some reason) . If you want to lower your bike , yes keep your standard front end , perhaps even fit up traction dynamics lowering set up . I had been running the standard Busa fork as mentioned in my previous post , and yes that was indeed very good , and certainly good enough , with some closed circuit track time running this set up . I personally chose to buy the latest Ohlins because I wanted the best I could afford , for my obsession , which is my L2 Busa . Certainly on the road my bike is definitely doing everything easier , and is handling my favorite roads better than ever . This luckily allows me even more choice to ride these roads fast or not , whatever I choose , which I like . My L2 will remain at this height for this set up , but if I ever want to drag it , I will refit a set of standard fork fitted with traction dynamics kit . Also my 250lb is bare ass , delivering me a great ride is good enough . Everything I mentioned is subjective , what ever gets your motor running I say . I would love to see pics of the 14 and your Busa sometime , thanks for sharing your thoughts on this subject .
Cheers
I like your take on customizing your streetbikes Mythos , they both look nicely kitted out , like you built them to ride hard . The 08 Busa , man I just love that hot rod orange , was looking hard for one ( rare in Australia ) low mileage at the time I scored my L2 . I remember when a mate took a borrowed 08 orange Busa to the drags soon after they first came out and ran a 9.5 , forget the mph , but stout time for streetbike with only R55 yoshi pipe . I also do like the zx14 's a lot , 2012 plus 1440cc are in my view desirable , making 189 ish at the wheel , what you would expect a factory Gen 2 Busa would of made if the same capacity . Where I live we are at around 30 ft above sea level , Mediterranean climate , and surrounded by hills so we have winding roads in at least 3 directions , from very tight to opening up the further you go , to some really outstanding open sweeper type corners . The last can invite really fast riding in places , go to jail speeds and bike squashed by the pigs for sure if caught . Good to have made contact with you , stay safe and enjoy those cycles bro .
Cheers
Cheers
Mythos
Registered
I believe Suzi would do the same as they did back in 08 and top the ZX-14 by a few hp and some more torque. There is probably not a lot of need to raise the bar way higher since the busa is already a more popular bike. After five years of Gen2 production, however, Kaw is probably positioned to top whatever the Gen3 Hayabusa engine will be. It's all a mute point really. Pick which ever is a better platform for turbo and you'll have the fastest bike as long you care to own it. Nobody is going to manufacture a bike with that much power.
Sounds like you have some excellent roads, Roadtoad. Always an honor to make friends with another Aussie!
Wheelies really can be set down softly, and there is no concern of fork damage or sliding in the clamps.
Even the seals can have a normal lifespan.
Practice!
The fork is held in place by the upper clamp but the lower clamp allows some movement in the legs. This is because when the bike is laid over the forces are more side to side than up and down the way the fork telescopes. Was told this but the Ohlins tech. Race teams vary the lower clamp torque to tune the bike for different tracks/riders. I like to chime in when I know something because it rarely happens!
Similar threads
