Race Tech or Ohlins Springse don

[BanditKing]

I'm lookin got upgrade the springs in my forks. I'm 195-200 lbs without gear.

According to racetech, I should have .95 kg/mm springs for street and 1.00 kg/mm springs for track.

I'll probably do a LOT more street than track riding on the busa, but has anyone set up their busa for track riding (i.e. the heavier spring)? How is it on public roads, and twistie public roads. Too firm?

And do the valves have to be replaced with the gold valve kit? What does the valve kit really do?

 

[GIXERHP]

.95, for street use, the 1.0 will beat you up on the sreet!

 

[In10SS]

Splitting hairs here. It'd be tough to tell the difference back to back unless the .95 was almost too much and the 1.0 was too much. I've setup several bikes based on their spring recommendations for street riding and been happy. If you're 210 lbs in gear, I don't believe the 1.0 is too stiff, though. Make the call based on your riding needs, but I don't think you'll be far off either way.

 

[HillbillyTom]

I weigh 185, and am what I guess you could call an "aggresive" street rider in twisties. Put .95s in, 4 lines of pre-load with if I remember right 8 clicks out compression (1 click less than the manual says for baseline) and 3 rebound (one more). It doesn't have as much dive under braking as stock, isn't disturbed by mid corner bumps as much (still a little more than I would like though) and has a good feedback feel overall. With my 10-15 lbs less weight 1.00kg I think would have been too stiff for my use, but the slightly heavier springs may be more the ticket in your case.
Since the nearest track is 250 miles away, trackdays are sadly out of the question and I couldn't really find any complaints with the stock stuff, so I opted to pass on the Gold Valves.
Hope some of this helps.

 

[Mrs.Rubber2Burn]

I would get intouch with a person who does suspensions and get there recommendation

 

[Mr Bogus]

I would lean towards the softer more compliant spring myself... (unless you just really do a lot of aggressive riding or ride 2 up very often)

I am running 1.10 and gold valves myself and the valves allow you to do a better job of tuning the rebound/damping than the stock stuff.. Are the valves really needed? perhaps not but I can say they provide adjustment you can "tell" a difference with.. Where I was either too tight or too loose with the stock valves, the Gold valves had a "in between"

 

[quizesilver]

how about stock suspension with gold valve or ohlins?

 

[BanditKing]

how about stock suspension with gold valve or ohlins?

you mean ohlins springs or forks?
ohlins doesn't make a valve kit, do they?

 

[Vic_E55_2001]

I would lean towards the softer more compliant spring myself... (unless you just really do a lot of aggressive riding or ride 2 up very often)

I am running 1.10 and gold valves myself and the valves allow you to do a better job of tuning the rebound/damping than the stock stuff.. Are the valves really needed? perhaps not but I can say they provide adjustment you can "tell" a difference with.. Where I was either too tight or too loose with the stock valves, the Gold valves had a "in between"

R u saying you can feel the difference between 6 or 7 clicks out on stock forks?

I call

on that. OR something really wrong with your stock valves.



I`m running 1.10 and 4 clicks out on rebound and 3 on compression. 10W synth oil.
265 LB geared up.

 

[quizesilver]

how about stock suspension with gold valve or ohlins?

you mean ohlins springs or forks?
ohlins doesn't make a valve kit, do they?

apology

i mean our stock rear shock to have a racetech gold valve

and compare to ohlins rear.
how does it measure vs the costing.

 

[BanditKing]

okay, so after the Gap, I took the plunge and decided to firm the suspension up on the Busa.

According to RaceTech, for my weight, I went with 0.95kg/mm springs up front and a 14 kg/mm spring in the rear. I was willing to sacrifice the plush ride the Busa offered for better/faster handling.

On smooth pavement, the bike is now WAY more responsive and nimble.

I did notice however that over pavement that "undulates" (like gentle waves, not like ridges or bumps), there is a tendency for the forks to compress on the way up and then spring me up as I approach the crest and go over it (feels like bouncing on a pogo stick). This has caused the bike to become unsettled at speed particularly when one pavement "wave" comes after another in quick succession (like on the Gardiner), and especially if the bike is leaned over. (it feels like i'm smacking into the next wave)

I've been meaning to adjust the fork settings (more rebound and compression damping) but haven't gotten around to it yet.

Yesterday though, on a ride through some twistie back roads I noticed that over some of the rougher stuff (patched/cracked pavement, tire ruts) in some of the corners the bike really became unsettled to the point were i thought i'd lose the front end it was bouncing so much. A friend behind me even commented that he could see that I was getting bounced around. It completely made me lose confidence in the corners.

So if I set the damping higher will the handling be worse on the rough stuff?

What possible options do I have?
Heavier oil?
Less preload (I don't know if this is possible yet)?
Increase rebound damping, decrease compression damping?
Increase both rebound and compression damping (I get the feeling this won't help on rougher roads)

 

[quizesilver]

too much bouncing
need to increasing damping

check this out.
Setting up your bike
http://www.moto-racing.co.uk/Guides/motorcycleSuspensionSetup.htm << i refer to this too

gd luck

 

[BanditKing]

just a PSA:

Have your suspension modified by a professional suspension expert. It turns out even expert mechanics can in fact know absolutely nothing of how to set up a suspension.

Although RaceTech recommended .95 fork springs, all my mechanic said to me when I complained about the stiffness of the ride was that happens on a stiffer spring and I needed to increase damping (both compression and rebound to match them). Well, I kept increasing until I was practically dialed right in to full in and I almost crashed because it was WAY too stiff.

The "bounce" wasn't from the suspension in need of more dampening, it was from the tire itself because with compression and rebound dialed almost all the way in, the suspension was hydraulically "locked". It was stiff to the point of being useless.

I've now dialed everything to much less damping, and find the ride much more manageable. I haven't taken it in yet to get professionally set-up, but it is the next thing to do on my to-do list.

 

[Salty]

I just installed some Race Tech Springs, with a true Race Fork Oil...I am 6"1 220lbs in full gear...I installed 1.1kg springs...I had my SAG professionally adjusted as well as my compression and rebound adjusted...

Springs are very adjustable for a reason...their is no 100% setting that is universal...you will have to find a good starting point (Good recomendation to see a professional) then modify the adjustments from there until it feels comfortable for you...

Good Luck...

 

[Hayabusa2005]

I would lean towards the softer more compliant spring myself... (unless you just really do a lot of aggressive riding or ride 2 up very often)

I am running 1.10 and gold valves myself and the valves allow you to do a better job of tuning the rebound/damping than the stock stuff.. Are the valves really needed? perhaps not but I can say they provide adjustment you can "tell" a difference with.. Where I was either too tight or too loose with the stock valves, the Gold valves had a "in between"

Agree!

 

[pico600]

i´ve fitted for a week ohlins 10% harder than stock springs
i weight 98 kg and 190 cm tall and the bike goes great , much better than stock