[NErider999]

Looking at doing some suspension upgrades on my 06 999......currently has the Showa rear shock. Is it worth messing around putting a Racetech valve in the Showa or should I try and get a hold of a used Ohlins rear shock? I don't do any track days, just mildly aggressive street and touring, but I'm all about improving the functionality of my bikes even if I don't necessarily "need" to.

 

[Chuckracer]

Definitely. A properly installed RaceTech revalve is a wonderful thing. Properly valved and sprung for your weight vs. Something used...no brainer.

 

[NErider999]

Definitely. A properly installed RaceTech revalve is a wonderful thing. Properly valved and sprung for your weight vs. Something used...no brainer.

Cool.....I was just curious if a re-valved Showa would perform as well as getting an Ohlins and rebuilding it......the re-valve is definitely a lot cheaper and the Showa is already sprung for my weight.

 

[ducvet]

The valves in your 999 showa are already close to a gold valve, you can re-stack them but changing valves to gold in your form is a color change. This does not mean you cannot improve what you have. Start with checking sag to see if you have the right springs, then ask what you want changed with the valving. Ohlins are cool factor and in some cases a big benefit, most people find a well set up showa to be 90% of an ohlins and few can notice that last 10%.

My street monster has ohlins forks, my street supersport,monster,SS,ST or 851 would get gold valves. My track supersport has stock valves and my 748 has oem as well. I have a couple sets of ohlins hanging around here (no 999) so I have no reason to not put them on other than I simply do not find the need. .... well yet anyway.

 

[Chuckracer]

I thought the Racetech pistons flowed more/better than the stock pistons?

 

[ducvet]

There are different stock pistons depending on which fork/model bike. Outside of the 851/888 all super bikes have had a good valve that flows very similar to a gold valve so any gains will be with the shim stack more than the valve itself.

In the case of the 851/888, monster,supersport,ST series the valve design WAS poor and there is a very good benefit. Well worth changing if you have high speed damping issues. Keep in mind these valves are high speed damping , there is some benefit to low speed only if the low speed bleed is enlarged.

This is why some bikes do not benefit much from changing the part (valve) but could benefit from changing the stack.

 

[timmyho414]

Having rebuild my Sachs on my 748 and the Ohlins on my other bikes I'd go for the Ohlins. The Sachs (in a 748 at least) used a blader to hold the Nitrogen, Ohlins uses a floating separator piston. The rest of the parts inside are just nicer. It was made to be rebuild and services. The sachs, not so much. It's a price point part.
I've used RaceTech in the forks on my 01 Monster and the made a huge difference on the compression side, they did not do anything on the rebound. Not a huge deal but I would do it different next time.

 

[Thumper580]

Check out Traxxion Dynamics in GA. Had them revalve my front forks (I know not rear shock). The difference was amazing!!!! I really felt the front end was set up very well before, but WOW. Give them a call.

 

[Vifaatje]

Having played around with shock and fork internals I know a fair bit about them.
I've reshimmed the shock countless times and ended up sending it to Jamie Daugherty for a reshim. He has a shock Dyno and knows how the shock should behave.

I can tell you however that the standard piston looks like an Ohlins one and doesnt need to be changed out. Also the spring is more in need of a change then the shock itself. Just pop on a 85 N/mm2 spring on the stock showa and you will be happy. Or google Jamie Daugherty and send him your shock, weight, riding style and you get a correct spring and a serviced shock with personalized revalve and settings correct for your bike.

All for about a second hand ohlins unit that still needs another spring, service and revalve.

For the forks, no need for gold valves, since the standard showa 3-port pistons flow more then enough oil. I would try a C34 racetech stack and leave the rebound stack as it is.

Gr. Michel

 

[racer108]

Go for the gold!!

 

[Billy16]

I'll also vouch for Jamie, he does very good work and is very easy to work with.

 

[surffly]

Is this a DIY type of thing or something you need to send your shock out for?