[shawngibson]

I will have enough money left to replace one, but not both. My thinking is replace the rear and spring the front. I want the Marzocchi rear (http://www.bellissimoto.com/MarzocchiRearShocks.html - with the white spring and hopefully the babe...j/k) just by reading and the fact that it goes with my bike (yes, a dumb reason to buy suspension, but that's why I'm asking). I know the TTX is the shit, but I'm not a racer, though I do want to get better and better, back to my old self and beyond...while recognizing I'll never push this thing to the limits because I've spent too much money on it...I also don't want what everyone else has, but not at the expsnse of 80 percentile performance, if that makes sense...

Also, my main route is Lakeshore in Toronto, and it's very pothole ridden and bumpy but soooo nice and curvy and at 6am there's not a soul around. I REALLY want to get faster on that route. So...RAC=racetrack only or shitty Toronto street (Indy is on Lakeshore...)?

 

[mbevans]

Idea

Why not just send out your forks and shock for re-valving and possibly new springs, depending on your weight.
There are many quality companies out there that do great work and Will make your bike handle much better than stock.

OR, buy a used Ohlins shock on Flea-bay, and still rework your forks.
I have found for most street work and occasional track fun this works great.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[nine16]

Ebay for used Ohlins shock, then have both the shock and stock forks serviced and revalved/resprung for you personally. Should be able to do it all for about $1000.

 

[amullo]

Forks.. When you have confidence in the front you go faster. Most "downs" by streetriders is the front wheel washing out..

//amullo

 

[shawngibson]

Forks.. When you have confidence in the front you go faster. Most "downs" by streetriders is the front wheel washing out..

//amullo

Thanks everyone. My biggest problem for gaining more old confidence back is the fact that the streets are so crappy and my eye is more on the frigging potholes and manhole covers than on the end of the corner, and that really slows me down...obviously. I get going a bit when I'm familiar with the turf, but the bumps are a huge annoyance. What I don't get is they race Indy on Lakeshore...with the terrible roads, so SHOULD I be able to get the suspension to handle such a worst-case-scenario? Or should I just be finding other streets (on the drive into work, there aren't any...but I am definitely getting out of the city once the bike is fully-done).

So will excellent forks properly set up for me make a big difference in my day-to-day? Can I ignore the lot of average potholes if I have excellent suspension up front? I feel like I'm playing a video game dodging bullets sometimes, not the fun I'm after!

Reason dictates to me that the answer is no, and potholes and crappy roads are simply areas I'll never be able to go fast on...

 

[mattjw916]

If you want to go fast on bad roads, buy an R1200GS... otherwise head to the track if you want to stretch the bike's legs.

 

[Chuckracer]

If you want to go fast on bad roads...

...buy a KTM 950SM!!

 

[shawngibson]

...buy a KTM 950SM!!

BMW...KTM...? I don't wanna ride a touring bike or a dirt bike!

 

[tye1138]

You have excellent forks and shock, the 1098S comes with excellent stuff and the valving is perfect for the street. The problem is (as chuck said) superbikes are not really meant for messy street riding with pot holes and such. I've got a base 848 with standard suspension and have turned the compression and preload almost all the way out, but kept some rebound and it works pretty well to soften some of those hits.

If you MUST spend money, just have someone put the proper springs on the bike and be done with it. If you go to a TTX, you'll just be adjusting the thing until your blue in the face and probably never get it setup right.

 

[shawngibson]

You have excellent forks and shock, the 1098S comes with excellent stuff and the valving is perfect for the street. The problem is (as chuck said) superbikes are not really meant for messy street riding with pot holes and such. I've got a base 848 with standard suspension and have turned the compression and preload almost all the way out, but kept some rebound and it works pretty well to soften some of those hits.

If you MUST spend money, just have someone put the proper springs on the bike and be done with it. If you go to a TTX, you'll just be adjusting the thing until your blue in the face and probably never get it setup right.

Thanks Tye. I need to find a good suspension tuner in Toronto. I also need to find a dyno facility. Anyone have recommendations for either?

I think everyone is pretty much right - what I've got will work I'm simply asking it to do something it's not really designed to do.

Shawn

 

[tye1138]

Thanks Tye. I need to find a good suspension tuner in Toronto.

You need to find somebody who can put the springs in and get you a base setting.

The problem with the street is; you can't really set up for it perfectly because the conditions are all over the place. The last thing you want is too soft suspension so you bottom out every once in a while and drag the bottom of your motor on the ground. The other last thing you want is too hard suspension or your fillings will fall out. So there is a happy medium right smack dab in the middle, which is actually hard to find. I use to hit up the canyons and ride a bunch to tune my street bike suspension. Now that I don't do that anymore, the only place I can tune is the track and one click up or down on the track makes a difference, but on the street you'll never notice.

 

[mbevans]

Crap roads

Crap roads are just that, Crappy Roads. No great suspension will make things better, you still have to ride on Sh*t.

1. Change roads
2. Go slow and easy, as the slower you go on sh*tty roads the easier ith will be on your rims,tires,suspension
3. Buy a R1200GS, I've riden one of these and they will beat a fast superbike, hands down on sh*tty roads, true story!

If you want to go fast on bad roads, buy an R1200GS... otherwise head to the track if you want to stretch the bike's legs.

 

[M1st1098]

I think you are like me, street most of time. I would just tune the stock suspensions to right setup. If you choose to upgrade your suspension, you wont notice the difference on street ride. First, knowing your limit. If you are not planning to push your limit, stay with stock suspensions. If you want to spend the money on suspensions to just look good, why not....is your choice.

 

[shawngibson]

I think you are like me, street most of time. I would just tune the stock suspensions to right setup. If you choose to upgrade your suspension, you wont notice the difference on street ride. First, knowing your limit. If you are not planning to push your limit, stay with stock suspensions. If you want to spend the money on suspensions to just look good, why not....is you choice.

The reason I bought the S over the base was the suspension...I knew I'd change everything else, even the rims (blasphemy!) so that's why it's still sitting there, stock. It's not about spending money to me now (trust me, I did that LOL) - it's about getting my bang.

I love every moment on this bike, more than anything ever, but when I really wanna push it, I'm doing so in less than ideal conditions, and I think that's the problem as everyone says.

I remember when I had my Maxim 400. If I couldn't keep up with the guys on their FZ600s and RZ350s, I slipped the tire on purpose, to 'cut' the corner; they used to eventually just let me get in front because either I was a spectacle or I was fast LOL. I can't imagine doing that on this bike (cutting the angle by purposely sliding the tire), and that's my real problem. The road doesn't give me fear (well Lakeshore does with the potholes!), going fast doesn't, and the bike is DYING to go fast, I can feel it - the real fear is dumping the $65-70K I've spent on her.

I would be much faster on an R6 around Lakeshore (cheap, replacable, but nailed!), but until my insurance goes down I can't do that.

Shawn

 

[M1st1098]

Oh well..... just share my experience. I have a DU515 installed, but I found it is too firm for my taste on street ride. It is sprung to my weight. I don't "lean" on street and I don't "hard" brake before enter corner. I don't need upgrade front and rear suspensions..... I put the stocks back on and they are much better. I know my limit and stocks are good for now.

I would suggest upgrade the suspensions when you "felt" you needed them. For street ride, you really don't need it. You cannot tell the difference except the your arse.


BTW, if you are planning on switch the suspensions or maybe the wheels, why get the "S"?? You should just get a base 1098.

 

[shawngibson]

Oh well..... just share my experience. I have a DU515 installed, but I found it is too firm for my taste on street ride. It is sprung to my weight. I don't "lean" on street and I don't "hard" brake before enter corner. I don't need upgrade front and rear suspensions..... I put the stocks back on and they are much better. I know my limit and stocks are good for now.

I would suggest upgrade the suspensions when you "felt" you needed them. For street ride, you really don't need it. You cannot tell the difference except the your arse.


BTW, if you are planning on switch the suspensions or maybe the wheels, why get the "S"?? You should just get a base 1098.

I was agreeing with you, sorry if it didn't come out that way

I'm trying to 'feel' the bike but I'm giving it unqualifiable conditions...Tye is right too, you can't buy suspension for the street, you just tinker with what you have because there are too many variables/road conditions involved. But again, that's why I bought the S and that's why it's the last bit standing...

 

[Matt_P]

Shawn, I'm sure others have said it, but I think you'd be freakin golden if you got a TTX shock and superbike valves for the front. The Marzocchi stuff is trick, but IMO Ohlins is tops.

Your stock suspension is also freakin awesome. If you're a lighter guy you'll prolly want lighter springs, but the stock ohlins stuff really is wonderful.

That said you won't be able to enjoy any of that stuff on the street unless you're pushing it hard enough that you're seeing boogers sluffing off the edges of your tires (which means you should probably be slowing down lol). Prolly better off spending the cash on something else, or pocketing it for a rainy day .

 

[shawngibson]

Shawn, I'm sure others have said it, but I think you'd be freakin golden if you got a TTX shock and superbike valves for the front. The Marzocchi stuff is trick, but IMO Ohlins is tops.

Your stock suspension is also freakin awesome. If you're a lighter guy you'll prolly want lighter springs, but the stock ohlins stuff really is wonderful.

That said you won't be able to enjoy any of that stuff on the street unless you're pushing it hard enough that you're seeing boogers sluffing off the edges of your tires (which means you should probably be slowing down lol). Prolly better off spending the cash on something else, or pocketing it for a rainy day .

I'm definitely not into going THAT fast on a public road, even if everything was set up perfectly. It's too dangerous, to me and anyone else. But I would love to find somewhere just out of the city that is largely unpopulated (relative to Toronto I mean) and twisty and nicely paved, just to have some fun.

I do have the itch to take a track day but I'd only do it with a rented bike, so I'm gonna look into that. As well as to see if FAST or some other school is still around, to educate myself a bit more. There's where trick-suspension cash can go!

 

[BellissiMoto]

Hey Shawn,

I can help make this process a little easier for you...

The Marzocchi rear shock is probably the trickest, most beautiful, most unique, most advanced, and most race oriented rear shock I have ever seen.

However - They are only custom built to the application per order at this time and they cost a fortune (like $5k plus depending on exactly which features you want (carbon reservoir, Magnesium body, Ti spring, datalogger, etc...).

Also, I have to agree with alot of what has been said here, that these suspension upgrades probably would not help you out much with your standard rough street roads.

The only thing I would recommend for your situation would be looking into some HyperPro progressive springs (they don't require a pinpointingly accurate setup, and just react to a wide range of weights and roads very well), and then have the rear shock tuned to your weight (and I would also make sure your insurance covers all of your modifications as well).

 

[shawngibson]

Hey Shawn,

I can help make this process a little easier for you...

The Marzocchi rear shock is probably the trickest, most beautiful, most unique, most advanced, and most race oriented rear shock I have ever seen.

However - They are only custom built to the application per order at this time and they cost a fortune (like $5k plus depending on exactly which features you want (carbon reservoir, Magnesium body, Ti spring, datalogger, etc...).

Also, I have to agree with alot of what has been said here, that these suspension upgrades probably would not help you out much with your standard rough street roads.

The only thing I would recommend for your situation would be looking into some HyperPro progressive springs (they don't require a pinpointingly accurate setup, and just react to a wide range of weights and roads very well), and then have the rear shock tuned to your weight (and I would also make sure your insurance covers all of your modifications as well).

Yeah, I think I'm gonna start with just making it feel right, which isn't a big dollar prospect most likely. I love the idea of trick-everything, but I am not even certain I could get a setup I would be able to appreciate for that kind of coin, if that makes sense.

The REAL plan here is to map out every big ass pothole on Lakeshore and know them so well I don't have to think about them, and dial in from there. That's what I've been doing so far.

Actually the real plan is to move to a better city.

Actually the real plan should be to just go to the track...