[JDuc]

how often do you rebuild your forks? (miles/time)

what about your shock?

I've got an Ohlins rear (stock). What do I need to do to have this rebuilt? I'm guessing that there isn't much that I can do to improve upon it other than rebuild?

What all is involved in rebuilding a rear shock?

The forks are a given, either Gold Valve or Ohlins internals.

 

[amullo]

I clean and switch fluids in my forks every 2 years.

The rear Öhlins was re-built be Öhlins factory (yes, I´m 10 minutes ride from it ) at there R&D department about 2 years ago. They said it was good for 5 years unless i do racing. Then a fluid and gas change.

The rebuild of my rear was about as complete as it gets. New everything except the housing and piggy-back. New flow-system (updated), new shims, newpiston, new valves, new spring, new oil and new gas. They also polished the inside of the shock.

Forks with better valves and custom springs for your weight do alot! But you may want to think about some TiN-showa´s off Ebay if you can find decent ones..

//amullo

 

[JDuc]

The rebuild of my rear was about as complete as it gets. New everything except the housing and piggy-back. New flow-system (updated), new shims, newpiston, new valves, new spring, new oil and new gas. They also polished the inside of the shock.

I guess I need to know where I would send/take my rear shock to to have this done?

Or, would I be better off just buying a new replacements and selling mine?

 

[Herbivator]

The forks are a given, either Gold Valve or Ohlins internals.[/QUOTE]

or Penske

 

[Chuckracer]

Any of the good national suspension shops can revalve and freshin up your forks. There may be a small shop in your area that can do this as well, and face to face is always better in my opinion. A Racetech kit for the fork will improve things a good bit, mostly in the compression damping department.
Most shock rebuilds just consist of a complete cleaning, feash bushings and fluid.

You'd be amazed at how grungy fork and shock oil can get even after one year. I change my fork and shock oil every year, but then I'm pretty picky about suspension action.

Make sure whoever you send the parts to spends some time talking with you about what you need, your riding, your weight, weight of stuff on the bike, etc.

 

[JDuc]

Any of the good national suspension shops can revalve and freshin up your forks. There may be a small shop in your area that can do this as well, and face to face is always better in my opinion. A Racetech kit for the fork will improve things a good bit, mostly in the compression damping department.
Most shock rebuilds just consist of a complete cleaning, feash bushings and fluid.

You'd be amazed at how grungy fork and shock oil can get even after one year. I change my fork and shock oil every year, but then I'm pretty picky about suspension action.

Make sure whoever you send the parts to spends some time talking with you about what you need, your riding, your weight, weight of stuff on the bike, etc.

we would be happy to do the forks ourselves....is there a how to listed somewhere?

I've bought the Desmotimes books (will buy the shop manual here soon too), but I don't recall anything indepth about doing the forks

as for the shock, can any mc do this?

what all is required?

 

[Chuckracer]

It's just a matter of a couple special tools for the fork and shock. The work isn't all that hard, but it is messy.

I can't think of any online tutorials. Perhaps a Racetech tape would provide the answers.

 

[Buckelew]

how often do you rebuild your forks? (miles/time)

what about your shock?

I've got an Ohlins rear (stock). What do I need to do to have this rebuilt? I'm guessing that there isn't much that I can do to improve upon it other than rebuild?

What all is involved in rebuilding a rear shock?

The forks are a given, either Gold Valve or Ohlins internals.

J,

Penske also makes valve kits that are incredible. NCRick (of Sponsor Cogent Dynamics) did my Showa forks with Penske internals and they were INCREDIBLE! He also did a hell of a job rebuilding my Ohlins shock.

he'd be the guy to ask.

 

[DukeDesmo]

You'd be amazed at how grungy fork and shock oil can get even after one year.

I just had mine serviced and was surprised that when I picked the forks up I could hear the Oil rushing around and I could hear no such movement before - Oil must have been like grease........

 

[NCRick]

Hi JDuc, It is a good idea to do the first fork service within the first 6,000 miles as the forks are subject to break-in. Keeping the fork oil clean will help your forks last a long time as well as perform like new (or better if you do a kit). Other than the initial time, changing the oil and cleaning the fork internals should be done every 2 years or 12K miles. The same for the shock. If you ride in dirty conditions like dirty wet roads or you live on a gravel road, shorten the interval.

The forks can be a great DIY project if you enjoy doing that stuff. You should have a couple special tools (I can list if you want). If you have other things to do it is more efficient to have a good shop (like us ) do the work. We charge $100 to do the forks. Any parts are extra but we discount those better than anyone regardless if we install them or sell them directly. Shipping for forks is about $19-20 each way via FedEx ground service. If you do choose to do it yourself, plan on dedicating the weekend to a satisfying project. I am happy to answer questions. I plan to do a DIY page on our site...

The RaceTech Gold Valve kit along with some correct rate springs are a nice mod for the DIY person. The kit comes with a good set of instructions as well as a video. This mod is highly recommended for the Monster, ST and SS bikes!

The Penske kit takes it to a whole new level but must be installed by a Penske Authorized shop. We have the most experience with these kits on Ducatis. That install includes special polishing and preparation of the fork internals.

Having said all that, keep all your suspension parts well maintained and set you sag correctly as the first step. Having the correct spring rates for your size and riding style is the second. The custom damping setups are way worth the time, effort and money. You can go nuts from there... Ohlins Superbike forks, anyone?

 

[JDuc]

The forks can be a great DIY project if you enjoy doing that stuff. You should have a couple special tools (I can list if you want). If you have other things to do it is more efficient to have a good shop (like us ) do the work. We charge $100 to do the forks. Any parts are extra but we discount those better than anyone regardless if we install them or sell them directly. Shipping for forks is about $19-20 each way via FedEx ground service. If you do choose to do it yourself, plan on dedicating the weekend to a satisfying project. I am happy to answer questions. I plan to do a DIY page on our site...

thanks for the offer to do the forks, but as I have said multiple times, I'm not interested in shipping my forks somewhere when there are a TON of shops in the Dallas / Fort Worth area that can do them in the matter of a few hours.

The RaceTech Gold Valve kit along with some correct rate springs are a nice mod for the DIY person. The kit comes with a good set of instructions as well as a video. This mod is highly recommended for the Monster, ST and SS bikes!

This was one reason I was looking into this kit.

The Penske kit takes it to a whole new level but must be installed by a Penske Authorized shop. We have the most experience with these kits on Ducatis. That install includes special polishing and preparation of the fork internals.

again, not interested in sending the forks or shock off.

Having said all that, keep all your suspension parts well maintained and set you sag correctly as the first step. Having the correct spring rates for your size and riding style is the second. The custom damping setups are way worth the time, effort and money. You can go nuts from there... Ohlins Superbike forks, anyone?

I've set sag, gone back and checked it a few times as well. However, having been in college and been poor for the last few years, and commuting on the bike, puts top knotch fork maintenance on the back burner unfortunately. Now that I'm out, and commuting roughly 60 miles a day on this bike, and with close to 16k miles on the bike, I'm needing to do the forks. I've been needing to for the past year and a half, it was just never in the cards.

 

[nathanTX]

People are making it sound a bit too easy. Fork internals are not something that every shadetree mechanic should attempt. Hate to be a naysayer, but suspension is a bit of a black art. Too many components affect other components and tiny differences can greatly affect suspension action. For instance, upping the spring rate often requires greater rebound damping which may or may not be available within stock adjustment. On some bikes' forks, DIYers think they just need stiffer springs only to discover than now they are bouncing around all over the place despite acheiving better sag numbers. Setting the exact oil level and using the correct oil weight for your needs is critical (7.5 weight will act significantly different than 10 weight and the need will vary from stock based on what else you've done inside the forks), as is ensuring the work environment is very clean (no setting parts down on dusty workbenches). Not saying it can't be done, but IMO it shouldn't be attempted without very knowledgeable oversight. Reading a how-to on the internet should not make people think they know how to install a gold valve kit.

There is not a single motorcycle dealership (OK, maybe one) that I would trust to install a fork internal upgrade. For suspension to be done right, I will not trust anyone other than a suspension/racing specialty shop like NCRick's. Never done business with him, so I can't endorse his work specifically. But shops like his usually know about this stuff whereas dealership mechanics are often lucky to know a tenth as much. That is why the send-off suspension specialists are successful. I've sent off my forks on a previous bike and been very pleased. Since JDuc mentioned Dallas, I'll say that there is pretty much only one local shop that I would have work on fork upgrades and that is Piper Performance in NRH. Cliff's operation can be a bit...well sort of mom & pop. But the man knows suspension. He rebuilt everything on our racebike as well as several other racers I know. Other than that, I'd be sending forks off to Traxxion or LE or a place like NCRick's.

Just read it back and seems like I'm ranting (and maybe I am). Just seen too many people read something online, think they have it all figured out, and then spend the next riding season sorting all kinds of problems they caused. I'm a big fan of giving things a go yourself before paying a pro, but suspension is not an area where I would recommend it.

 

[JDuc]

People are making it sound a bit too easy. Fork internals are not something that every shadetree mechanic should attempt. Hate to be a naysayer, but suspension is a bit of a black art. Too many components affect other components and tiny differences can greatly affect suspension action. For instance, upping the spring rate often requires greater rebound damping which may or may not be available within stock adjustment. On some bikes' forks, DIYers think they just need stiffer springs only to discover than now they are bouncing around all over the place despite acheiving better sag numbers. Setting the exact oil level and using the correct oil weight for your needs is critical (7.5 weight will act significantly different than 10 weight and the need will vary from stock based on what else you've done inside the forks), as is ensuring the work environment is very clean (no setting parts down on dusty workbenches). Not saying it can't be done, but IMO it shouldn't be attempted without very knowledgeable oversight. Reading a how-to on the internet should not make people think they know how to install a gold valve kit.

I understand what you are saying. However, many of the things you mentioned would be taken care of by purchasing the parts and oil from someone who is knowledgeable, no?

Actually putting it all together seems that it would be a case of follow the directions keeping a mechanical aptitude in mind.

There is not a single motorcycle dealership (OK, maybe one) that I would trust to install a fork internal upgrade. For suspension to be done right, I will not trust anyone other than a suspension/racing specialty shop like NCRick's. Never done business with him, so I can't endorse his work specifically. But shops like his usually know about this stuff whereas dealership mechanics are often lucky to know a tenth as much.

never thought I said I would be taking my forks to a dealership?

after my experience with the Plano Duc dealership for a 12k service on a MS4R, I wouldn't trust them with much.

Since JDuc mentioned Dallas, I'll say that there is pretty much only one local shop that I would have work on fork upgrades and that is Piper Performance in NRH. Cliff's operation can be a bit...well sort of mom & pop. But the man knows suspension. He rebuilt everything on our racebike as well as several other racers I know. Other than that, I'd be sending forks off to Traxxion or LE or a place like NCRick's.

have you heard anything about Metric Tech in McKinney? Again, since I don't race, I'm not interested in getting the absolutely best suspension rebuild known to man...

Just read it back and seems like I'm ranting (and maybe I am). Just seen too many people read something online, think they have it all figured out, and then spend the next riding season sorting all kinds of problems they caused. I'm a big fan of giving things a go yourself before paying a pro, but suspension is not an area where I would recommend it.

I haven't read anything yet online, so I'm not going to do it myself....until I find something that's reasonable....even if I have to buy a book and read up on it.

 

[NCRick]

I always like to help out nice people who are into DIY . There is a lot to it and I have seen some forks REALLY screwed up by folks (and some bike shops). That is not to say that all the DIY guys are like that. I am a small shop but still, I have done more than 30 sets for Ducati forks since the first of the year. With the right tools, the right experience and a set up to handle them you get a very good job at a price that is inexpensive compared to your time and stuff. The point about the spring rate and damping is very good. We have found several mistakes in the RaceTech data as an example. Knowing what combination of modifications work for a particular application is a big key. Really, I am just trying be helpful. What I love so much about doing this stuff is the great people I have the honor of being able to work with, It is a total kick for me. I was NOT trying to whore around for business. I think you are getting some good advice here. That is what it is too, advice. Do what YOU want that is the key. We have motorcycles for fun.

 

[supersparky750]

Has anyone seen the Traxxion video - "suspension for mortals"? Would you recommend it, or is there a better resource out there?

 

[blade625CT]

I would rather strip a superbike motor to the crank, and put it back together, than even take the top nut off a set of forks.

All that voodo inside scares the shit out of me. like opening pandora's box.

I know, this dosen't contribute anything to the thread....i just had to give my useless

 

[JDuc]

hahaha

thanks Blade...lol

 

[NCRick]

I like Pandoras box