AllanB
16th July 2011, 22:05
It all started with a earthquake in September, then boxing day, then February, throw in some more I’m starting to forget (hey there have been thousands!).
Time for a rethink of many things in my life and one was motorcycling. Considering the pleasure I derive from all things related to motorcycles I decided it was only right to spend a few bucks. Call it retail therapy if you like.:innocent:
I’m a frequent contributor to the USA Hornet 900 form and a highly recommended suggestion over there is new front springs.
Enter Robert Taylor from Crown Kiwi Technical. Something of a KB suspension guru I have often read threads bestowing accolades on his products and skills. Only an E-mail away and he sorts me out with a set of Ohlins fork springs and relevant spacers. Armed with a trusty workshop manual I fit them and change the fork oil.
I set out expecting an improvement but I am unprepared for the extent of the improvement – bloody ell I say, why did I not do this earlier? The nose-dive under braking has gone, bumps that previously unsettled my line are eliminated and the bike moves smoothly forward. An interesting improvement is trail braking. In stock form this was not possible – touch the front anchors and the bike would stand up, F-ing up the corner. You adjusted to suit getting all braking done early and hope like shit you did not enter way too fast. This nasty trait has been eliminated zamoosh! There will be a technical reason why I am sure.
So – for a small $ outlay I received a huge improvement in the front end.
There was a side effect though ……… with the front clean; the rear pogo stick was not up to scratch. :facepalm:
Another e-mail to Robert asking for rear shock options. Ohlins offer a full bore all-the-goodies unit for the Hornet – unfortunately despite my earthquake induced spending spree I have mouths to feed and budgets to adhere too. Robert comes back with an Ohlins alternative at darn near half the cost of the glamour unit. He will build me up a brand new shock specified for the Hornet and sprung to my weight. How could I refuse – let’s face it many a supermodel has an equally attractive sister without some of the complicated accessories.
A deposit is paid and Sweden is notified.
To my surprise the unit arrives at CKT in very short order and MrT does his magic with internal valving etc and I have a piece of gold promptly delivered.
A perfect fit, sag adjusted and off I go for a test ride. If I thought the front end was cleaned up I am utterly surprised at the extent of the improvement in the rear. If I had been blindfolded and placed on the bike then released on it mid corner I would not have believed it was mine! What can I say – the old saying of ‘rides on rails’ applies. There are many open road corners around here that have become corrugated and previously upset the bike significantly – I don’t notice the darn things now at speeds 30kmph higher :innocent: Every aspect of suspension action is better.
Maybe the best way to describe the improvement in the front and rear is most of the time I don’t actually notice the suspension working – it is quietly and competently doing what it should and letting me get on with doing what I should – controlling the bike not vice versa!
Ironically as I run a spell checker over the text it suggests I replace Ohlins with Holiness!
So a big thanks to CKT and Robert – you have another convert.
If you are thinking of upgrading give him a call.
Now, I can’t help but wonder what a set of those fancy gold valves will do in the front end ………
Time for a rethink of many things in my life and one was motorcycling. Considering the pleasure I derive from all things related to motorcycles I decided it was only right to spend a few bucks. Call it retail therapy if you like.:innocent:
I’m a frequent contributor to the USA Hornet 900 form and a highly recommended suggestion over there is new front springs.
Enter Robert Taylor from Crown Kiwi Technical. Something of a KB suspension guru I have often read threads bestowing accolades on his products and skills. Only an E-mail away and he sorts me out with a set of Ohlins fork springs and relevant spacers. Armed with a trusty workshop manual I fit them and change the fork oil.
I set out expecting an improvement but I am unprepared for the extent of the improvement – bloody ell I say, why did I not do this earlier? The nose-dive under braking has gone, bumps that previously unsettled my line are eliminated and the bike moves smoothly forward. An interesting improvement is trail braking. In stock form this was not possible – touch the front anchors and the bike would stand up, F-ing up the corner. You adjusted to suit getting all braking done early and hope like shit you did not enter way too fast. This nasty trait has been eliminated zamoosh! There will be a technical reason why I am sure.
So – for a small $ outlay I received a huge improvement in the front end.
There was a side effect though ……… with the front clean; the rear pogo stick was not up to scratch. :facepalm:
Another e-mail to Robert asking for rear shock options. Ohlins offer a full bore all-the-goodies unit for the Hornet – unfortunately despite my earthquake induced spending spree I have mouths to feed and budgets to adhere too. Robert comes back with an Ohlins alternative at darn near half the cost of the glamour unit. He will build me up a brand new shock specified for the Hornet and sprung to my weight. How could I refuse – let’s face it many a supermodel has an equally attractive sister without some of the complicated accessories.
A deposit is paid and Sweden is notified.
To my surprise the unit arrives at CKT in very short order and MrT does his magic with internal valving etc and I have a piece of gold promptly delivered.
A perfect fit, sag adjusted and off I go for a test ride. If I thought the front end was cleaned up I am utterly surprised at the extent of the improvement in the rear. If I had been blindfolded and placed on the bike then released on it mid corner I would not have believed it was mine! What can I say – the old saying of ‘rides on rails’ applies. There are many open road corners around here that have become corrugated and previously upset the bike significantly – I don’t notice the darn things now at speeds 30kmph higher :innocent: Every aspect of suspension action is better.
Maybe the best way to describe the improvement in the front and rear is most of the time I don’t actually notice the suspension working – it is quietly and competently doing what it should and letting me get on with doing what I should – controlling the bike not vice versa!
Ironically as I run a spell checker over the text it suggests I replace Ohlins with Holiness!
So a big thanks to CKT and Robert – you have another convert.
If you are thinking of upgrading give him a call.
Now, I can’t help but wonder what a set of those fancy gold valves will do in the front end ………