What do you want in Suspension

[Brian d marge]

Right fellas

Begining of September, I am out drinking with The fella who makes Nitron Shocks , Do a google for Nitron

Anyway there maybe plans to expand, So ,,,,,,, I want to know what you fellas want in Suspension.

Now this fella knows his stuff and is Really fussy about quality ( they are good have seen them and they perfrorm well )

IMHO they are just as good as ohlins with out the price ..... off top of head about 900 to 1000 for Zx10 rear ...

Now this isnt an advert , What I want to know is what the average joe wants in a shock ... small things like color , Cost , funky bits like handle bar adjusters..

Even mudane things like pre installed springs that are correct for the average joe

If he can see potential in the market he will move into it, He is really pushing into Japan.

For me he doesnt do MX shocks BUT my reason for plying him with drink is to show him the potential market ..ie Just how fast these Farmers are ,,,and what NZ needs.

You see I learnt a lot while I was there , and NZ requirements are very different from California...

So I just want to hear what you all think ....May not come to much but I ll try ..

Stephen

Sorry but the shocks dont come in duel pupose so those that use track days/races to play in the mud ,,, you might want to try a duel purpose bike instead ...Ni matter how fast the cows are!!!!

[SwanTiger]

I don't know anything about suspension, I just ride my bike, all I want is a shock that last as long as possible and cost as little as possible.

If it wallows, skips or bottoms out in the corner I work around it.

Is there a shock for me?

[Karma]

Is there a shock for me?

I'm dating your mother.














how's that?

[SwanTiger]

I'm dating your mother.

Shocked !! I would've thought you'd be dating my father.

That was a serious reply too, I am starting to realise the benefits (but am yet to experience) of a well setup suspension system, however I'm extremely practical.

I suppose, to re-phrase, what I want in a shock is something that doesn't require input from me, but is setup to accomodate for things that pose a danger to my safety. Such as the shock bottoming out or wallowing badly.

[inlinefour]

Sensei came around awhile after i had brought the CBR and adjusted the suspension, while doing the mathematical thing on a piece of paper. Feck, what a difference it made! As for the DRZ, standard settings are just fine...:yes:

[beyond]

Ok, as you probably know I love my GSX1400 and it does just about everything I ask of her, even at the cornering limits. However, in high speed sweepers (160kmh plus) the suspenders get compressed a fair bit and ground clearance becomes a major issue. It is set up right for me, but the pegs start scratching badly, then the side stand starts wearing away when right over, then the main stand on both sides depending on a left or right. Exhausts will be next but I would like to lean her over even more.

So, I need suspenders that will handle the weight of the bike in fast sweepers when it's doing it's best to squash the shocks. Give me some extra ride height over standard and firm up the front end a little.

If I can get a recipe that would do this, I can keep my bike and not have to worry about a replacement that matches it's comfort, ergos and torque.

[James Deuce]

Compliance.

Longevity.

Adjustments that actually do something with each increment of change (Like Ohlins and WP).

Don't care how it looks myself, so long as it keeps my tyres stuck to the ground.

[Hitcher]

Ease of use. One shouldn't have to be familiar with the dark arts of the Kamasutra or other forms of contortion to adjust the suspension on one's motorcycle. Should one?

[vifferman]

Adjustable preload, rebound and compression damping. The adjustable preload would be nice if it was remotely adjusted (i.e., doesn't need a special tool and/or grovelling around on the ground to adjust it.)
Another "nice to have" would be adjustable shock length (for adjusting ride height).

[cowpoos]

Ease of use. One shouldn't have to be familiar with the dark arts of the Kamasutra or other forms of contortion to adjust the suspension on one's motorcycle. Should one?

what the fuck do you do in your garage!!!!!!practising kamasutra on your motorbike?????

[Lou Girardin]

Everything an Ohlins does.
Oh, that's right I've got one already.
Good on him, but it would have to be a lot cheaper than Ohlins before I'd consider one. 1 or 2 hundred bucks isn't enough difference.

[Brian d marge]

Okay so if we had a suspension unit that had was sprung for an 85kg/90kg person with adustable preload , compression ( high /low speed comp ??)
and Damping ,
Remote adjusters??

I know all this is wishfull thinking ( well it isnt really because if a product was on the shelf that did all the above and was at a " oh I can afford that " Price ..it would sell

Thats not the Job of the customer , thats the Job of the Engineer

What would be a good price for the assumed product , my own tight arsed wallet reckons 500 new which would be 250 secondhand ,,,thats just my break point ( teeter point )

I reckon that remote adjusters would be a pain to mount , but a unit that is a fit and forget , change bikes keep shock ( which of course is rebuildable )

In other words I want the cake to eat as well

Stephen

I reckon on 85/90 kg spring wieght ,,cos you are all eating far to much cake !

Stephen

[Lou Girardin]

Forget the high/low speed compression damping. It's just one more thing to mis-adjust.

[beyond]

Forget the high/low speed compression damping. It's just one more thing to mis-adjust.

I agree, there's so many knobs to twist and fiddle on all the new stuff that you can screw things up big time. Simpler is best when it comes to your suspenders. :)

[sAsLEX]

Simpler is best when it comes to your suspenders. :)

Yet you describe above a quite paticular problem you wont rectified on your bike, maybe its a case of getting tricky suspension but not fiddling with it and getting someone like ray taylor to do the fiddling for you!?

Just because something has a knob does not mean you need to fiddle with it

[Lou Girardin]

Simpler is best when it comes to your suspenders. :)

Yeah, I find the button on style far better than those alligator jaw types.
You don't want them too tight though. Unless you want to be a soprano.

[sAsLEX]

Yeah, I find the button on style far better than those alligator jaw types.


I find the alligator type far easier to remove when drunk, and it is hilarious moving another persons aligator clips to the table cloth with out them noticing!

[beyond]

:)

Yep, I think I will get Ray Taylor too sort me out. Trouble is with knobs, if you have them you are inclined to fiddle with them, no?

I'll get my coat.

[Lou Girardin]

:)

Yep, I think I will get Ray Taylor too sort me out. Trouble is with knobs, if you have them you are inclined to fiddle with them, no?

I'll get my coat.

Just don't call him Ray, he prefers Robert.

[Brian d marge]

Thanks fella , even if its just to get a taste of what the averaqge fella wants

How much do you think is a good price for a shock?? A price that one would say , oh yeah ,,,I can afford that

I mean dont know bout you but I would like a set of Ohlins on my MX bike but at 2k ..yeah right Thats 2 years racing tied up in bouncy bits and if I bought a new bike , unless the shock can be changed to fit ..its sell the old one at a loss , and purchase a new one

What I want is one thats serviceable, nodulated ( ie can swap mount points to fit different bikes )
and ( for me ) fully adjustable with both high and low speed comp and rebound

500 bucks would be my price , but I would stretch to 700 ,,ish

Thats my perfect world

It probably wont come to much but Hes a listener and smart...and with a bit of work you never know do you

Stephen

[beyond]

Just don't call him Ray, he prefers Robert.


Thanks Lou. I thought it was Robert but someone here had his name as Ray.

I'll be running it through you if I go down that track anyway. :)

[beyond]

Yeah, I find the button on style far better than those alligator jaw types.
You don't want them too tight though. Unless you want to be a soprano.

:) Just read the post again and was wondering if anyone would post back with a come back line.

[Ixion]

,,

Just because something has a knob does not mean you need to fiddle with it

Don't tell Maurice that, you'll spoil all his fun.

Personally I think suspension rather unnecessary, an effete luxury I reckon.

Solid rear bikes used to go OK, and when the Titan adopted a solid front it still went round corners.

[sAsLEX]

Solid rear bikes used to go OK, and when the Titan adopted a solid front it still went round corners.

you really think your old body would take to riding a rough corrugated gravel road for very long on an unsuspened steed?

[Sensei]

There are alot of cheaper shock & Fork kits etc out there at the moment & they are cheap for a reason , quality , non-serviceable & back up if something goes wrong with it , Ohlins / Whitepower / Penske is dear as you can do all of the above in NZ & don't have to have it sent oversea's , Own Ohlins myself & is worth every cent . There will be a market for Cheaper stuff as with everything people will go cheap if they think they can save some money but in the long run they end up paying for it later on .

[Ixion]

you really think your old body would take to riding a rough corrugated gravel road for very long on an unsuspened steed?

Well, it has in the past. Gravel's probably least relevant, you're going to be standing up anyway.

EDIT: Didn't one of the old time great trials riders, not Sammy Miller I don't think, but someone of that stature, always ride a rigid rear end. Cos then , he said, he always knew EXACTLY what the rear wheel was doing.

[cowpoos]

do you want my opinion on what would be good? as the result would be very high end and pricey and unique....

[Brian d marge]

Suspension tends to be set up either for te tack or the dirt , if one needed a unit that would do both, One could set the low speed damping a bit on the soft side , but go quite steep on the high speed for those off track excursions :blah:

Stephen

[Zapf]

500 bucks would be my price , but I would stretch to 700 ,,ish

Stephen

Sounds fair... still much cheaper by 1/2 of an Ohlins unit... provided it does the same job