New Ohlins front end review

[NZsarge]

Not all jobs are ''tarred with the same brush''. The GSXR forks are a very good production fork with one glaring issue that we can sort out at a good price. Of course, if the rider weight is outside of the average range they will also require springs, which of course adds to the cost.
Conversely the FZ1 forks are like most naked bikes starting from a lower base line and in this case are a particularly bad example. The pistons are little better than check plates. To get these things to work properly at all they need rebound pistons, rebound piston holders, compression pistons, compression piston holders, springs, spring guides, spring preload spacers and a bit of clever machining. That unavoidably is a dollar exercise.

Yeah, I remember you saying the forks on the Fazer were a bigger job than perhaps normal, here's hoping the ZX14's forks are'nt as bad to upgrade, cheers.

[JD Racing]

Thanks a whole heap Toot Toot for the very comprehensive report. Technically this is not an Ohlins upgrade even though these forks sport our very sexy CKT / Ohlins logo. We did though use Ohlins shims but on the stock piston and filled with Ohlins oil that has very stable flow properties at cold temps.
The late model GSXR600/750 series has very weak rebound damping and that manifests itself as a ''flighty'' front end on sudden flip flop ( side to side ) direction changes, especially over the crest of a rise etc. It also means that when in transition mid corner and off the brakes the front end tries to stand up. We cure that totally with a new rebound stack that we both developed on our dyno and also with road and track tests. I guess we can also indirectly thank Ohlins because we have some very proven Ohlins rebound and compression curves on our dyno database and we emulate those as closely as possible with the work we do revalving oem cartridges or when fitting Race Tech upgrade components. It wont turn the suspension into Ohlins but makes a huge bang for buck improvement nonetheless.
The ''increase'' in fork travel before it reaches the bottom is accounted for by the fact we disarm approximately 80% of the bottoming control hydraulic stop device, which happens too early and too aggressively. This is a common issue on many sportbikes, if we end up with a second tier class in 600 sports production that only allows spring changes this is one issue where if not modified it WILL cause the odd crash or two, on its own account. That is because the compression damping force suddenly goes through the roof when the hydraulic piston stop comes into play, 25mm or so before ''full closed'' distance. Not ideal when you are peeled into a corner close to the limits of grip and suddenly the suspension locks up. I bet thats one that a lot of people havent thought of.
This modification / upgrade runs out at retail $479 gst inclusive and is available through Shaun at Motodynamix. Shaun is largely acting as our ''man at the coalface'' because he is more geared up to being constantly out in the field than we can be. Moreover, as an extremely successful road racer ( including Isle of man winner ) and an extremely articulate test rider ( used by me over many years ) he is the ideal guy to assist in helping optimising the settings once reinstalled in the bike.
Currently also we are developing revalve specs for standard ( oem ) rear shocks, again drawing on ''Ohlins damping profile''.

An interesting post considering your statement in another thread:

8% or more of the world economy is piracy. And in NZ making a fair and reasonable profit is something that many frown upon. Having respect for intellectual property is also something that many dont take seriously.

I wonder where the intelectual property lies is it in the components that generate the damping curve or the damping curve itself?

[Robert Taylor]

An interesting post considering your statement in another thread:

8% or more of the world economy is piracy. And in NZ making a fair and reasonable profit is something that many frown upon. Having respect for intellectual property is also something that many dont take seriously.

I wonder where the intelectual property lies is it in the components that generate the damping curve or the damping curve itself?

Yes fair call but there is a distinction between what is a blatant ripoff. What I resent is blatant piracy that takes food out of the mouths of the employees of companies that spent the development dollars and hard yards. Seems we live in a dog eat dog world, does it not?

[Cajun]

hey Robert

what year GSXR does the above fix apply to?

[Robert Taylor]

hey Robert

what year GSXR does the above fix apply to?

06 on, its a while since I have looked at 05, maybe also.

[Pussy]

It's not as though you're making Ohlins pistons etc, RT!
Since when was what a rider wants as a suspension characteristic an intellectual property?
Do Bridgestone tyres not rotate like Dunlops?

[JD Racing]

Pussy,
Personally I want more from my tyres than to just go round otherwise I'd ride on the rims.

I think the argument surrounding plagerism is an interesting one, which came first the Ohlins compression piston or the HMAS compression piston? I wonder where the influence for all of K-Tech's products came from??? Sweden maybe???

Where would two stroke development be if Suzuki hadn't received all of Walter Kadens work via Ernst Degner?

[cowpoos]

Pussy,
Personally I want more from my tyres than to just go round otherwise I'd ride on the rims.

I think the argument surrounding plagerism is an interesting one, which came first the Ohlins compression piston or the HMAS compression piston? I wonder where the influence for all of K-Tech's products came from??? Sweden maybe???

Where would two stroke development be if Suzuki hadn't received all of Walter Kadens work via Ernst Degner?

we could use many examples to discuss the evolution of the internal compustion engine...but the key is evolution..

Off topic...have you had a play with those big piston forks yet JD??

[JD Racing]

I could directly copy an Ohlins piston, and I fit it with all 0.1 shims, I've copied the hardware but don't get the damping curve, if I take a HMAS piston and fit it with Ohlins valving, who did I rip off Honda/Showa or Ohlins?

The big piston forks...all marketing, no action.

[Pussy]

Fair enough comment...
But what about when I come along and ask for a damping/working characteristic of a known quantity, and request my suspension perform as such?
To me, that's someone using their knowledge to acquire a satisfactory outcome

[cowpoos]

I could directly copy an Ohlins piston, and I fit it with all 0.1 shims, I've copied the hardware but don't get the damping curve, if I take a HMAS piston and fit it with Ohlins valving, who did I rip off Honda/Showa or Ohlins?

Imitation is the highest for of flattery, is it not??
I know your point...but essentially...unless the piece of hardware is a revolution/revelation and a well discovered patent is accepted or the valving spec not easily discovered by another tuner...or not copyrighted well...its fair game...I'm not supporting Robert Opinion nor yours...its just how things are...and have you never tried to imitate damping curves before??

The big piston forks...all marketing, no action.

Are they hard chromed the inside of the stanchion tube??
Have you ever come across Showa Factory big piston forks [race kit]??

[Robert Taylor]

Pussy,
Personally I want more from my tyres than to just go round otherwise I'd ride on the rims.

I think the argument surrounding plagerism is an interesting one, which came first the Ohlins compression piston or the HMAS compression piston? I wonder where the influence for all of K-Tech's products came from??? Sweden maybe???

Where would two stroke development be if Suzuki hadn't received all of Walter Kadens work via Ernst Degner?

A certain Ohlins distributor in the Northern hemisphere has a financial interest in K-Tech and it appears to be tolerated ''by the grace of god''. K-Tech make some really nice stuff.
The Traxxion 20mm compression piston is a marriage of an old 20mm preloading type Ohlins superbike piston but with Race Tech style big ports.
We had some pistons made that resembled an earlier Ohlins design that was out of production, but we politely asked Ohlins first if that was okay.

And so on, funny world.....

[Robert Taylor]

I could directly copy an Ohlins piston, and I fit it with all 0.1 shims, I've copied the hardware but don't get the damping curve, if I take a HMAS piston and fit it with Ohlins valving, who did I rip off Honda/Showa or Ohlins?

The big piston forks...all marketing, no action.

I hear what you are saying.

Im sincerely interested in your ( not too lengthy ) appraisal and comments re the BPF forks as Im at this point skeptical about them.

[cowpoos]

Im sincerely interested in your ( not too lengthy ) appraisal and comments re the BPF forks as Im at this point skeptical about them.

Ditto...but I don't mind lengthy. as apparently they are in some serious top machinery now and in the past we while..the factory versions that is...

[Pussy]

Hey, Poos...
There is a very good article in the April 2009 Superbike magazine on the BPF.
Written by Ken Summerton, who apparently knows what he's talking about. He explains a few shortcomings of the "garden variety" BPF found in the bikes we can buy off the floor.




Don't bother hitting Nicksta up to borrow her copy... I've still got it!