Suspension upgrade = Improved tyre wear

**Owl** · 6th October 2010, 18:53

But we knew that.............didn't we?

After getting CKT to upgrade the suspension on my Speed Triple (Race Tech valves/Re-sprung etc), I've finally worn out my tyres.

Front Pilot Power 2CT has achieved 9750km (1700km accumulated before upgrade), while previous best on these tyres was 8500km. The rear PP is toast at 5700km, whereas previous PP's had lasted 4500km max.

Not only that, the front is now wearing evenly and has held its shape well to the end. No more nasty right side flat spot, which has plagued all my previous front tyres.

With the improved suspension performance, I already knew I made the right decision getting this upgrade done and have been very happy with the results. The decrease in tyre wear is simply an added bonus

**F5 Dave** · 6th October 2010, 21:14

Yeah I'm not so sure, I've had Racetech front & Ohlins rear on my Triumph & I've noticed that my front 2CT has worn out too.

Coincidence? Maybe not. It's a conspiracy.

Ok so it handles a heap better, but as I got the work done early in my ownership I have no empirical evidence that the tyre would have ever wore out if I hadn't have had any work done.

Maybe Robert has stock in Michelin?

**Robert Taylor** · 7th October 2010, 18:40

Originally Posted by F5 Dave

Yeah I'm not so sure, I've had Racetech front & Ohlins rear on my Triumph & I've noticed that my front 2CT has worn out too.

Coincidence? Maybe not. It's a conspiracy.

Ok so it handles a heap better, but as I got the work done early in my ownership I have no empirical evidence that the tyre would have ever wore out if I hadn't have had any work done.

Maybe Robert has stock in Michelin?

There is of course another train of thought! Better suspension and more grip will encourage one to ride harder and that will in part offset the improvement in tyre life. Plus of course if you crash it will be at a higher speed!
Models with particularly terrible suspension eg TL1000S/R and VTR1000 Firestorm eat rear tyres very very quickly. It is not uncommon for customers to report nearly doubled tyre life on these models after fitting an Ohlins rear shock.

**cs363** · 7th October 2010, 18:43

Originally Posted by Owl

But we knew that.............didn't we?

We did, but you try telling the young people of today that, they won't believe you....

**bogan** · 7th October 2010, 18:50

wicked, I hadn't thought of that, done my rear a few weeks ago, and got front forks to put in (sitting on my desk next to me atm

shiny!) And with my 43hp (mind you hoping to bump that up to fifty soon

) and nana like cornering ability

I should be good for at least 20 thousand km right

**vifferman** · 7th October 2010, 19:27

Maybe I should put my OEM shock back on - the rear tyre won't wear out, and it's done it's heat cycles, so it tends to spin up when I accelerate out of corners (but not enough to cause much wear'n'tear).
Seriously though, I *had* been thinking of putting the Showa back on - partly so I could see how it compares to the Elka, and partly because then I could get the Elka serviced.
Hey Dr Bob: does your suspension dyno allow you to analyse a shock and see what it needs in the way of damping adjustment, or do you need to have the shock loaded up by bike and rider?

**davebullet** · 7th October 2010, 19:55

14,000kms and counting on the PR2s on the SV. My goal is 20,000kms. Mostly commuting. No suspension mod at the front, but replacement GSXR1000 shock in the rear which made things a little more compliant than before.

It could be my nana type riding plus also Mr. Michelin making a mighty damn fine tyre.

We'll see how the Triple goes on it's Metzeler M3 / K3?s. Upgrading the Triple suspension is worth it at the cost of the bike.

**Robert Taylor** · 7th October 2010, 20:35

Originally Posted by vifferman

Maybe I should put my OEM shock back on - the rear tyre won't wear out, and it's done it's heat cycles, so it tends to spin up when I accelerate out of corners (but not enough to cause much wear'n'tear).
Seriously though, I *had* been thinking of putting the Showa back on - partly so I could see how it compares to the Elka, and partly because then I could get the Elka serviced.
Hey Dr Bob: does your suspension dyno allow you to analyse a shock and see what it needs in the way of damping adjustment, or do you need to have the shock loaded up by bike and rider?

Both! given where your adjustments are on that Elka and what you have rattled off about it in the past it seriously needs revalving!

**Robert Taylor** · 7th October 2010, 20:37

Originally Posted by davebullet

14,000kms and counting on the PR2s on the SV. My goal is 20,000kms. Mostly commuting. No suspension mod at the front, but replacement GSXR1000 shock in the rear which made things a little more compliant than before.

It could be my nana type riding plus also Mr. Michelin making a mighty damn fine tyre.

We'll see how the Triple goes on it's Metzeler M3 / K3?s. Upgrading the Triple suspension is worth it at the cost of the bike.

Fitting Race Tech emulators, Traxxion Dynamics damper rods and Ohlins linear wind springs in the front of that SV is the very best money you could ever spend on it. Its almost like a life changing event on that model.

**F5 Dave** · 8th October 2010, 11:34

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

There is of course another train of thought! Better suspension and more grip will encourage one to ride harder and that will in part offset the improvement in tyre life. Plus of course if you crash it will be at a higher speed!
Models with particularly terrible suspension eg TL1000S/R and VTR1000 Firestorm eat rear tyres very very quickly. It is not uncommon for customers to report nearly doubled tyre life on these models after fitting an Ohlins rear shock.

Yeah I wasn't sure if people would pick that my post was just my attempt at being funny.

Bit like those Innoe (IRC) tryes you used to get on old small jap bikes of the 70s that never ever wore out. . . . or gripped.

The 2CT I had on was what the bike came with so I don't know how long it lasted, nor do I really care for the every 3rd sunday I ride that bike, that said it will be getting PR2s as I type. Its a roadbike not a sportbike.

**White trash** · 8th October 2010, 11:50

Originally Posted by F5 Dave

Yeah I wasn't sure if people would pick that my post was just my attempt at being funny.

Bit like those Innoe (IRC) tryes you used to get on old small jap bikes of the 70s that never ever wore out. . . . or gripped.

The 2CT I had on was what the bike came with so I don't know how long it lasted, nor do I really care for the every 3rd sunday I ride that bike, that said it will be getting PR2s as I type. Its a roadbike not a sportbike.

You're far too dry to be funny Mr T.

**F5 Dave** · 8th October 2010, 16:04

ahh, yer far too wet to be. . . to be, . . . um

nah I got nothing.

**Owl** · 9th October 2010, 05:26

Originally Posted by F5 Dave

nah I got nothing.

Well I'm certainly sold on suspension upgrades and kicked my own arse for procrastinating so long. While I'm still more than happy with the rear, I'd certainly give more thought into an Ohlins shock for my next ride. At the time, I'd really just priced it out of my own mind, so didn't discuss it with RT. It wasn't as expensive as I'd imagined.

Live and learn I guess. Oh and cheers Robert for a job well done!

**NZsarge** · 9th October 2010, 06:51

Jury is out wether the upgrades (Racetech front end and Ohlins rear shock) from CKT have made any significant improvements to tyre life. As Robert pointed out before maybe the tendency to ride quicker is off setting things a bit but to be honest I don't think i'm riding that much quicker.
I've probably garnered more from the fact that the bike is so so much safer to ride at speed now it's night and day it really is, it still pops into my head every time I ride it how much better the bike behaves.
Re: tyre wear
If I stopped chopping and changing the tires I run I might get a better idea of what's happening there..