suspension set up schools

**NZsarge** · 20th September 2007, 08:52

Sounds sweet mate, can't you give us a hint?? You getting closer or further away from D-vegas?

**Pussy** · 21st September 2007, 22:20

My 5c worth on the set up schools..... primo idea Robert. My take on suspension setup....
I have noticed a shortcoming in the rebound characteristics of the K6 GSX-R750 forks. Made a phone call to RT to pick his brain. RT then checks out the damping characteristics on his suspension dyno, and identifies a weak rebound curve, which incidently isn't able to be"adjusted out" with clickers, it's built in to the valving, and comes up with a solution. A few grands worth of equipment and a few years of experience/training showed it's worth fairly smartly! RT came up with an answer pretty smartly, even for a Joe average road rider, and at this stage should be fitted to the bike in the next fortnight or so, and I'll try to find time to report on this forum how it performs.
Robert's knowledge and advice cost me zip, and the job itself is working out very economical.
Basically, the point I'm trying to make here, is that RT has thousands of dollars worth of equipment, years of training/knowledge, and it's available to any one of us very reasonably, without having to have the number one plate on our bikes. I have been fortunate enough to have had quite some contact with RT over the years, and have had several suspension mods done, and picked up a bit of knowledge from him, which will no doubt be available to anyone who attends the forthcoming seminars.

**Guitana** · 24th September 2007, 16:31

Hi Robert.
I was wondering if you could give me some advice on a rear shock for my 1999 GSXR1100w. Everyones given me all sorts of advice on what to replace it with as it's stuffed. But they all seem to talk a load of shite, and the prices are horendous. What would be a reasonable priced shock for a bike that does a little bit of fast riding and alot of long distance riding?
Cheers Rick.

**Robert Taylor** · 24th September 2007, 17:56

Originally Posted by Guitana

Hi Robert.
I was wondering if you could give me some advice on a rear shock for my 1999 GSXR1100w. Everyones given me all sorts of advice on what to replace it with as it's stuffed. But they all seem to talk a load of shite, and the prices are horendous. What would be a reasonable priced shock for a bike that does a little bit of fast riding and alot of long distance riding?
Cheers Rick.

I think in all walks of life there are five minute experts and often people will beleive what suits them best to beleive, especially if it suits their pocket. There are other very important considerations aside from price i.e value for money and backup.

You can buy a ''reasonably priced shock'' ( aftermarket ) for maybe around $800 to $900 or so BUT that price represents low cost materials and minimal individual development for each bike. Mass market cheap replacement average performance. And its always relevant to quote ''the best youve ridden is the best you know''

Alternatively you can purchase a name brand high quality shock and totally ignore the misinformed comments that the prices are horrendous and they are for fast riders. In fact the listing for the product I sell ( Ohlins ) retails at $1299 incl of gst and is road bike specific.

Note here that I am always reluctant to quote prices over this forum as there are parasites viewing who are conversant in ''dutch auctions'' and typical of these sort of people offer no backup nor have the complete knowledge and inventory etc to do so. They will pick the eyes out of what suits them, grab your money and run.

Note also that the price of a new Ohlins shock is probably not too dissimiliar to that of a brand new original Suzuki shock, maybe less than.

The advantages are high quality materials, very low friction levels and the spec is exhaustively tested to work extremely well on your bike. There are very apparent immediate benefits, including improved ride height control and steering precision, ride compliance AND very noticably reduced tyre wear.

And I make no apologies for saying this so directly....here at a local level we offer full proper knowledgable back up and have a major investment in tooling, test equipment and ( costly ) accumulation of knowledge to do so. Your shock arrives fully set up with the appropriate springing and if neccessary valving changes to suit your personal stats, loading and applications. The service we offer is way way better than anything else offered. Further to that we are slowly building a service network. These people are technicians who are of great temperament, they have processing skills and are very particular in what they do. They transparently link into my database ( including empirical knowledge ) and I can trust their work implicitly.

Its your call in the end, the improvement is relative to how much you spend, and while full and proper backup is less ''fashionable'' it can make a gbig difference.

**Ivan** · 24th September 2007, 18:26

Hi robert we were pitted next to you in the weekend came and saw you about the RG150 forks, you helped us with those preload pieces, I was impressed the help you gave us considering we wernt working on anything spectacular, and I watched you guys working on sams and craigs bikes,

If you decide a school I am keen to come, as I find it would be good for my 125 racing,

**Hitcher** · 24th September 2007, 20:29

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

To be formally announced in the fullness of time.......suffice to say I am escaping from ''Jurrassic Park''

Eltham is nice this time of year...

**Robert Taylor** · 24th September 2007, 20:36

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Eltham is nice this time of year...

Eltham in England, yes.

**Robert Taylor** · 24th September 2007, 20:39

Originally Posted by Ivan

Hi robert we were pitted next to you in the weekend came and saw you about the RG150 forks, you helped us with those preload pieces, I was impressed the help you gave us considering we wernt working on anything spectacular, and I watched you guys working on sams and craigs bikes,

If you decide a school I am keen to come, as I find it would be good for my 125 racing,

Thanks for that, such a mod is not really ''skinning the cat'' correctly but I hoped it helped a little. I hope this also goes someway to negating a deliberately propogated statement that I am only interested in helping the top riders.

**Ivan** · 24th September 2007, 21:38

Yeah were gonna do it properly but it helped,

Yeah I found you very approachable I was more worried about wasting your time knowing how serious these superbike guys are you looked busy.

**Finn** · 24th September 2007, 21:42

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

suffice to say I am escaping from ''Jurrassic Park''

Australia won't be too convenient for us RT.

**Robert Taylor** · 25th September 2007, 08:39

Originally Posted by Finn

Australia won't be too convenient for us RT.

700 Kiwis per week departing to live in Australia alone is a very sad indictment on Helen Mugabe and her drones.....

**Finn** · 25th September 2007, 08:48

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

700 Kiwis per week departing to live in Australia alone is a very sad indictment on Helen Mugabe and her drones.....

Yip. Sadly, most of thse people are the smart ones too so would never have voted for Labour anyway. Helen doesn't mind so much as she has replaced them with third world immigrants who will vote in her favour for some handouts.

Anyway, good work with the suspension school.

**roogazza** · 25th September 2007, 09:17

Originally Posted by FROSTY

And the REALLY great news is that our mate SHAUN HARRIS will be back up and running doing what he does well. Optimising suspension

From what I saw at the weekend, Robert Taylor and his Team seem to be doing a bloody great job. So good to see such a professional approach to bike racing in NZ. They were all over the place adjusting and advising on settings , including the young riders which was very good to see.
It's a pity I'm at the very end of my racing and have no time left to experience these experts. Gaz.

**HDTboy** · 25th September 2007, 10:14

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

I hope this also goes someway to negating a deliberately propogated statement that I am only interested in helping the top riders.

I can vouch for Robert's expertise, and helpful attitude when it comes to any bike I ask him about (and that's a fair few for one person).

Kerry (TDC), is also very helpful, but he is a merkin.