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suspension upgrade process...

5K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  cmb 
#1 ·
well, after a bunch of reading, and figuring out what i wanna do with my "track day career" (continue with just track days, casual racing for fun, or some SERIOUS racing for parts and money), i've decided what i'm going to do with the suspension.

since i'm currently at the upper end of level 2 (intermediate) and don't have any real desire to spend the money to race and all that, my ultimate goal is to simply put up respectable times in level 4 (advanced) group at track days. at this point, i'm realizing how inferior the stock R6 shock is, and how much it costs to upgrade. so, in order to save money a bit, i've come up with a plan that agrees with both my plans, and my wallet.

i'm going to upgrade the rear suspension, and keep the stock forks for a while - just get them retuned now i'm LOADS quicker than the last time i had them touched. i'll also do a refresh with HIGH END oil considering it's got about 9k miles on her and i've never touched the front end. :eek:

anyhow, what i'm looking for, is suggestions on rear possibilities. should i simply buy a new one sprung for me? buy used, respring if wrong? revalve/respring my stock one? JUST respring my stock one? i'm open to almost anything... however i AM on a budget as this is one of the things that i CAN'T get a hookup on with my current "connections." :(

anyhow, looking for some input from the suspension gurus, and racers/fast guys.

oh, and if you whore this thread, i'll report it, and it'll get deleted. suspension is serious business, and this forum NEEDS a serious thread for a change. :fact

GO!!!!!
 
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#2 ·
I am going to ReSpring and Revalve my Current, I too am on a budget and this was a cheap easy route, I have be Emailing back and forth with people at Race Tech trying to get an Idea on what I really want to do, and that seemed the best bang for my buck. I also Plan on spending some cash around Christmas on new Fork Internals. Even though the Stock spring is enough to hold me with very little tuning I feel I need to have them Sprung for my Weight.
 
#5 ·
tha'ts what i'm asking. ultimately, the fronts will have racetech internals. as for the rear, i'm not sure what to do, but know i'm not gonna pay $1k for a shock. that's insanity for a guy that ISN'T racing and knows i won't be world famous some day. my money is better spent on my family. but that's just me.
 
#6 ·
Hey Agg,

I had race tech quote me for redoing my shock. It's about $600 or so.. About double that and you can have a ttx setup for your weight and style.. Both are too steep for me, and I am nowhere near fast enough to justify this for myself. Note: the quote is for a first gen, but it should give you an idea of what you're gonna spend.

What kind of issues are you having with the stock shock that requires a change? Too soft and you are maxed on the compression and preload now? Thx for posting a serious thread, I been getting tired of all the nonsense and chatter. Looking forward to learning a lot from this thread.

Shock
Labor $105
Oil $15
Gold Valve Kit $169.99
Spring $109.99
Seal Head Assembly $49.99
Bushings 9.99
Bladder $19.99
Bladder Cap $29.99
Preload adjuster collar $69.99
 
#7 ·
i keep feeling like it's too stiff and it chatters constantly under trail braking and even some on hard acceleration outta the corner. i'm just tired of feeling like i'm riding the BIKE and not the TRACK... and would like to get less wheel feel and more TRACK feel coming from the ass-end. i can handle the front alright for now. hopefully i can get the new fork internals before barber in august.

hoping danQ chimes in here eventually too... :popcorn:
 
#9 ·
+1 I see em all the time on wera cause I am always lookin for my bike. Only sit for newer ones are usually for sale. How much is a different sprin for an ohlins on average? Maybe it's worth it to go used and swap the spring if needed?

Agg, the chatterin you are gettin is what causes the wavy marks on the tires after a race?
 
#10 ·
Like Juan, I've tried to make sure my front is done first, or at the same time. But I'm a pretty heavy guy, so stock is almost never an option.

There are many different choices out there as far as shock absorbers:
  • Service the stock shock (I'll refer to this several times as it NEEDS to be done every two seasons or even more often depending on condition)
  • Revalving and springing the stock shock (easy enough for the person who is servicing the shock)
  • Buying a used shock and getting it serviced (always factor in the cost of a service when looking at used shocks)
  • Buying a new shock (there are many available, depending on what you want to spend)
All shock absorbers will need to be serviced regular. Even the high dollar shocks needs frequent service. 20,000 miles will make any shock not seem right. If you think about getting it done at the intervals I mentioned above, there is plenty of opportunity for your tuner to make things better as you progress. So the high dollar shock isn't always the only answer.

The stock shock with different valving can offer more flexibility at a low price, and there are many places that can help (Traxxion, Race Tech, Lindemann Engineering, Dan Kyle, Dave Hodges, to name a few). Most routinely shop and work with customers over the phone and email etc.

Several of the same companies offer well designed replacement parts featuring their valving and springs.

And then of course, there are the "premium" aftermarket parts such as Ohlins or Penske.

When considering any of the non-OEM replacement parts, look for features more than range of adjustment. Some folks believe that if a shock has 50 clicks of adjustment that it may be the best shock. Truth of the matter is that as you progress and become more consistent (especially riding the same tracks) that you will begin to use LESS of the adjustment range. Features like high and low speed compression damping, ride height adjustment (both + and -), adjustment via common tools (preload and damping) are all things that will make life easier in the long run.

One place to look for good info and advice is a local shop/tuner that can service shocks. Ask them for their opinion on different shocks that they are equipped and authorized to service. Some shocks have awesome features etc, but if you are going to have to ship it to be serviced each time, that cost may factor in to your consideration. Shipping both ways on something as heavy as a shock can add up over the length of ownership. But if the shop down the street can do that shock absorber it can make things better. While all major suspension places will work with you on the phone, email, etc, nothing is like being able to have a face to face conversation about your equipment once in a while.

Hopefully this gives you some thoughts.
 
#15 ·
my 02 r6 was bought as a street bike but after i saw a guy die when some guys were stunting i decided to not ride on the street. i did several track days with stock suspension and found out a guy i know was selling his first gen r6 with ohlins rear shock and ohlins internals on the forks. i asked if he would trade me forks and sell the shock so i picked up forks, shock and a scotts dampner for $1000 and my stock forks. after i set the sag i noticed big difference with good suspension.
my zx6rr track bike was bought as a race bike and had the ohlins rear shock and has racetech internals on the front. that bike also feels really good at the track. i am sort of tempted to sell my zx6rr so i can buy some stuff for my 07 r6. my 07 is basically bone stock except rearsets and a yosh slipon. i have a buddy that might be selling his track bike back as a streetbike and he is going to sell his ohlins rear shock and his ohlins redone front forks.
 
#16 ·
Well I don't know what you weigh AGG but if you are around the 160-180 LB area the shocks and forks are properly sprung for your weight anyway. The rear shock is the most forgiving as far as suspension goes but it does seem to be the first to always get changed. I think it is a look thing. You can see it and it is not to entirely difficult to change ( ACTUALLY IT IS ) . Assuming you are in the 160 - 180 lb weight window lets move on. If not you will need to get the bike sprung at least for your weight.

The front by now most certainly needs a refresh. You can simply have it cleaned and refilled with 5WT fork oil of high quality. This will help a lot and stiffen it up a little. The rear is tough since they are more difficult to service. You could buy another one cheap on ebay that is from a newer bike, or spend about 200-400 to have it serviced. The front end service shouldn't be more than $150. So for under $500 you should be able to get the front and rear at least like new anyway. Depending on your budget you could try re-valving on either end but to be honest the stock suspenders will get you much further than you think.

I run stock front ends with 5wt oil and a re-valved stock rear shock. It has not helped me get better times yet, however I am getting twice as much life out of my tires now since the upgrade. So don't expect to be faster just because of new suspenders and upgrades. You should find it easier to fix suspension issues and your tires will wear better and last longer.

I also assume that you are pretty suspension knowledgeable. Some of the issues you talk of can be fixed if you twist some knobs. The chatter is usually a high speed compression setting being to high. Reducing the high speed compression in the front will reduce chatter. The lack of feel in the bike is usually indicative of having a high amount of rebound damping in the bike. Reducing the rebound damping front and rear will help get some more feel back in the bike. This may also be why the front skips coming out of turns. The steering damper is keeping things inline while the front tire skips along the road surface. Reducing the rebound will usually cause the bike to run wide out of corners but if the front tire isn't on the ground anyway there is no directional control at all. Read up on this link as it always helps me dial things in.

Link: http://aprilia.rsvmille.home.comcast.net/~aprilia.rsvmille/bikes/suspension_guide.htm

Once you get a grasp on things it will be easier to fix issues and learn to not blame the bike or the suspension for it's shortcomings. There is only so much the suspension can do and at some point the stockers won't work at all for you, but there is still always a sweet spot. The speed you say that you run at is way within the stock suspension abilities. You could probably run deep into the A or group 1 with the stockers. I know from experience that this is the case. I am running mid A group pace with the stockers. Hope this helps.
 
#17 · (Edited)
the rear shock on the 06 from what i hear is actually fairly good from the showroom. hearing that from multiple racers and tuners actually surprised the hell of out me. of course that doesn't mean it doesn't need any adjustment but for a stock shock, it's sprung and valved pretty well.

you shouldn't need to get aftermarket assuming it's the right spring rate and you're getting good sag #'s.

if you're having problems, i suggest spending a day with a suspension tuner @ a trackday and having them help your sort it out.

FWIW, if you're doing trackdays regularly, you should be changing the fork oil out at minimum annually. the shock you can get away with every couple of years since there aren't any metal parts rubbing inside but definitely be religious about the forks.
 
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