Worth changing shock for street riding?

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dduck

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I set up the stock suspension and It is much better than base settings. I weigh 225 lbs. That said I don't love the suspension as compared to a new zx14 that I recently drove.

Are the penke's & ohlins going to make for a better street experience or should I not worry about it unless I'm going to start tracking and really pushing the bike's limits.
 
dduck said:
I set up the stock suspension and It is much better than base settings. I weigh 225 lbs. That said I don't love the suspension as compared to a new zx14 that I recently drove.

Are the penke's & ohlins going to make for a better street experience or should I not worry about it unless I'm going to start tracking and really pushing the bike's limits.
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Oh from what everybody else that has upgraded says you will notice a big difference with a Penske or Ohlins rear shock. I myself still ride on the stocker, but just picked up a used Penske that I can't wait to install.

If you can afford it I say go for it...
 
For street riding I found the Penske to be much more compliant and comfortable. The wheel tracks much better over bumps too.

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Absolutely worth the upgrade. Japan sets these up for about a 150 lb rider. With the stock suspension, I really don't see how they can claim the maximum allowed weight in the manual. I thought the stock shock was "OK" until I bolted up the Penske and now I'm saying "OMFG! Why did I ride THAT crap for 3 eff'n years!?!?!?" :yes: I'm 220 in my birthday suit.
 
dduck said:
I set up the stock suspension and It is much better than base settings. I weigh 225 lbs. That said I don't love the suspension as compared to a new zx14 that I recently drove.

Are the penke's & ohlins going to make for a better street experience or should I not worry about it unless I'm going to start tracking and really pushing the bike's limits.
Click to expand...

At 225 lbs, a new shock with correct spring rate and valving will make a world of difference to your riding.

No more wallowing or bottoming out and much better bump compliance.

Only downside is you might find yourself riding faster ;)
 
Cobalt said:
Absolutely worth the upgrade. Japan sets these up for about a 150 lb rider. With the stock suspension, I really don't see how they can claim the maximum allowed weight in the manual. I thought the stock shock was "OK" until I bolted up the Penske and now I'm saying "OMFG! Why did I ride THAT crap for 3 eff'n years!?!?!?" :yes: I'm 220 in my birthday suit.
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I am 175lbs and don`t have a problem with the stocker,but may change my mind if I tried an upgrade, at the moment it`s not something that I complain about so I can`t see it getting changed anytime soon.
 
I weigh about 175 too and after riding my favorite backroad run I easily saw why I ordered a Penske. The backend was bumpy, didn't track well and didn't inspire confidence at all.
 
Yes

I started with the stocker, and switched to a custom ordered Ohlins 906. I was amazed at how much better the bike stayed hooked up on bumpy pavement, especially through corners. I had the shock set up from Ohlins for my weight and riding style, by answering the questions honestly. Once I had it installed, I set both the front and rear (they had it right) SAG. The bike was like nothing I had ridden before, so if you can afford it, Yes!
 
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On my FZ1, I changed the rear spring, had the shock rebuilt and then set the sag up--the difference was noticeable and well worth the money.

On my SV650, I swapped the OEM shock out for a GSX-R 1000 shock. It was cheap and I wasn't expecting a huge improvement but I was dead wrong. It feels fantastic and it pretty much answered my questions about the merit of an upgraded shock.

If you have the cash for a high-end Ohlins or Penske, do it. No matter your weight or riding style or skill level, the difference will be amazing, I'm sure.

If you're on a budget, even something like the el-cheapo eBay swap or a simple re-spring and rebuild is worth the cash. :)
 
I think the lower end ones go for around $500 and the one Eric (Cobalt) got was about $850. These are just ballpark, as I don't know the exact numbers.

The shock Eric bought is my next upgrade. I believe this and the fork rebuild will enhance my riding more than a few HP in the mid range (but that would be nice too)


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In a leap of blind faith bought an Ohlins because I couldn't stand the stock shock. I noticed the improvement as soon as I rolled out of my driveway. I would highly recomend the Ohlins.
 
supersonic said:
In a leap of blind faith bought an Ohlins because I couldn't stand the stock shock. I noticed the improvement as soon as I rolled out of my driveway. I would highly recomend the Ohlins.
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What Model did you get and how much? My local Yam dealer reckons he can get me an Ohlins "for the right price"? So a bit of a research needed.
 
I did the 08+ R1 forks and the Penske 8983. I have yet to do any engine mods as now I can really use the power I have.

Best money spent was the suspension hands down. Was like going from a pogo stick with wheels to a moto GP bike.
 
If you have enough money for a new shock why not upgrade it.....You will feel the difference right away.

Ohlins is for sure one of the best out there, but their price is also at the top so surf the internet if you can find something that will keep you satisfied and won't leave your wallet empty.
 
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