This bike will be a keeper. Eventually it will become my trackbike. Don't want to spend mega bucks on it but I do want it to be set up just right. Got the tires sorted, ABS working (cross fingers touch wood don't step on any cracks!) and braided lines/upgraded MC in the pipeline, well now it's the suspension's turn. I'm between 65-70 kg depending on if I'd just had a number one or two, so do I need the forks/shocks upgraded? Before you ask they have been set up by a pro (parkitt racing @ snetterton)and it feels OK on fast road and track, the sags are within recommended and the damping is well within the max/min..... but according to RT - Digital Product Search the springs are weighted for someone around 100kgs is this right? or is this marketing BS to get me to buy some springs? Speaking to my local specialist they agree i'm too light for the oem springs and have quoted 200 and some to change my springs and custom set up or nearly 600 notes for this and a revalve. They have also recommended a years worth of my kids school lunches for a upgrade for a rear shock. I love this bike and would happily allow my kids to starve if the upgrade would be a noticeable benefit Please help!!
Bl**dy hell that is a lot of money. First off the standard springs are weighted for an average rider of 13 stone. The front springs need changing to a 8.5nm for your weight, Also the rear spring will need to change. If you want to get a good kit then K-Tech do a wonderful road/ track valve upgrade consisting of a new shim valve and a new bypass needle kit. This is sufficient for most uses and is what I had done. Cost wise it was around £270 for the front spring and valve kit, £85 for the rear spring and I did the works myself. So factor in around three hours work from a dealer and you should be there. Obviously if you are racing and a track god then consider a cartridge kit instead costing around a thousand pounds for the front.
Thanks Peter, I'm definitely no race God! just like enjoy myself round corners!, hell I don't even like overtaking on track days! Interesting that you say the blade is set up for a rider around 80Kg and not 100kg that the Race tech guys are suggesting. 80kg makes sense though as the suspension feels Ok as I'm not being launched at every bump! Been looking at this on ebay Bitubo CBR 1000 RR Rear Shock - not Ohlins | eBay and the seller is saying it's 100Nm on the rear spring (as he's 95 kg) again totally contradictory to race tech ????? I consider myself quite mechanically minded but just can't justify some of the tools required and can't afford to keep the bike off the road too long if I cock up. FYI The price I was quoted was either for racetech or K-tech internals so i think I need to shop around.
