Suspension upgrade questions

ok, 08 Blade with 23,000 miles and no evidence or service history of suspension changes. Now I ain't the quickest, but even I can tell it needs a bit of a refresh.

Without spending a fortune, road riding only, what are the options

1. Will just an oil change on front forks make a difference and how much would it roughly cost
2. Replace rear shock with same unit new or upgrade to a 12my shock
3. Can you get the rear shock serviced
4. Would it need a spring

As I say I don't want to spend fortunes, but just want it working right and then I can get it set up by Alpha Suspension

Thoughts ?

Thanks

 

on my 05 i paid about £400 for new springs,oil and set up on the front and re gas,/oil and set up on the rear
dont know if thats more than you want to pay? and that was about 4 years ago but made the bike feel brand new for me

 

Give MCT suspension a bell, they are great but there waiting lists for work are HUGE! I booked mine 2 weeks ago for July! But they will repalce oil in shock and fork, respring fork, replace oil and set up to suit you, probably cost you around £400 but give them a ring and they will give you all options starting at about £100 for a set up upwards. You can get the rear shock serviced etc.
If you want Alpha suspension to do, I would ring them and pick their brains on what they would do to it anyway, and then use their advice to suit you.

 

forgot to put that in! thats who did mine

 

I've looked, read and listened about suspension set-ups.

MCT does seem to come on top as people say they are road suspension people first, race people second where lots are more race first.
Was going to them then bought a Ohlins rear shock , so need to get the front still sorted by them.
They asked good questions and answered my ones too.

Def worth giving them a call.

 

Mct all the way mate. Had road bikes and race bikes done by them. All excellent

 

Thanks all. MCT are a bit of a distance to travel. I have just picked up a brand new rear shock on eBay and looking at Ohlins revalve and spring upgrade, just need to speak to a few people locally

It sounds like front is where to put the money first, so the new standard shock should suffice until funds allow and must be an improvement on what's on for what it cost, and then front forks after 23,000 miles must feel better with uprated springs re-valve and new oil and then get it all set up

Thanks all

 

Have a read of this:



I was introduced to it last weekend by Graham Cox the dad of Sam Cox who was racing with Team Army 2 at Snetterton. It's a fantastic book that's easy to understand and if it.s good enough for a super stock evo rider then it's mare than good enough for me

 

If your ok with the spanners and don't need your bike to get to work etc,etc for a week or so, take off the front forks and send them off to be serviced/refreshed and upgraded. If not, look at somewhere which is local or ridable and does a ride in ride out service.

Here are people who I have used and would recommend;

Gareth at Reactive suspension, he did the for forks on my track CBR600RR 05 http://www.reactivesuspension.com/forks.php.
KTec, Revalved and serviced the rear 12+ balance free shock on my Blade http://www.k-tech.uk.com/
Steve Jordan suspension, Fitted a K-Tec revalve kit which was a ride in ride out http://www.stevejordanmotorcycles.co.uk/suspension.asp
Pete Alton, Set up the suspension on my track cbr600rr (inc Ohlins shock) for Brands Hatch http://www.otcdynocentre.co.uk/80720/info.php?p=6

I had heard lots of good things about MCT, but they took over 3 weeks to get back to me when I wanted the forks done on my Blade so I went to Steve Jordan. Also, MCT would only service the 12+ Balance free shock where as Ktec would service and revalve the shock to match the revalved forks.

 

Thanks Barry, did a bit of searching and came across Reactive last night, they are only 30mins away and appear to get good feedback on here so i emailed them last night.

 

Gareth is brilliant, has a lot of high end racing experience setting up suspension and runs a suspension school http://www.reactivesuspension.com/suspensionschool.php.

When he did the forks on my cbr600rr, he corrected the hash up someone else had done on them and made them brilliant. I could carry so much speed into/through a corner and bury the front that people were asking who did the front. You would go far wrong with him, also he gave me his contact number so I could call if I was having any setup issues on any track days and would guide me.

 

Sounds like he's also worth a try. Mct have done everything for me and at short notice some times. Highly recommended but also I wouldn't say don't try someone else

 

I know its an old thread but what was the revalved rear balance free shock like mate?

 

Mct serviced my 08 forks and changed the springs. I had a 13 plate rear shock fitted which they said it only needs proper oil put in it as they’re pretty good standard shocks. With the upgrade shock and the forks service with springs it handled beautifully.

 

Jeeze this is an old post think ive had 9 bikes since then

yeah if i was in that position id defo fit the newer shock it made a much better ride. I doubt you would puck up a good one now so will prob need a refurb but its a much cheaper option and i would sooner put the cost into the newer shock for the sake of £50 or so to pick one up.