The Ohlins has been installed and set up. They did have to fashion a custom bracket to accommodate the remove preload adjuster, but all in all it's a very clean install.
Everyone I talked to there said I would notice an immediate and significant difference in the way the bike handles.
No lie. I don't think I would have believed that a rear shock and spring swap would make such a big difference. Even at the lowest preload setting, the Ohlins is significantly stiffer than the Progressive. The bike seems to ride at, what I perceive to be, it's stock height. I had always thought the Progressive caused the rear of the bike to ride too low throwing the geometry of the bike off.
With the Ohlins the geometry "feels" right to me. The tech said that improving the rear suspension can have a significant effect on the front end, counterintuitively.
In many ways it feels like a different bike. It leans differently. On a few corners I surprised myself because the bike cut into the corner sharper than I'm used to. I don't know jack about suspensions, but it feels like the rear end is coming around faster, if such a thing is possible.
The ride is stiffer but not uncomfortable and over hard bumps the shock seems to give more than the Progressive.
I talked to the tech about the front end. He took it for a test ride and said it felt right to him.
I still say something is not right with the front end. It may even just be the tire. These bikes are crazy sensitive to tire wear and pressure.
Miles By Motorcycle
established 11 years ago
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That's great. It may not be perfect yet, but every little bit helps.
You should probaably go ride some really crappy bike for a while just so you can come back and appreciate your bike with all of its Bavarian excellence. Know anyone with a piece o' shit bike that you can borrow?
You should probaably go ride some really crappy bike for a while just so you can come back and appreciate your bike with all of its Bavarian excellence. Know anyone with a piece o' shit bike that you can borrow?
This is excellent news. Seems to me however that this makes the argument for the racetech adjustable front end...
Yermo wrote:
Yermo wrote:
The Ohlins has been installed and set up. They did have to fashion a custom bracket to accommodate the remove preload adjuster, but all in all it's a very clean install.
Everyone I talked to there said I would notice an immediate and significant difference in the way the bike handles.
No lie. I don't think I would have believed that a rear shock and spring swap would make such a big difference. Even at the lowest preload setting, the Ohlins is significantly stiffer than the Progressive. The bike seems to ride at, what I perceive to be, it's stock height. I had always thought the Progressive caused the rear of the bike to ride too low throwing the geometry of the bike off.
With the Ohlins the geometry "feels" right to me. The tech said that improving the rear suspension can have a significant effect on the front end, counterintuitively.
In many ways it feels like a different bike. It leans differently. On a few corners I surprised myself because the bike cut into the corner sharper than I'm used to. I don't know jack about suspensions, but it feels like the rear end is coming around faster, if such a thing is possible.
The ride is stiffer but not uncomfortable and over hard bumps the shock seems to give more than the Progressive.
I talked to the tech about the front end. He took it for a test ride and said it felt right to him.
I still say something is not right with the front end. It may even just be the tire. These bikes are crazy sensitive to tire wear and pressure.
Everyone I talked to there said I would notice an immediate and significant difference in the way the bike handles.
No lie. I don't think I would have believed that a rear shock and spring swap would make such a big difference. Even at the lowest preload setting, the Ohlins is significantly stiffer than the Progressive. The bike seems to ride at, what I perceive to be, it's stock height. I had always thought the Progressive caused the rear of the bike to ride too low throwing the geometry of the bike off.
With the Ohlins the geometry "feels" right to me. The tech said that improving the rear suspension can have a significant effect on the front end, counterintuitively.
In many ways it feels like a different bike. It leans differently. On a few corners I surprised myself because the bike cut into the corner sharper than I'm used to. I don't know jack about suspensions, but it feels like the rear end is coming around faster, if such a thing is possible.
The ride is stiffer but not uncomfortable and over hard bumps the shock seems to give more than the Progressive.
I talked to the tech about the front end. He took it for a test ride and said it felt right to him.
I still say something is not right with the front end. It may even just be the tire. These bikes are crazy sensitive to tire wear and pressure.
Having adjustable rebound dampening is only a very small part of the equation.
I actually came over last night. I was going to show you the shock. I had asked them to replace the spring for cosmetic reasons. The tech measured it and said the spring was fine. It's got some rust on it. If my OCD takes over I may have them replace it at some point in the future.
So I rode around a bit more. The bike is so much more "flickable" now it's not funny. I would not have imagined a rear shock would make that bike feel lighter.
If money were no object, the trick thing to do would be to bolt an ohlins front end onto it. Rumor has it they do custom work ...
I actually came over last night. I was going to show you the shock. I had asked them to replace the spring for cosmetic reasons. The tech measured it and said the spring was fine. It's got some rust on it. If my OCD takes over I may have them replace it at some point in the future.
So I rode around a bit more. The bike is so much more "flickable" now it's not funny. I would not have imagined a rear shock would make that bike feel lighter.
If money were no object, the trick thing to do would be to bolt an ohlins front end onto it. Rumor has it they do custom work ...
Have you set the sag yet?
I didn't read through the whole post yet, so forgive me if this question is already answered. Did you get the front-end done too? If not, do that too.
Once you get the front done and both tuned, you won't believe the difference.
I didn't read through the whole post yet, so forgive me if this question is already answered. Did you get the front-end done too? If not, do that too.
Once you get the front done and both tuned, you won't believe the difference.
@647 yea, it's all been set up. They said they thought the front end was fine but at some point I'm going to do that up as well.
Figured I'd post a pic:
All in all a clean install. They did have to fabricate a custom bracket and mount the remote preload adjuster facing rearward so that it would not interfere with the ABS reservoir during compression.
I had asked them to replace the spring because of the surface rust on the lower end, but they failed to. They said the spring was well within serviceable limits. My understand is that the bike that this shock was mounted on sat for most of its life.
I may eventually have a spring replaced purely for cosmetic reasons.
After talking to Ryan this evening, I think I'm going to go and update the frontend with Racetech cartridge emulators and springs. I've got to do some research on that.
Then again there's also an outlier possibility of just having the forks completely reworked from the inside. We'll see what I find.
The bike handles so much better than it did before that I think I need to update the front to match.
All in all a clean install. They did have to fabricate a custom bracket and mount the remote preload adjuster facing rearward so that it would not interfere with the ABS reservoir during compression.
I had asked them to replace the spring because of the surface rust on the lower end, but they failed to. They said the spring was well within serviceable limits. My understand is that the bike that this shock was mounted on sat for most of its life.
I may eventually have a spring replaced purely for cosmetic reasons.
After talking to Ryan this evening, I think I'm going to go and update the frontend with Racetech cartridge emulators and springs. I've got to do some research on that.
Then again there's also an outlier possibility of just having the forks completely reworked from the inside. We'll see what I find.
The bike handles so much better than it did before that I think I need to update the front to match.
Really, it seems to me that that make the most sense of all--if you're going to bother with the suspension at all, then why not make it fully right (or as right as it can be) by adding the adjustable front end?
Money well spent, IMO...
Yermo wrote:
Money well spent, IMO...
Yermo wrote:
Figured I'd post a pic:
All in all a clean install. They did have to fabricate a custom bracket and mount the remote preload adjuster facing rearward so that it would not interfere with the ABS reservoir during compression.
I had asked them to replace the spring because of the surface rust on the lower end, but they failed to. They said the spring was well within serviceable limits. My understand is that the bike that this shock was mounted on sat for most of its life.
I may eventually have a spring replaced purely for cosmetic reasons.
After talking to Ryan this evening, I think I'm going to go and update the frontend with Racetech cartridge emulators and springs. I've got to do some research on that.
Then again there's also an outlier possibility of just having the forks completely reworked from the inside. We'll see what I find.
The bike handles so much better than it did before that I think I need to update the front to match.
All in all a clean install. They did have to fabricate a custom bracket and mount the remote preload adjuster facing rearward so that it would not interfere with the ABS reservoir during compression.
I had asked them to replace the spring because of the surface rust on the lower end, but they failed to. They said the spring was well within serviceable limits. My understand is that the bike that this shock was mounted on sat for most of its life.
I may eventually have a spring replaced purely for cosmetic reasons.
After talking to Ryan this evening, I think I'm going to go and update the frontend with Racetech cartridge emulators and springs. I've got to do some research on that.
Then again there's also an outlier possibility of just having the forks completely reworked from the inside. We'll see what I find.
The bike handles so much better than it did before that I think I need to update the front to match.
BTW, a little yellow touch up paint (you wouldn't even need to disassemble the shock--just mask off the plate below) would probably look much better (if that's bugging you)...
bright yellow on a blue & black bike that just stands out out.
I'd take the spring, paint or plastic dip it some other color.
I'd take the spring, paint or plastic dip it some other color.
Yermo wrote:
I might have to paint the whole thing black. ;)
Don't do that! The gold and yellow says Ohlins at just a glance, and that says "serious motorcyclist and someone who needs serious equipment because he can ride."
You'll attract more attention and start more conversations because of that Ohlins than you realize.
If it were mine, I'd have it stripped and repainted the same yellow, or just get a new one (which might be cheaper).
@647 @ SprinkKS Yea, I agree. I was thinking the same thing after I posted it. I had actually asked them to replace the spring because I didn't like the look of the rust. I'll probably do that at some point.
And I agree, having an Ohlins on that bike is a bit like a mark of distinction, and we all know how I loathe marks of distinction.
And I agree, having an Ohlins on that bike is a bit like a mark of distinction, and we all know how I loathe marks of distinction.