Fork mod

[Blue1]

I am pulling off the forks and sending them to my tuner for Race Tech Gold Valve and spring install next week.

I am psyched, the stock fork springing is a mushy disaster, I ran out of preload adjustment at least 10mm short of where I need to be, the almost 20% increase in spring rate should get my back to a proper front/rear attitude.

If the Gold Valves work as well on the 'busa as they do on my ZRX, then I will have one supple but well controlled front end.

The rear is fresh (only 1300 miles on the bike) and the springing is actually pretty good, that can stay stock until the shock starts going away.

Blue1

 

[Mr Bogus]

 

[cosmo]

Mine is in the shop getting both ends done. I opted to replace the rear spring as the conventional wisdom appears to be that the stock shock is ok but the spring (13.1 Kg) is WAY too soft.

 

[Charlesbusa]

You won't regret it, makes a world of diference  

Even if the stock shock's spring is good enough to set up your ride height, you might consider getting it revalved especially if you're at the limits(1-5 clicks in or 16-21 clicks in) of rebound or compression and each click will give you a bigger change giving you a wider range of adjustment.

 

[HillbillyTom]

If the Gold Valves work as well on the 'busa as they do on my ZRX, then I will have one supple but well controlled front end.

I unfortunatly did some R&D work for Race Tech with my ZRX. Mine was an 05 and they listed springs and Gold Valve kits for my bike so I had the LBS order everything and put them in. They sent the Gold Valves but couldn't be bothered with making any of the springs they listed for it. Finally after 3 mo. of waiting I got the springs from another place and proceeded. Got a call from the LBS a coupla days later, can't use the Gold Valves, 05 cartridges are sealed form the factory. Sent 'em back and e-mailed Race Tech asking what was up. Never got an answer from them but about a week later the Race Tech web site dropped the 04-05 listing for ZRX1200 Gold Valve kits.
Your welcome Race Tech. Jackasses.

 

[Mr Bogus]

well am pretty happy so far with their offerings for the Busa...

 

[BigBSBusa]

Hopefully this will be a better experience!

 

[Wag]

Had 'em put in mine. Bike rides like a new bike altogether.

Take my advice, though. Do the shock, too.

--Wag--

 

[Blue1]

If the Gold Valves work as well on the 'busa as they do on my ZRX, then I will have one supple but well controlled front end.

I unfortunatly did some R&D work for Race Tech with my ZRX. Mine was an 05 and they listed springs and Gold Valve kits for my bike so I had the LBS order everything and put them in. They sent the Gold Valves but couldn't be bothered with making any of the springs they listed for it. Finally after 3 mo. of waiting I got the springs from another place and proceeded. Got a call from the LBS a coupla days later, can't use the Gold Valves, 05 cartridges are sealed form the factory. Sent 'em back and e-mailed Race Tech asking what was up. Never got an answer from them but about a week later the Race Tech web site dropped the 04-05 listing for ZRX1200 Gold Valve kits.
Your welcome Race Tech. Jackasses.

Wow, that's a bummer.

All I can say is my ZRX is an '01, back when they had rebuildable forks, and the Race Tech components I used
worked great.

Too bad they didn't have their sh*t together when you needed them.

BTW, my shop quoted me $225 for the labor without the rebound shim stack, $275 with. I asked for explanation and he told me some Gold Valves come with a reubuildable rebound stack and some don't. I have some faith in this guy from personal reference and him spending 45 minutes of shop time with me discussing my bike and actually seeming to enjoy it! I will endorse him by name if my interaction with him continues to be positive, I don't like to criticise or praise until I can recommend one way or the other with total confidence.

 

[Blue1]

Had 'em put in mine.  Bike rides like a new bike altogether.  

Take my advice, though.  Do the shock, too.

--Wag--

Maybe I well, but for now they seem to be adequate. ANy difference will probably be apparent after the fork work and me getting a few more miles experience on the bike.

In a previous post, someone spoke about the rear suspension being totally undersprung. I must say, I have plenty of preload adustment in the rear, and I am 6'1" and 270 lbs. My ZRX shocks were worn out in about 3500 miles. I am hoping the 'busa shock is a little more upscale and gives me 5000 miles before becoming a spring guide.

 

[cosmo]

Had 'em put in mine.  Bike rides like a new bike altogether.  

Take my advice, though.  Do the shock, too.

--Wag--

Maybe I well, but for now they seem to be adequate.  ANy difference will probably be apparent after the fork work and me getting a few more miles experience on the bike.

In a previous post, someone spoke about the rear suspension being totally undersprung.  I must say, I have plenty of preload adustment in the rear, and I am 6'1" and 270 lbs.  My ZRX shocks were worn out in about 3500 miles.  I am hoping the 'busa shock is a little more upscale and gives me 5000 miles before becoming a spring guide.

Given your size I would say one of two things:

- Your spring is not stock
or
- Your not measuring the sag properly

The stock unit is 13.1 Kg and the Racetech recommendation for a 270 lb pilot is 15.85 Kg....and the stiffest available from them is 14.3 Kg

 

[Blue1]

Had 'em put in mine.  Bike rides like a new bike altogether.  

Take my advice, though.  Do the shock, too.

--Wag--

Maybe I well, but for now they seem to be adequate.  ANy difference will probably be apparent after the fork work and me getting a few more miles experience on the bike.

In a previous post, someone spoke about the rear suspension being totally undersprung.  I must say, I have plenty of preload adustment in the rear, and I am 6'1" and 270 lbs.  My ZRX shocks were worn out in about 3500 miles.  I am hoping the 'busa shock is a little more upscale and gives me 5000 miles before becoming a spring guide.

Given your size I would say one of two things:

- Your spring is not stock
or
- Your not measuring the sag properly

The stock unit is 13.1 Kg and the Racetech recommendation for a 270 lb pilot is 15.85 Kg....and the stiffest available from them is 14.3 Kg

I was as surprised as you, but the bike was delivered with less than a mile from a Suxuki dealer, and I employed the help of three guys with decades of experience to measure what we measured.  Maybe a factory mistake? I am as skeptical as you, yet I can only report what I experienced.

I actually reduced preload to try and make up for the excessive front end sag.  Laden sag (from topped and bottomed averaged to attempt to minimize static friction) was 38 mm which is about where it should be in any case.  There was probably 25% of adjustment left.

Maybe, as my confidence with the 'busa increases, I will notice problems with the shock, but I suspect it wiil go off gradually, only requiring increase in rebound damping setting, until no further damping setting is unavailable.

Thanks,
Blue1

 

[Wag]

All I know is that when I did just the forks, the bike performed MUCH better but you could tell right away that the rear needed to be done, too.

Did the rear and it made a world of difference.

You'll know when you take a couple or three turns and your rear steps out on you because it can't hold on to the road as well as the front.

Had mine out of the back of the bike the NEXT DAY!

--Wag--