For starters, this is a very basic upgrade done for reasons other than the typical but still with benefits, especially for the twisties. I will say there are quite a few more things about suspension tuning (to say the very least) I don't know and don't understand, but none the less, I needed to do something different to try and help my bike so here goes:
I purchased an '07 in April of '08. It came with lowering dog bones (don't know what kind), extended swing arm (6"), lowering triple trees, and a few other apperance mods. Over the last several months, I've discovered something about Hayabusa's that has piqued my interest in the bike's ability to corner. Now to all you naysayers of extended, lowered, etc. let me just say that I am starting to realize there is a lot more to this bike than just 0-200 in a little under fifteen seconds so please bear with me. By the time it's all said and done this bike might end up back at stock height (or closer)/swing arm but for now, it's what I want to work with.
The previous owner had the arm/lowering bones and trees done straight out of the box. At some point, it appears (with the bike lowered) he shoved the rear tire up through the under tail/battery tray and then replaced the stock broken piece with an aftermarket (don't know by who or what type) and raised the bike back up. The previous owner obviously looked like he weighed less than I so after putting a few hundered 'get familiar' miles on the bike, I started doing some harder launches/faster riding (ehmm, yes officer, just under the speed limit ) I started noticing the tag begining to resemble a rolled up newspaper when I figured the weight difference between me and the previous owner was beginning to take it's toll. So as a temporary fix, I used a drift and cranked the height adjusting nut on the rear shock down to raise the rear of the bike just enough to avoid the newspaper thing.
I've been satisfied with riding the bike that way until a few months ago when I started experimenting with corners. To enjoy the few we have in Kansas for very long usually winds up resembling what 'cruising' was like when I was in high school....four blocks of u-ies all night long, jeez was that ever exciting...NOT! I ride with a buddy who has a ZX-1400 and we'd switched off a couple of times to do the twisties....what a difference between a stock set up and my custom! This is when I decided to start getting serious with the rear suspension (I know what your thinking, Lamb, Scar, and all you other guys who could do circles around my corners, and probably while I'm cornering but again, please bear with me!)
So I contacted Race Tech and spoke with Loius Martinez and boy did he have a lot to say,"....you want to take your stretched and lowered 'busa and make it do what!?!!" (Not really, but close) Anyway, so I'm starting with the rear spring to stiffen up the rear for obvious reasons. I could start using some really cool words like fulcrum, and pivot point, and x+y to the third power, etc. but I ain't that smart about it...yet (I hope).
I present to you for your viewing pleasure....
This is the bike about two months ago....
View attachment 145731
Just getting ready to work on her....
(Don't laugh...it's the only place I have to work on her for now!)
A few shots of the new Eibach spring alongside the stock spring....
Before switching out the springs, I counted ten threads showing above the adjusting nut. I figured my sag rate according to the directions supplied with the kit and set the new spring accordingly. I think there are two threads showing now...
After the new spring, I went ahead and lowered the bike via the lowering links for now. Since I don't have the equipment to deal with a nitrogen shock, I will be sending it out later to have lowering blocks installed with the upgraded valving.
At the end of our Eureka Springs MnG MotoGP, ehmm, er, I mean, little motorcycle jaunt, Cap'n came up to the group I was sitting in and said,"Usually when people come to these things, they leave feeling like they've learned something." My response was,"I came thinking I knew something only to discover I don't know anything!" I did come away from my experience with a little better understanding of how to corner. I think I am a little better at it than what I was and I can say that the spring upgrade made the bike feel much smoother and has steadier movement through the corners than like the squishy pillow it was before.
In the mean time, I do show the bike and I will probably contented with the suspension with the bike in it's present form (don't flame me bro's!). After all it does win the shows slammed and lowered and looking like a drag scooter (obviously not much competition in this area...yet) and to be honest, I still haven't got over the look. I like it....alot.
Here's to Happy Trails!!
I purchased an '07 in April of '08. It came with lowering dog bones (don't know what kind), extended swing arm (6"), lowering triple trees, and a few other apperance mods. Over the last several months, I've discovered something about Hayabusa's that has piqued my interest in the bike's ability to corner. Now to all you naysayers of extended, lowered, etc. let me just say that I am starting to realize there is a lot more to this bike than just 0-200 in a little under fifteen seconds so please bear with me. By the time it's all said and done this bike might end up back at stock height (or closer)/swing arm but for now, it's what I want to work with.
The previous owner had the arm/lowering bones and trees done straight out of the box. At some point, it appears (with the bike lowered) he shoved the rear tire up through the under tail/battery tray and then replaced the stock broken piece with an aftermarket (don't know by who or what type) and raised the bike back up. The previous owner obviously looked like he weighed less than I so after putting a few hundered 'get familiar' miles on the bike, I started doing some harder launches/faster riding (ehmm, yes officer, just under the speed limit ) I started noticing the tag begining to resemble a rolled up newspaper when I figured the weight difference between me and the previous owner was beginning to take it's toll. So as a temporary fix, I used a drift and cranked the height adjusting nut on the rear shock down to raise the rear of the bike just enough to avoid the newspaper thing.
I've been satisfied with riding the bike that way until a few months ago when I started experimenting with corners. To enjoy the few we have in Kansas for very long usually winds up resembling what 'cruising' was like when I was in high school....four blocks of u-ies all night long, jeez was that ever exciting...NOT! I ride with a buddy who has a ZX-1400 and we'd switched off a couple of times to do the twisties....what a difference between a stock set up and my custom! This is when I decided to start getting serious with the rear suspension (I know what your thinking, Lamb, Scar, and all you other guys who could do circles around my corners, and probably while I'm cornering but again, please bear with me!)
So I contacted Race Tech and spoke with Loius Martinez and boy did he have a lot to say,"....you want to take your stretched and lowered 'busa and make it do what!?!!" (Not really, but close) Anyway, so I'm starting with the rear spring to stiffen up the rear for obvious reasons. I could start using some really cool words like fulcrum, and pivot point, and x+y to the third power, etc. but I ain't that smart about it...yet (I hope).
I present to you for your viewing pleasure....
This is the bike about two months ago....
View attachment 145731
Just getting ready to work on her....
(Don't laugh...it's the only place I have to work on her for now!)
A few shots of the new Eibach spring alongside the stock spring....
Before switching out the springs, I counted ten threads showing above the adjusting nut. I figured my sag rate according to the directions supplied with the kit and set the new spring accordingly. I think there are two threads showing now...
After the new spring, I went ahead and lowered the bike via the lowering links for now. Since I don't have the equipment to deal with a nitrogen shock, I will be sending it out later to have lowering blocks installed with the upgraded valving.
At the end of our Eureka Springs MnG MotoGP, ehmm, er, I mean, little motorcycle jaunt, Cap'n came up to the group I was sitting in and said,"Usually when people come to these things, they leave feeling like they've learned something." My response was,"I came thinking I knew something only to discover I don't know anything!" I did come away from my experience with a little better understanding of how to corner. I think I am a little better at it than what I was and I can say that the spring upgrade made the bike feel much smoother and has steadier movement through the corners than like the squishy pillow it was before.
In the mean time, I do show the bike and I will probably contented with the suspension with the bike in it's present form (don't flame me bro's!). After all it does win the shows slammed and lowered and looking like a drag scooter (obviously not much competition in this area...yet) and to be honest, I still haven't got over the look. I like it....alot.
Here's to Happy Trails!!