question for the knee dragging hawkers
01-23-2010 | 12:27 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Squid
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8
question for the knee dragging hawkers
rear shock leaked out the fluid while my hawk was on the table
looking to upgrade and there are some fast riders on this form
would any of you care to share you suspension mods with a newbee
thanks in advance
looking to upgrade and there are some fast riders on this form
would any of you care to share you suspension mods with a newbee
thanks in advance
01-23-2010 | 02:53 PM
#2
Administrator
World Champion
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 105,287
From: Fulton, MO
If you can find a used Fox TC then that's a good shock. Otherwise there's Penske and Ohlins if you can find one. I spoke with the Racetech guys at the IMS in NYC and they are open to developing a rear shock for our VTRs. I start a separate thread about it.
01-23-2010 | 05:19 PM
#5
evil man of nothing
MotoGP
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,492
From: Boynton Beach, FL
01-23-2010 | 06:08 PM
#7
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,858
From: Fort Wayne, IN
That probably means the spring is a 900lb/in part. It would be good for riders in the 135-165lb range. That's pretty typical for Fox, they are often undersprung.
I've drug knee with the stock, unmodified shock. I can tell you that it's a lot easier (and safer?) to do with upgrades for sure. There are really several options, what I'd suggest you do is get with a suspension tuner with experience setting up VTR's and decide what works best for you. It's not always how much money you throw at it, you can get really good performance on a budget.
I've drug knee with the stock, unmodified shock. I can tell you that it's a lot easier (and safer?) to do with upgrades for sure. There are really several options, what I'd suggest you do is get with a suspension tuner with experience setting up VTR's and decide what works best for you. It's not always how much money you throw at it, you can get really good performance on a budget.
01-23-2010 | 06:26 PM
#9
Destructive Tester
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 263
From: N.E. oHIo
Springs are rated by how much weight it takes to compress it a measured distance.
The measurement can be in "American" or metric.
A 900lb./in. shock spring requires 900lbs to compress it 1 inch.
(In metric the same spring would be 35.5kg/mm)
A 1.0kg/mm fork spring requires 1kg to compress it 1mm.
(In "American" the same spring would be 56lb./in.)
Rex
Last edited by bjorn toulouse; 01-23-2010 at 06:27 PM. Reason: speellage
01-23-2010 | 07:48 PM
#10
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,858
From: Fort Wayne, IN
Correction:
900lb/in = 16.07kg/mm
The conversion is 1in = 25.4mm and 1lb = 2.2046kg. Take the lb/in number and divide it by 25.4 then divide that result by 2.2046 and you have the kg/mm value. It looks like you forgot the last half.
01-23-2010 | 09:58 PM
#12
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,051
From: Portland, Oregon
penske ... i got mine for $750.00 , yes it's a bunch of coin but it can be worth it. i really needed to upgrade and as much as i would have liked a new gsxr750, i still am VERY happy with the hawk .... so for me i basically saved
about $7000
tim
about $7000
tim
01-23-2010 | 11:06 PM
#13
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 677
From: Rancho Cordova, California
Jamie, I really wish my bike was running right so I could focus on something else.......like.........shipping a stock shock and stock forks to Fort Wayne! You seem so knowledgeable and helpful, I hope the folks here are as grateful as I am that you are here and willing to help. As soon as my bike runs right, you have a customer!
01-24-2010 | 05:19 AM
#14
Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 151
From: canada
I've got a Wilbers shock. Bought it after a lowsiding due to the rear shock not being up to the task at the track. Oh, and me not being up to the task either. Seriously, it's sooo much easier and safer to get back on the gas in a corner with the proper suspension and set-up. Stock shock will unload and upset the bike and gets worse as it heats up. Aftermarket shocks have high and low speed rebound and remote oil reservoirs which is key. Keep looking, it's worth it. Cheers
01-24-2010 | 06:40 AM
#15
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 344
From: Concord, NC
there are a lot of better shocks on the market than stock, that's for sure. However, I was told by a suspension setup guy that the rear suspension is fine for average track day riding. He was able to set that one up for me with no problems. Going to a better shock would certainly never hurt, but you'd be farther ahead just picking up a stock rear shock and spending the money on setting up the front suspension better.
Keep in mind though, I'm dragging my knees with stock suspension front and rear.
Keep in mind though, I'm dragging my knees with stock suspension front and rear.
01-24-2010 | 09:51 AM
#16
Moderator
MotoGP
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,708
01-24-2010 | 11:40 AM
#17
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 347
From: S.Dak USA
I'm an aggressive street rider and I did not like the stock shock, always felt to mushy and did not inspire confidence.So I got a cheap F4 shock off ebay and shipped it to Jamie in Fort Wayne.The difference was amazing... I think its the best mod I've done.
Last edited by steve.g; 01-24-2010 at 11:43 AM.
01-24-2010 | 02:40 PM
#18
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,138
From: Austin, Tx
K-D can do just that and he's real fast for his age and size. He is in the perfect weight range for the stock shock. He's 265-285 depending on the time of the year.
I got my Penske from a member here who was parting back to stock before selling. Before he announced that he would part I made him a cash offer and could back it up at a moment's notice. I got mine for $550 a couple weeks later. I guess that means I have a couple extra yards for my next bike - Gixxer750.
At 165# and I bang her around a little. It was like riding a brick. I did do the brakes first thinking at I could make her go fast but I couldn't stop her. After resolving that issue the handling issues were clearly needed. What you report was exactly my experience.
At 165# and I bang her around a little. It was like riding a brick. I did do the brakes first thinking at I could make her go fast but I couldn't stop her. After resolving that issue the handling issues were clearly needed. What you report was exactly my experience.
Last edited by nuhawk; 01-24-2010 at 02:44 PM.
01-24-2010 | 05:38 PM
#19
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,858
From: Fort Wayne, IN
The stock VTR shock spring is good for about a 170lb rider. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you are referring to?
01-24-2010 | 06:31 PM
#20
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
01-25-2010 | 04:42 AM
#21
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
1)top of the line is new Ohlins (or equivalent)front and rear.
2)send your forks to Hawkrider and a used F4I shock to Jamie to have them rebuilt.
3)purchase a set of RaceTech springs and buy a used OEM shock.
Many have chosen the second alternative with good results.
Another consideration is seat height. If you ann tolerate an inch or two increase, you can benefit further.
So we need more info relative to how much you can spend on upgrades, what kind of riding you do, and where you priorities lie?
01-25-2010 | 07:53 AM
#24
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
meanwhile we haven't heard yet from jason who started this thread. Hell, we got it all figured out for him, huh?
01-25-2010 | 09:22 AM
#26
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
hell yeah, I'll fix yours. Just send em up and I'll weld them together, carve in your initials and the date, paint everything yellow to match your teeth, oops sorry, I mean to match your bike, gift wrap em and send em back overnight service. How's that?
01-25-2010 | 12:07 PM
#27
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 344
From: Concord, NC
Sounds better than stock!
