im converting my bike to a track only bike slowly and patiently as deals are popping up here and there on parts. so far i have fairings, motoholders subframe front and rear, 520 conversion, lightweight battery, rcs master cylinder, duc-shop 28mm triples, upgraded break pads, and sliders/guards throughout the bike. Ive been trying to focus my budget on seat time. I'm starting to feel like its time to upgrade my suspension and I've been trying to look for parts and i came across this… ohlins front 20mm cartridges with a rear height adjuster for 550. i know i will eventually need the rear height adjuster and a linear link for the ttx to work properly but whats everyone opinion on the 20mm kit as opposed to a 25mm or the 30mm? I'm looking to improve the way the bike handles especially under heavy breaking and the transition through the corner and when I'm exiting. opinions? thoughts?
question for race/track guys
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The 20mm kit is just valves, the 25mm/30mm kits are complete cartridge replacements. I'd go with the cartridges, they work much better. The rear end is far more important though because its nowhere near close stock. So I'd focus on a TTX rear shock, linear link, ride height adjuster and the gearing to bring that rear eccentric all the way back. Obviously, you'd wanna do the forks and shock at the same time. But people are literally giving away 25mm cartridge kits for Showa forks today, so just dig around and you should be able to find a kit with a TTX shock and those older cartridges without any problem.
Don't forget the steering stabilizer… thats a MUST have, same with a slipper clutch.
Don't forget the steering stabilizer… thats a MUST have, same with a slipper clutch.
I approve the above post. The rear TTX is a huge difference from the inferior Showa you get on the 848 (which in my situation considering my 75kg weight and bumpy New Zealand track was bordering on actually being unsafe).
Front forks would benefit from revalve at the very least, and correct springs. Even these would transform the bike dramatically.
Slipper clutch is definitely a huge value.
If budget is an issue, my priorities would be ttx rear, front revalve+springs, slipper clutch, then front fork cartridges.
That is assuming you have at least aftermarket mufflers (akrapovic highly recommended). If you haven't, put that in before front fork cartridges.
Front forks would benefit from revalve at the very least, and correct springs. Even these would transform the bike dramatically.
Slipper clutch is definitely a huge value.
If budget is an issue, my priorities would be ttx rear, front revalve+springs, slipper clutch, then front fork cartridges.
That is assuming you have at least aftermarket mufflers (akrapovic highly recommended). If you haven't, put that in before front fork cartridges.
What I'm curious about:
How much of a difference is there between ohlins ttx + 25mm cartdridge and properly valved and sprung OEM stuff?
I'm guessing that those of us who are not professional riders chasing tenth would be hard pressed to tell them apart.
With that being said: I got a deal on penske 20mm fork valves and a triple clicker a while back. I had run out of clicks on the fork at the track and the rear oem shock is just stupid stiff out of the factory so it was a nice upgrade. But I'm pretty sure I would not be able to tell a difference between the 8987 and a revalved OEM unit.
How much of a difference is there between ohlins ttx + 25mm cartdridge and properly valved and sprung OEM stuff?
I'm guessing that those of us who are not professional riders chasing tenth would be hard pressed to tell them apart.
With that being said: I got a deal on penske 20mm fork valves and a triple clicker a while back. I had run out of clicks on the fork at the track and the rear oem shock is just stupid stiff out of the factory so it was a nice upgrade. But I'm pretty sure I would not be able to tell a difference between the 8987 and a revalved OEM unit.
In my case it was a question of how much indeed. Revalving + changing springs on the oem showa would run quite close to new TTX (which would come correctly valved+sprung as part of the build process) that it was an obvious choice.
Gotta remember here that badly sprung+valved ohlins is probably just as bad.
Gotta remember here that badly sprung+valved ohlins is probably just as bad.
I'm pretty sure that the 25mm cartridges are no longer available. I never used 30's but but the 25's are great.
Just my thought as someone who has only ridden my 1098 on the track with stock suspension (while riding my Buell with Ohlins 25mm and a Penske rear on the same day). The first thing I've noticed with the good set up, is that the suspension is consistent for turn to turn. It never rebounds too quick. It never rides high in one turn, not the next. Also, good stuff is more plush. It feels softer and less abrupt, while running more spring.
For me, I'm not sure that good suspension would make anyone faster. But it does make it easier (IMO) to push harder, to keep dropping lap times.
Just my thought as someone who has only ridden my 1098 on the track with stock suspension (while riding my Buell with Ohlins 25mm and a Penske rear on the same day). The first thing I've noticed with the good set up, is that the suspension is consistent for turn to turn. It never rebounds too quick. It never rides high in one turn, not the next. Also, good stuff is more plush. It feels softer and less abrupt, while running more spring.
For me, I'm not sure that good suspension would make anyone faster. But it does make it easier (IMO) to push harder, to keep dropping lap times.
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Yep, night and day. I've had Öhlins forks with 20mm valving and Showa forks with the 25mm cartridge kit and they blew the doors off the Öhlins 20mm FORKS! I was absolutely stunned how good the 25mm cartridge kit was. The 30mm kit is slightly better in a few ways, especially in the rebound circuit, but its not necessary. The 25mm kit is CHEAPER and its perfectly fine for mortals. Its was the "industry standard" for years.
I'd stay away from Penske. They're not as widely used, so if you change tuners, they may not know how to tune them right. I had nothing but issues tuning my Penske stuff, even though they worked well… It was scary to not have someone who knew the stuff. Öhlins is the number one for ease of service since everyone knows how to tune them.
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Uhh,... could be wrong, but the 25mm kit, of which there were two (the first was somewhat better than the OEM stuff, but had way too much dive under braking, the second 25mm kit was much better, in fact, was/is great), was replaced by the 30mm kit. Maybe you can find the later edition of a 25mm kit,... the new Ohlins RT forks/kits, I believe, are all set up with the compression damping on one side and the rebound on the other,..... some thing I have never warmed up to. But it is what it is. Check with your Ohlins folks for the correct/current information before you jump into some internet mumbo-jumbo.
I have never used Penske products, maybe just as good, maybe better, certainly a lot of trackside support. If anyone has used both, please post up some comparison information. Always interested to here current and reliable information.
I have never used Penske products, maybe just as good, maybe better, certainly a lot of trackside support. If anyone has used both, please post up some comparison information. Always interested to here current and reliable information.
I don't see any difference between Penske, K-Tech and Ohlins support. All the guys who show up at events in the Northeast (except for when Himmelsbach shows up with the Penske truck), have a ton of experience with all three (and I'm sure Mike can work on the others, I'd just feel weird asking). JRi stuff isn't as common, but there's usually someone there with JRi stuff at some level.
As far as set up goes, my Penske feels a bit better than my non-TTX Ohlins, but I blame that on the Ohlins not having the right spring. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I use MRP to set up both bikes. At my back of the pack expert speed, they feel nearly identical.
As far as set up goes, my Penske feels a bit better than my non-TTX Ohlins, but I blame that on the Ohlins not having the right spring. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I use MRP to set up both bikes. At my back of the pack expert speed, they feel nearly identical.
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Yea, if you own a bike which can't accept an Öhlins TTX36MKII shock, then ya the options are limited.
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I'm running the offset triples / 25mm carts / and ttx rear... I don't have the linear rear link... but with that said I have not felt the need for it on the track... i'd be interested to ride one with a link... but if I was just starting at the track it wouldn't be at the top of my list
'12 848evo, '13 Hypermotard SP, '94 CBR600f2 track bike, '06 CBR600rr track bike
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funny thing about Penske, most all that stuff was designed by Jeff Ryan of JRi , then Jeff started his own business, there current digs are the old Penske south nascar headquarters. He's a super nice guy and very knowledgeable. Oh and he started at Fox shocks
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Anyone have any feed back on the oem showas on the 899 vs cartridges? What about the Sachs rear on the 899?
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