K Y B shocks
- Thread starter TheDon
- Start date
RumRunner
Street Tracker
As much as I'd love F3 suspension if I'm going to go that far I feel like I should just buy a street triple or something...
Depends on what you're looking for
I went with F3 internals (So I can still run the stock wire rims) it was actually less expensive than going with emulators for me, and the performance is Mucho Better
Texas94fs
Hooligan
Emulators or switch to F3 tubes and internals. Good thing about the F3 tubes and internals is they are better than stock, and if you want to go even better than the F3 stuff you can get a racetech kit for the f3 internals and they get even better.
Hah, it works the other way around as well. I've gone to the entire F3 front end and now the limiting factor is the shitty rear shocks.
RumRunner
Street Tracker
Did you go with the Racetech stuff in your F3's?
Now it's time to find some Ohlins to stick on the back
Texas94fs
Hooligan
Did you go with the Racetech stuff in your F3's?
Now it's time to find some Ohlins to stick on the back
Not yet, going to get the zrx shocks for the rear and then get it all tuned properly and see. The racetech stuff is just another way to improve upon the improvements already made.
Ohlins are a waste of money IMO unless you are running only track. Sure they look pretty but the base piggy back 800 dollar jobs arent even fully adjustable. To get fully adjustable you can go internal reservoir ohlins that for just under 1,000 clams or with the piggy back close to 1400. You can find fully adjustable rebuildable KYB's off the ZRX that are damn good shocks for about 300. Plus I find ohlins gold tacky.
I just picked up a used set of KYB shocks from a ZXR-1100, which I haven't installed yet. From reading this forum these are a much stiffer springs, but looking on the race tech web site, the ZXR stock sping weight is listed at 2.6 KG/MM. The suggested spring rate for my weight(215lbs) is 3.21 Kg/mm. Has anyone found the need to change the stock springs on the KYBs?
Also has anyone used the gold valve kit from race tech for these shocks? I'm assuming that they would preform better, but at $230 they seem pretty costly.
Thanks
Doug
Also has anyone used the gold valve kit from race tech for these shocks? I'm assuming that they would preform better, but at $230 they seem pretty costly.
Thanks
Doug
RumRunner
Street Tracker
Doug,
I haven't looked into the RaceTech stuff so I can't comment on that, but I just went through my sag and my KYB's are actually a tad too stiff (not enough sag) but I like the ride so I don't know that I'm going to do much with them right now.
RR
RumRunner
Street Tracker
Doug,
It depends on how much I eat
I'll go between 220 & 240 + gear. But even stiff they are a Ton better than the stockers or the Ikons I had on the bike before these. Doug
travellingtenor
Scooter
I love the folks that state that good tires and quality shocks are a waste of money. The next time someone pulls out in front of you, tell me how those cheap tires and stock shocks work for you? I have the best tires, suspension, and brakes that I can afford on my bikes. When someone in a cage gives me a wake up call I want to have the best chance that I can to avoid a collision. BTW, those ZRX shocks are not that good. If they were there would not be so many ZRX owners replacing them with aftermarket stuff. I know, I have a highly modded ZRX and the rear shocks were the first things to go.
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RumRunner
Street Tracker
While I disagree with Tex that Ohlin’s are a waste of money unless you’re riding track ONLY. I would however agree that for the majority of people going to full race type suspension components is not necessary from their riding ability, usage of the bike, and more importantly their chassis/suspension setup knowledge. This is the key, just because you install a better part on a bike, car, boat, or whatever that doesn’t mean it’s going to work better you have to tune it in, even experienced racers have issues doing this. So while better suspension components will add to your safety, this is ONLY true if they are setup properly for the particular application and situation. While a set of Ohlin’s or Penske’s are infinitely better than the stock shocks if they’re set up for a 140lb rider at full tilt on the tarmac and you put a 240lb fat bastard on top of the bike riding over his head they’re not going to be any better the stock chrome P.O.S. that came on the bike. When it comes to Suspension components there is ALWAYS something better out there regardless of what price you pay but the same is true that we’ve all seen the guys with all the good stuff, get passed on the road by a guy with a lot less bike, a lot less suspension, and a lot less power because he knows how to ride.
So go with what works for you.
Kirkus51
Hooligan
I've got em installed on my Bonnie. I like em a whole lot better than the stock ones. I'm a big boy (300+) and I have em on the 2 setting all around. I'm sure they are either 2 lefties or 2 righties.
I also have stock fork springs riding on Intimidators. I like the intimidators too.
The one thing that has happened is the KYBs raised the rear end a couple of inches and the intimidators raised the front end about 1/2 to 3/4 inches rendering my centerstand useless as far as getting the rear wheel off the ground. now I gotta stick a 2x4 under it to work. I'm also not standing flat footed, but that's no biggie.
I also have stock fork springs riding on Intimidators. I like the intimidators too.
The one thing that has happened is the KYBs raised the rear end a couple of inches and the intimidators raised the front end about 1/2 to 3/4 inches rendering my centerstand useless as far as getting the rear wheel off the ground. now I gotta stick a 2x4 under it to work. I'm also not standing flat footed, but that's no biggie.
Texas94fs
Hooligan
I didn't state that good tires were a waste of money. In fact I didn't state as fact that ohlins were either, I stated that in my opinion they were, my opinion. Not fact. To me for the clams ohlins seem to be a waste of money. over 800 for not fully adjustable shocks when I could get comparable shocks that are fully adjustable so they could be completely tuned into my front end and weight. 1300 dollar shocks (fully adjustable ohlins) compared to 300 dollar shocks are sure going to be better when dialed it. but 1,000 dollars better? Especially considering I'm not a pro racer and do maybe 5-7 trackdays a year, the ohlins at 1,000 bucks more are just an injustifiable cost to me.
And sure the ZRX shocks might not be the best out there, but compared to the stock pogo springs on the bonnies and her variants, they are miles better, especially coupled with a better front end and set up properly. That is a fact.
