Penske vs. Ohlins shock

I've got the forks off my '06 off and sent to Traxxion Suspension for installation of their AK-20 fork kit and stiffer springs.

I've got an Ohlins HO-605 46HRCLS shock on order (also with stiffer spring for my weight) BUT make that back order! I can't find anyplace with one in stock! They may be made in Sweden and arrive in the US in a week or three. I thought getting one would be quick and easy. Bad thinking.

Traxxion will give me a little break on a Penske 8987 triple clicker because they are doing my forks.

The Penske has slow and fast compression damping but no remote preload adjuster. The Ohlins has a remote preload adjuster but no fast compression adjustment, only slow. Both have rebound adjustment. The Penske is available NOW! I don't know if I should wait. . . .

Can anyone tell me if the Penske is comparable in performance and durability to the Ohlins?

[img]http://www.traxxion.com/images/products/detail/P87_2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.superbikesuspension.com/products/46HRCLS.jpg[/img] Edited 25 Mar 2011 by FHR

I have a Penske on my 07 FZ-1. There's an Ohlins on my VFR. I can't really compare the two as the bikes are quite different.

I can say that the Penske has a long threaded body and the pre-load ring works easily and smoothly. I don't find lack of hydraulic preload any problem at all.

WWWobble

While you're waitting for someone in the know !!!

I can't imagine either being wrong. But I'd rather not have to many things hanging off to try and find a place to mount them.(just something to consider).

I have the Penske and can tell you its a very fine piece of hardware. Withe the stocker shock, the rear wheel used to bounce over bumpy sections. Now with the new shock, it sticks to the road under full control. Absolutely no complaints. :fing02: I would have no problem buying another.

While I havent tried the Ohlin's, I wouldnt sweat over going for the Penske.

YES, Penske and Ohlins are the Top two manufactures IMO and are very comparable in quality.

I have a Penske on one VFR and an Ohlins on the other and love them both. For me remote pre-load isn't a big deal as I'm a set once and go rider as things don't change much for me. I would rather have the Triple adjust than remote pre-load in a heart beat, but that just adds another area you Need to learn how it effects the bike and how to adjust it.

Can't go wrong with either Top of the line shock! :fing02:

BR

Thanks, guys; your knowledge and input are most appreciated.

This is what is so great about VFRD: the people!

[img]http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/+1.gif[/img] to what BR said. If you said they had an Ohlins with high and low speed compression adjustment but manual preload I would say get that one.

So I would not hesitate to get the Penske. No matter what high end shock you get I would rather have triple adjustable than the ability to easily adjust preload.

When I am solo I ride at a faster pace and when I am two up the solo setting is just right for my slower pace.

How much does Traxxion want for the Penske?

Penske is really a much nicer shock. No contest, Penske win hands down!

This is what Traxxion says about the Penske in their ad:

"The 8987 Triple Remote Reservoir style damper gives you preload, ride height, rebound and High/Low Speed Compression. When comparing the 8983 and the 8987 the difference is in the reservoirs, where compression damping adjustment takes place. The compression adjuster on the 8983 is a high speed compression adjuster. High speed refers to the velocity of the wheel moving up and down, not how fast the bike is moving around the track. To clarify, low speed compression is "firmness" or "feel". High speed compression is "bumps". So what does all of this mean in the real world? With ordinary racing shocks, you have to use the compression adjuster to make the bike feel firm. This works acceptably at smooth racetracks. The problems arise when you get to a bumpy track. In order to get the shock to soak bumps, you have to soften the compression damping. The result is a bike that soaks bumps, but some squat will result under acceleration. You need to be able to "dial in low speed compression" to restore chassis feel, but you won't be able to since you only have a high-speed adjuster. You are forced to compromise. This is where the triple-adjustable Penske becomes a critical component for professional racers. You are able to adjust for bumps and feel independently, and there is no compromise. The most interesting effect of this shock is that once your bike is set up to have a firm feel and be compliant over bumps, you will be able to return a smooth track and change little or nothing. The bike will not need to soak as many bumps, and it will still feel firm. It is state-of-the-art!"

You guys got me thinking that's not just hype!

Wilbers also offers very nice shocks at a good price, they have rebound, hi/lo comp and also hydraulic preload as options.

I've had Penske in the past and really liked it. With the VFR I do a lot of 2-up and wanted the remote preload option which you know Penske doesn't offer. It was down to Ohlins or Wilbers and since I got in on the group buy here on VFRD, the Wilbers was considerably cheaper and still ordered to my specs (weight, type of riding, etc). As Seb said, it has remote preload along with high and low speed comp dampening.

For a bike that I don't do 2-up riding on (my old VTR), the Penske was great. It got set once and stayed there for 5 years. No remote preload was needed.

[quote name='SEBSPEED' timestamp='1301050015' post='768414']
Wilbers also offers very nice shocks at a good price, they have rebound, hi/lo comp and also hydraulic preload as options.
[/quote]
Wilbers also has a length adjuster (10mm) as a option

Any after market shock will be a huge upgrade from stock, but I'd wait the 2 weeks for the Ohlins. I would always go with the premium equipment, even if it cost a bit more.

[quote name='keny' timestamp='1301053909' post='768423']
[quote name='SEBSPEED' timestamp='1301050015' post='768414']
Wilbers also offers very nice shocks at a good price, they have rebound, hi/lo comp and also hydraulic preload as options.
[/quote]
Wilbers also has a length adjuster (10mm) as a option
[/quote]

Yes, and now that you mention it, you can choose your spring and adjuster colors too.

I have experience in the "biz" and will say that Penske is every bit as good as Ohlins and is being used by top teams in top forms of racing where suspension really matters like F1 and MotoGP,
so I would compare them side by side and make a decision based on Price, Features and Availability, not on "Bling factor". Triple adjustable Penske sounds like a better deal.

I will add that I don't work for Penske and do have Ohlins on my race bike because at the time it was a better choice from what was available.

I've used both Penske and Ohlins on various track and street bikes. Both shocks are very good quality. You won't go wrong with either.

High speed compression/rebound adjustment for a street bike is probably of dubious value. Even most track riders don't know how to adjust the high speed circuits; most simply adjust to mid-range and never touch it afterwards. It's hard enough to get the low speed circuits properly adjusted. For street riding, with the wide variation in pavement you experience, you'll probably never have anything other than a compromise setup anyhow.

The remote preload adjustment on the Ohlins can be handy when you want to reset ride height for the times you carry a passenger or bags. But even that adjustment is only a partial fix for the added weight. You really need stiffer springs, too!

So, for a street bike, the differences between the 2 shocks will not likely be any real world advantage.

I'd recommend that you go with the Penske, if for no other reason than you're already spending a fortune at Traxxion for the AK-20's. The Traxxion folks will know how to setup the Penske, and they can give you good advice for working with the combination of the AK-20's and the Penske shock. The better customer service and single source of advice is more important than the shock differences.

Finally, one advantage to the Penske is that replacement parts are less expensive than Ohlins, and the Penske tends to be easier to transfer to other bikes.

You'll love the improvement over the stock suspension stuff! These suspension upgrades really do make a huge difference. Good luck!

HLF....Good point.......

[quote name='keny' timestamp='1301053909' post='768423']
[quote name='SEBSPEED' timestamp='1301050015' post='768414']
Wilbers also offers very nice shocks at a good price, they have rebound, hi/lo comp and also hydraulic preload as options.
[/quote]
Wilbers also has a length adjuster (10mm) as a option
[/quote]

I should have mentioned in my OP that both the Ohlins and Penske shocks I'm looking at have height, i.e. length adjustment.

[quote name='hlf' timestamp='1301057935' post='768437']
I've used both Penske and Ohlins on various track and street bikes. Both shocks are very good quality. You won't go wrong with either.

High speed compression/rebound adjustment for a street bike is probably of dubious value. Even most track riders don't know how to adjust the high speed circuits; most simply adjust to mid-range and never touch it afterwards. It's hard enough to get the low speed circuits properly adjusted. For street riding, with the wide variation in pavement you experience, you'll probably never have anything other than a compromise setup anyhow.

The remote preload adjustment on the Ohlins can be handy when you want to reset ride height for the times you carry a passenger or bags. But even that adjustment is only a partial fix for the added weight. You really need stiffer springs, too!

So, for a street bike, the differences between the 2 shocks will not likely be any real world advantage.

I'd recommend that you go with the Penske, if for no other reason than you're already spending a fortune at Traxxion for the AK-20's. The Traxxion folks will know how to setup the Penske, and they can give you good advice for working with the combination of the AK-20's and the Penske shock. The better customer service and single source of advice is more important than the shock differences.

Finally, one advantage to the Penske is that replacement parts are less expensive than Ohlins, and the Penske tends to be easier to transfer to other bikes.

You'll love the improvement over the stock suspension stuff! These suspension upgrades really do make a huge difference. Good luck!
[/quote]

Thanks! I very much appreciate the benefit of your experience. And I can't tell you how much those last sentences eased my mind over my choice to lay out so much cash for this suspension upgrade. Whew!

I also know, as Monk has reminded me, getting it dialed in with the help of a pro will be critical.

What is the best site to purchase the Penske?

[quote name='Primo' timestamp='1301078645' post='768500']
What is the best site to purchase the Penske?
[/quote]

I am dealing with Traxxion Dynamics. They are installing their AK-20 cartridge kit in my forks. Here's a link [url="http://www.traxxion.com/sporttouringshockrelated.aspx"]Traxxion Dynamics[/url]

Damn, forgot all about having a Penske on my '06 GSXR600 track bike too. :blush:

I got it from Traxxion as well. Good people to deal with.

[quote name='hlf' timestamp='1301057935' post='768437']
The remote preload adjustment on the Ohlins can be handy when you want to reset ride height for the times you carry a passenger or bags. But even that adjustment is only a partial fix for the added weight. You really need stiffer springs, too!
[/quote]
I use the preload adjuster on my Ohlins somewhat frequently, usually when loading up the luggage. However, switching out springs is much easier on the Penske, it's do it yourself vs. the special spring compressor needed for the Ohlins. It's a toss up between the two imho...

Update. I've ordered the Penske shock from Traxxion. Penske will build it and ship it next week, directly to me. The forks are on the bench at Traxxion and will be shipped out to me Monday.

Now, as Tom Petty sang, "the waiting is the hardest part."

[quote name='wera803' timestamp='1301081402' post='768515']
Damn, forgot all about having a Penske on my '06 GSXR600 track bike too. :blush:

I got it from Traxxion as well. Good people to deal with.
[/quote]

So you're saying it works so well you don't give it a second thought? :biggrin:

ohlins is a great choice,one i've made myself,oa choice i'm totally cool with however there are other choices which give variety to any rider looking to improve handling on their bike, i take this as a good thing because ulitimately we get better products from manufacturers fighting for our patronage through sales, my 2 cents.

I've got Penske 8983 on both my 5th and 7th gen VFRs and I think they are a great piece of kit. Penske is widely used in Indy car, F1, Nascar, etc. so they are not some Johnny come lately vendor.

Before he retired, I had the benefit of having Jim Lindemann spec them for me when ordering from Penske so the springs, length, damping properties were set for my weight and bike. Penske builds each shock to order, not simply pulled from a shelf. Most Ohlins I'm told are stocked and then tailored for the user by a suspension tuner.

One thing to be aware of is that a fully adjustable suspension to a novice is both a blessing and a curse. Just because you have top shelf components doesn't mean you will instantly have a premium ride. No, each of those variables needs to be adjusted to suit the bike and rider to be fully appreciated. Get them wrong and your high dollar suspension will feel like a pogo stick. Get them right and your bike will feel like a million bucks. There is something to be said for non-adjustable suspension providing of course the manufacture has set them to "average" settings which implies they should work decently well for average riders under average conditions. At least you'll know the settings are "in the ballpark".

On my 1200, after Lindemann converted the forks to both comp and rebound and changed the springs and internal preload, I spent literally the next several weeks/months fine tuning the comp, rebound, ride height, sag, etc on both ends of the bike to achieve a ride and handling response which I liked best. It doesn't actually take that long if you know what you're doing, but I would give myself a week or more to evaluate a given setting before making the next adjustment. Now my 1200 (and 800) delivers a firm, stable, and agile response in the twisties and yet is supple and compliant on typical road bumps. Good luck on your new suspension, I truly believe it is the best upgrade you can do to a stock bike.

Damn, forgot all about having a Penske on my '06 GSXR600 track bike too. :blush:

I got it from Traxxion as well. Good people to deal with.

So you're saying it works so well you don't give it a second thought? :biggrin:

Yup, pretty much. Got it on the bike and set up and haven't had to think about it since. It just works and does what it is supposed to. :fing02:

While you certainly can spend months or years chasing the perfect set up with and almost infinitely adjustable suspension, I would try the short cut.

At a track day, I had the suspension guy (happened to be an Ohlins tech) set up my VFR with the fully adjustable forks annd shocks that I had installed previously I had the sag set properly and thought the suspension was well sorted.

For $75 they corrected (slightly) the sag, tuned front and rear rebound and compression, adjusting the rear for high and low speed compression. I had been on track twice already that morning, but could tell the difference especially in the rear control.

IMHO a track day with your new suspension is the perfect place to get to know how far your performance envelope has been pushed and you should definately take advantage of the suspension set up tech on site.

the waiting will be thehardest part. :fing02:

What is the best site to purchase the Penske?

Buy directly from Penske themselves in Reading, PA. They have a complete motorcycle division. Great guys to work with. And they'll never give you the line of "out of stock" or "waiting on the factory". They are the factory.

I'm looking at the Penske 8983 for my 2008 VFR. Either that or one of the Ohlins.
I kind of like supporting Made in the USA products if possible.

Can someone tell me if the piggyback reservoir will fit on the bike or do I need
to get the remote reservoir?

Also anyone know if pricing direct from Penske is the same as from online dealers?

Traxxion has the remote reservoir shock listed for $1025
MRP Motorsports has the remote shock for the same price and the piggyback
for $150 less.

Are these the factory retail prices? I would just as soon go directly to Penske if the
online retailers won't save me any money.

Thanks

IIRC, someone noted at VFRD that Ohlins shocks tend to need rebuilding more often than other brands?? I'd lean towards Penske if I need to get a shock maybe just because it's something different from the usual Ohlins that everyone have been going for all these years. Although I suspect that both Ohlins and Penske give great/similar performance if adjusted correctly, as they are both two of the most established comapnies out there with all the tech resources available to them.

Beck
95 VFR

I have the Penske and can tell you its a very fine piece of hardware. Withe the stocker shock, the rear wheel used to bounce over bumpy sections. Now with the new shock, it sticks to the road under full control. Absolutely no complaints. :fing02: I would have no problem buying another.

While I havent tried the Ohlin's, I wouldnt sweat over going for the Penske.

WFW! (word for word!) :bliss:

My ohlins setup on my race bike is worth it's weight in "gold" 30mm NIX in front & TTX in the rear.

Now, since Ohlins does not make a TTX for the VFR, I agree with the posters recommending the Penske. Both are very good stuff, but I have had much better luck getting to the best settings more quickly on maching components front & rear. (I am NOT saying you cannot get the right setup with different stuff) It is just thqat with matching forks & shoch, the base settings from the manufacturer and those who set them up on a regular basis will get you a LOT closer, in a shorter amount of time.

Cheers

Wilbers also offers very nice shocks at a good price, they have rebound, hi/lo comp and also hydraulic preload as options.

Wilbers also has a length adjuster (10mm) as a option

Seb whats a length adjuster?

Wilbers also offers very nice shocks at a good price, they have rebound, hi/lo comp and also hydraulic preload as options.

Wilbers also has a length adjuster (10mm) as a option

Seb whats a length adjuster?

Ride height adjustment. Longer shock = more ride height.

Wilbers also offers very nice shocks at a good price, they have rebound, hi/lo comp and also hydraulic preload as options.

Wilbers also has a length adjuster (10mm) as a option

Seb whats a length adjuster?

Ride height adjustment. Longer shock = more ride height.

Thanks Seb...now I am more to Wilbers........time to save up the $$$