and I dont want to start a huge new debate, but I plan on asking for a new rear shock for Christmas and need some guidance.
Im a solid 230lbs and like to ride two up with the girlfriend in the warmer weather so you're looking about 350+ lbs depending on how much gear we pack along.
Im looking for a fully adjustable, relatively affordable, plug and play option... does this exist? I could certainly use an adapter or two as well, just want to keep the install fairly straight forward.
Go with a DMR Honda CBR 929 shock. Lots of info on this mod here on the forum. I have an Ohlins on my '01 and '07, and a DMR on my '00. For the price difference and just riding on the street, no reason to really pay the extra for the Ohlins. If you give Jamie your correct info and riding style he will get you a great shock for the money. The bike will easily feel 100 lbs lighter hustling it through the corners.
And for what you save on the shock, you should invest that back into getting the fork done. DMR can also help you here.
Well this all depends on whether you've been naughty or nice, doesn't it?
Your best bang for buck would be a customised refurb shock from Daugherty Motorsports, that will be plug and play and with the correct spring rate for your intended use.
When's your birthday? You'll probably want to upgrade the front end once you've done the back!
+1 to working with Jamie. Even if you send him your OEM shock / forks and have those re-worked as I did, IMO you would be very happy with the results. It transformed my 6th gen. I believe it was Duc2V4 that found an ABS shock for his 6th gen and had Jamie re-work it so he would have the easy adjust rear preload for 2 up riding. You might luck out and find one on ebay. They are a PITA to install
I would go with a Penske with remote preload adjuster since you say you ride two up frequently.
Traxxion Dynamics www.traxxion.com offers a 10% discount for VFRD members. There are various options for the Penske to tailor your spend but it sounds like remote preload adjustment would be high on your list.
The remote preload suggestions make sense for someone who changes load frequently/significantly. I have no friends/significant other who wants to ride with me so I never even considered that. I wonder whether the remote adjuster off an 86/87 could beadapted to a CBR shock? All the remote adjusters I have seen are just slip-on collars that take the place of a ramp or lock-ring adjuster.
+1 to working with Jamie. Even if you send him your OEM shock / forks and have those re-worked as I did, IMO you would be very happy with the results. It transformed my 6th gen. I believe it was Duc2V4 that found an ABS shock for his 6th gen and had Jamie re-work it so he would have the easy adjust rear preload for 2 up riding. You might luck out and find one on ebay. They are a PITA to install
so take that in to account. It would likely be worth while to do the forks at the same time to have everything working well together.
That would be true, it was me and yes the OEM ABS socks are hard to come by and not always priced cost effectively. I was able to acquire one for fellow member Duccmann a few months ago as he plans on doing the same as I did. In fact he bought and installed Jamie's fork kit recently and was amazed at how just the forks transformed the feeling of the bike. He's waiting for a little more "fun money" to come in and then I'll be sending that and my Ducati's suspenders for Jamie to work on.
I would go with a Penske with remote preload adjuster since you say you ride two up frequently.
Are you sure this exists? I'd go this route too, but couldn't find a Penske with remote preload.
I think so but maybe the guys at Traxxion just modify the Penske? :warranty: They also have a flat roller bearing that makes adjusting the preload so easy it feels you could do it with an number 2 pencil.
The remote preload suggestions make sense for someone who changes load frequently/significantly. I have no friends/significant other who wants to ride with me so I never even considered that. I wonder whether the remote adjuster off an 86/87 could beadapted to a CBR shock? All the remote adjusters I have seen are just slip-on collars that take the place of a ramp or lock-ring adjuster.
For me i ride somewhat aggressively when solo and therefore the two up and solo preloads are close enough for a numbazz ham fisted rider of my particular set of skills.
The remote preload adjusters have a kind of master cylinder that forces hydraulic fluid down the connecting hose to spin the adjusting collar..they don't function well when the corrosion sets in on the threads or when the hydraulic fluid is low.
Daugherty suspension, front and back. Great performance at a significantly lower price than the big names, and the best bang-for-buck upgrade I've done so far.
Just did an upgrade with Jamie's inserts, WOW.
Check ebay, Duc2V4 called and said he saw a abs VFR rear shock
(mine 02 is not abs) fer $100...nabbed it...now I can ride when I send it to be upgraded. ...just a thought
I wanted remote preload when I bought my shock because I was doing a lot of 2-up riding at the time. Wilbers and Ohlins were the only 2 I found that did remote preload and there was a group buy for Wilbers so that is what I ended up with.
I had a Penske on my VTR and have one on my GSXR. I've been very happy with their shocks and if I needed to buy another one right now, it would be a Penske.
wow. well i appreciate all the suggestions. may end up being out of Christmas present range (the new GoPro is still looking pretty sweet), lol.
a remote preload adjustment is definitely a must. i ride much more aggressively by myself. The gf just isnt as comfortable yet and likes to just tool around the back roads and country, so i need that versatility. And yeah... I suppose you're all right, i should get the forks done while im at it...
You definitely should do them together. I was able to buy a Penske shock on eBay, but wasn't ready to spend the $ on respringing it and upgrading the front end. But I wanted to use my shiny new toy, so I installed it.
The bike felt weird but "better" and it wasn't until the next Spring (after I spent the money on rebuilding and respringing the new shock and the front end) that I realized just how unbalance and awful my half-improved bike had been.
wow. well i appreciate all the suggestions. may end up being out of Christmas present range (the new GoPro is still looking pretty sweet), lol.
a remote preload adjustment is definitely a must. i ride much more aggressively by myself. The gf just isnt as comfortable yet and likes to just tool around the back roads and country, so i need that versatility. And yeah... I suppose you're all right, i should get the forks done while im at it...
You definitely should do them together. I was able to buy a Penske shock on eBay, but wasn't ready to spend the $ on respringing it and upgrading the front end. But I wanted to use my shiny new toy, so I installed it.
The bike felt weird but "better" and it wasn't until the next Spring (after I spent the money on rebuilding and respringing the new shock and the front end) that I realized just how unbalance and awful my half-improved bike had been.
wow. well i appreciate all the suggestions. may end up being out of Christmas present range (the new GoPro is still looking pretty sweet), lol.
a remote preload adjustment is definitely a must. i ride much more aggressively by myself. The gf just isnt as comfortable yet and likes to just tool around the back roads and country, so i need that versatility. And yeah... I suppose you're all right, i should get the forks done while im at it...
Here's a link to someone doing a DMR shock install on a VFR. They purchased a special tool and show how to adjust the shock after install. Perfect! I'm about to order one from Jaime.
Cogswell, long story short.. No. I did however recently have the forks rebuilt due to a busted seal on the left fork and asked that the shop make them stiffer. During the rebuild they added some fork oil in cc's to each side. I can tell they are much stiffer now. I will say that down the road I would definitely like to add Jaime's fork kit... absolute genius going from factory forks with little to no adjust ability to fully adjustable with not much learning curve and some guidance for the install!
Cogswell, long story short.. No. I did however recently have the forks rebuilt due to a busted seal on the left fork and asked that the shop make them stiffer. During the rebuild they added some fork oil in cc's to each side. I can tell they are much stiffer now. I will say that down the road I would definitely like to add Jaime's fork kit... absolute genius going from factory forks with little to no adjust ability to fully adjustable with not much learning curve and some guidance for the install!
Not wanting to burst any bubbles, but his kit has rebound adjustable, no compression adjustment, so not quite "fully" adjustable. Unless he has done a dual adjustment setup, I'm pretty sure it's just rebound. Maybe worth checking with Jamie though, I could be wrong. either way, still a much better ride than stock IMO. I had both of my VFRs setup by Jamie and it was a huge difference on both rides. My '01 has essentially what his kit offers, I bought my setup just before he released the kit, same principle just he did the work instead of me.
Cogswell, long story short.. No. I did however recently have the forks rebuilt due to a busted seal on the left fork and asked that the shop make them stiffer. During the rebuild they added some fork oil in cc's to each side. I can tell they are much stiffer now. I will say that down the road I would definitely like to add Jaime's fork kit... absolute genius going from factory forks with little to no adjust ability to fully adjustable with not much learning curve and some guidance for the install!
Not wanting to burst any bubbles, but his kit has rebound adjustable, no compression adjustment, so not quite "fully" adjustable. Unless he has done a dual adjustment setup, I'm pretty sure it's just rebound. Maybe worth checking with Jamie though, I could be wrong. either way, still a much better ride than stock IMO. I had both of my VFRs setup by Jamie and it was a huge difference on both rides. My '01 has essentially what his kit offers, I bought my setup just before he released the kit, same principle just he did the work instead of me.
Isn't it the other way around??? I think it has compression dampening adjustability with the rebound dampening valve stack fixed to match the springs and riding style...
Cogswell, long story short.. No. I did however recently have the forks rebuilt due to a busted seal on the left fork and asked that the shop make them stiffer. During the rebuild they added some fork oil in cc's to each side. I can tell they are much stiffer now. I will say that down the road I would definitely like to add Jaime's fork kit... absolute genius going from factory forks with little to no adjust ability to fully adjustable with not much learning curve and some guidance for the install!
Not wanting to burst any bubbles, but his kit has rebound adjustable, no compression adjustment, so not quite "fully" adjustable. Unless he has done a dual adjustment setup, I'm pretty sure it's just rebound. Maybe worth checking with Jamie though, I could be wrong. either way, still a much better ride than stock IMO. I had both of my VFRs setup by Jamie and it was a huge difference on both rides. My '01 has essentially what his kit offers, I bought my setup just before he released the kit, same principle just he did the work instead of me.
Isn't it the other way around??? I think it has compression dampening adjustability with the rebound dampening valve stack fixed to match the springs and riding style...
My understanding is that the words 'TEN' written at the top of most forks that have adjustable settings, stands for 'TENSION' or rebound, where as 'COMP' stands for 'COMPRESSION'. The setup that Jamie provided for me came with this (see photo). My understanding is that is the way his are setup as well. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I got it right this time.
Jamie's drop in kits will give rebound damping adjustment only (in addition to the stock adjustable pre-load). Those screw heads in the fork caps connect to needle valves in the rebound valve bypass circuit.
If you want adjustable compression damping then as CandyRed suggests above, you need CBR600F4i forks which have an an adjustable needle valve in the compression valve bypass circuit. If you do that, then the fork lowers will no longer fit the VFR linked brakes and so a set of CBR600 (or similar) brakes and a delink has to happen.
Not an option for us 5th gen owners (unless I also invest in 6th gen triples and bars).
i guess i should just DM him, but any idea what he charges for the front forks to be sent off to him?
I sent my 6th gen forks to JD in Jan, '15. He did the revalve, new springs, bushings and seals. The invoice price including labor was $345. Rather than go with the cartridge kits I perceived more value in having the internal work (bushings and seals) done professionally. I don't ride 2 up or do track days with it, and the adjustability would have been something I would have endlessly tinkered with and always wondered if I had it "right". This way it's set professionally for me and I can leave it alone. So far I love it!
Not wanting to burst any bubbles, but his kit has rebound adjustable, no compression adjustment, so not quite "fully" adjustable. Unless he has done a dual adjustment setup, I'm pretty sure it's just rebound. Maybe worth checking with Jamie though, I could be wrong. either way, still a much better ride than stock IMO. I had both of my VFRs setup by Jamie and it was a huge difference on both rides. My '01 has essentially what his kit offers, I bought my setup just before he released the kit, same principle just he did the work instead of me.
Something to consider is all external compression adjustments are a fine tuning device - in fact a *very* fine tuning device. The majority of the change will come from the "rebound" adjuster. I put that in quotes because it changes bot hthe compression and rebound at the same time. This is because it is changing the free bleed between the compression and rebound sides of the cartridge. It is important to note the change you get with the "rebound" adjuster on the compression damping curve is more significant than what you get with the actual compression one. In some cases the compression adjuster itself does little or nothing!
The effect of the rebound adjustment is why you should always set that first. It changes the overall feel of the forks.
Not wanting to burst any bubbles, but his kit has rebound adjustable, no compression adjustment, so not quite "fully" adjustable. Unless he has done a dual adjustment setup, I'm pretty sure it's just rebound. Maybe worth checking with Jamie though, I could be wrong. either way, still a much better ride than stock IMO. I had both of my VFRs setup by Jamie and it was a huge difference on both rides. My '01 has essentially what his kit offers, I bought my setup just before he released the kit, same principle just he did the work instead of me.
Something to consider is all external compression adjustments are a fine tuning device - in fact a *very* fine tuning device. The majority of the change will come from the "rebound" adjuster. I put that in quotes because it changes bot hthe compression and rebound at the same time. This is because it is changing the free bleed between the compression and rebound sides of the cartridge. It is important to note the change you get with the "rebound" adjuster on the compression damping curve is more significant than what you get with the actual compression one. In some cases the compression adjuster itself does little or nothing!
The effect of the rebound adjustment is why you should always set that first. It changes the overall feel of the forks.
Ah, so technically it is both, but more commonly know as a "rebound" adjuster. Cool.
Cogswell, long story short.. No. I did however recently have the forks rebuilt due to a busted seal on the left fork and asked that the shop make them stiffer. During the rebuild they added some fork oil in cc's to each side. I can tell they are much stiffer now. I will say that down the road I would definitely like to add Jaime's fork kit... absolute genius going from factory forks with little to no adjust ability to fully adjustable with not much learning curve and some guidance for the install!
Not wanting to burst any bubbles, but his kit has rebound adjustable, no compression adjustment, so not quite "fully" adjustable. Unless he has done a dual adjustment setup, I'm pretty sure it's just rebound. Maybe worth checking with Jamie though, I could be wrong. either way, still a much better ride than stock IMO. I had both of my VFRs setup by Jamie and it was a huge difference on both rides. My '01 has essentially what his kit offers, I bought my setup just before he released the kit, same principle just he did the work instead of me.
Isn't it the other way around??? I think it has compression dampening adjustability with the rebound dampening valve stack fixed to match the springs and riding style...
My understanding is that the words 'TEN' written at the top of most forks that have adjustable settings, stands for 'TENSION' or rebound, where as 'COMP' stands for 'COMPRESSION'. The setup that Jamie provided for me came with this (see photo). My understanding is that is the way his are setup as well. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I got it right this time.
[image: attachicon.gif]IMG_1301.JPG
I should have known better than to question Larry... he was correct the first time and you are correct also... I had it backwards... sorry for any confusion I may have caused.