View Full Version : Is there any benefit to better suspension on the road?
cringer
27-09-10, 09:14 AM
Upgrading the front and rear shocks for normal road riding?
Obviously beneficial for racing but what if any benefit would there be for just normal commuting?
yorkie_chris
27-09-10, 09:18 AM
YES!
IMO, there is more benefit to having good suspension on the road than on the track. (Sounds mental, but hear me out...). On the track you're taking the exact same corners over and over again. You can be perfectly smooth (if you're any good) in removing the braking force into a corner at the same rate as adding cornering force to keep the bike perfectly settled.
On the way out of corners, you know it's going to wobble, weave and slip, so you take that into account. And if you get it wrong... you're just going to slide on some grass.
On the road, you've got rapidly developing situations on bumpy roads that you've never seen before. You may have to go rapidly from one state to another (like that corner that tightens up) and if the suspension is unsettled that can create the panic that puts you through a hedge... or the shock simply pogo'ing you into a ditch!
Luckypants
27-09-10, 09:24 AM
YES
Having done it on both my SV and VFR I have to say the improvement in comfort on bumpy roads is great. As Chris points out, when getting a move on or reacting to a suddenly developing situation, having suspension that don't tie itself in knots allows you to concentrate in dealing with the road and not on the fact your bike is trying to kick you out the saddle.
yorkie_chris
27-09-10, 09:31 AM
When you're in the right mood you have to ride at least 50% harder to get it to try kick you out of the saddle too!
On a smooth road (like kinlochleven bit this year :shock:) there is no way a well set up bike will do anything out of place that isn't rider caused.
I can't really describe the difference between a bike with stock shocks and aftermarket. It's like riding a different bike entirely.
In fact just come and have a go on mine, you break it, you fix it... when you get back we'll talk figures about some fork internals and a shock aye :-P
cringer
27-09-10, 10:25 AM
Tbh I just like the bling of upside down gold forks the rest of it is an after thought for me.
cringer
27-09-10, 10:27 AM
So just out of interest do u guys prefer to mod your sv rather than buy a more powerful bike with the nice bits already fitted from stock?
yorkie_chris
27-09-10, 10:30 AM
I went down the road of modding the SV. A stock GSXR isn't as good as an SV with revalved GSXR forks and decent aftermarket shock.
You have to mod any bike to get it perfect for you, a GSXR just starts a bit higher up the ladder as stock.
dizzyblonde
27-09-10, 10:35 AM
I quite like the feeling of sitting on a circus ride when the suspensions buggered. Front end teeth chatter and rear end bouncy castle:rolleyes:
Luckypants
27-09-10, 11:10 AM
So just out of interest do u guys prefer to mod your sv rather than buy a more powerful bike with the nice bits already fitted from stock?
I modded the SV because I liked the the bike so much. The suspension was not up to bumpy Welsh roads (two up my local road overheated the standard shock in a few miles) and after reading on here how easy it was modify I thought I would do that - at the time I did not want more power.
When I bought the viffer it is marginally better power/weight ration than the SV, but I bought it to be able to tour and have a bit of fun on. I found the limits of the standard suspension while two up, but again, because I liked the bike, I modified the suspension - well TBH Maxton modified it for me! The setup works very well and I'm very happy with the bike as a result. So much so, I've bought a newer VFR and will be transferring the Maxton magic bits over to it this winter.
Luckypants
27-09-10, 11:11 AM
On a smooth road (like kinlochleven bit this year :shock:) there is no way a well set up bike will do anything out of place that isn't rider caused.
Story to tell Chris? :smt047
yorkie_chris
27-09-10, 11:14 AM
Just slid rear a bit opening throttle :-)
BBadger
27-09-10, 11:21 AM
Everyone complains about the rear but i find it quite adder-quit even for a relatively fast riding on uneven roads. Then again i weigh about 11stone kitted up.
Start with the front and you will notice a world of difference especial around town as it doesn't dive under hard breaking and feels planted for spirited filtering.
toby_smith
27-09-10, 11:29 AM
Yes. That is all
I can't really describe the difference between a bike with stock shocks and aftermarket.
i can, its like riding a horse after riding a kangaroo. :smt026
BBadger
27-09-10, 02:12 PM
i can, its like riding a horse after riding a kangaroo. :smt026
Kangaroo sounds like the cooler option to me:smt026
amnesia
27-09-10, 04:57 PM
Just incase you didn't get the answer in earlier posts, it's YES.
From my experience it has made a HUGE difference.
If you do a search through the forums for suspension upgrades (like the GSXR upgrade) you might find more reasoning behind why people did it.
The link below is to my suspension upgrade thread, and gives my reasons in the first post....
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=113203
I always thought that the SV suspension was OK for the road, but after hooning around mountains on my hols, a bit quicker than I usually would, I now realise that it's pretty shoddy.
Zen Beetle
27-09-10, 06:08 PM
Put it this way. Your tyres are only as good as your suspension in that its the springs and damping that keep the tyres in contact with the road. Good quality shocks may seem expensive but they can be serviced and will last the lifetime your bike. Its certainly the best upgrade I've done to my SV!
[QUOTE=BBadger;2377994]Then again i weigh about 11stone kitted up.
QUOTE]
who ate all the pies :D at just under 10stone myself, i didnt think the upgrades would be worth it, but after reading topics here i bet it would, the front end dive is quite severe.
maviczap
27-09-10, 07:52 PM
[QUOTE=BBadger;2377994]Then again i weigh about 11stone kitted up.
QUOTE]
who ate all the pies :D at just under 10stone myself, i didnt think the upgrades would be worth it, but after reading topics here i bet it would, the front end dive is quite severe.
Well I'm just over 10st and I've got a Hagon rear shock, great upgrade over the OEM, not an Ohlins, but loads better
GSXR front end, also better than OEM, even though its from a 1992 750. Needs a service, but still better than standard. No clunky dive prone front on mine
yorkie_chris
27-09-10, 08:29 PM
Put it this way. Your tyres are only as good as your suspension in that its the springs and damping that keep the tyres in contact with the road. Good quality shocks may seem expensive but they can be serviced and will last the lifetime your bike. Its certainly the best upgrade I've done to my SV!
Longer than that.
If you buy penske they can be adapted to other bikes.
Yes, was on my stock suspensions for 3 years when I felt like 'i could do with a better/new bike'. So I chose the cheapest option ;) new hagon springs and zx10 shock! I can keep going for another few years :D
northwind
27-09-10, 11:07 PM
Oh hell yes. You don't have to go nuts though, you can get good results from small upgrades but the SV's not sensibly spec'd as standard, the parts are basic but they're also softly sprung for most folks, only right for racing snakes.
It does wonders though- roadholding, comfort, braking... Safety, really. People throw money at sticky tyres or powerful brakes or even engine tuning but it doesn't matter if the wheels aren't firmly connected to the road.
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