rear shock change

Am i right in thinking that a gsxr 1000 k4 would be suitable for me on my K6.

I don't want the height to change that much as i am a short ****, but i am a little fat short **** weighing around 14 stone.

Also would this fit without any cutting of the battery box???

I have read through all the posts in this thread and i am still none the wiser As you can tell i am not technically minded

PS. Front end is standard at the moment

Thanks

Originally Posted by CheGuevara

[ophic]

Originally Posted by newts924

Am i right in thinking that a gsxr 1000 k4 would be suitable for me on my K6.

Hope so. That's what I've got (yet to fit it)

Just bought a 08/09 ZX10R rear shock off ebay yesterday!

£35 quid + P&P, bargain
Thanks to YC for the advice!

[dizzyblonde]

why do people put shocks in that weren't designed for your bike?
Wouldn't it be so much easier to research which companies make SV specific shock, and just wack it in and have done with it?
Much simpler than the mathematics of this that and the other to 'make it fit' then finding you have to change the front end as well because the back end wasn't supposed to be in there in the first place, and no chopping of battery boxes.

My suspension is perfect for me, as it was designed for my bike in the first place.

[ophic]

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

why do people put shocks in that weren't designed for your bike?

Cost.

And cos they're still a lot better than the stock one.

Oh and cos fitting is a relatively easy job.

I think that covers it.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

why do people put shocks in that weren't designed for your bike?
Wouldn't it be so much easier to research which companies make SV specific shock, and just wack it in and have done with it?
Much simpler than the mathematics of this that and the other to 'make it fit' then finding you have to change the front end as well because the back end wasn't supposed to be in there in the first place, and no chopping of battery boxes.

My suspension is perfect for me, as it was designed for my bike in the first place.

Mathematics is not my strong point but I can see that £35 is much less than £250

And you will have to change the front end anyway (as you have), because it wasn't designed to support the gut of the average brit.

bodging in a shock and fitting some stiffer fork springs is the best mod you can do for the money.


Your suspension perfect? No, it is just the best you have tried. There is no such thing as perfect suspension.

[dizzyblonde]

Says you who paid 400 odd quid ~

I haven't changed the front end??, its an SV set of forks with a like for like progressive spring replacement, made for Suzukis ideal weight type person. The monoshock was built and designed for an SV, and was done to be a direct but better replacement for the stock one...for road riding.

When I say change front end, I mean, changing the front end, ie like you have for other forks that aren't SV forks.

My suspension is perfect for me(well after the allan key has turned the hole a quarter of a turn on the rear ), as I am an easy wieght to work with, I can understand people wishing to look for a shock that suits their needs, but just because someone was lucky with a zx10 for example doesn't mean its great for everyone.
When I say perfect for me, it is smooth handling, not sharp turning like you've jacked up the back or something, not saggy and wallowy, not rock hard on the old 'arris, and not stiff on the front. Its not too bad for a 12 stone bloke either, as Carnivore thought it was absolutely 100% improvement,

I certainly wouldn't want a shock put in that someone has recommended to be great for them, then find its god awful for me, as it upsets the geometry of the bike its been put in.

I'm not causing an arguement, I just wonder why so many people end up having to ask so many questions, once they have shoved in a shock only to realise it needs more than just shoving in and forgetting about (unlike me, as I picked wisely or was lucky) I understand that people prefer to go for the cheaper option, but sometimes wish they hadn't, as it gives em a headache as they don't understand how to set it up. So why not pay a little more and get what you expect?
Why then do they do this? I don't see those that put a like for like replacement or a more expensive replacement specifically engineered for the SV, actually having to ask many questions if ever at all.

Its just an observation and it really does make me wonder, are all these other bike shocks really that good, or is it just luck of the draw, especially if you aren't knowledgeable.

[yorkie_chris]

If you remember we measured sag and adjusted preload on your hagon, direct fit? Shock from other bike just needs same.

People ask so many questions because they would rather use their brains, than their credit card.

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

Says you who paid 400 odd quid ~

I haven't changed the front end??, its an SV set of forks with a like for like progressive spring replacement, made for Suzukis ideal weight type person. The monoshock was built and designed for an SV, and was done to be a direct but better replacement for the stock one...for road riding.

When I say change front end, I mean, changing the front end, ie like you have for other forks that aren't SV forks.

Yes says me, I have tried different springs, oil, couple of shocks from other bike... and springs and oil in front and different shock on back is best value for money for normal riding.
Penske is better, but if you don't want to spend that much then there are improvements to be had for less.

A spring is a spring is a spring. Changing the front end can include changing the preload (couple of washers), thicker oil, stiffer springs, drilling/closing damper rod holes.

It's not a "like for like" conversion, you have changed spring rate, you have made a change to the front end
What are you on about suzukis ideal weight type person? That is like 6 stone. You change springs, you change the ideal weight for the forks.

[dizzyblonde]

Ahhhh I seeeeees.

Did you, I just remember sitting on my bike after it had been fitted, and you came out with the spanner adjuster and bish bosh done No chopping of bits here, there and everywhere.

You are lucky to have a garage full of jacks, stands, tools, are a mechanical engineering student, can baffle me and others with technical speak (and bore me too..lol), understand how you can change things doing 'x' but remedy it doing 'y'....

Was it really that cost effective to experiment with all that stuff? and no you can't try out my suspension, shes gone on SORN today

Nah, not six stone..ten

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

My suspension is perfect for me(well after the allan key has turned the hole a quarter of a turn on the rear ), as I am an easy wieght to work with, I can understand people wishing to look for a shock that suits their needs, but just because someone was lucky with a zx10 for example doesn't mean its great for everyone.

Glad your suspension is perfect for you, but looking at the demographics on this forum, you are not the average SV rider. Which kinds of suggests it's not perfect for the majority.

Was anyone suggesting any particular shock was great for everyone?

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

I certainly wouldn't want a shock put in that someone has recommended to be great for them, then find its god awful for me, as it upsets the geometry of the bike its been put in.

I'm not causing an arguement, I just wonder why so many people end up having to ask so many questions

Nobody would want to put a shock in that upsets the geometry, that's why they ask so many questions, and don't just blindly follow what somebody else has done.

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

are all these other bike shocks really that good, or is it just luck of the draw, especially if you aren't knowledgeable.

The shocks themselves are really that good yes, they are the manufacturers choice for their best selling, leading edge, £9000 flagship sports bikes. Taking all that expensive research and development and putting on a cheap bike like the SV and making it work for you, may require a bit of thought and planning, and maybe a bit of trial and error, and hence results in a lot of questions.

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

So why not pay a little more and get what you expect?

Because a made for purpose shock costs anything from 250 to 500 quid. The lower end of that price range (Hagon, etc) don't have the adjustability either and are not that much better than a brand new one from Suzuki. Yes there's some improvement, but when people do it and find a big improvement, how many miles was on the shock they just replaced? I'm heavy, and don't give the bike an easy life, but my original shock was practically un-rideable after 16000 miles, just fitting a low mileage Suzuki shock was a massive improvement.

For most the cost of such a replacement would be from 10% to a third of the value of the bike, depending what shock you buy and how old your bike is. Personally I would never spend that kind of money in order to change the suspension on the SV, I'd put the money towards the trade in on a bike with better suspension.