rear shock change

I had to jack the bike up after shock change by 25mm as gixer shock is shorter

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

Better choice is ALWAYS going to be a shock actually built/designed to go into the bike you are fitting it to.

Even though the general consensus is that the stock suspension lets the bike down??

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by MadGaz

Even though the general consensus is that the stock suspension lets the bike down??

I didnt say stock - I said made for.

I re-sprung my stock shock which works for me.

Others bought Maxton/Ohlins made for an SV

Just because you can bodge it in doesn't mean its the right thing to do - if its taller or shorter than a stock one then the geometry is messed up.

I have a friend who borrowed a mates bike that had the shock swapped. Problem was that the bike was in New Zealand and the Shock came from the US, where a different bike was known by the same name.

So my mate ended up stuck in NZ with 2 broken wrists after he experienced a rather bad Tank-Slapper.

Not saying that its going to be THAT extreme fitting the "wrong" part (and many on here have done this and not been injured by it but its your call.

[TamSV]

A good quality shock (Ohlins, Penske etc), custom build for your riding style, is going to be the best - but you pay alot of money for it.

In terms of bang for your buck, you can't beat the swap from another bike. So long as the spring rate is right, there's a decent range of adjustability and it's the right length then there's no reason that it would be anything other than an improvement on stock. In terms of length I'd be happy enough to go a bit longer with the shock but I wouldn't want to go shorter and then try and fix it with dogbones - you're messing with too many variables at that stage IMO.

[yorkie_chris]

You want much longer.

[mikerj]

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

Just because you can bodge it in doesn't mean its the right thing to do

Fitting a far higher quality shock from another bike is not bodging, it's just plain sense if you can't stretch to Ohlins etc. I'd suggest that repsringing the OEM shock is far more of a bodge and certainly half a job; the damper is barely capable of controlling the standard rate spring when new.

Well I've bought a gsxr 1000 k6 rear shock, got a months leave coming up so I'll fit it and report the difference.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by mikerj

Fitting a far higher quality shock from another bike is not bodging, it's just plain sense if you can't stretch to Ohlins etc. I'd suggest that repsringing the OEM shock is far more of a bodge and certainly half a job; the damper is barely capable of controlling the standard rate spring when new.

Er yeah. Putting a bigger spring on stocker IMO is making things worse.

[Taipan]

Originally Posted by rory182

Anyone know the specs for Bandit 1200 shocks? Suitable for a Curvy SV?

It would open up another line of shock options but I believe the (mk1) Bandit 12 is 300mm eye to eye, so would be too short?

Hi all,
just changed the shock on Bullseye for a ZX10R unit-seems much better.

Thought i'd put up the part numbers you need for the Kawasaki nut and bolt for the bottom shock mount.

Nut 922101139 £1.44
Bolt 921531615 £3.63

The guys at Cradley Kawasaki were fantastic!!

Happy racing and riding

TC