Sorting the handling

My K5's done 13000 miles now and the chassis is feeling a bit tired. It tends to bounce around off bumps and the bars waggle a bit too ( i actually like it in some ways cause it makes you feel like your 'on it' but it needs sorting).
The rear tyre is almost to its wear limit so i know it will feel much better once the new tyres on but:

1 What can i do set-up wise to make it better? It's still on stock settings. Would setting the correct sag make it better or do i need to up the preload to compensate for age of the suspension?

2 What cost effective mods are there available suspension-wise?

3 Recomendations for brake pads and fluid? Just after bleeding the brakes were ace, felt really taut. But after one trackday the travel was back in the lever. Should i need to bleed the brakes after each trackday? I've got Hein Gericke sintered pads and motul dot4 in at the mo.

ps. the bike actually felt pretty good on track recently and it was only the slow sections where the front felt vauge. i think it could be much better tho as you tend not notice your own bike deteriorating.

thanks in advance

Originally Posted by andyaikido

My K5's done 13000 miles now and the chassis is feeling a bit tired. It tends to bounce around off bumps and the bars waggle a bit too ( i actually like it in some ways cause it makes you feel like your 'on it' but it needs sorting).
The rear tyre is almost to its wear limit so i know it will feel much better once the new tyres on but:

1 What can i do set-up wise to make it better? It's still on stock settings. Would setting the correct sag make it better or do i need to up the preload to compensate for age of the suspension?

2 What cost effective mods are there available suspension-wise?

3 Recomendations for brake pads and fluid? Just after bleeding the brakes were ace, felt really taut. But after one trackday the travel was back in the lever. Should i need to bleed the brakes after each trackday? I've got Hein Gericke sintered pads and motul dot4 in at the mo.

ps. the bike actually felt pretty good on track recently and it was only the slow sections where the front felt vauge. i think it could be much better tho as you tend not notice your own bike deteriorating.

thanks in advance

Braided lines will help the brakes.

Hagon springs and heavier oil 10W will sort out the front fot £60

A gixxer 1000 shock will sort out the back end if you find a low miles one cheaply also, or a Hagon shock for £200.

Or fit a GSXR front end to get better suspension and brakes, although having just done this it will knock you back £600-800.

Cheers Khewett,

I was going to fit braids at some point anyway but was hoping to get another season out of the stock lines. If the stock lines are goosed why is the lever firm for a while but then 'loosens' after hard use? I was thinking maybe it was boiling the brake fluid.

The front end mods sound good for £60. I would love to put an entire GSXR front end in but the mods/accessories are rapidly becoming worth more than the vehicle itself.

Does the GSXR shock need any mods to fit? I would rather not cut any plastics as i've managed to mod it so far without any permanent changes.

Is anyone else shocked at how much work needs to be done on a 14 month old bike to keep it tip-top? A VW would just be coming to its first service by now!

K5??? Trade it in and with the money you are going to spend buy another bike