Ohlins - is it worth it??

If you do really want a shock that works perfectly for the bike then buy an Ohlins or WP made for that bike. It costs more but the Ohlins etc can be seen as a bit of an investment in the way you can get more from your bike, also when you come to change bikes they go for very good money 2nd hand, so in a years time or whenever you change bikes you could end up getting around £300 back for the shock and considering they sell for just over £400 new thats not bad going.

If you really cant stretch that far then the GSXR mod option is better than the standard shock as it allows for more adjustment than standard. Its a good mod but not as good as an Ohlins etc.

My race bike has an Ohlins and have had no prob's etc with the rear, apart from me being over happy with the throttle and it biting me

Originally Posted by rogersb_uk

Because, apparently, the Ohlins shock is an approved upgrade, whereas the GSX-R shock is a "botch", to quote Suzuki.

Hey, I'm new here - what do I know!

we (being one of the dealers you spoke to) definatly didnt say that!. If you have a problem with your bike, having fitted the GSXR shock or Ohlins it WONT affect your warranty in anyway unless it was that which caused the problem!

BTW west london are not ohlins dealers either!

Back to the original question, might I suggest you fit a Hagon, which is what I did to my wife's K4.

They will supply it with a spring matched to body weight and it has adjustable damping.

Whilst not perhaps in the Ohlins league, the Hagon will definitely improve the Bike for normal road use. Cost was £250 and it's a like for like swap. No cutting of battery tray etc... required.

Dear readers of this post - SV650Racer especially:

It appears that there has been a misunderstanding over the quality of some work done by Steve Jordan to my bike. Without boring you with all the details, I'd like to make it clear that this has been resolved, and I'm more than happy to recommend them to other riders. They are helpful and - as this episode goes to show - more than willing to correct any mistakes, which we all can make and very keen to provide an excellent service to the biking community (as long as you own a Suzuki - only joking!).

I apologise for the slightly flippant post that sparked this all off - I was feeling a bit bitter but Sarah from SJ has cleared up the issue once and for all.

Which all goes to show the value of a forum like this - a problem that has been niggling for several months resolved with a couple of PMs!

No problem roger.

If anyone does have a problem it always helps to go back to try and get it resolved. Not all dealers are as willing to help out but it doesnt mean all of us arent!.

anyway..back to the original question.................................

[Balky001]

Welcom to the site Roger.

Well, you've had a bit of a baptism of fire here here haven't you. Shame it too several months and the need for a couple of PM's to sort out a problem - dealers huh! (SJ - relax, I'm only yanking your chain, oh dear I hope I don't have to call you and explain my comments ).

Back to the origial questions - I bought an Ohlins rear shock and front suspension from MC Technics in Stowmarket - excellent reputation and Darren is an expert at setting up suspension for your particular weight/riding style - they support some BSB competitors and many garages speak highly of their work including Crescent Suzuki.

The shock and front springs were excellent and I think you'll find that the rear shcok is more adjustable than standard shocks be them GSXR or SV, so you should be able to find a setting you like - be it for track or touring (obviously might be different settings!

SV650Racer mentioned WP, I have one fitted on the GSXR - I actually prefer this shock to the Ohlins but as its on a differnt bike its hard to compare exactly - best pop down your friendly local dealer and check them out

Nah, that's not a baptism of fire - you want to try general on Visordown!

But thanks for the advice and comments from everyone - especially SV650Racer.

On the original question - yes, it's the adjustability I want. Different people ride my bike and we're all different shapes and sizes, and of course ride rather differently.

I think that Ohlins is the way to go - for me at least - and what SV650Racer says about "If you do really want a shock that works perfectly for the bike then buy an Ohlins or WP made for that bike" - that's what I do want. I'm not flush with the readies, but after owning a classic 911 it seems rather on the reasonable side!!

[northwind]

I put an Ohlins on mine and make no mistake, it's ace. But... I got it for something like 1/3 RRP since it was slightly used. At that price it's a great buy. At RRP? Not so sure. It really depends on what you want from your bike, good performance or fantastic performance. It doesn't represent good value when compared with the improvement you get from a GSXR shock, I'd say that for sure.

One thing you hear a lot on SV Rider is that the off-the-shelf Ohlins for the SV isn't as good as you might think- it does the job but the Penske shocks have a far better rep- though they're not so common over here and they're a bit pricier.

Mr and Mrs Fastbird's are one of the relatively few places that I'd deal with on Ohlins bits- anyone will sell them to you, but not everyone knows how to do it right (there are others for sure that can, but I don't know who they are ). The typical settings won't be much use for you, I think, you'll want a heavier spring for sure and they'll keep you right with the rest. Mine'll be up for a service by the end of the year and I expect it'll go to them.

With the various swaps- GSXR for you, probably 636 for the older bikes- you get a better item, a good length and usually a good spring rate, but the damping ranges are a bit off for the SV so you'll not get a perfect setup without revalving. But personally I reckon pretty good on the GSXR shock is better than perfect on the SV shock.

Personally i've always classed Hagon as 'MOT' shocks, not really an upgrade but a budget replacement, their 'one screw adjusts everything' setup never really gives the right results.
For an extra £50 you can get an Emulsion unit from either Hyperpro or WP which are specific upgrades for a specific model and not just a shock that happens to fit.

And on the front the Hyperpro springs are a good compromise between std and full setup with emulators etc.
The progressiveness of the spring makes up for the poor damping qualities of the std damper rods giving good all round response.

I have met and had variuos dealings with Hyperpro's main development engineer and I know what goes in to the design/development of their kits and would recommend them to anyone (SV or not)