Suspension setup
- Thread starter Chucker
- Start date
Nice! Let me know when you find the knob on the 6R... LOL
Hey Jay, I'm pretty much at the 17K mark right now. Look like sometime before xmas I might need to rebuild the front fork. I was thinking going with progressive front spring (1 up in spring rate) and 15W oil. Not that my driving style required it, but it should help with the extra weight from the luggage. If I toss the bike around a bit, it's soft!
Now what I'm concern is if I get my stealership doing it, I'm a bit worry all they're going to do is turn the shock upside down, change the springs and dump new oil in there. I'll bet $100 they will never use a shock dyno or anything like it to make sure everything is fine. I use to build and re-valve and dyno shocks back in the days in Formula Atalntic (Ohlins) Changing oil only doesn't rebuild a shock...
What do you think...
If you're going to upgrade your suspension and need to set it up properly, as I am, this type of information is invaluable. With aftermarket parts, we can set the FZ6R up almost perfectly for each of us. What we'll lack, is the ability to easily change that setup. That's OK by me. I don't plan on gaining or losing a lot of weight, nor do I plan on changing my riding style anytime soon.
Personally, from everything I've researched over the last while, I don't like the idea of progressive springs. I'm going with the Race Tech Cartridge Emulators and fork springs to start, and then will probably go with the Race Tech rear spring and Shock Gold Valve kit once I've seen the difference with just the fork upgrade.
If you're going to track the bike, I definitely would be upgrading at least the front. If you're braking hard into the turns, you don't want it to dive like it does. In addition to the better springs, emulators and adjusting your preload so it's bang on for you will make a huge difference. I sourced the springs and for my weight, the rear spring is the same for street or track, but the fronts go from 0.95 street to 1.00 track. Stock is 0.90. Rears are 17.6 stock and they suggest 19.6 for my weight. Big difference.
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I loved the hyperpro progressives... Softer ride in town/touring, but when the pressure was on them in heavy corners, they performed beautifully!
My shop guy took the forks out, drained the fluid and compressed the shocks many times making sure it all came out, flushed it with more fluid, repeated then filled with the hyperpro fluid and new springs. I do not believe he has a shock dyno or anything. Not sure most normal shops do...? He test rode it a bunch though haha
I wouldnt have the dealer do it though, they will rape you. Do you have any independent shops around?
I might have to look around...I loved the hyperpro progressives... Softer ride in town/touring, but when the pressure was on them in heavy corners, they performed beautifully!
My shop guy took the forks out, drained the fluid and compressed the shocks many times making sure it all came out, flushed it with more fluid, repeated then filled with the hyperpro fluid and new springs. I do not believe he has a shock dyno or anything. Not sure most normal shops do...? He test rode it a bunch though haha
I wouldnt have the dealer do it though, they will rape you. Do you have any independent shops around?
While I haven't used the Racetech set up, it seems that would be better than the progressive springs I have if you do a lot of track days, but IMHO, for the 6R that stays on the street most of the time, these Hyperpro springs are hard to beat, and so much better than stock. Plus while they might not be as good as Racetech on the track, they'd still be a vast improvement over the stock ones for the occasional track day, but you can use them as everyday springs as well without having to adjust them back and forth.
Agreed. I have no doubt Hyperpro progressives are significantly better than stock, but I want the best handling I can get without the riding position of a SS. If I wasn't looking for the best handling I could get, but rather the best improvement for regular street riding and comfort, I'd definitely go with the Hyperpros.
Since I swap the tires for PR2 I feel like my front end is "light" I play around with tires psi... got better but still doesn't feel right. So I decide to drop the front end a bit to give it a try. I lowered it 0.140" for now. Let's see how it feel. Any of you fool around with front ride height? I need the front end a bit more planted... I'll do the Hyperpro progressive spring later on.
I had mine lowered 12 or 14mm. Right around .5". Made a significant difference with turn in handling. I did not notice any negative on straights. Then I added the Hyperpro springs and it made it just that much better. Nice tight in the corners and great handling on bumps for commuting. I think with the Hyperpros I put it up to 10mm or something. Cant quite remember, been a while. Best to play with it at 5mm at a time. Don't go too drastic or it can get scary.