[taxonomy]

Yesterday I took my first ride on my, finally, completed SV after the mods were done. I put emulators and .85 springs up front. I bought the forks off eBay supposedly set up already but it was a rats nest in there and wound up doing tons tons of work fixing it.

In the back I put a Fox TC revalved by Peter Kates of GMD Computrack.

1. The bike seems way taller now. My "old" SV seems like a chopper now! With the sag set to 30 MM at both ends and the ride height maxed out (but still short of the TWF recommendation) I can just flat foot the bike. I am 5'10" I wouldn't want it to be higher. It leans over further on the kick stand. Though I sport ride I also tour and commute. The bike is as high and as quick turning as I want it to be.

2. At a stand still the bike seems way stiffer. It's like it is carved from billet compared to the "old" pre mod bike.

3. In motion it's startling how solid it feels. Turn and the bike turns. It's uncanny.

4. I expected it to be awful and rough, but it's weirdly plush. The bike just glides over imperfections, you feel them but it's not at all like I expected the it to telegraph the bumps.

5. It doesn't dive, it doesn't wallow. The "old" bike seems like a rocking horse! It so much stabler. It's just, this is perhaps the hugest difference. Mid corner it doesn't seem like any change will set some crazy oscillation on motion.


The mods wound up taking a long time and costing a fair bit, but it was worth it. The bike is really, really different. Overall I think, maybe it was $750 for everything, since the bike cost $2000 when I got it, this is not insignificant but it's amazingly transformed. I will reserve judgment until I get more than a sneak out in the only 40 degree plus hours of the past few weeks, but I have to say there's a different bike lurking in your bike.

 

[motosliders]

Ah, the beauty of correct suspension and setup.

 

[Northwind]

There are various GSXR sidestands that are an easy swap which will help you with the "chopper lean"... Lighter too, if you care about that. Good suspension is a joy isn't it... You can go for a far more aggressive setup and yet still be more stable.

 

[taxonomy]

There are various GSXR sidestands that are an easy swap which will help you with the "chopper lean"... .

Huh, do you know what years swap out?

I have not really had a chance to put the new suspension to any kind of real test, but it's really amazing so far.

I have quite a few bikes, but all on stock suspension.

It's really hard to describe. I just could not really impart the difference to someone. The Race Tech catch phrase is correct. "The best you've ridden is the best you know." I literally could not imagine the way that the bike would feel.

I cannot wait to get a warm day and some clear roads, or for my track days this July!

 

[30x26]

1. The bike seems way taller now. My "old" SV seems like a chopper now! With the sag set to 30 MM at both ends and the ride height maxed out (but still short of the TWF recommendation) I can just flat foot the bike. I am 5'10" I wouldn't want it to be higher. It leans over further on the kick stand. Though I sport ride I also tour and commute. The bike is as high and as quick turning as I want it to be.

usually front sag is higher than rear one, at least 5-8mm higher (35-40 front - 30-35 rear)
you could try less front preload: bike would be slightly lower + handling would be more similar to twf''s recommendations

 

[Northwind]

Huh, do you know what years swap out?

I can't remember exactly, mine is a K2 750 I think, it took a little grinding and a small spacer to fit- the SV sidestand mount is wider than the GSXR one and uses a different sized bolt. It's very simple though, about 10 minutes with an angle grinder and then you either have to drill out one of the pieces to a larger size or use a little spacer to size one of the others down.

I don't have any notes for this one, but here's the pics

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i264/Northwindlowlander/Bike tech/Sidestand/

 

[Currently]

Huh, do you know what years swap out?

I have not really had a chance to put the new suspension to any kind of real test, but it's really amazing so far.

I have quite a few bikes, but all on stock suspension.

It's really hard to describe. I just could not really impart the difference to someone. The Race Tech catch phrase is correct. "The best you've ridden is the best you know." I literally could not imagine the way that the bike would feel.

I cannot wait to get a warm day and some clear roads, or for my track days this July!

If Pete dialed in your bike, leave it alone and learn what it can do. If he did not dial it in, bring it in and either him or Jim will dial it in for you for FREE. After you get a feel for that, then try experimenting after documenting the original settings. You will find yourself going back to them again and again. These guys know their chit.

;D Say hi to PK for me ... as for your stand, he has a tig welder in his shop that is not there for looks. Oh BTW, if you collected some PK'isms, feel free to post them in NESR. There is quite the collection going on.

After he dialed in my bike, then and only then could I realize what a SV could really do. It is still a cheap bike but holy chit can that thing now carve a corner!

I have often said here that trying to describe good suspension on a bike is like trying to describe sex to a virgin.

I have never known anyone be satisfied with crappy suspension after they experience what a good setup will do for you. You are now ruined for life ... can you just visualize all that money going to suspension in the future! :twisted:

 

[Northwind]

No need for a welder for this, though

 

[Currently]

If he uses the original stand ... yup

If he gets the gixxer swap out ... nope.

 

[Northwind]

I'm not sure quite what that means But if you're saying you need a welder to fit the GSXR stand, that's wrong (see my pics for one fitted, that's been on there for about 3 years without issue). And if you're saying to keep the SV stand and lengthen or reshape it, that doesn't make a lot of sense really since the GSXR one works perfectly with less work and is also lighter.

 

[Currently]

We are both saying the same thing. ;D

If he can find a gixxer stand, so much the better.
As for modifying the SV stand, it is a trivial job with the shop that PK has.

Everytime I walked in that place, I would drool and take lots of notes.
The man is a consumate professional. As for his attitude, mmm, shall we say quite priceless and unique! ;D

 

[taxonomy]

If Pete dialed in your bike, leave it alone and learn what it can do. If he did not dial it in, bring it in and either him or Jim will dial it in for you for FREE.

After he dialed in my bike, then and only then could I realize what a SV could really do. It is still a cheap bike but holy chit can that thing now carve a corner!


I have never known anyone be satisfied with crappy suspension after they experience what a good setup will do for you. You are now ruined for life ... can you just visualize all that money going to suspension in the future! :twisted:

I will bring the SV by the shop when the weather gets warm enough to ride out there. I'd heard he did this, awesome.

About trying to describe good suspension. I don't think I could have imaged it. I can readily imagine what more power would be like but it not better suspension. I've ridden other bikes that probably had great suspension but the whole thing was so unfamiliar to me I couldn't really tell what I was feeling.

Since it was a winter project and I bolted on forks and shock at once it was a sort of total transformation.

That short ride was remarkable. Riding squishy bikes made me think a lot about controlling pitch, to crib Code I was spending a lot of my $1 thinking about controlling chassis oscillation and pitch. I am really, really looking forward to riding and thinking about line and corner exit instead.

I think this is going to fundamentally change riding for me.

 

[taxonomy]

I can't remember exactly, mine is a K2 750 I think, it took a little grinding and a small spacer to fit- the SV sidestand mount is wider than the GSXR one and uses a different sized bolt. It's very simple though, about 10 minutes with an angle grinder and then you either have to drill out one of the pieces to a larger size or use a little spacer to size one of the others down.

I don't have any notes for this one, but here's the pics

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i264/Northwindlowlander/Bike tech/Sidestand/

So this is a CB750 stand. And all stand sensor and like remain intact? That's great. I a normal person should be able to make it work?

The pics look good. It looks like it really works out well.

A~

 

[Currently]

He also offers free suspension seminars during the winter to teach people how to tune their own suspensions.

FREE --- he even provides the pizza and drinks!

His advice is quite priceless and the running commentary is an experience never to be forgotten.

 

[Northwind]

So this is a CB750 stand. And all stand sensor and like remain intact? That's great. I a normal person should be able to make it work?

GSXR 750! Yep, it's a complete works-as-standard swap, anyone who can work a grinder and a drill could do it. The wee spacer I used needed machining from a bit of steel pipe but there was a way of doing the same thing using the GSXR bolt and drilling the hole out, I think. Can't remember exactly

Sorry Currently, I couldn't quite understand your post but yep, we're saying the same thing ;D