suspension upgrades b1250 do it once do it right

a topic overed many times but im finding I have to wade through lots of posts.
issue is I have a 07/8 b1250s 21,000km that is a daily rider but will also use it for two up riding on weekends.
everyone agrees the stock suspension is poop and can do with upgrading.
question is what do I do so I only have to raise a spanner once to upgrade it and only open the wallet once to buy the parts needed.
im largely happy with the height of the bike, even maybe raise it a little as I stand at 198cm tall and have no issues with reaching the ground.
I take it that a k7 or k8 gsxr1000 rear shock is a direct replacement for the stock shock.
and a set of racetech springs and a set of gold valves for the front. is this the consensus?
specifications of riders...
rider weight 100kg
pillion weight 70kg
riding style touring

for 5 days of the week its only me onthe bike and any given sunday its two up.
weight going from 100kg to 170kg obviously the suspension has to be different.
how do I deal with this?
I hate skinning my knuckles with the shitty c spanner method of the stock rear setup.

cheersin advance!

In my opinion the front is the priority.
We change the rear first as its the easiest to do at home.
You'll get the correct answer by talking to a suspension specialist. They're surely to be around Bris. Maybe someone here can recommend a guru?

You're talking a big weight difference at the rear so something with a remote preload adjuster is a must if regular adjusting is required. The comp/rebound wont need to be altered (much) once set up for your favourite roads.

G`day Ironman,
If your happy to go as far as springwood, ring Steve. Good knowledgeable lad


http://www.allsuspension.com/

07 3208 0082

I am on a two stage plan with my FA. Front and rear. I was told by the suspension guy that doing the rear was both the easiest and would have the most profound effect on handling so if I had to do things in two steps that was the way to go. Price was not that different between front and rear, front is actually going to be a bit cheaper.

If you replace the rear do get one with a remote pre-load adjuster. I saved some $$$ by not getting one, then the wife decided she did like coming with me on a regular basis so I am in process of getting the remote retro fitted. I was lucky in that the guy was very sympathetic and is fitting a factory reconditioned unit so the price will be within $20 of what I would have paid to have the remote there from the beginning.

The rear is a Nitron R2 by the way and the front (when its done) will be a rebuild with linear wind springs and uprated pistons and valving.

Hmm, biggish ask to get it spot on first time, but a suspension specialist will get you a long way to achieving that goal.

The front has to be the priority.

Mine (2010 1250s) has racetech springs (1.0kg/cm), and gold valves (I also weigh 100kgs).  I find it a bit harsh on real road conditions (ie patches and potholes) and often wonder if I should have put 0.95kg/cm springs in.  tag says he doesn't think so, but I do often wonder.  Mind you, I can't complain at all on smooth roads - it corners beautifully, and maybe that's the price you pay. The other factor is which weight fork oil to use - there is an endless variety of weights, so again, the advice of a specialist might get you in the right ballpark first go.  Else it is trial and error.  I'm not sure what weight oil I used in changing the fork oil at about the 50,000 km mark - I've simply forgotten!

Mine has an Ohlins rear shock, put in when the original had done about 65,000kms.  There was also a noticeable improvement but not as dramatic as fixing the front. But maybe it's like putting on a new pair of tyres - the bike always feels much better with new rubber.  So I might have been able to save some money by refurbishing the OEM rear shock.  Who knows.  Pity you don't live closer - you could take mine for a spin and get your own assessment of whether the setup is what you're seeking.

Ewok1958 wrote:Hmm, biggish ask to get it spot on first time, but a suspension specialist will get you a long way to achieving that goal.

The front has to be the priority.

Mine (2010 1250s) has racetech springs (1.0kg/cm), and gold valves (I also weigh 100kgs).  I find it a bit harsh on real road conditions (ie patches and potholes) and often wonder if I should have put 0.95kg/cm springs in.  tag says he doesn't think so, but I do often wonder.  Mind you, I can't complain at all on smooth roads - it corners beautifully, and maybe that's the price you pay. The other factor is which weight fork oil to use - there is an endless variety of weights, so again, the advice of a specialist might get you in the right ballpark first go.  Else it is trial and error.  I'm not sure what weight oil I used in changing the fork oil at about the 50,000 km mark - I've simply forgotten!

Mine has an Ohlins rear shock, put in when the original had done about 65,000kms.  There was also a noticeable improvement but not as dramatic as fixing the front. But maybe it's like putting on a new pair of tyres - the bike always feels much better with new rubber.  So I might have been able to save some money by refurbishing the OEM rear shock.  Who knows.  Pity you don't live closer - you could take mine for a spin and get your own assessment of whether the setup is what you're seeking.

I've had 1.1, 1.0 and now 1.05 springs.  1.05 kg/mm seems about right for my 85 kg weight with occasional pillion...provided you have the compression damping right.  Of course personal preference and tyre choice also factor, Bridgestones (for example), are known for very stiff sidewalls.

Ewok1958 wrote:  I'm not sure what weight oil I used in changing the fork oil at about the 50,000 km mark - I've simply forgotten!

Hang on, you've just remembered - you used a 10 weight.

Tag thought you might be better with a 7.5 or 5 weight which wouldn't be as harsh on broken surfaces but you said  "No, I've just got batfastard springs so I'll put batfastard oil in it too"    (If you want to try a lighter oil its only a Cajun Burger away)

#Tag wrote:

Ewok1958 wrote:  I'm not sure what weight oil I used in changing the fork oil at about the 50,000 km mark - I've simply forgotten!

Hang on, you've just remembered - you used a 10 weight.

Tag thought you might be better with a 7.5 or 5 weight which wouldn't be as harsh on broken surfaces but you said  "No, I've just got batfastard springs so I'll put batfastard oil in it too"    (If you want to try a lighter oil its only a Cajun Burger away)

That would be Olive Oil then

I went 1.1 springs/gold valves on the front of my GSX1250FA. I can't remember the oil weight, the motorcycle guru played around a fair bit with a couple of different weight oils to get it working right. The front is firm but works really well when you are moving along at a good rate of knots. I also fitted a Holeshot fork brace which seems to have tighten the front end up and minimises flexing. I fitted a Cogent shock (via Holeshot) to the rear and the difference was huge over the stocker. I would describe the rear end ride now as plush! It really sucks up the bumps and tames the rear end. For a heavy bike with average chassis and brakes it goes reasonably well now.

On the topic of suspension I just received a quote for the following
forks resprung to my weight requirement, Gold Valves all installed $1,000
rear Ohlins with spring matched for my weight requirement and fitted $1,700+


At nearly half what my bike is worth, I don't think so.

I'm a tight arse mainly because I currently work part time.
I'm thinking a pair of racetech fork springs at 1kg and a gixxer thou rear shock with a heavier spring. Where do you get a pair of lift linkages for the rear to compensate for the different length shock?
I'm open for suggestions...my budget is $500

As far as the dog bones, you could do what Gus did:

Gus's dog bone mod

Ironman wrote:
 Where do you get a pair of lift linkages for the rear to compensate for the different length shock?
I'm open for suggestions...my budget is $500

G`day Ironman,

If you can wait a few weeks, I still have a couple of sets, that I will consider letting one pair go.

It will raise the rear slightly from standard height, at the length they are, but you wont find it extreme or bad.

I usually make my own out of stainless, but years ago, I found a lad in the UK, that made them to order, but he now doesn`t trade,
and I really don`t need one extra pair. I just have to locate them.

If you don`t need them in a hurry, I can help you out there?

Ironman wrote:On the topic of suspension I just received a quote for the following
forks resprung to my weight requirement, Gold Valves all installed $1,000
rear Ohlins with spring matched for my weight requirement and fitted $1,700+
I'm thinking a pair of racetech fork springs at 1kg and a gixxer thou rear shock with a heavier spring. Where do you get a pair of lift linkages for the rear to compensate for the different length shock?
I'm open for suggestions...my budget is $500

Just a side line - That's the most expensive quote for a front respring and valve I've ever seen. The rear may not be as bad - the quote would have to be for the base Ohlins (no remote preload, rebound damping only) and is a bit harder to value cos of global market/interwebz/ozdollar variations.

But as you said your budget gives you one choice only - front respring done yourself ( with lighter oil than the recommended SS08 oil - comparison charts put SS08 at about 12.5 weight) and see what you can find in a second hand shock.

Good luck

Contact promecha.com.au he can rebuild your shock at a reasonable price, or he did for me 12 months ago. Forks with new valves and heavier oil and rebuilt shock for around $900, he did all the work on the bike itself but you can mail the items to him.

For those of us who have fitted racetech springs (say 1kg/mm) to the forks and used a light 5W oil, how did you find it WRT ride?

I'm 85kg with .95 springs and I find either 5 or 7.5 wt fine

Ironman wrote:For those of us who have fitted racetech springs (say 1kg/mm) to the forks and used a light 5W oil, how did you find it WRT ride?

My 10wt (with 1kg springs and gold valves) is on the hard side (I'm 100kg).  Great if the road surface is fine but the next change will definitely be lower weight oil.  #Tag is on the money.

Thanks #tag I've got my bits sitting in a box and I'm the same weight. Have to get it sorted soon, its been in the same box for about 3 years

If my memory serves me correctly                you have Racetech cartridges to go in too, don't you RD?

In which case oil weight will be dependent on which shim stack setting you use.

I'm still running the standard cartridges with light weight oil due to the overdamping Suzuki used to prop up their underspringing.

DavEwok had Racetech gear installed by previous owner and I was guessing it would have been set to a lightweight oil as most suspension tuners will use the lightest oil they think they can get away with.

Yeah I have gold cartridges to go in. If the instructions were better I'd have a go at it myself

I got holeshot suspension to do my 2010 bandit and it's a great bike now and it wasn't that many $$$

Surprising the difference suspension can make isn't it 

Bit of a dredge but this may be of some help to folks for a budget re-valve. This is from Rick at Codget suspension. I did this to my K4 and am about to do it to a 1250fa. Only thing I do different is drill the cart not try to grind the piston.

Being a total cheapskate and having had a bit too much moonshine, my mind dwells on things like steeling the basic Idea once I learn it. I personally do not like the idea of the Progressive springs. Straight wound springs are a better solution. As a turnkey, do it yourself solution the gold valve and correct spring is worth the effort and money. Some of the guys on this forum and I got into a rather involved discussion over springs. One of the guys was (is) an engineer and vehemently disagreed with what I was saying regarding springs and the progressive nature of the air column that is in the fork. He argued with a long string of formulas and actually told me I was right in the end. I learned a lot from what he came up with. 

 I will still do some forks for guys but I am really starting to loose interest in the process. I really would rather do the ones for people who want to go the Penske internals route. I am looking into the black, “Diamond Like” coatings and hard-anodized sliders for the next projects.

So, (I am very gratified that some folks were paying attention, I thought people thought I was nuts) here is the deal. Take a .95 race tech spring and hold it next to a stock bandit spring… The Racetech spring is shorter by a good bit. The number of turns and the O.D. of the two springs are about the same, so is the wire diameter. The difference is that the stock bandit spring has all the closer and progressively wound coils added on to the end. The spring rate formula proved this out. For me it seems natural to cut off the offending nasty progressive part of the stock spring and leave a nice .95 spring for the reinstallation. That first step just saved you $100. Now make up some longer spacers for the spring to get you back to the 35mm of loaded sag with your adjuster centered.

What Racetech taught me is that you get a lot better ride using more spring and less compression damping. A more progressive (speed sensitive) compression stack is even a better solution. First step for the guys with out the bucks or ambition to tear into the cartridge and damping elements is to change the fork oil to a good brand of 5W oil to go with your new springs. These two changes will blow away any progressive spring mod and cost you about $20. To go to “stage 2 of the Rick mod” take your foot valve out of the cartridge and remove one of the 17mm X 0.1 mm shims. Along with this, use a dremel tool (I despise those pieces of junk) with a very fine diamond bur and make a ½ hole that approximates a hole made by a #60 drill (you want 1 half dia. #60) in side one of the bleed notches on the top sealing surface of the foot valve or piston (where the 17mm shims seat) This mod will ad low speed bleed and also soften the high speed damping. Now you really are getting somewhere. Stage 3 of the “Rick mod” involves replacing the compression stack with about 5 17X 0.15 mm shims toped by a 15, 13, 11 and 9 mm 0.15mm thick shims while maintaining the standard clamp shim. Now you have close to 90% of the Gold valve. I think you could have 100% if you were willing to take your forks apart and change things up until they are perfect. For $260 you get the gold valves, springs and a tape that shows you what to do. Not that bad a deal if you ask me.

Post Of The Day, that one