This could digress a little bit but I wanted to hear what you lot have to say.... Last week I took the rash decision of buying some quality suspension....(this is on my RSV4 factory) - I hear you say "that's already got ohlins on it!" yes true but the general consensus is that while it is ohlins the oem stuff they use is the bottom of their range...still better than an oem's own stuff mind you and a good step up...anyway I bought a Nitron Race pro shock from one of the lads on the forum - he'd just bought a new track bike and it already came with decent suspension hence the sale....its was really cheap and apparently my old ohlins is worth near as dammit the same price so I thought what the hell.... So, to close the book on this part of my story - brilliant, much better than the ohlins but then the race pro shock is more akin to the ohlins ttx model/range...the ohlins was a 2 stage the nitron a 3 stage.... Anyway....I then after an epiphany ride as soon as I got home turned my attention to my 2014 zed 1000... The shock on that is nothing short of crap.....and duly noted in all the reviews and I do agree....having just forked out for the new shock and not sold the old I thought I might be able to get a second hander...I couldn't find anything but my mate found a nearly new r2 nitron from a 1999 vfr - I took a look, contacted the bloke...we went through all the measurements on the phone and its literally as near as dammit the right shock....everything bar the length (my oem is about 1cm longer) but I can adjust that out on the end to make it the same length as mine. I sent him a deposit for him to hold it for me til the end of the month when I can pay the deposit. I then called nitron to see if I could get the correct mount for the canister and explained what id bought....now playing devils advocate id like youre opinions.... 1. He said the valving would be different but, if it came in for service and I explain what it came from and what its going in they will change that in the service for free. 2. I said it had a "15 stone spring" already fitted which is my weight to which he replied "yes but that's against his bike" I looked up the dry weight of his and its about 10kg heavier than mine...so, I wouldn't have thought that would be too much of an issue. Finally, he reckoned as it was it wouldn't be much better than the oem but id disagree....its a 600 quid shock with literally no use. The oem is/has literally no adjustment atall so its gotta be better (that's the way I see it anyway...) - they will get it eventually as I want to upgrade it to an r3 shock ultimately with hydraulic preload - its just I can get the initial use of it for the moment.... Opinions please...
Typing was getting a bit slow on that first pane..... its not the end of the world as A. ive got the shock I want and B. its all re-adjustable at the point of getting it serviced....just wanted to use it for a while til I can afford the next part...
Ignore the bloke who wants to just take your money and go somewhere else to have it built, if you need to. You need to consider not only length but fit and shape if it has piggy back canister. Example, an ohlins 916 shick fits straight in to a 620 monster (or probably any injected monster) bit of knuckle knocking but no issue. A std showa is tighter, less skin, more knuckle! A Nitron doesnt fit at all, so has to be spun upside down (which I never thought would work and still reckon it doesnt, but not an expert) to fit in The RSV one not be made to fit?
Ah - I may have been rambling - the rsv4 one was bought and from another rsv4 (I was just demonstrating that the nitron shock was a step up from the oem ohlins) and was so impressed I "need" to get one on the zed...its just that going the slightly cheaper option by getting one from this lad (he hasn't pushed me into anything - he's just stated the fact of what it is) ive just checked with nitron with regards to the canister mount (they've got one in stock for my zed) and its 90 quid...expensive but you get what you pay for...heres the shock that ive bought (but not got yet...) the adjuster on the right is the one I need to open out for it to fit mine....all the other dimensions are right. This one costs stock 580 from recollection this is costing me 385....the top spec unit for the zed direct from Nitron is just over 900.
What a load of cock, the unit will be fine as long as it is near to your original length , if not then adjust the nitron accordingly, this is why it has an adjustable eyelet. Do not change the spring yet until you have it fitted on the bike and you have set your static sag, if you cannot get it in range then yes change the spring for your weight. Valving whether it be rebound or compression circuits are easily changed which does require a rebuild but it is only needing a shim stack alteration so nothing expensive there. Go to another good suspension specialist if you find that it does not suit your riding style.
Cable ties worked perfectly on my monster remote canister but I was talkiimg about piggback, ie connected directly to the shock like 916 I meant the ohlins you have taken off the rsv, no good fir the zed?
Yeah - me being polite that's kinda what I was thinking but thought id ask...I mean first and foremost - the valving - I'm not sure what changing that would affect "ie the ride I receive"...but as I said the bikes are near as dammit the same weight...he said it had a 15st spring - I'm 15 stone (just under at the moment) so I reckon ill be good with what ive got....
Ah - see what you mean - no the ohlins wont fit (the canister is mounted to the top of the shock) - wont fit - bloody perfect if it did Cable ties - I did think of that....and maybe short term...
Just to summarise - I think its all going to be ok I mean - if I went and bought an ohlins ttx36 then I may get a choice of springs if I'm lucky but no more than that....
Spanner in the works! if you are near MCT in Stowmarket Daren will help no end, just look him up give a call and explain, he loves a project/challenge good luck
Not sure what you mean by spanner in the works.... Flogging the ohlins covers most of the race pro shock thats on the rsv4 and, in my head that doubles up paying for the other one for the zed! Lad logic.... It seems to work in my head...
Sorry comfy, just a saying to throw other ideas into to the problem, perhaps give Daren a call he is very good with modifications, he only works on suspension very knowledgeable.
Ah... Ok.... Will do...ill fit it as is and see what happens... I personally think that as is its going to be much better...
Give it a go and if it doesn't work you can always sell it. As for getting it serviced and valved I wouldn't bother. The one thing I would do though is get it set up properly. After buying your old hyper shock I went to motopro suspension and had the bike set up, best £20 I've ever spent.
Well.... I got the shock id from the lad selling it.... I phoned nitron and gave them the shock id so the lad could pull up the parts list. While i was correct in that the shock would physically fit he said while the spring was a 15 stone spring the poundage was way out so now matter how much i tighten the preload it will be too soft. Now luckily i had a 12 stone spring spare with thd rsv4 race pro. I gave him the number off the spring and he said it would be better but not ideal. He did also say that the shock coukd be easily converted but omce he costed it up and it would work out about 50 quid cheaper than a brand new one. I spoke to the lad who i was buying it off and he was really easy going and said he'd have no problems refunding my deposit.... Went out on the rsv4 again yesterday.... The suspension gives alot of confidence now.... My sparky knee sliders arent going to last long... At this point child like impatience took over so i ordered an r3 with HPA (hydraulic preload adjuster) 2 weeks for delivery.... Cant wait!
Yeah - the thing is, is the rsv4 is now inspiring to ride ( I really cant wait for next summer - or the next dry day that im not working....) and the old ohlins was a good standard shock. The zed's shock is absolute shite - its got preload and a hard soft screw and that's it. So, my theory is, is that once the Nitron goes into that then it should be a night and day change. Im quite lucky at the moment as while the rugby is on (and her whole family is welsh) so Saturday afternoon I said "im gonna go play with the suspension on the bike and go for a test ride" which she didn't even register and said "yep, whatever....." Brilliant.
