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seruzawa · 08-07-2003, 03:38 AM

Upgrades? What di you mean upgrades?

Japanese I-4s are perfect out-of-the-box, remember?

Sam_Freed · 08-07-2003, 03:56 AM

I recommend you modify your suspension by adding a drag bar. That way you will avoid the dreaded wheelie at all costs. Tucking the front or highsiding are minor incidents compared to the utter indignity of being seen doing a wheelie. Go for the drag bars dude!

HighsideHarry · 08-07-2003, 04:03 AM

Read the latest "Sport Rider." All your answers and then some are in there.

longride · 08-07-2003, 04:12 AM

C'mon guys! Can't SOMEONE help the "Sausage King" here?

SmokeU · 08-07-2003, 04:23 AM

BIR huh, I thought the "Sausage King" was from Chicago?! I'm sure we've traveled the same lonely roads in MN, maybe even bumped into eachother on the roads unknowingly. Anyway, yeah I thought that the R1 was a god or something, perfect out of the box?? Perhaps it's you that needs new suspenders??

BBD_Racing · 08-07-2003, 04:43 AM

How much do you weigh? If it is between 150 and 175 lbs or so, then your suspension is probably pretty close.

Either way, I'd think about rider software before bike hardware. Consider top notch track schools, like Freddie Spencer, Kevin Schwantz, American Supercamp. You will be better able to handle what you have and what you upgrade to.

If you must work on the bike, send the stock stuff to Lindeman Engineering, Race Tech, etc. Look at how fast Hacking goes on his R6 with stock-based forks.

I dun't have any experience with aftermarket wheels, but Pilot Race tires definitely feel different than Pilot Sports. Better when hot, horrible when cold or wet.

waepoint · 08-07-2003, 05:01 AM

Sounds like you're suffering from newbie track bike addiction. I should know, because I'm in almost the exact same scenario myself.

Certainly all the items you're talking about will help the bike. But based on similar converations with 20-year track vets, I'd say (in general ... don't know about w/R1s) go for the front end first. Everyone seems to love their RT / Lindemann's set-ups, and that's where you'll get the confidence to carry more cornering speed. Ohlin's are too perfect not to love, and mags provide important weight reduction, but $1000 of fork work will get you through the corners quicker for the buck.

But do yourself a favor ... step back, take a breath, and double-check your bank account. A new pair of race compound tires are a helluva lot cheaper than anything else on your wish list and should give you loads more confidence / handling / traction. IMO, the Pilot Sports blow, but I saw God with the Pilot Race's I put on my F3.

Or, you could drop $3,500 on the other goodies, and look like the shiznit in the paddock, only to get smoked (in the corners) by guys who can ride the wheels off their stock SV650's or ratted-out '95 900RRs.

sportbike_pilot · 08-07-2003, 05:41 AM

BBD and Sean Alexander are the guys I'd defer to on this in the end. I see that BBD has already weighed in but here's my .02 worth.

For the occasional track day stock suspension is probably fine for the first 10K miles provided you are able to set your static sag correctly. If you weigh more than 190lbs you may not be able to accomplish this (at least in the front forks) without some shims. After that if the spring rates are working for you I wouldn't worry about it too much. Try changing the fork oil to a heavier weight if you need to and make sure that you work with your damping settings until the bike does what it's supposed to.

You can easily change your springs and revalve shocks - relatively inexpensive upgrades, but I wouldn't worry about this for a while if the bike is new unless something just doesn't work. R1's are pretty good right out of the box so you should be fine.

Any of the newer generation of super sticky street/track tires will be an improvement over your Pilot Sports. It's not just the tread, it's the sidewalls and belt construction too. If you can afford it, a set of track tires is the way to go (make sure to get DOT legals though). Then you can use longer wearing tires for street use. Be sure that you pay attention to the tire profile (Dunlops, for instance are triangular and steer more quickly than rounder profile Pilot's). Does your R1 have a 190 rear? Try a 180 for track use if it does.

If you are going to get into club racing you will quickly run out of headroom massaging stock components. When you start looking into the cost of racing shocks, forks, tires for the weekend, etc. you will cry real tears.

Hope that answers your question. Philosophically I completely agree with BBD: spend as little money as you can on stuff until you have to. Knowledge is power and that's what I'd go after. Instructors at many track schools ride completely stock OEM's and will blow your doors off.

If you are having clearance problems try leaning off a little more. It's better to scrape a knee puck than a peg. After that peg exhaust canisters and fairings come pretty quickly on OEM's.

Good luck and have fun!

KPaulCook · 08-07-2003, 05:49 AM

You might want to check out this before you mod: click here

Abe_Froman · 08-07-2003, 05:51 AM

Quite frankly in my position, the full cost of one of those schools would be as much or more than suspension work. Plus there is a CRA-racer-run trackday trackschool that I could do here (although nowhere near the level of Spencer or Schwanz, obviously, but also nowhere near the cost.)

Anyway, I weigh 185 (with no gear.) I've been told by others that the stock rear spring is for riders up to 150-160. The bike squats a lot coming out of corners in low gear. I've talked to some racers with their dialed suspenders and they claim that they glide through turn 1 (super high speed, basically as fast as you can go) and feel nothing. I definitely feel something.

08-07-2003, 03:38 AM	#1
seruzawa Robby Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: 8501 ft. Posts: 16,803	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? Upgrades? What di you mean upgrades? Japanese I-4s are perfect out-of-the-box, remember? __________________ I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain.

08-07-2003, 03:56 AM	#2
Sam_Freed Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 55	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? I recommend you modify your suspension by adding a drag bar. That way you will avoid the dreaded wheelie at all costs. Tucking the front or highsiding are minor incidents compared to the utter indignity of being seen doing a wheelie. Go for the drag bars dude!

08-07-2003, 04:03 AM	#3
HighsideHarry Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 86	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? Read the latest "Sport Rider." All your answers and then some are in there.

08-07-2003, 04:12 AM	#4
longride Super Duper Mod Man Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Anywhere they let me Posts: 10,484	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? C'mon guys! Can't SOMEONE help the "Sausage King" here? __________________ I'm a knucklehead

08-07-2003, 04:23 AM	#5
SmokeU Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: pet**...pet...pet** Posts: 1,865	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? BIR huh, I thought the "Sausage King" was from Chicago?! I'm sure we've traveled the same lonely roads in MN, maybe even bumped into eachother on the roads unknowingly. Anyway, yeah I thought that the R1 was a god or something, perfect out of the box?? Perhaps it's you that needs new suspenders?? __________________ Pretending to be purple on the inside.

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08-07-2003, 04:43 AM	#6
BBD_Racing Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 337	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? How much do you weigh? If it is between 150 and 175 lbs or so, then your suspension is probably pretty close. Either way, I'd think about rider software before bike hardware. Consider top notch track schools, like Freddie Spencer, Kevin Schwantz, American Supercamp. You will be better able to handle what you have and what you upgrade to. If you must work on the bike, send the stock stuff to Lindeman Engineering, Race Tech, etc. Look at how fast Hacking goes on his R6 with stock-based forks. I dun't have any experience with aftermarket wheels, but Pilot Race tires definitely feel different than Pilot Sports. Better when hot, horrible when cold or wet.

08-07-2003, 05:01 AM	#7
waepoint Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 141	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? Sounds like you're suffering from newbie track bike addiction. I should know, because I'm in almost the exact same scenario myself. Certainly all the items you're talking about will help the bike. But based on similar converations with 20-year track vets, I'd say (in general ... don't know about w/R1s) go for the front end first. Everyone seems to love their RT / Lindemann's set-ups, and that's where you'll get the confidence to carry more cornering speed. Ohlin's are too perfect not to love, and mags provide important weight reduction, but $1000 of fork work will get you through the corners quicker for the buck. But do yourself a favor ... step back, take a breath, and double-check your bank account. A new pair of race compound tires are a helluva lot cheaper than anything else on your wish list and should give you loads more confidence / handling / traction. IMO, the Pilot Sports blow, but I saw God with the Pilot Race's I put on my F3. Or, you could drop $3,500 on the other goodies, and look like the shiznit in the paddock, only to get smoked (in the corners) by guys who can ride the wheels off their stock SV650's or ratted-out '95 900RRs.

08-07-2003, 05:41 AM	#8
sportbike_pilot Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 729	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? BBD and Sean Alexander are the guys I'd defer to on this in the end. I see that BBD has already weighed in but here's my .02 worth. For the occasional track day stock suspension is probably fine for the first 10K miles provided you are able to set your static sag correctly. If you weigh more than 190lbs you may not be able to accomplish this (at least in the front forks) without some shims. After that if the spring rates are working for you I wouldn't worry about it too much. Try changing the fork oil to a heavier weight if you need to and make sure that you work with your damping settings until the bike does what it's supposed to. You can easily change your springs and revalve shocks - relatively inexpensive upgrades, but I wouldn't worry about this for a while if the bike is new unless something just doesn't work. R1's are pretty good right out of the box so you should be fine. Any of the newer generation of super sticky street/track tires will be an improvement over your Pilot Sports. It's not just the tread, it's the sidewalls and belt construction too. If you can afford it, a set of track tires is the way to go (make sure to get DOT legals though). Then you can use longer wearing tires for street use. Be sure that you pay attention to the tire profile (Dunlops, for instance are triangular and steer more quickly than rounder profile Pilot's). Does your R1 have a 190 rear? Try a 180 for track use if it does. If you are going to get into club racing you will quickly run out of headroom massaging stock components. When you start looking into the cost of racing shocks, forks, tires for the weekend, etc. you will cry real tears. Hope that answers your question. Philosophically I completely agree with BBD: spend as little money as you can on stuff until you have to. Knowledge is power and that's what I'd go after. Instructors at many track schools ride completely stock OEM's and will blow your doors off. If you are having clearance problems try leaning off a little more. It's better to scrape a knee puck than a peg. After that peg exhaust canisters and fairings come pretty quickly on OEM's. Good luck and have fun!

08-07-2003, 05:49 AM	#9
KPaulCook Banned Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 2,756	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? You might want to check out this before you mod: click here

08-07-2003, 05:51 AM	#10
Abe_Froman Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 878	Re: Worthwhile suspension mods?? Quite frankly in my position, the full cost of one of those schools would be as much or more than suspension work. Plus there is a CRA-racer-run trackday trackschool that I could do here (although nowhere near the level of Spencer or Schwanz, obviously, but also nowhere near the cost.) Anyway, I weigh 185 (with no gear.) I've been told by others that the stock rear spring is for riders up to 150-160. The bike squats a lot coming out of corners in low gear. I've talked to some racers with their dialed suspenders and they claim that they glide through turn 1 (super high speed, basically as fast as you can go) and feel nothing. I definitely feel something.