Another R6 shock conversion

[Fzrnutter]

Well I know it’s probably been done to death and everybody has seen it multiple times.
But it’s nice to post when you’re modifying your bike and I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for this great resource because I wouldn’t have had a clue where to start so thankyou.
Am down the bottom of the world in New Zealand so parts are hard to come by, certainly couldn’t find an R6 shock here.
But thanks to eBay found a brand new 2021 shock that was pulled off a race bike next door in Australia for $240au by the time I got it here in my hands was $450nz which is probably about $220 pounds?
Went with 129mm dogbones which I made up myself from 30mm x 5mm stainless not cut out like dogbones just flat plate.
Saw somewhere else on here about using tophat washers to overcome the 12mm standard hole to the 10mm R6 top mount - great idea found a local company that makes them for castors got some that had a 3mm thick flange and according to my measurements the standard shock was 35mm wide at the top bush and the R6 was 30mm so I just needed to take .5mm off each flange to give me 2.5mm flanges.
They were about 5mm too long which was easy fixed with a grinder.
Best part is the tophat washers cost me $2.50nz each👍
Due to the great info on here apart from making dogbones and modifying tophats the whole thing took about 20mins to swap shocks.
So all back together now have set sag at 33mm and clickers at standard until I go for a test ride and will tune from there.
So not really an info post as such but more of a thank you in general to this amazing resource we have👍
Obviously more than happy to help with any questions 😁

[SkidT]

Top work FZRNutter.
Hope the handling improvement rewards your efforts. 👍
I’ve got to take my Ohlins rear shock out over the next few weeks, to have a look at the top shock mount. I think the bush is knackered.

[Fzrnutter]

Thanks
Are the top mount bushes replaceable on Ohlins?

[Gaz66]

Hi Matey & welcome to the forum.


Any issues with upper frame clearance & ride height & sag?
The shock you've elected to source isn't the same R6 shock most of us have fitted on our thou's.
Those of us that's done this mod yrs ago used an earlier R6 shock with a ramped preload adjuster ring, these were new/plentiful & cheap as loads were on sale on eBay, pulled from new R6's that were destined for the track.


I'd double check shock top - frame clearance if I was you.
The earlier R6 shock needed a tad filling off the top to get frame clearance, we also drilled out the upper bush centre to accept the OEM Fazer1000 upper shock bolt, I assume this was suggested as the Fazer is a heavier bike than the R6 & the upper bolt takes all the bikes arse end weight, also top hat bushes weren't that easy to come by in the correct dimensions here in the UK, so we drilled the top bush & packed it out with stainless washers & used 130mm dog bones if memory is correct.
This gave a slight increase in ride height over the saggy OEM shock & the spring weight was pretty much bang on for most.


If you're happy with upper frame clearance & ride height & sag, then this newer R6 shock swap has paid off & done fairly cheaply. 

[Fzrnutter]

No issues with clearance top of shock to frame, have seen pictures of earlier shocks where they had to be filed - I seem to have plenty of room?
Ride height probably lifted about 15mm, I’m 80kg and am running 33mm sag, still have plenty of preload adjustment left.

[SkidT]

Thanks
Are the top mount bushes replaceable on Ohlins?

I sincerely hope so?
Having currently got my other bike on the ramp, swapping out OEM suspension for a HyperPro Streetbox upgrade, I don’t really want the expense of replacing the Fazers Ohlins on top of that. 😟

[Fzrnutter]

Picture of the shock installed- probably have at least 15mm clearance between shock and frame/batterybox.
I think these later model shocks are different dimensions.
Have threaded preload collar instead of ramp.
Total length is the same though.

[Gaz66]

Yep, defo seems more shock top to frame clearance than the other R6 shock, curious, does yours have high & low speed rebound damping like the shock on mine, maybe this was why it was so popular as a mod, no compliants on mine after 7yrs, OEM Yellow spring on my R6 shock is around 95NmI even sourced a used as new K-tech heavier 115Nm spring off eBay for £35 posted, just in case the R6 spring wasn't up to the job, but it seems more than adequate fro my 16st in full gear.
Spare K-tech spring's been sat in my garage for yrs unused, just been modifying a ZX10R shock for my old 5th Gen VFR800, so it's come in useful for that mod.

[Fzrnutter]

Mine just has high and low speed comp damping
Single rebound damping.