(16-08-14, 09:35 PM)rustyrider link Wrote: Who's Heather?

(17-08-14, 05:26 PM)nick crisp link Wrote: Only meant to go for a brief local ride this afternoon. Ended up going A338, Wantage, Hungerford, Salisbury. Brief stop at Old Sarum, then Amesbury, Marlborough, Swindon and home. 125 miles. Well, when the sun comes out like that, you've got to really, might not get much more before winter.

It's funny how you can think you're getting used to what a bike can do, then it just completely blows you away! Ivanised last year now, and I've had plenty of good blasts using that power, but the grin-factor was amazing today. The new R6 shock combined with the drop down the forks gave me so much more confidence in the corners, the way it helps to hold a line, helps to make it easier to change line, less effort to switch from right to left handers etc. And the sheer go still amazes me sometimes. It's really starting to feel like a complete package. So how much more difference does a set of R1 USD forks make? I can't imagine it!

(17-08-14, 07:20 PM)brooker81 link Wrote: Noggy that bike seriously don't like you. How did u find the suspension changes ?

(17-08-14, 07:35 PM)brooker81 link Wrote: Glad u got it setup a bit more to your liking. I highly recommend a set of arrow headers if u are feeling flush.

(17-08-14, 07:54 PM)nick crisp link Wrote: There's nothing changed on it as far as distance comfort goes Nogs. The ride isn't harsher than it was before - just much better controlled. Luke has simply set it up for someone of my weight. The standard gen 1 rear shock is known to be a weak point, and was pretty terrible on my last three bikes. A Hagon shock on the back of the last one transformed it, but that one had really let go, so there was a massive difference. This one seemed to last better, but the R6 one is a clear improvement.

But I'm probably not the best person to ask about suspension changes. I've never altered the suspension settings I've had on any bike I've owned, and that includes machines bought second hand! I just tend to get on and ride the things, plus, I've never really had the money to play about with fancy set-ups. Fiddling with suspension settings scares me, cos I've read so many things that warn of the knots you can tie yourself in if you don't really know what you're doing, and I don't  :lol

When I load a bike up for a spot of touring, I don't touch anything either. I just ride to suit the altered weight. If I'm touring, I'm happy to go a bit slower, cos I'll be taking in the scenery more anyway. But my current touring/camping kit weighs considerably less than your average pillion, so doesn't affect the ride that much anyhoo.

The R6 shock has made me wonder how far you can go with a gen 1, and it still be a great all-rounder though. I'll have to do the R1 fork mod some time (probably next year now), and I actually got to wondering how much difference a pair of carbon/magnesium/ultra-light, super-unobtainium wheels would make - reducing unsprung weight an' all that. The gen 1 will always have a weight penalty over more modern bikes, but that doesn't mean it can't be quite awesome - we've seen here what they can do on the track, and plenty here have already done all the mods I'm slowly getting around to doing - except I haven't seen anyone try the lightweight wheels option yet, probably for obvious reasons ££££££££!