Gen 1 Handling

[nick crisp]

I must've pushed the bike nearer to it's limits (certainly to my limits) on Sunday, more than I've ever done with one of these before, on some of the most challenging roads for  the longest single day's fast riding. Since I bought this one, all I've done to the chassis is adjust the fork preload (? blue centre) so that they match on both sides - for some reason they were way different when I got the bike. Now both 2 rings showing. And I was really surprised that I managed to induce no wobbles, wallows or other misbehaviour at all. As far as I can see visually, everything is standard, but I don't remember the handling being this good on any of my previous 3 thous, not even after I had a brand new Hagon shock fitted on the last one (although I did notice a big improvement with that - the original shock had had it!). I suppose that (apart from how I found the preload set) it could be just more dialled in to suit me and my riding than my previous ones.
So if I was to fit R1 front forks and an R6 rear shock, would I really notice the difference that much?

[Camshaft]

I can't answer this but great bragging rights would be a difference. 8)

[devilsyam]

Come ride mine

[fazer390]

I've had my original shock and forks serviced and upgraded with K Tech Springs by MH Racing nr Chippenham. It feels tight and planted like a brand new bike imho... 

[kebab19]

Yes, you would notice quite an improvement.

Have you looked inside your forks - someone might have upgraded them already

[nick crisp]

I can't answer this but great bragging rights would be a difference. 8)

I gotta say, the look of those big USDs has really grown on me since seeing many on this forum. I'm not saying I'm a great or very fast rider, maybe mine behaved because I couldn't get it near it's limits, but this is still defo the best handling one I've ridden. Anyone got a good photo of a standard rear shock, not sure I'd even know for sure if it had been replaced with summat else - all I know is that it's got a red spring  :rolleyes

Come ride mine

Yes please Luke, can I have it for a day in Wales?  :lol

Yes, you would notice quite an improvement.

Have you looked inside your forks - someone might have upgraded them already

No, I haven't the faintest idea if they've been upgraded or not, but I do wonder. The bike is set up quite firm front and rear it seems, which I prefer to any kind of wallowing in the corners on a softer setting. But I've always just bought bikes and then pretty much lived with however they were set up, daft I know! I've read so many stories of people who don't know what they're doing (me) getting tied in knots trying to set up their own that I've avoided doing it.

I'm very tempted to go with USDs just as a "make it mine" kind of thing, as I hope to keep this one for a long time, and I've never gone very far with mods on these before. But if the handling were even better than it seems now, well I couldn't say I'd completely wasted my money doing it, even if I can't get the best out of it. Just thinking about it is all good fun too!

[Kosmic Kartman]

NO NO NO

EXUPNUT YOU CAN NOT RIDE MY BIKE  :lol

[nick crisp]

Are you kidding, he struggles to ride his own  :rollin

[Exupnut]

Thankyou mr lawrence for a great day out on a fast thou and even faster BLACKBIRD. Oh wot fun it was .........(did u get the hubsan?)

[sadlonelygit]

Do you get your belly pan down?
Grind chamfers into your footrests?
If not then you probably don't need to upgrade, but with the R1/R6 upgrades then you will have the kit to let you get away with that kind of behaviour.
You're welcome to ride mine or ask ogri48 what it's like

[bwizz]

If it does as much as you want it to do why change anything, If it ain't broke don't fix it! My thou pogo'd so I fit an r6 shock, after wasting £80 getting a standard shock re gassed ,  you pays yer money etc !

[nick crisp]

So, can anyone tell from this not very good picture if this is a standard gen 1 shock?

[ChristoT]

Yes and yes. I think.  :lol :lol :lol

[devilsyam]

yep shitty one at that
you need some upgrades lol

[PaulSmith]

Whatever about the front end, or scraping the belly pan, doing the R6 shock mod just makes the bike nicer to ride on ordinary roads at normal speeds.

[jackojet]

+ 1 on the R6 shock. Fitted mine as Luke set it up for my weight etc, I have never changed the settings.
Rebound damping on standard shock is all or nothing, crap !