Yesterday I did Cadwell. Just brilliant. What a track! The falco loves the mountain, lofting the front over both bumps and landing just before the trees become a worry...
Now this might be controversial - I'm still running the stock shock (blue saches) and it seems fine to me. OK I'm in the novice group but not the slow end. It was a hot day so I was expecting the damping to fade but it didn't. I rode all day and didn't even notice it.
Maybe its just because I have never ridden anything better. My other bike is a saggy bandit...
Cadwell: Blue Shock Fine Shock
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Falcopops
- GP Racer
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:00 pm
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- Main bike: Still loving the Falco
Re: Cadwell: Blue Shock Fine Shock
That's no way to address she who must be obeyed.andybev wrote:My other bike is a saggy bandit...
I reckon if you don't know any better then it's prolly fine. I've not changed my old shock yet (although Ive had an 03 RSV sachs for years), but do believe others when they say the difference is marked. I did swap to ohlins forks and noticed the change immediately and that's supposed to be a less significant improvement.
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HowardQ
- World Champion
- Posts: 3921
- Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:20 pm
- Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England
Most bike magazine tests don't actually find the Blue Spring to be too bad although they also tend to report that it's fully adjustable and it isn't!
Often wonder if all the 2nd hand bikes they've borrowed from dealers on recent tests have had the shock replaced.
I did around 16k on the original Blue spring and now have done 10K on an almost new White Spring off a Mille.
I never thought the original Blue spring was anything like as bad as some standard shocks I've had the pleasure of.
On smooth roads and probably on track days it ain't bad, but it would kick your arse on bumpy roads.
I probably made the Blue spring worse by winding up the preload above standard, as a Mickey Mouse way of increasing the ride height to speed up turn in. It did help, but having proper ride height adjustment is much better.
The white spring ain't massively better but you can tell the difference and it's certainly better over bumps.
Main good bits are down to the two way damping adjustment and the ability to set the ride height.
I would not fit any aftermarket shock on a Falco that did not have the ride height adjustment.
Often wonder if all the 2nd hand bikes they've borrowed from dealers on recent tests have had the shock replaced.
I did around 16k on the original Blue spring and now have done 10K on an almost new White Spring off a Mille.
I never thought the original Blue spring was anything like as bad as some standard shocks I've had the pleasure of.
On smooth roads and probably on track days it ain't bad, but it would kick your arse on bumpy roads.
I probably made the Blue spring worse by winding up the preload above standard, as a Mickey Mouse way of increasing the ride height to speed up turn in. It did help, but having proper ride height adjustment is much better.
The white spring ain't massively better but you can tell the difference and it's certainly better over bumps.
Main good bits are down to the two way damping adjustment and the ability to set the ride height.
I would not fit any aftermarket shock on a Falco that did not have the ride height adjustment.
HowardQ
Take a ride on the Dark Side
2001 Aprilia Falco in Black
2002 Kawasaki ZX9R F1P
Take a ride on the Dark Side
2001 Aprilia Falco in Black
2002 Kawasaki ZX9R F1P