Forks - worth changing?

Message

Greg · #1 Post by **Greg** » Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:38 pm

I'm still struggling with my oversprung and overdamped Showa forks..

Is it worth persevering with them, or splashing out on a set of Ohlins..??

D-Rider · #2 Post by **D-Rider** » Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:45 pm

I've got Showas on the Futura
The Falco came with Marzocchis
I upgraded the Falco to Ohlins.

The Ohlins did improve things ..... a bit .... but nothing like the huge improvement that the Ohlins rear shock gave.
If you can get a cracking deal on a set of Ohlins and get them serviced and set up, then why not. If not, then get your Showas serviced and set up for you.

In my view, you are better off saving up your hard earned cash for lightweight wheels. I've both OZ forged rims and BST Carbon rims.
The OZ rims are a huge improvement over the stock Brembos and the BSTs another step up again (all bought used - no way I could run to new ones !)

spiderwheels · #3 Post by **spiderwheels** » Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:58 pm

Apparently the Marzocchis are better than the Showas out of the factory but you can do a lot more to the showas regarding new internals. (I have Marzocchis which I think are fine although in need of lighter springs)

Never tried the original rear but the ohlins isn't a million miles ahead of the other aftermarket shock I had in there so any shock is a probably a huge improvement over stock.

OZ wheels are great. Make it feel like a 250 :)

flatlander · #4 Post by **flatlander** » Wed Jul 19, 2017 7:58 pm

Agree with the Marzocchis v showas vast difference IMHO . I think some on here have the progressive springs and rate them.
Rear shocK apparently the mille one is ok if serviced.
The ohlins one definitely better but I think to some extent that depends on the rider and how much you notice tge difference.

#5 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Jul 19, 2017 10:40 pm

For what it costs to 'fix' the Showas compared to what it costs to buy a set of Ohlins I'd say get the Showas sorted every time. I know I've pontificated about this before, but change the springs (linear or progressive, your choice), pop a set of Race Tech Gold valves in, change the oil and clean out all the old gunge and your forks will be transformed.

If you're doing it yourself you'll need either a fork compressor or a mate to compress the spring while you undo the damper rod retaining nut (and again when you reassemble) and a 43mm seal driver (Sealey do one). Replace seals and bushes as required.

Alternatively give the forks to someone like Revs Racing and let them do it all for you.

blinkey501 · #6 Post by **blinkey501** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 5:49 am

mangocrazy wrote:
Alternatively give the forks to someone like Revs Racing and let them do it all for you.

Agreed.

Revs will be doing the forks and shock on my track build.

Past experience with Revs is brilliant.

Greg · #7 Post by **Greg** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 3:23 pm

Academic now anyway - I forgot to place a bid on the 'newly serviced' Ohlins RSV forks on EBastards.. went for £495 in the end ...

flatlander · #8 Post by **flatlander** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 4:37 pm

Same price as oz wheels
Funnily enough I think that tge ohlins from some years on the californià fit

Greg · #9 Post by **Greg** » Sat Sep 02, 2017 12:33 am

Here's the thing...

I've been talking to the guy at Race-Lab down here in Wimborne - he's going to set up my Penske and the forks..

I'd been moaning about how 'wooden' the suspension was and that the popular thought was that 10W oil was too thick and that 5 or 7.5 should be used ... "No no!" he quoth ... 10w is what Showa designed the forks for. Hmmm ok, so 10W it was then.

Then he asked about the rebound valve and whether I'd set it when I put it on the shaft - "Yes of course ..!" said I, but I made a mental note to look at it again when I got home to strip the forks ..

The outcomes - on the adjustment day he couldn't do anything other than measure sags. Not great as I'd committed a morning to it. He couldn't check the rebound settings as my high-bar conversion placed the bars right over the fork tops. Brilliant.

So, home I went, to change the handlebar and risers and while I was at it strip the forks again to clean the shite out of the dampers. Then I looked at the rebound adjuster and - of course - found I'd installed it wrong and hadn't seated the valve properly before locking the shaft onto the cap (the result of which was full damping at only half adjustment...)

Now, the forks are back together, properly assembled this time and with the proper range of adjustment on the rebound damper and for the first time I can take all the settings back to minimum and have bouncy undamped forks, or wind it all up to max and have nasty stiff wooden forks.

Hopefully now the forks can be adjusted properly he can work his magic on the Penske and give me the ride I was originally hoping for...