Ohlins, K-Tech and new rubberware!!

adecritten · May 21, 2008

I'm very pleased with the results with the suspension changes I have made to my 1000s.
:drummer:

Recently I bought an Ohlins PBX from Aldrin Nangoi of European Cycle Services in the USA, and after I had fitted it there was a marked difference in the comfort of the F4.

Previously the bike was like riding on a plank!! I tried everything out with regard settings on both the Marzocci's and the Sachs unit on the back and nothing seemed to cure the harshness.
:banghead::banghead:

So in the end I decided to bite the bullet and spend some hard earned wedge on an Ohlins!! Well the difference was like chalk and cheese!! And it was immediately noticeable to my riding buddies, as they were now getting a diminishing view of my number plate as I was able to power on over what I regard as bumpy sections of the TT course, and in particular I found a massive imporvement over the mountain section where you can really wind the MoFu up going around the Veranda section.

Not content with this and after lengthy discussion with the K-Tech people in Colville (Leicestershire) here in the UK I sent the forks away for them to work their magic, as they do with so many WSB and BSB top riders.

K-Tech are very well known in the UK and probably are the suppliers of forks and modifications to the majority of folk who are winning that which is important..

I spoke to Phil in the workshop who was a very helpful bloke. I booked them in a week in advance and was told by K-Tech that the forks only needed re-valving, (Remember these are 50mm RAC's from an "S" not an "R" or a 312)

The forks left the Isle of Man on a Tuesday and were returned to me on Friday of the same week, immaculate, well packaged and ready to fit.

On receiving the forks back I couldn't wait so got straight on the case and had them in and the bike rebuilt in 4 hours!! I know ome folk are going to say what took you so long?? its because I cleaned the whole bike as I went and torqued every nut and bolt and marked it too!!

Anyway I had a problem setting the static sag to anything better than 30-34mm depending on fuel load? and that was with the pre-load adjuster screwed right down too!!

I telephoned K-Tech about it and they were rather surprised that this had altered in any way from standard and they hadn't touched anything else except the valving therefore overall length of springs etc were as was when I sent them in the first place.

We discussed the matter in great detail and I took the bike to the local K-Tech agent (Dave Hagon) as requested by K-Tech themselves just to have my measurements verified officially.

At this time Dave measured the static sag on the front forks with between 1/2-3/4 tank of fuel to 34mm precisely!! I was looking for the magic number of 27mm as Ohlins states in their blurb and is universely accepted as being about on the money.

I telephone K-Tech and they told me to send the forks straight back to them which I did, they agreed to cover the transportation costs too.

Anyhow it seems that an 8mm spacer was required to increase the spring pre-load and I received the forks back yesterday only 4 days after sending them out with all the work done and now I have a perfect set up with 27mm static sag on the front (Stiction considered too!!) and 11mm on the Ohlins at the back end.

So built it back up yesterday morning and went out on the old girl after first giving it a new drink of oil, filter and some new iridium plugs whilst I was at it and the bike is transformed completely.

The bike now handles a dream over bumpy roads now and I have loads of feedback from the back and front end, no doubt I will tweak it a little more here and there, but overall the K-Tech/Ohlins package is VERY highly recommended indeed for those of you who spank your MV's rather than just polish or talk about them (With respect)

So my special thanks goes out to Phil in the workshop at K-Tech, Chris Taylor the technician who actually carried out the modifications at K-Tech, Dave Hagon of Evomoto in Ramsey here on the Isle of Man and last but not least Aldrin Nangoi and the boys at European Cycle Services in New Jersey.

Thanks.
:yo:

MV-999R · May 21, 2008

Now tell us how you really feel Ade

The_castle · May 21, 2008

Good work. Do I recall hearing there are no speed limits on the Isle of Man (on certain roads)?:naughty:

adecritten · May 21, 2008

That is correct, there is no speed limits on the Isle of Man unless they are posted, providing you drive safely and with consideration to other road users that is.

The mountain section can be flat out but I must say I have never personally seen above 170mph but know others who claim to have done 180mph up there

MV-999R · May 21, 2008

BTW Ade, what rider sag figures do you have now??

adecritten · May 22, 2008

Hi Tiago

Here is what I measured earlier tonight according and in accordance with the Ohlins info sheet.

This is my new set of revised suspension figures with the overall ride height lowered 8mm from standard.

The bike geometry has now been re-checked according to the ohlins measurement points as is on the attached spec sheet after it has been ridden a few miles and given chance to settle down.

tvass · May 22, 2008

adecritten said:
Hi Tiago

Here is what I measured last night and put on the Ohlins info sheet.

According to the Ohlins literature I'm well within their specification and the bike is moving beautifully in a horizontal fashion to the road, seems balanced nice to lookk at. I have dropped the forks down 1 ring or 4mm and also reduced the rear ride height 4mm too!! I dont know how much its possible to lower the bike without the front wheel clouting the radiator? I'll give it a week and reset eveything as things seem to have settled a bit in the last few miles

R1>F1, R2>F2 and R3>F3 ?:wtf:

With F1 you mean the forks travel, and so far I know by the F4S it is 126mm.
Ade are you sure you are measuring the right way?

adecritten · May 22, 2008

Hi Tiago

So you are on the third ring down now then with the forks?

MV-999R · May 22, 2008

Yep Ade, it's on the third ring. (from the inside of the triple clamp)
Check the pic :f4:

And on the rear it's 8mm shorter than the standard height on the ride height adjuster.

stargateuser · May 23, 2008

Hi guys,

I was told by a former MV rider to drop the yokes down the forks by a few mm. Have you guys done this to sharpen the steering or (duck!) are you like me and short in the legs? (27").

I'm in the middle of setting up my suspenders as I went for a *spirited ride* the other day round here (darkest Shire of Hereford), wound up the wick and actually got bucked out of the seat and left a nice 6 foot black line of rubber down the road! I wasn't too bothered as my old CBR6 used to tank slap on the same bit of tarmac. But, it did force my hand to set the sag and start setting up the rebound and compression. I did find it was ok 2 up, but bouncy once I got the speed up with just me on.

1. Which screw is rebound and which is compression on the rear shock please? Mine is still quite harsh.
2. On the forks do they actually come right down to the bottom of the sliders or do they stop short? I have a zip tie on there to see how much travel I am actually using.

Thanks in advance

MV-999R · May 23, 2008

I've done it for both purposes. At 176cm t'm not that short but i'm not exactly a tall guy either. I do fine with the F4 ride height (that i had on my F4S), but when o got the 312R i told the dealer to drop to rings on the forks and about 8mm on the rear ride height adjuster.
With that, i got a sharper turning F4 and the overall lower height gives me more confidence too, so, and so far at least, this is a perfec geometry set up, IMO.
I haven't yet tracked the 312R thought, so i have yet to see how this goes at the track.

The good thing is that you can always make the experience yourself and go back if you don't like the result :f4:

1. On the rear shock, rebound is adjusted on the screw right down the bottom of the shock, while compression (high and low speed) is adjusted on screws on the upper part of the shock (don't confuse it with the preload spring adjuster, to adjust this you need a allen screw)

2. Don't know exactly what you're asking there, but the forks should not bottom even under hard braking. You should have about 10mm of free fork travel left.

P.S. don't you have the owners manual of your F4?

stargateuser · May 23, 2008

Thanks

I do have the manual (not paper, the dealer *lost it*). I'll let you know how it goes!

Ohlins, K-Tech and new rubberware!!

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