Ohlins or WP
The rear shock has been rebuilt and has now been re-installed.
All the work has been carried out by KAIS Performance Suspension Services of Atherton,Manchester.
They were recommended by Harris Performance,as the 'other ' UK Ohlins sales and service centre.They can be contacted on 01942 896366 and the business is family run by Andy White,who has had 30 years tuning Ohlins suspension for riders like David Jefferies and Chris Walker,so he knows his 'onions'.....
They've done a great job and fully rebuilt the rear shock,installed a heavier weight 160nM spring,more suitable for my 'ample build',revalved and revised the damping mechanism tailoring it for me,my riding style (wot style......???) and the type of bike.
They also had to rebuild the hydraulic preload damper unit,which had blown the seals.
Afterwards,they re-installed and set the bike up.
They did all the techie bits,measured the sag,added a bit of this,reduced that,explained what does what - by showing a numpty like me,what all the little shock components were and how they work,before showing me how to adjust the suspension and how a little bit of this, affects that.
So a couple of test runs to check and a bit more adjustment,the bike is 200% better than it was before(apparently I've been doing it all wrong.........DOH and many people do,so i'm not alone).
The result is a slightly stiffer set-up,with the bike turning quicker,but the bike tracks straight and true,with no running wide and no mid corner 'wallow or hingeing' or shock bottoming after ridges or jumps.
Tried a couple of my favourite routes in the Dales tonight and now the bike is ace.
The bike is soooooo much better and now faster,because the handling is superb.So I probably won't need a Y piece and chip,because corner speed is high enough.....thank you.
My advice is get your bike set up with decent 'suspenders' before doing the engine mod thing,unless you just want a loud bike.
Try KAIS for a great service - very friendly,helpful and willing to explain the basics to a 'common or garden' road rider like me,whilst plying me with tea.
The service isn't cheap,but is value for money - about the cost of a s/hand Y piece for a rebuild and set-up.................but controversially.......it's probably better value for money (unless you're going to a 3rd world country without Unleaded,of course)
www.kais-ohlins.co.uk
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Judge,
This was my story a couple of weeks back after Snowdonia.
As said my rear covered 30K + miles before needing a rebuild,now it's better than before with the heavier spring and revised damping.
My advice is to buy from a specialist over the general market,then they'll fit the right spring and revalve it for you before fitting.
The new spring on mine is 160nM(stock is 140nM i believe) and i'm 18 stone,so you'll probably need a 180 or 200nM rear spring and revised damping.
Ohlins or WP.............
Kais Performance are main agents for both,so I asked them the question - 'Which is best'.........??
They said the Ohlins are better made and more refined,with a greater range of ultimate suspension tuning available,backed by a factory owned by Yamaha,with an infinitely higher budget for R&D. Also Ohlins has a longer track record in racing suspension.Most of the top F1,Nascar,Rally,Indy,WSB and Moto GP teams use and specify Ohlins beacause it's viewed as the best.
WP,owned by KTM now, although a younger company have a great appetite to launch onto the racing stage,in bike and car racing and will be moving at a fast pace.
So the choice is yours...............
I'm perfectly happy with Ohlins and can recommend.
