Is 954 a good track bike???
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 401
Likes: 0
When I started in track days I was on my 954 with stock suspension. I struggled with confidence and total control because my springs were so under-sprung. I eventually picked up and R6 w/ full Ohlins R&T suspension and it was night and day. Literally first session on the new-to-me bike I was scrapin pucks and diggin deep.... It was like a freakin ginsu knife; slicing and dicing. My 954 hasn't seen the track since, but now I have R&T forks on my 54 and want to take it out.
Moral of my pointless story is suspension is KEY, regardless of what bike your on. My R6 is stripped and fully raced prepped so it is significantly lighter than my 954 (like one-handed manipulation lite), but for the novice/track day enthusiast you won't be so concerned with what bike your one and the weight of it as you will be with your suspension. TRUST!
Moral of my pointless story is suspension is KEY, regardless of what bike your on. My R6 is stripped and fully raced prepped so it is significantly lighter than my 954 (like one-handed manipulation lite), but for the novice/track day enthusiast you won't be so concerned with what bike your one and the weight of it as you will be with your suspension. TRUST!
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 419
Likes: 1
From: Atlanta, GA
I'm not sure what weight the stock springs are sprung for. I know I felt like I was having problems with my turn ins, I was having to fight the bike to lean as it would try to right itself again. And God forbid I hit a bump while in lean, it would almost take the bars out of my hands. My friends have a bike shop right around the corner from my house so I took it over there. The dialed in the suspension as best we could for stock purposes.....night and day difference. We ended up raising the rear about 3/8" and dropping the front about 7mm as well as setting preload and sag. The bike corners effortlessly now. I really want to get some R&T Ohlins forks up front but they no longer make them and I don't take my baby to the track. Hopefully I can find a used set at a reasonable price or I'll either go with a setup from Motorcycle Suspension by Traxxion Dynamics. I did some research and found them earlier. They are in GA, about a 3.5 hr drive from my place. Also found another guy up around the same area, THERMOSMAN :: SUSPENSIONS, which I've seen good things about.
Retired Super Moderator and Fighterer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,146
Likes: 37
they're sprung for a rider around 150-160 lbs.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 459
Likes: 1
From:
Many Suspension outfits will be there on Trackdays to perform trackside services. Dialing in your suspension "while" on the track is my advice if you have never had your suspension seriously looked at. $40-$50 will get you and your bike settled in nicely. As for the 954. The front end is very undersprung. Its its weakest link in my opinion. How many of you have even seen the oil in your front forks?......There are many shops on the I-net that will re-spring and re-valve your current fork tubes to fit you to your machine. Wont cost nearly as much as a set of Ohlins! Just simply servicing your front end will make alot of improvement. Setting up my internals on the front end was the single biggest improvement made to my 954!
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Hey guys,
My ride is the same as yours, and I was racing it in the past year. My overall result was 2nd out of 3 races against some electronically tuned and some heavily tuned machines (like 180+ rwhp) made in 2007+ - group A 1000. So the bike runs fast, but on a short track with many turns, where acceleration is the only main focus due to the only straight - 400-500 meters.
On a different track where the turns are taken with 140-200kph, the ground clearance comes into play. This bike isn't made for such purposes, or at least not with stock suspension.
My ride has rearset plates so the rearsets aren't dragging, but unfortunately alternator and clutch covers gets dragged in the tarmac while leaning it over.
And because nobody believes on talks only, check out some pix over here: Index of /
I've got some videos as well over here Index of /vids. You can check GOPR0012.MP4 where I crash on a 120kph hairpin due to front tyre being overloaded.
Somebody mentioned that the suspension is crap, and when you hit a bump while leaning, you may crash pretty easy. Very true! Stock suspension provides enough settings to prevent this, unfortunately at higher speeds the picture is quite different.
So as a conclusion, if you intend to do track days/racing with this bike, you've better spend some money on suspension.
PS: Never use Pirelli tyres unless they are full slicks!
My ride is the same as yours, and I was racing it in the past year. My overall result was 2nd out of 3 races against some electronically tuned and some heavily tuned machines (like 180+ rwhp) made in 2007+ - group A 1000. So the bike runs fast, but on a short track with many turns, where acceleration is the only main focus due to the only straight - 400-500 meters.
On a different track where the turns are taken with 140-200kph, the ground clearance comes into play. This bike isn't made for such purposes, or at least not with stock suspension.
My ride has rearset plates so the rearsets aren't dragging, but unfortunately alternator and clutch covers gets dragged in the tarmac while leaning it over.
And because nobody believes on talks only, check out some pix over here: Index of /
I've got some videos as well over here Index of /vids. You can check GOPR0012.MP4 where I crash on a 120kph hairpin due to front tyre being overloaded.
Somebody mentioned that the suspension is crap, and when you hit a bump while leaning, you may crash pretty easy. Very true! Stock suspension provides enough settings to prevent this, unfortunately at higher speeds the picture is quite different.
So as a conclusion, if you intend to do track days/racing with this bike, you've better spend some money on suspension.
PS: Never use Pirelli tyres unless they are full slicks!
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati, OH
Great track day bike....
Link to a track day at Virginia International Race on my 954: VIR 91211 - YouTube
Link to a track day at Virginia International Race on my 954: VIR 91211 - YouTube
Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Trust me! you will love it, the rear and sharp are no problem at all, for better sugestion, go to get f/R aftermarket suspension much better, will become different bike while you ride on your 954rr...
The power train is just enough, depend on you kinda speedy feeling you can affort...
If you're fast enough! put some engine mod parts...Dynojet, full exhaust,race fairings, clipons, air filter, 520 chain kit, .....bababa~~~~ also get a set of good tyres..IMO
The power train is just enough, depend on you kinda speedy feeling you can affort...
If you're fast enough! put some engine mod parts...Dynojet, full exhaust,race fairings, clipons, air filter, 520 chain kit, .....bababa~~~~ also get a set of good tyres..IMO
Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Hey guys,
My ride is the same as yours, and I was racing it in the past year. My overall result was 2nd out of 3 races against some electronically tuned and some heavily tuned machines (like 180+ rwhp) made in 2007+ - group A 1000. So the bike runs fast, but on a short track with many turns, where acceleration is the only main focus due to the only straight - 400-500 meters.
On a different track where the turns are taken with 140-200kph, the ground clearance comes into play. This bike isn't made for such purposes, or at least not with stock suspension.
My ride has rearset plates so the rearsets aren't dragging, but unfortunately alternator and clutch covers gets dragged in the tarmac while leaning it over.
And because nobody believes on talks only, check out some pix over here: Index of /
I've got some videos as well over here Index of /vids. You can check GOPR0012.MP4 where I crash on a 120kph hairpin due to front tyre being overloaded.
Somebody mentioned that the suspension is crap, and when you hit a bump while leaning, you may crash pretty easy. Very true! Stock suspension provides enough settings to prevent this, unfortunately at higher speeds the picture is quite different.
So as a conclusion, if you intend to do track days/racing with this bike, you've better spend some money on suspension.
PS: Never use Pirelli tyres unless they are full slicks!
My ride is the same as yours, and I was racing it in the past year. My overall result was 2nd out of 3 races against some electronically tuned and some heavily tuned machines (like 180+ rwhp) made in 2007+ - group A 1000. So the bike runs fast, but on a short track with many turns, where acceleration is the only main focus due to the only straight - 400-500 meters.
On a different track where the turns are taken with 140-200kph, the ground clearance comes into play. This bike isn't made for such purposes, or at least not with stock suspension.
My ride has rearset plates so the rearsets aren't dragging, but unfortunately alternator and clutch covers gets dragged in the tarmac while leaning it over.
And because nobody believes on talks only, check out some pix over here: Index of /
I've got some videos as well over here Index of /vids. You can check GOPR0012.MP4 where I crash on a 120kph hairpin due to front tyre being overloaded.
Somebody mentioned that the suspension is crap, and when you hit a bump while leaning, you may crash pretty easy. Very true! Stock suspension provides enough settings to prevent this, unfortunately at higher speeds the picture is quite different.
So as a conclusion, if you intend to do track days/racing with this bike, you've better spend some money on suspension.
PS: Never use Pirelli tyres unless they are full slicks!
Can you pm me what kinda mods on your engine to be top 180hp on rear wheel?
Very interesting about that, i'm doing my project CBR 929 to be 954cc,too.
Because I try on my R1 with full mods expect engine, only I do dyno for 154 rwp..
Appreciate