Hi Y'all,
I'm riding a F4i, and about to upgrade the suspension. The Fork gets Ohlins springs and revalving on the dampers.
About the shock ? Ohlins is traditionaly a best seller, but some says it's latley more of a "Production good" and it shows,, Dan Kyle says it's still no. 1, put on the spring to your weight and you're set, road or race.
Marcus McBain of Racing Performance, Max of Traxxion, swear by the Penske. Supposedly "more friendly", I understand the owner can change springs without any special tools (back off the preload nut, and it comes off), I did not understand if when changing springs one is expected (or it's done by the dealer) to change some intenal valving ("tailoring the shock" ??).
I don't race, but I do some agressive street riding, fast and slow, highways and backroads, potholes and sidewalks.
I plan on going for the triple adjustment (either the Pns or Ohl ), for being from Israel, I'd like it to be a one stop buy, no improvment move some month into the future..
Any input, insights, advices?
Thanks[/align]

 

as far as how they work, Penske and Ohlins are pretty evenly matched as long as its set up properly for you
when you buy an ohlins your paying a good bit for the name and the "bling" factor (they do look damn nice...)
your also paying for the details, the ohlins is much more "clean" and is very sophisticated, the Penske is purely function (not so much form)

how fast are your riding on the streets to need a tripple clicker shock? very few racers even need that kind of adjustability (I sure as hell don't lol)

 

Thanks Woody for the input, I was hoping you'de chime in

 

The massage poped before I finished.....
The Pns and the Ohl cost about the same, either the triple adju for 1K$ +\- 40$, or the double for about 800$, so we still get the same functionality for the money.. (so the bling factor is almost for free :-) )
On the other hand, it's not so much how fast I ride ( even thought I do get the bike to the max speed every now and then..) it the variying nature of the surface, from smooth high ways to in town roads, pot holes and sidewalks which I somtimes climb over and jump down to avoid traffic jams. That's where I thought the triple adjustment will get to work in the extreme (that's my understanding, but I might be wrong on this.. Dan Kyle wrote to me "the quolity differrance between the double and the triple adj does pass on to the rider..." But he is selling them so he has got a take on this....
I read somewhere that the Pnsk has got 16 different pistons to tailor it to the needs of the rider, I can't imagine me or anyoune else taking the shock apart and changing the piston just to get some "different handling" ??? When would such a change take place?
Thanks,
Eyal.

 

you would change it right before you see a bunch of potholes. you pull over, get off the bike, adjust, then get back on. after you're through the potholes, you change the setting back for smoothness ;-)

you can't go wrong with either!

 

"you would change it right before you see a bunch of potholes. you pull over, get off the bike, adjust, then get back on. after you're through the potholes, you change the setting back for smoothness ;-)"

I would have done that gladly, but ussually on the road, I don't have my pen and paper with me, and I've got to write down the clicksI'm changing, so I'll know how to adjust it back :-)

"you can't go wrong with either! "
So it actually comes down to "will he dealer fit it right for you the first time?"
Correct spring per weight. So how come we read here and there that "I got the spring for my weight, and when I assembeled the shock, it was too stifff and now I have to change it" ?? Is it not just a matter of pure math and spring code?
Thanks,
Eyal.

 

Eyal,
where did you read that? a dealer should not sell you the shock without asking for your weight with gear on so he/she can get the spring with the proper spring rate for you. but know that a performance shock with the proper spring rate may/will be too stiff for cruising around town and will not do so well in pothole situations!

 

Well, I ran over this post on the suspension forum
http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spa...opicID=3695619
and it got me worried. [&:]
I also wonder if it really take a whole different spring for track and road ??
I'd guess on the track you do some more nose dives with the full brake on, but you'd still want to use all your wheel travel..
Would you say there is a different spring for each use? It is expected that the suspension would be set differently thoght .....
Thanks for the input

 

I've run both Ohlins & Penske in the past and have run both the double & triple clicker versions of each. Unless you can ride with in 10 seconds a lap of the top AMA guys, you'll never feel the difference between a double & triple clicker shock... The triple just give one more adjustment to screw-up.

My opinion on them is:
The Ohlins (when it comes correctly sprung) is better "out of the box" than the Penske, and looks more "bling" to boot. But you pay more for it. Also You cannot alter the shocks to suit other bikes.
The Penske is ever bit as good once set-up correctly, however sometimes depending on your riding style, the valving might need to be slightly altered (may even be required on the Ohlins too). With the Penske, because they are designed to be modular, you can modify them to fit multiple bikes (like the Penske I have on my 05 600RR, originally started out on an F4i, but has been updated with the correct clevis, top eyelet and custom valving for the 600RR).

There are also two kinds of suppliers for suspension; the first will sell you a shock usually at a good price, but then charge you up the wazoo to put the correct spring on it. The second will charge slightly more, but it will come set-up for you with the correct spring and good base-line settings. in the long run it's cheaper to go with the second.

Yes, if you race you should be running a stronger spring than even a very fast street / track-day rider. That's why every suspension shop I've ever done business with has asked these two questions first:
1: What are you using it for, Race, Trackday or Street?
2: What is your weight (either with our without gear - with gear is more accurate)?

Personally in my past experience you can't really go wrong with either one, they are both quality shocks.[/align]

 

Thanks Jason for the input. Yes, it seems the botleneck is not "which shock are you gonna buy" but "How well do you know and trust the guy who's gonna suite your shock to you" ?
I've chosen Dan Kyle, and I can't wait to see what the results will be [8D]
I'ts gonna be awhile though, me being in Israel and stuff,,%*#%#@$@ [X(]
Will let everybody know how it worked out..
Eyal.