I am off to a friend`s place on Friday to have him install a reservoir on my shock. The reservoir (see pic below) comes off a shock previously used in the front end of a factory snowcross competition snowmobile. This will give me high and low-speed compression adjustability

I will also be adding a Shindy/Daytona steering damper that I picked up for a good price (had one before and sold it when I did my front-end swap...*doh*)

 

adjustable is good, but to what ? are you revalving it ?

tim

 

The shock already has a Gold Valve kit in it so it`s pretty close to perfect as it is. However, having the reservoir will allow me to fine-tune for conditions (since OEM shock has provision for rebound damping only). Havign the shock apart will allow it to be serviced at the same time (oil change). Also, adding a reservoir, in addition to the bling factor (don`t know of anyone else running a reservoir on a stock shock BTW), will
help with cooling (important given close proximity of rear cylinder header), helping to reduce fade (possible track days) and extend the life of the oil for longer service intervals.

 

- should be sweet !

i wondered about the high speed circuit when i bought my penske but decided to pass until i had both end done & dialed in. i may add it later...
it'll be cool to hear how you like it.

tim

 

With the dismal condition of our roads here in Quebec, high-speed adjustment will likely be more useful than low-speed (although I will have both, hee hee). Low-speed compression, the way my buddy described it to me, is more for setting chassis attitude than comfort (which is more the domain of the high-speed circuit). On a track, low-speed would be more useful but for everyday leisurely street riding, high-speed would be more useful.

 

i hear you... our roads too are falling apart.


tim

 

trust me, you haven`t seen anything! We are the undisputed kings of crappy roads!

 

Nice! If there were a most modified category, you'd win it hands down

 

The end justifies the means

 

Um... I'm not so sure... I now have the billet stacks in and the flow commander on the way (according to USPS)...

And I also have a few engine parts with strange markings on them waiting to go in... And I'm contemplating new cylinders... So I'd say it's about even...

 

I have a Gold Valve equipped OEM shock on the VTR, as that suited my purposes. MY VFR800 has a WP shock. The ability to make changes has been of great benefit on this bike, as when it is touring it carries more weight over the rear with panniers and top box fitted. The compression adjustment makes the bike more settled with this weight on it. When the luggage is off I wind it back a bit. Great!

Apart from the benefit of the extra cooling and compression adjustment, you will now have a rebound adjustment that actually works. The factory adjuster does not do a lot compared to a quality unit. My suspension tuner told me this, and my experience with the WP shock showed me he is right.

As for high speed adjustments, the rule of thumb is to wind this back to nothing and get everything else right first. I have not had a bike with this feature, but I think that is right from memory. Might be worth checking before you start setting it up.

 

Yep, I'd say Tweety would give Mikstr a run for his money as most modified...

 

There are quite a few heavily modded VTRs out there, each a reflection of the owner`s mission to get it closer to perfection for him/her. Personally, I am not in a competition to have it more hevily modded than another. My challenge is to get it as close to perfect as I can for what I use it, and I am getting damn close! Truth be told, if I was wealthier, there`d be a whole slew of other mods to make (DLC coating of engine internals, ceramic bearings all around, FCR carbs, titanium rods and pins, Ohlins forks and shock, aluminum sub-frame, CF gas tank, reinforcement of frame and swingarm pivot area,...)

 

Wow, that would be one bad _ _ _ SH

 

Indeed it would. But, to be honest, she`s a runner right now... (can`t wait to get my pistons in!!!!!!!)

 

Me too and I sure hope we are makin North of 110 hp after it's all said and done

 

I had mine dynoed last week with the new stacks and Akra full system: 113 hp and just shy of 72 lb-ft. To be honest I was hoping for a bit more but realistically they are quite good numbers when one considers the bike has over 70,000 miles on it (120,000 km). That means that once I get the new pistons in, the better sealing, slight bump in displacement and higher compression should land me over 120 hp and close to, if not over, 80 lb-ft. Should be fun (mind it runs like a top now)

 

I'm not competing either... In the land of "If I could..." then there is a whole long list of things I'd like to try... But then again... If I had those kinds of money I'd buy a 1098 or Mille or RSV4 and call it quits...

Mind you I'd probably end up tearing that apart to re-do stuff within the first 2 years anyways... So what would be the point?!

 

Bingo!

 

Mission accomplished, the reservoir is now on, mounted under the left portion of the subframe, where it is better exposed to airflow and out of harm's way While my buddy had the shock apart, he fitted a new spring too (softer straight-rate spring, believe it was from a Vulcan 2000, he said it was about 15% softer than the OEM piece, whohc would right in the ballpark for my hefty 160 lbs). I am still working on the settings but should get it about perfect next time out. I will post pics of the complete bike probably end of next week once I get my steering damper on (somehow the mounting bracket fell out of the package so the guy is mailing it to me).

cheers