My day at Oulton- with crash pics

[Kwacky]

Why?

[duke63]

Pah! You've not crashed for real unless it's caught on video!

Glad you and the bike only have a few scratches, Andy.

[Itchy]

As others have said, it's a poo set of circumstances and I'm gutted for you.

However, what an awesome set of pics!

I remember coming off at Mallory straight in front of the photographer. I thought I'd get something similar.

Not a sausage. I think that upset me more than coming off!

[Blade]

As said before awesome photo Andy and if it wasn't for the little off which I'm glad your OK about it sounds like you had an amazing day.

Regards suspension work. I have no experience of k-tech but they have a great rep so I can't see it going wrong with one of there fork kits. However saying that if your not having problems with the front why spend £400 trying to fix something that isn't broke. Plus as you say may already have been worked on.

Different story with the rear shock. Everyone has there own advice so for what it's worth here's mine. Don't spend £200 revalving the OEM shock you can't polish a turd its still a turd, better to put £200 toward a decent aftermarket shock that you will probably sell for close what you bought it for in a few years so great value. Be careful buying a second hand race shock. It will need a service and probably a respiring which could chew up £200 which will cancel out most of any difference than buying a new shock for a good deal (always a deal about if you look).

I got a full race spec wilbers shock for £500 custom built for me, it should have been£800. Also Nitron are good and much cheaper than Ohlins so plenty of options about.

We have chatted about this before but speak to reactive suspension. Gareth is a great guy, knows his sh1t and doesn't overcharge, if it doesn't need doing he won't do it basically. He only takes your money if he can improve your bike. A knowledgeable and honest man which is rare.

[Perkles]

Interesting blade but k-tech told me an oe shock revalved and sprung correctly is as good as anything you can buy

[duke63]

Yes but you have a WP shock already on the bike, Perkles.

Much depends on the quality of the original shock.

[Perkles]

Yes but you have a WP shock already on the bike, Perkles.

Much depends on the quality of the original shock.

The bike I had at the time was a gsxr 750 k2 they do a lot of super stock racers and told me the standard shocks are very good.Dont get me wrong I was all up for buying an ohlins unit at the time but they told me not to bother

[Deegee]

Tbh quality of suspension required is directly relevant to how fast a rider you are, as general rule people start getting into track days etc and want to improve their bike straight away, but it's a process and you're better off spending money on tyres and trackdays than improving the bike to begin with, until that is an aspect of the bike begins to hold you back, at that point it's worth spending some money on improvements. Follow that process and you'll get quicker and your bike will get better at a cost efficient rate. In my humble opinion of course.

[Kwacky]

They reckon you need to spend about £1200 to improve the front forks on my bike so you would notice.

Didn't the Daytona 600 Valmoto team run an upgraded stock shock on their race bikes?

[Perkles]

They reckon you need to spend about £1200 to improve the front forks on my bike so you would notice.

Didn't the Daytona 600 Valmoto team run an upgraded stock shock on their race bikes?

top of the class that's true they did

[Godzilla]

you can't polish a turd

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiJ9fy1qSFI[/video]

[kiwikrasher]

Only just got to this thread, awesome set of pics, shame you had to off to get them thou'! But it sounds like your crash protection did it's job and you didn't let it ruin your day.

Just like Itchy said, I was so pissed the photographer missed my end over end crash. If you're going home with a crumbled mess you at least want some decent pics!!

[Blade]

In my experience OEM shocks are not worth the time and money. I had a shock re-valved on a 954 Blade and it was probably a down graded TBH.

I heard some where bike manufacturers budget approximately £25 in the build cost for an OEM shock as they know its the first thing that will get skipped by racers or serious fast road riders so they invest in other area's as obviously a bike has to be built to a price that the market expects/accepts. Subsequently the build quality is poor, the assembly and machining tolerances slack, the alloy used is low grade, the castings are cheap and not forged or billet, the oil is low grade as are the seals and overall you get what you pay for.

I m not saying a £1200 race shock is good value but there is a reason why it costs £1200 (Research & Testing, Expensive manufacturing techniques, high quality materials, low production numbers etc...) Obviously bike manufacturers can't afford to put a £1200 shock on a £10000 bike or even a £20000 bike. The Ohlins that is on Ducati's and Aprilla's is not the after market grade quality kit produced by these suspension manufacturers and a lot of people comment on it not living up to the brand names reputation and this is because its built to a different specification and budget.

Don't get me wrong some OEM shocks can produce good results but they will fade with hard use on road and track, wear out quickly and performance subsequently degrade. There performance envelope is small and degrades quickly

It's only my opinion based on personal experience and what I have read and heard on the subject but IMO if your looking to improve the performance of a rear shock spend the money on a replacement rather than trying to upgrade the low performing OEM item.

[Kwacky]

A modern sportsbike rear shock is worth no more than £25?

Get out of here.

[Blade]

That's what I got told from a reliable source and thats the actual build cost not its resale value.

TBH I have 2 spare OEM rear shocks for my Blade one has 2000 miles on it the other about 250 mile so effectively brand new. I have tried to sell them on a few occasions not as any kindof upgrade but as a replacement for a worn out unit, but can't get £2 never mind £25 and I think Honda Parts department ask £700+

[Itchy]

It's never nice to see a bike and biker go down, but if you're going to do it, get it captured on camera

I'm going to remember this next time I see you fill up your tyres!

[rocket]

It's never nice to see a bike and biker go down, but if you're going to do it, get it captured on camera

I'm going to remember this next time I see you fill up your tyres!

I don't think he even put any air in itchy just moved it around

[Zx10dale]

Hi Andy , see what you mean by the plastic damage, hope you get it sorted soon. That's why I will not take my bike on the track, I think I would suffer the Red mist syndrome. Still , you have some good pictures to look back on !