Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

I'm in the market for a rear shock to go on my 03 Kawasaki ZX9R. I would like to hear if anybody has used Penske shocks before or
does anyone know what's the difference if any, apart from the price, between Ohlins and Penske. Everyone raves about Ohlins, but I was thrown
a "you should get Penske shock instead". I would appreciate any info on the two.

Thanks Rod.

Just to throw another spanner in the works JP, why not consider a WP! I swear by them myself. The rear shock on my racer is one and it works well enough to hang a 63 around broady with a dinosaur hanging onto it

Strika wrote:Just to throw another spanner in the works JP, why not consider a WP! I swear by them myself. The rear shock on my racer is one and it works well enough to hang a 63 around broady with a dinosaur hanging onto it

I have considered this to Marty. I had WP on my KTM620 LC4, had no problem with WP and the way they work.
I've just never heard of Penske and I am curious to hear if anybody has used them. I have had Ohlins before to on my ZXR750J1,
and that was a bloody great handling bike. I don't know which way to go.....

JetPilot wrote:

Strika wrote:Just to throw another spanner in the works JP, why not consider a WP! I swear by them myself. The rear shock on my racer is one and it works well enough to hang a 63 around broady with a dinosaur hanging onto it

I have considered this to Marty. I had WP on my KTM620 LC4, had no problem with WP and the way they work.
I've just never heard of Penske and I am curious to hear if anybody has used them. I have had Ohlins before to on my ZXR750J1,
and that was a bloody great handling bike. I don't know which way to go.....

As long as they are set up properly most high end stuff is gunna be better than you or me mate. Personally, I like the way WP do their stuff, you might like ohlins. I reckon go with what you are confident in as this is always the way to the fastest laps

[quote="JetPilot"]I'm in the market for a rear shock to go on my 03 Kawasaki ZX9R.

Did you get jealous when I kissed my Ohlins before you and Phil bolted it into my '9',
or was it Sundays ride, the glitter of shining gold.

Penske- have you been talking to Jim?
He tried to convince me to sway that way.

You should also consider Wilburs, or even YSS ! just to throw a couple more spanners in the works.......

I use Racetech.... they seem to work fine.. I've had them on all of my ZX9's... one of the first alterations I make...

Gosling1 wrote:You should also consider Wilburs, or even YSS ! just to throw a couple more spanners in the works.......

i have it on good authority that Wilburs is the best money can buy, they even waaaaay better than Ohlins.

well thats what this fat duude on a gixxer with what looked like a car tyre on the back at the Supers said. oh and he trailered his road bike from like Sale where he lives to PI.

You're being harsh there Wattie. He trailered it from Frankston

For those who don't know the story . At last years supers there was this fat dude who was convinced he was God on a motorcycle. Me and Hoffy are listening to the jibberer talk about how great his bike is and how he knows everyone and Ohlins is shit and Wilburs is the bestest in the world and how he gets around the creek in low 1.40's. Hoff and i are being bored shitless but remaining polite. Wattie walks out of the cabin looks at the back tyre and says something like "look at the fucken Kishy strips on this, it's never been around a bloody corner". Fat dude then goes on to explain that this was in fact his "burnout tyre" that he put on prior to trailering his bike to the Island (from Frankston, cause it's too far to ride). He must also have a front burnout tyre too as it looked about the same.

Hence the legend of Wilburs was born. No doubt they're great gear but i just couldn't bring myself to get one now because of the fat tosser. Maybe he was an Ohlins rep.......

Glen wrote:You're being harsh there Wattie. He trailered it from Frankston

For those who don't know the story . At last years supers there was this fat dude who was convinced he was God on a motorcycle. Me and Hoffy are listening to the jibberer talk about how great his bike is and how he knows everyone and Ohlins is shit and Wilburs is the bestest in the world and how he gets around the creek in low 1.40's. Hoff and i are being bored shitless but remaining polite. Wattie walks out of the cabin looks at the back tyre and says something like "look at the fucken Kishy strips on this, it's never been around a bloody corner". Fat dude then goes on to explain that this was in fact his "burnout tyre" that he put on prior to trailering his bike to the Island (from Frankston, cause it's too far to ride). He must also have a front burnout tyre too as it looked about the same.

Hence the legend of Wilburs was born. No doubt they're great gear but i just couldn't bring myself to get one now because of the fat tosser. Maybe he was an Ohlins rep.......

bloody hell Glen you remembered that well. obiously another one of "your mates"

Gosling1 wrote:You should also consider Wilburs, or even YSS ! just to throw a couple more spanners in the works.......

You now probably have the full set of spanners from 4mm-24mm to work with

Shaun wrote:

JetPilot wrote:I'm in the market for a rear shock to go on my 03 Kawasaki ZX9R.

Did you get jealous when I kissed my Ohlins before you and Phil bolted it into my '9',
or was it Sundays ride, the glitter of shining gold.

Penske- have you been talking to Jim?
He tried to convince me to sway that way.

Yep it was the shinny gold beams of light that swayed me.
Yeah Jim has said Penske but I'm not convinced yet.
I do luv the Ohlins, cause I've had them before.

Wattie wrote:..bloody hell Glen you remembered that well. obiously another one of "your mates"

He was everyones mate.....if you listened to him. I still remember the first words he spoke.... "so, a ZX10, I'll forgive you for that"

I have that wallopers face forever implanted into the memory banks. if I ever see him again I'll be off faster than Frank after a red rooster dunny

Unless you're an A grade racer J.P. save your money & have your original shock resprung/revalved to suit your weight & riding ability, you'd be amazed at the difference a well set up standard shock (& frontend for that matter) makes to the handling of a bike. It's VITAL to set the rider sag correctly too.
A mate has an '05 R6 & he bought an Ohlins with high & low speed damping adjustments for $1600 & it didn't reduce his laptimes at all & he reckoned he couldn't feel any difference anywhere even after fucking around with it for half a dozen trackdays.
That'll be 2c thanx

anything after market is going to be good, i have an Ohlins on the Bird and some tweaking by Zeno on the RC51 front end
Hes Currently building me a Penske for the ZX10 and i have mates that got Wilbers on there bikes and cant say i have ever heard anyone say they dont like there new after market shock