Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

esie wrote:I went and got a quote from Suspension Improvements a few weeks ago to get the suspension on my '04 Z750 done. To have the front forks completely redone, new shocks and a new spring, the total cost was about $2,800.

I dont' really want to spend that much on a 4 year old bike....so I am test-riding an '08 Z1000 as soon as Jeff is out of plaster!

I spoke to him about the mod he did on ttc's forks and he was talking around the $1200 mark for a complete rebuild of the left shock to put compression and rebound damping (involved some custom parts) in it and a new spring and re-valving the right fork which seemed about right for that amount of work.

My quote was basically for a complete rework of the complete suspension of the bike, front and back.

Well, just to give you some idea (and no I ain't looking for business, I have enuff down here to keep me cats in jelly-meat ) ...say for EG you got a brand new aftermarket shock as well as a cartridge (25mm) kit, the bill would be a little tiny bit more than that 2800 figure... Or if you got a Penske and set of Ohlin's replacement pistons (1/2 kit), then about 75% of 2800... Best bang for buck is likely around 5-800 bucks using stock; and 15-1800 with a shock there too - that would give you freedom to alter rear plushness, stabilty and traction a lot more...

Oh, and before I pop off to S.A., putting another cartridge into the left leg is not really that important - tests a few years ago showed 0.2mm more flex with only one damper cartridge, and a very very small drop in lap-time (on a GSXR1000K2 if I recall correctly). Depends how much symmetry is important to the aesthetics I suppose...?!

zenodamper wrote:Well, just to give you some idea (and no I ain't looking for business, I have enuff down here to keep me cats in jelly-meat ) ...say for EG you got a brand new aftermarket shock as well as a cartridge (25mm) kit, the bill would be a little tiny bit more than that 2800 figure... Or if you got a Penske and set of Ohlin's replacement pistons (1/2 kit), then about 75% of 2800... Best bang for buck is likely around 5-800 bucks using stock; and 15-1800 with a shock there too - that would give you freedom to alter rear plushness, stabilty and traction a lot more...

Oh, and before I pop off to S.A., putting another cartridge into the left leg is not really that important - tests a few years ago showed 0.2mm more flex with only one damper cartridge, and a very very small drop in lap-time (on a GSXR1000K2 if I recall correctly). Depends how much symmetry is important to the aesthetics I suppose...?!

Hey Zeno, I have a mate who owns a Z1000 who said to me that my 9 (which got the Zeno treatement last year) can go around corners, so I will send him down to you.
He also has a ZX6R 1995 track bike, can u do anything for this ?
Also have you done ZRX1200R before ? (Probably my next road bike). Al

Big Al Glynn wrote:Also have you done ZRX1200R before ?

I was going to ask the same question. Approval has been given for an upgrade.

Big Al Glynn wrote:Hey Zeno, I have a mate who owns a Z1000 who said to me that my 9 (which got the Zeno treatement last year) can go around corners, so I will send him down to you.
He also has a ZX6R 1995 track bike, can u do anything for this ?
Also have you done ZRX1200R before ? (Probably my next road bike). Al

ZX6R F1? Yep can rework that - depends a bit on what has already been fixed on it, but a few fork bits might be needed, and preferably putting in a more modern base for the shock, with a proper tapered rebound adjuster (rather than a 4 position thing with crude holes drilled in it!) - something like a G,J 6R base would do it...

ZRX1200 - happy to do one of them... (Ohlin's stereo shocks have been a good price on those lately..).

Your 9 taking on Jetpilot's yet Al?

zenodamper wrote:

Big Al Glynn wrote:Hey Zeno, I have a mate who owns a Z1000 who said to me that my 9 (which got the Zeno treatement last year) can go around corners, so I will send him down to you.
He also has a ZX6R 1995 track bike, can u do anything for this ?
Also have you done ZRX1200R before ? (Probably my next road bike). Al

ZX6R F1? Yep can rework that - depends a bit on what has already been fixed on it, but a few fork bits might be needed, and preferably putting in a more modern base for the shock, with a proper tapered rebound adjuster (rather than a 4 position thing with crude holes drilled in it!) - something like a G,J 6R base would do it...

ZRX1200 - happy to do one of them... (Ohlin's stereo shocks have been a good price on those lately..).

Your 9 taking on Jetpilot's yet Al?

He does every Sunday....

zenodamper wrote:

Big Al Glynn wrote:Hey Zeno, I have a mate who owns a Z1000 who said to me that my 9 (which got the Zeno treatement last year) can go around corners, so I will send him down to you.
He also has a ZX6R 1995 track bike, can u do anything for this ?
Also have you done ZRX1200R before ? (Probably my next road bike). Al

ZX6R F1? Yep can rework that - depends a bit on what has already been fixed on it, but a few fork bits might be needed, and preferably putting in a more modern base for the shock, with a proper tapered rebound adjuster (rather than a 4 position thing with crude holes drilled in it!) - something like a G,J 6R base would do it...

ZRX1200 - happy to do one of them... (Ohlin's stereo shocks have been a good price on those lately..).

Your 9 taking on Jetpilot's yet Al?

Yea for sure Zeno, JetPilots 9 is no quicker than mine at all, its him thats making the difference mate , hes a better rider than me full stop. But its all good and I really enjoy trying to keep up with the young fella (and fail miserably ), and me other 9 mates Shaun and Philthy .
Anyway I'll have a chat with my mate Steve about his Z1000 .

I rode a z1000 a few weeks ago... I thought the biggest problem was the handle bars, not the suspension..... They feel all flexy... I gave up trying to pull monos because it felt like I would break them...

What year was it Stereo?

I found especially not being as heavy as the guys that the standard suspension was woefull.

I thought it was too soft. I have played around with mine and wound the preload in a fair way and it is good enough for now. I will be getting Zenodamper to re-valve the front and back later in the year (after winter), but for now it's good enough.

Got a couple of brand new Ohlin's shocks that might be of use to you Z1000/750 owning people - going cheap too!


(about $400 off RRP)

zenodamper wrote:Got a couple of brand new Ohlin's shocks that might be of use to you Z1000/750 owning people - going cheap too!


(about $400 off RRP)

I'll mention it to me Z1000 buddy Greenie tomorrow Zeno ........although he has just spent $5000 on his 2005 ZX6 track bike.....no wonder he never shouts a beer...

Oh if only I had some spare $$$ at the moment!

zenodamper wrote:Got a couple of brand new Ohlin's shocks that might be of use to you Z1000/750 owning people - going cheap too!


(about $400 off RRP)

Go on do it!, the Ohlins rear is worth every cent over the crappy OEM, I never used to be 100% happy with the little zeddy untill the transformation