Filling the rear shock with oil and removing any air bubbles
Rear shock getting the dyno treatment bumps . The fork is less harsh too , but still diving under braking a little too much for my liking . The damping is good but I want it higher in the stroke . Robert decides to replace one fork spring with the next rate up , but leave the other stock . He says this will give a half-way house , as he thinks replacing both springs will make the front sit too high . Dennis and Hayden have the fork out , one spring replaced , the oil level reset , and the fork back in the bike in the time it takes to make a cup of coffee and drink it . Another test ride shows the forks stay up higher in the stroke and have the feel I ’ m after .
THE RESULT After dragging my little Latin lovely back home , I finally got the opportunity to go for a proper ride a few days later , to really get a feel for the
suspension changes . With the mix of servicing and knowledgeable internal upgrades , the 19 year-old suspension is working far more like a good modern setup . Where the forks originally felt harsh over bumps , then blew through their travel on braking , they now feel far more comfortable on crap surfaces , and they ’ re not diving under brakes . This makes the bike more stable braking on bumpy surfaces , and easier / nicer to ride the rest of the time . As for the rear shock , it ’ s not leaking oil now , and the spinejarring jolts from rough roads have gone too . That ’ s a big win . Ok , it ’ s a sports bike ... so it will never be tourer comfy , but it ’ s a world away from what it was . I ’ m looking forward to a few trackdays this Summer , and my 19 year-old Italian has new life , with better suspension than ever existed when it was new .
CONTACT
Give KSS a call if you want to know more about having your suspension serviced or tuned for you . They ’ re the importers
for Ohlins , YSS and Nitron , so there are plenty of options from mild to wild for improving your ride where it counts . Kiwi Suspension Solutions Telephone : 06 751 2100 Web : www . kss . net . nz
Rear suspension sag being set
36 KIWI RIDER