Are Ohlins rear shocks Oh-ver-kill for my Katana?

[Guest]

I see a lot of customized / modernized classics like the GS750-1100 and Katanas being upgraded to Ohlins rear shocks.

While they look awesome and scream performance are they a waste of money if you are planning on leaving the front forks stock?

Strikes me they are probably best suited to a modern inverted front-end upgrade like off a Gixxer and maybe even the move to a better swingarm.

My old stock shocks (the ones with the spring loaded swing-up pre-load adjustment) are OK despite looking a bit ratty and I would love to throw on a set of these if I knew it wasn't a big expenditure with little perceivable reward.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ohlins-Twin-Shock-S36P-to-fit-Suzuki-GSX1100-Katana-SD-SZ-GS1100X-1981-to-1983-/360877340089?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item5405f735b9

Anyone care to chime in with their Ohlins experiences?

Wayne

[silverbullet132]

Just get a set of progressive shocks or YSS (http://www.yssusa.com/) if you want to leave the rest of the system stock.

[GateKeeper]

your link takes me to a set of bars...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Daytona-Motorcycle-Handlebars-Bars-Street-Custom-Chrome-/280466358392?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item414d190078&vxp=mtr#ht_2069wt_663

[300kph]

Oops... I corrected the link. Thanks GK... I would really appreciate your thoughts on this.


W

[ART]

Öhlins are nice shocks, but they do not magically alter your chassis. It stays oldish and slightly dated.
I'd say they are well worth it, but since I've never ridden an old Suzuki with anything else in the rear (Sweden, home of Öhlins... ) I really don't know how big the difference is.

[tkent02]

No, but can be oldish and slightly dated and comfortable as can be. That's worth big money to me. Any shock sucks big time if it isn't set up properly, even Ohlins need the right spring and damping settings to work well.

[posplayr]

I see a lot of customized / modernized classics like the GS750-1100 and Katanas being upgraded to Ohlins rear shocks.

While they look awesome and scream performance are they a waste of money if you are planning on leaving the front forks stock?

Strikes me they are probably best suited to a modern inverted front-end upgrade like off a Gixxer and maybe even the move to a better swingarm.

My old stock shocks (the ones with the spring loaded swing-up pre-load adjustment) are OK despite looking a bit ratty and I would love to throw on a set of these if I knew it wasn't a big expenditure with little perceivable reward.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ohlins-Twin-Shock-S36P-to-fit-Suzuki-GSX1100-Katana-SD-SZ-GS1100X-1981-to-1983-/360877340089?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item5405f735b9

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Amortisseur-Ohlins-SU145-S36PR1C1LB-Suzuki-GS-1000-S-1979-1982-G8-/121100316328

Anyone care to chime in with their Ohlins experiences?

Wayne

Wow and those are not even the expensive ones.

Since I do have the expensive ones (namely) SU-145 Ohlins (stock length + 30-50mm)

http://www.helmetheadcycle.com/product/5163/ohlins-su-145-motorcycle-shock

I would say that any shock you buy has to be a choice to complement what ever else you are doing. A motorcycle suspension is a balance of performance across all aspects of wheel,tires,springs,forks,frame and shocks. So don't expect a $1500 rear shock to suddenly transform a otherwise stock and worn out bike. Rear shocks are expensive, So I say buy the best your budget can afford given a reasonable balance between the shock cost and the rest of your suspension upgrades and plan on getting the correct springs.

For me I guess I got lucky with the Ohlins, I originally got in on the block buy that Long8vator did here and got the SU-145's for about $500 and then sold them a year later for about $600 when I bought a set of (new) SU-145's off ebay. I had to spend another $100 for springs and clevis height adjusters but I was only in for about $900 (as I recall) so my net price was about $800. Last I looked they were close to $1500.

What the hell it is my only bike, and they are rebuildable .

I can also be fairly confident that my bike won't handle much better no matter what I do from here. Yes 17" wheels and Bandit forks will improve, it but for a street bike, It is pretty much topped out.

Of course, if I did ever pull it apart to go back and improve on the various finishes, I would do some frame bracing perhaps with a few other small customizations.

[CivilRock]

Are Ohlins rear shocks Oh-ver-kill for my Katana?

In one word: Yes.

But I have no idea what you use your bike for, what it means to you, or how much money you have. If you ride that bike really hard and put it on the edge of the tire and control, then no, it's not overkill. If all you do is sit around and figure out new ways to spend money on your bike, then no. And if the extra $1000 for Ohlins is a drop in the bucket, then no, it's not too much. And if you just like having the coolest stuff? Sure.

Ohlins on a 32 year old bike is like a big fat diamond on your wife. Totally useless right? But it makes her happy.

Ohlins on your Katana is like Nike Trainers on your Granny.

They are sweet though. I just have a hard time believing that they'll ever be used to their potential. At the same time I know a lot of Porsche and Corvette owners that have never been to a track or over the speed limit.

I my opinion, spend $250 and get your suspension serviced, sprung right, and set up correctly and you'll get 90% of what the Ohlins will do for you.

-Kevin

[300kph]

Great reply Kevin! Well written and some good humor too!

[CivilRock]

Great reply Kevin! Well written and some good humor too!

Thanks.

One more thing: Make sure you have enough air in your tires.

-Kevin

[SqDancerLynn1]

I had some works shocks. But I think I got screwed. Took them to Works to have them rebuilt I was told one was cracked and not rebuildable. I had them trash them, I should have insisted on their return so I could examine them myself...