Suspension Set up and Balancing

[silentbob]

I've heard great things about Race Tech and am certainly willing to change my mind on this.

Their parts are ok, their technicians suck.


RashTech: We have done dozens of 1098's.
Me: Great.  Here are my forks.
RashTech: Your stock forks are the same as the GSXR and they are great, you just need stiffer springs.
much time passes...
Me: Where are my forks?
RashTech: Yours is the first 1098 we have done.  We are still figuring this out.
RashTech: Your forks are done.  We put in gold valves.
Me: What about my springs?
RashTech: Your springs are fine for a 205 lb. rider.
Me: No they are not.
RashTech: Your forks are the same as the RC51.  They are crap and we don't make springs for them.  Our springs are too short.
Me: Can you make a spacer?
RashTech: No.  But we can install our new cartridges.
Me:  Go ahead.
much time passes...
RashTech: Here are your forks.  The paper work says 1.05 springs but we really used a 1.0.  Our system doesn't have a 1 in it.
Me: When the forks are sitting, the right fork looses all damping and needs to be pumped up.
RashTech: That's normal.  Just install them.
Me: After installing and backing out the preload adjusters the bike has 12mm sag with me and all my gear.
RashTech: Your shop must have installed them wrong.
Shop: No, we installed them correctly.
RashTech: Tell us how, step by step.
Shop: Here, step by step.
RashTech: Send them back.
Me: What is wrong with these forks?
RashTech: Nothing.
Me: The front end is topped out and the bike doesn't want to turn in.
RashTech: You are riding the bike wrong.  You need to be on the front brakes hard all the way through the turn to keep the front end down.
Me: It's not a super moto and most racers / instructors would disagree with you.
RashTech: What do you want me to do about it?
Me: Fix it.
RashTech: We'll put in .95 springs.
much time passes...
The forks arrived.  I can get my sag in the proper range.  They have lots of stiction.  They are tight but not smooth like Ohlins.  If I had to do it over I would throw on a set of R&Ts.