696 front suspension talk

[DoWorkSon]

There are good deals for 1098 forks popping up on ebay every now and then... I was able to get a set of pristine 1098 forks, with a lower clamp for $500.... They should be arriving today. A good friend does machine work so I should be doing an install soon....

[junior varsity]

I do believe the only difference between the 848 and 1098/1198 Showa forks is the slider coating. The part numbers are different, but I can see no other differences. I don't have the valving side-by-side on the bench to compare though.

[Raux]

the older showa forks had the lower valve inside the axle area. the newer showa forks have it outside on near the brake mounts. the 696 lowers have a place for a valve but it needs to be drilled and tapped (real pain). what is more of a pain is making the 696 lowers fit an older showa.

basically the older showas had a 27mm hole threw the lower axle surround into a recess about 8mm deep with a 15.5mm hole x 8mm deep then another inner recess of @22mm x8mm deep

the 696 only has an 15mm hole on the lower surround and one hole for a single metric bolt on the left (or right, can't remember) fork. the inner seat for the damper is wider and more shallow.

there's enough material to make the seat and hole for the damper inside and valve. but the lower axle support really isn't designed for such a large 27mm hole (big enough to fit a 19mm socket)

[junior varsity]

who cares what is on the 696 from stock? you are getting rid of those I thought.

You wouldn't put 696 lowers on another fork. You'd either use the older bike's brakes or get the appropriate radial mount lower for those forks, like the billet radial mount lowers from CarpiMoto.it

Or simplify the whole thing and grab SBK forks, and bore/shim the triples like we've all been doing for years with these bikes.

[Raux]

radial brakes. i don't have the scratch to go out and replace my entire front end.

so using the 696 lowers saves money if i can get it to fit other forks.

would love to find some 848 forks.

the triples i have can be easily bored/shimed. and i can get the 5mm spacers for the rotors.

but again, the cheapest i've seen is more than 500.

i gambled on the s4r forks and lost nearly 200 already.

[devimau]

I spoke with the shop owner where I got my rear suspension set up this morning and told him the 696 owners have really no off the shelf option to upgrade the front suspension. He said umm what? I told him I've checked almost every company and no one offers an upgrade for the 696. He said he has already installed RT internals on 2 or so 696's.
According to the shop owner, Race Tech has an upgrade for the 696 but it's not official yet. I guess it's in the beta version. He said he could fix me up whenever. He knows Paul over at RT. I think I'm going to take him up on his offer in the next few weeks. 

It seems like the 696 has become the forgotten platform. There are off the shelf aftermarket wheels for our bikes, no suspension stuff (front), no full exhaust, etc.. 

I think I can help, I'm willing to take them apart and give you a solution.
I usually revalve them for $250, and if they are the same stuff than s2r non adjustable they are a piece of cake.
I can also sell you revalved showis if you want.......

[Link]

I have a question on the rear shock a few have posted here about how much better the bike handles with an after market shock what is the complaint with stocker the 696 I ride has no problem I can find on the street the bike holds it's line and dosn't squat under power and I have no trouble changing my line mid corner it dosn't run wide and with the low powered motor tire wear isn't an issue can some one whose swapped out the rear explain what there problem is the stock shock.
 Thanks

[junior varsity]

The first problem with the rear shock is your run-on sentence.



And for most people, the problems are essentially solved if resprung for their weight and proper sag set.

[1KDS]

 

[Raux]

well half the problem solved...

Found a set of revalved/resprung 1198 forks.

now i have to get the rotor spacers and work the triple issue

[caperix]

well half the problem solved...

Found a set of revalved/resprung 1198 forks.

now i have to get the rotor spacers and work the triple issue

Will rotor spacers be needed if the stock wheel is used?  The bike in PJFA's write up used a 6 bolt rotor 5 spoke wheel, don't the 696's use the 5 bolt wheel that should have the corect rotor spacing?

[Raux]

no the 696 uses the 6 bolt rotors.

when i finally upgrade wheels i could get a sbk wheel with rotors but that is a ways off.

[Link]

The first problem with the rear shock is your run-on sentence.



And for most people, the problems are essentially solved if resprung for their weight and proper sag set.

OK professor I promise to study harder and stay in skool, meanwhile where have you guys been setting the sag ? I would generally have about 5-10mm of static sag and 30-35mm rider sag but there seems to be zero static sag on the 696. It's also my GF bike so I've been putting off even checking rider sag. Any suggestions on sag numbers for the stock shock would be helpful.
 Thanks

[devimau]

OK professor I promise to study harder and stay in skool, meanwhile where have you guys been setting the sag ? I would generally have about 5-10mm of static sag and 30-35mm rider sag but there seems to be zero static sag on the 696. It's also my GF bike so I've been putting off even checking rider sag. Any suggestions on sag numbers for the stock shock would be helpful.
 Thanks

for the street I use 35 to 40mm front and 25 to 30mm rear.
static 10mm front and 5mm rear.

[Link]

for the street I use 35 to 40mm front and 25 to 30mm rear.
static 10mm front and 5mm rear.

Is this on a stock 696 ? On the 2009 I think it's impossible to set front sag (no pre-load adj.)
 Thanks