New aftermarket shock 2009 FZ1?

H

Headshrinker

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While this may have been done to death, what have folks found to be a good replacement shock for an 09 FZ1? Went to the shop and tried to setup the suspension and they offered that the rear ought to be replaced as it is all the way firm and still not quite right. I have read that the 09 rear spring is weak, what are viable replacements.

I know Ohlin makes one but it is a bit expensive, any other options fols have found?

Front was OK to set, still some adjustment left but rear is the problem.

Mike
 
MHS said:
I've read good things about Penske, and that's probably what I'm going to get when I finally upgrade.
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Just be aware that the Penske 8900E is an emulsion shock where the nitrgen and oil are allowed to mix together.
After sustained/heavy use (trackday etc) the shocks performance will fade.

The Nitron NTR Sport shock (non-emulsion) is a gas monotube design with a seperating piston which keeps the oil and gas seperate, so it won't fade after heavy use.

The Penske 8983 however has a seperate Nitrogen canister and is an awesome shock but has a more expensive price tag to go along with it, it all depends upon what sort of riding you do as to which shock to buy.

Whatever you buy it will be a much better than the stock shock, especially if you are heavy or light.
 
I run Ohlins YA906 and couldn't be happier. Ohlins or Penske seem to be the popular choices out there, it all comes down to your budget. An R1 shock is a cheap alternative and can be rebuilt, a few FZ1 riders have do the conversion with good results.
 
I set mine up according to my weight and riding style. Got the settings from ballmead, easy enough to do and could not be happier. It transformed the front end instantly.

If you are racing or doing track days only, then I guess upgrading is the way.
 
For those of us that are on a budget, Satans R1 adapter has been a great and cost effective way to upgade the poor shock.

I have it and am very happy with its performance. Adapter was $85 shipped, got a 2008 R1 shock for $40 shipped. Still getting it adjusted, but allready much better than stock fo 1/4 t price of the cheapest aftermarket unit.
 
terdog said:
For those of us that are on a budget, Satans R1 adapter has been a great and cost effective way to upgade the poor shock.

I have it and am very happy with its performance. Adapter was $85 shipped, got a 2008 R1 shock for $40 shipped. Still getting it adjusted, but allready much better than stock fo 1/4 t price of the cheapest aftermarket unit.
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Does that adapter compensate for the shorter R1 shock? I assume the springs are already stiffer than FZ1s?
 
CrazyBiker said:
Does that adapter compensate for the shorter R1 shock? I assume the springs are already stiffer than FZ1s?
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Here's a quip from the other site I found on his adapter thread of old:

Satan666 said:
The engineers who designed the FZ1 obviously had a hand in the R1. Too many parts are interchangeable. Because the design mandates were different, major components i.e.: swingarm, shock, linkage are very different.

The main issue with the R1 shock interchange centers on the shape of the R1 shock and the space available on the FZ1, notably the gas reservoir on the shock and the voltage regulator on the FZ1. The shock adapter takes care of that. Or, make new link plates and turn the shock upside-down.

The ride height difference has 2 reasons. First the R1 shock is shorter (mostly taken care of by the adapter) and the R1 spring is softer. Using preload to change the ride height (by means of a spring spacer) is one cure but it affects (or eliminates) sag and may limit overall travel.

There is a bit of ride height reclaimable by shimming the shock clevis in the adapter. More than 5mm (about an inch of ride height) and the shock comes in contact with the radiator reservoir.

Substituting the lower suspension link (dog bone) is the better alternative. The '05-'06 R1 brings the ride height up a bit over stock for the mid-weight rider and will preserve full shock travel. An adjustable dog bone would be the answer for OC riders.

Using the R1 shock rather than a 'racing' alternative is an effort to 1.) use Yamaha OEM parts, 2.) find an inexpensive alternative to a 'cost based' design decision and 3.) not have to perform major surgery to make it happen.

Perfection, no, it just works...
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Satan666 said:
The price for the adapter is $85 (includes US mailing) if I can get 5 on a pre-order. Price drops to $75 if I can get 8.

The adapter uses R1 shock assemblies from '04 thru '08 - I do not have experience with '09 and later.

The '04 to '06 shocks have dampening adjusters for compression and rebound.

The '07-'08 shocks have a both a high-speed and low-speed compression adjuster.

The shock assembly must include an upper clevis and lock nut. All years will work.

The rear gas tank mount must be cut or ground slightly and the EXUP motor (if you still use it) must be re-positioned to the opposite mounting hole.

The R1 shock centers are shorter than the stock FZ1 shock - it results in about a 7-10mm (3/8") drop in rear ride height at normal sag adjustment with the stock R1 spring (200# seat load). If that is combined with the use of '07 or later R1 forks you are back to normal handling characteristics, albeit with a bit lower COG. A bit more care is needed when parking on the kickstand on highly crowned pavement.

Placement of a 5mm thick washer or shim between the R1 shock clevis and adapter is one method to restore stock height.

Swapping the FZ1 dogbone with an '04-'06 R1 'bone will raise ride height about 25mm (1") (200# load) and not cause travel clearance problems. It will however change turn-in and very high speed handling characteristics.
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Richard (Satan666), is a really nice and talented guy! He is an engineer and it is unlikely that he will produce stuff that doesn't work well. I have is peg and backrest. Wanted to go the R1 shock route but figured it wouldn't work with a pillion weight on the already preloaded shock for the rider alone.
 
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