Penske 8981 installed today.

[fhaze]

Shock installed today. Did it outside in 95+ temps. Damn Hot!

I had to massage the upper mount 'sleeves' (not the shock mount, but the removable pieces) .as the threads of the top bolt went through, but got hung up on the shaft. A slight ream with a dremel cured that problem.

Didn't even have to set sag as it was pretty close. I am 1/16 high without gear or loaded bags..so add that weight in, it should be perfect.

Feels great so far..didn't alter the ride height any..but without the oem spring compressing 4" it feels like it did. (a good thing)

Haven't done front spring swap yet, but that is next.

 

[smitty141]

Let everyone know how you like it . Lee at Traxxion Dynamics has a very good price on them. Smitty

 

[fhaze]

400 miles on it so far. This really transforms the bike. I used to avoid bumps/dips etc because of the harshness and wallowing. I purposely took the rough roads this time and it was awesome!

The Penske has ride height, preload, rebound and 6 "real world" compression settings. Although there is no remote preload, it is easy enough to access and adjust.

Seriously one of the best mods you can do.. especially of you are of larger than "regular" size or ride two-up alot.

I think any of the aftermarket shocks would be within the same realm of coolness but I have a "Penske Guy" so I go through him. Lee has been helpful via email, and I didn't even buy it from him. Thanks Lee

I can't imagine the Penske plus the AK-20 kit. I don't think I would ever get off the bike.

 

[smitty141]

I have a Ohlin rear with the AK-20 kit up front. Lee was very helpful in making my mind up. I did a ride in to there shop on the north side of Atlanta. Very happy with my bike now..... Smitty

 

[Hotboot]

Kinda like getting your ol' girlfriend some new ****s, a whole different ride and feel.

Enjoy it and do the fronts real soon.

 

[fhaze]

I guess the old GF analogy applies..except I only have 4500 miles on this bike, and I bought it with 1200.

I suppose I got my girl new ones on the first date I think she is going to have to stay with me for a while.

I have 1.2kg springs from Sonic and am waiting till it is cooler out to install them.

Will the AK-20 be $1000 more noticeable than the springs and fresh fluid alone?? Be honest.

 

[smitty141]

I guess the old GF analogy applies..except I only have 4500 miles on this bike, and I bought it with 1200.
I suppose I got my girl new ones on the first date I think she is going to have to stay with me for a while.

I have 1.2kg springs from Sonic and am waiting till it is cooler out to install them.

Will the AK-20 be $1000 more noticeable than the springs and fresh fluid alone?? Be honest.

There is a remarkable difference... My bike when rode aggressively would want to stand up in mid corner, and wallow around. It was spooky at times..... It has taken all the weirdness out of the front end. I know this is a little out of the norm, but there is a road where myself as a buddy wick it up. There is a few high speed sweepers we run in the 130 mph range, my FJR was scary... I know thats to fast...... It would get twitchy and a little scary. Not any more, very solid... But it also improved the normal stuff, it doesn't nose dive when your hard of the front brakes. Mine feels a little stiff when riding normal.. I need to play with the clickers a little, but over IMHO best money you can spend. I think it should be done before anything else. It is a lot of $, but money well spent.

If you are a little on the aggressive side, BIG improvement. If you just ride easy, and flat roads... springs and oil might do the trick...

If you want to talk more about it, PM me your phone #, and I will give you a call... Smitty

 

[T120TT]

Shock installed today. Did it outside in 95+ temps. Damn Hot!
I had to massage the upper mount 'sleeves' (not the shock mount, but the removable pieces) .as the threads of the top bolt went through, but got hung up on the shaft. A slight ream with a dremel cured that problem.

Didn't even have to set sag as it was pretty close. I am 1/16 high without gear or loaded bags..so add that weight in, it should be perfect.

Feels great so far..didn't alter the ride height any..but without the oem spring compressing 4" it feels like it did. (a good thing)

Haven't done front spring swap yet, but that is next.

What pound spring are you using on the Penske and how much do you weigh?

 

[sportryder]

I guess the old GF analogy applies..except I only have 4500 miles on this bike, and I bought it with 1200.
I suppose I got my girl new ones on the first date I think she is going to have to stay with me for a while.

I have 1.2kg springs from Sonic and am waiting till it is cooler out to install them.

Will the AK-20 be $1000 more noticeable than the springs and fresh fluid alone?? Be honest.

Not sure how much you weigh, but 1.2 springs might be a bit stiff for you. Here are the issues when considering a spring upgrade only - OEM rebound valving suffers because it was not designed to be able to control those stiffer springs. You can turn the rebound adjusters at the top of the fork legs nearly all the way in, but then "slow-speed" rebound valving would be too slow yet the high-speed valving (shim stack on the piston) would probably still not be able to control the stiff springs on fork extension. This would mean the fork action would be bouncy or have a loose feeling over bumps but shallow dips might cause the chassis/front end to dip instead of the fork legs extending slowly. The chassis might follow the road surface like the wheel/tire instead of remaining level. Rider style/aggressiveness would then determine if you need revalving. Some people attempt to adjust for this by using thicker fork oil. This might help on the rebound side, but the compression side would also be stiffer. That might inhibit bump compliance and the front forks would not absorb the bumps very well. It's really a matter of tunability.

Something to note about the AK-20 cartridge kit. It is transferable or could be ported to another set of telescopic forks. The cartridges can be retrofitted for your next bike for a minimum of cost. You pay more in the beginning for your "revalving" work, but you don't lose it when the bike is sold. Also, there are features of the AK-20 system and cartridges that make it far superior to the OEM cartridges. They are designed to not wear out (hard coat anodizing), the cartridge rod is 12.5 MM OD vs 10 mm OD on the OEM rods. The cartridge body design is meant to seal much better so there are literally no uncontrolled "bleed" points. Pressure differentials build quicker and are much more accurate if you compared them to the OEM traces on a suspension dyno. These are just a few of the features that make this kit state-of-the-art. Costs go down significantly for your fork upgrades as they are transferred to each new bike.

Look at it this way - How about having the ability to buy shocks for your car or truck that basically don't wear out and could be used on your next car? Or, do you consider your suspension upgrades to be disposable? If you fall into the latter category, then $1000 might be too much for you to spend. But, if you really want a great front suspension that would compare very well to anything else available on the market except for a GAS charged front fork then this is the kit to go with. You can take it with you and use it in your next bike.

 

[fhaze]

What pound spring are you using on the Penske and how much do you weigh?

I am 6'3" 290lbs, spring is 975'lbs.

Sonic's website said 1.2kg based on my weight and riding style.

Lee you make a really good argument for the AK-20 ( I knew you would) lol

 

[smitty141]

I guess the old GF analogy applies..except I only have 4500 miles on this bike, and I bought it with 1200.

I suppose I got my girl new ones on the first date I think she is going to have to stay with me for a while.

I have 1.2kg springs from Sonic and am waiting till it is cooler out to install them.

Will the AK-20 be $1000 more noticeable than the springs and fresh fluid alone?? Be honest.

Not sure how much you weigh, but 1.2 springs might be a bit stiff for you. Here are the issues when considering a spring upgrade only - OEM rebound valving suffers because it was not designed to be able to control those stiffer springs. You can turn the rebound adjusters at the top of the fork legs nearly all the way in, but then "slow-speed" rebound valving would be too slow yet the high-speed valving (shim stack on the piston) would probably still not be able to control the stiff springs on fork extension. This would mean the fork action would be bouncy or have a loose feeling over bumps but shallow dips might cause the chassis/front end to dip instead of the fork legs extending slowly. The chassis might follow the road surface like the wheel/tire instead of remaining level. Rider style/aggressiveness would then determine if you need revalving. Some people attempt to adjust for this by using thicker fork oil. This might help on the rebound side, but the compression side would also be stiffer. That might inhibit bump compliance and the front forks would not absorb the bumps very well. It's really a matter of tunability.

Something to note about the AK-20 cartridge kit. It is transferable or could be ported to another set of telescopic forks. The cartridges can be retrofitted for your next bike for a minimum of cost. You pay more in the beginning for your "revalving" work, but you don't lose it when the bike is sold. Also, there are features of the AK-20 system and cartridges that make it far superior to the OEM cartridges. They are designed to not wear out (hard coat anodizing), the cartridge rod is 12.5 MM OD vs 10 mm OD on the OEM rods. The cartridge body design is meant to seal much better so there are literally no uncontrolled "bleed" points. Pressure differentials build quicker and are much more accurate if you compared them to the OEM traces on a suspension dyno. These are just a few of the features that make this kit state-of-the-art. Costs go down significantly for your fork upgrades as they are transferred to each new bike.

Look at it this way - How about having the ability to buy shocks for your car or truck that basically don't wear out and could be used on your next car? Or, do you consider your suspension upgrades to be disposable? If you fall into the latter category, then $1000 might be too much for you to spend. But, if you really want a great front suspension that would compare very well to anything else available on the market except for a GAS charged front fork then this is the kit to go with. You can take it with you and use it in your next bike.

What Lee said.... +1............................Smitty :yahoo:

 

[sportryder]

Lee you make a really good argument for the AK-20 ( I knew you would) lol

Something interesting to note - Since we started manufacturing and selling our AK-20 cartridge kits, we've done very few standard fork upgrades. The standard fork upgrade is respringing and revalving the forks using the OEM cartridge body and our own Axxion valves, fork springs and buffer kit. It appears most motorcycle enthusiasts wanting premium front suspension choose to spend the $300 or so more and go with the AK-20 system. IMO, it just makes sense. When you port the AK-20 cartridges over to the next bike, the cost to do so makes the upgrades for 2 bikes about $150 less per bike than doing the standard fork upgrade. To illustrate - standard fork upgrade cost: $800 2 bikes: $1600 and the upgrade usually goes with the bike when it is sold. AK-20 system: $999.95 Retrofitting part and labor cost: $275-$300 (maybe less depending on model of bike the AK-20 is being ported to) 2 bikes total DIY cost: $1300 AND, you are using a much higher quality cartridge with the AK-20.

Just trying to help fhaze.

BTW, I get zero commission here at TD. I speak about these products because I truely believe they are the real deal.