rear 900rr shock upgrade.

[Soul]

So how much does this upgrade actually cost?
As people mentioned previously, about 50$ on ebay for the shock, but what else do you have to do to the shock to make it work nicely on the hawk?
I have read some people do nothing..others get it rebuilt. What do you think?
Does the added ride height (pre 95 does this, right?) cause any issues??

[dagus]

Yeah, the half-inch added ride height (2" I think when you're not sitting on the bike) improves the geometry of the bike and you can really take advantage of the curves in the road/track.

Talk to Steve Lenac in Jersey - he's the guru with these things. Find him on the hawkgt.com email list or at [email protected]. The guy's a real character, but he's real good people. He's semi-retired with a business dedicated to Hawks. Can't remember the price he quoted me - I ended up trading him parts for the labor.

[Soul]

Talk to Steve Lenac in Jersey.

Awesome, thanks man. I just dropped him an email about it.

[Soul]

Here is pretty much what Steve said:

You need to use the spring off the Hawk shock, install a travel limiter
spacer on the shaft, and the appropriate spacer below the spring for the
proper spring pre load. The machinist that was making these parts is
moving, so no parts are going to be available for awhile. It also
matters what year 900 shock you purchased as to the spacer thickness.

[a13x]

900 shocks aren't that great.
Money better spent on a real shock IMO if you are keeping your bike for the long run.

It's more of a quick fix.

[Makenzie71]

900 shocks aren't that great.
Money better spent on a real shock IMO if you are keeping your bike for the long run.

It's more of a quick fix.

100% agree. No one I've spoken to has approved of the results, regardless of the modifications done...except one rider from SoCal who bought an Ohlins piece for the 900RR and had it reworked. Even then he was less than thrilled.

From what I've seen on the TL, though, the F3 CBR Showa piece might be a decent candidate for use, fitted with a 1300lb spring (I believe).

[dagus]

I'm doing the 900RR swap right now simply because I can't afford a Penske or a Wilburs, and it beats the stock shock for now, at least. I'm also a new rider (2 years) and won't know the difference! Eventually, I'll upgrade, but if I had the cash, I'd do it right the first time.

I'd also install an RC51 uppie-downie front end.

And get a 5 gallon carbon-fiber tank from Kiyo Watanabe.

And...

*sigh*

[kennie]

I'm doing the 900RR swap right now simply because I can't afford a Penske or a Wilburs, and it beats the stock shock for now, at least. I'm also a new rider (2 years) and won't know the difference! Eventually, I'll upgrade, but if I had the cash, I'd do it right the first time.

I'd also install an RC51 uppie-downie front end.

And get a 5 gallon carbon-fiber tank from Kiyo Watanabe.

And...

*sigh*

Penske shock - $650 (new)
RC51 complete front end - approx $600 (with wheel, brakes, controls, fender...)
KWR carbon tank - $1300



ouch that's expensive!

[dagus]

...and then I'd need to fit a VFR rear rim to match the spoke pattern of the RC51 front.

[kennie]

...and then I'd need to fit a VFR rear rim to match the spoke pattern of the RC51 front.

new tire, machined spindle, new VFR rim from hiperform.... ~ $450 - $550

jeez, you'd be homoraging cash.

I think after all is said and done, you'd fetch AT MOST $3800 for the whole bike.

[Makenzie71]

Most people mod their bikes to suit themselves, not the market, though.

[kennie]

Most people mod their bikes to suit themselves, not the market, though.

True, true. I hope that I didn't sound like I was bagging on your dream bike. I've just been seduced by a slew of slick-new bikes that have been coming around as of late.

[dagus]

Doesn't sound that way at all. I know my "dream Hawk" can't happen without a lot of $$$ poured in... and I've just had to accept that - at the moment - that's $$$ that I don't have!

The short list of stuff I'm doing to the "goose":
-scrapping the clocks, keeping the idiot lights on some kind of ally bracket, and getting a pushbike speedo ($20ish)
-clipons going under the triple
-fresh EBC brake pads ($27), instead of springing for Lenac's $350 ultimate brake kit
-900RR shock conversion (bought the shock off eBay for $50 ages ago; Lenac's gonna hook me up)
-Progressive springs ($72) and cartridge emulators ($126, both from RideNow) instead of forking out the bucks for a front end swap
-quick fuel disconnect ($11 from LP)

If I've done my math right, I can get out from under that for around $250.
Next winter, I'm painting the bike myself; all the equipment and paint will probably run me $400. Might pick up some twin headlights then, too.

Still cheaper than one of Kiyo's tanks! So this is the budgetHawk. The game I'm always playing with myself is, how cool can I make this thing on a shoestring?

[Soul]

-fresh EBC brake pads ($27), instead of springing for Lenac's $350 ultimate brake kit

Ride now says these wear your discs more than stock, Do they do a better job stopping than the OEM?? I am just curious because I was planning on just getting the OEM pads, my front pad is looking kind of small..

[dagus]

You know, Milktree sent me this great email a while back. I only asked him what he suggested on a budget, and it was like a whole comprehensive essay on suspension and brakes! I practically framed it! I'll post it here.

Anyway, the short answer? Yes, they're better than stock, according to Will (if memory serves).