Aftermarket suspension!

G

GDI001NOD

New member
Ok so I know that the stock Showa pieces are pretty much trash compared to a good set of aftermarket suspensions and since I have nothing better to do I figured I would ask here for a more compiled list of manufacturers.

I know Ohlins is pretty much the standard fare, but I like to be different for the sake of being different, plus I'm not a fan of "gold". If I was turning my future bike into a born again track monster then there would be no issue because I would default to Ohlins based on their reputation for excellence.

What I am wondering is who else out there makes good suspension components...I dont need pure race utility but I would like something different.

So far this is what I know:

Penske--makes pretty hardcore rear shocks but doesnt have a line of front forks...but does supply a pretty kickass sounding fork cartridge replacement kit.

Marzocchi--Has a 50mm fork setup that has red anodized tubes that look amazing, but require a whole new triple clamp and clipons, not to mention Marzocchi is primarily a dirtbike/motard suspension manufacturer.

HyperPro--Shock manufacturer, site looks chintzy, but if their claims are true then they could have a contender, although purple springs make me cringe.

So far this is all I can find. If anyone knows any other brands or has used anything listed under these brands let me know, I'm not particularly fond of being like everyone else (one of many character flaws im sure) and Ohlins although awesome is simply over represented in the Ducati world.
 
Gerd - Marzocchi were once the 'Ducks nuts' in years gone by before Ohlins knew what they were doing.
They were even OEM on certain Ducatis for a while.
 
Marzocchi still make quality kit. Also don't forget Dutch-built WP suspension, good stuff there too (used to be called White Power, but for obvious reasons that name didn't sit well in the US)

jdw
 
0 Miles...I'm still waiting to get back to San Diego, to buy my 1198, basically I've saved up enough money to buy the bike and pretty much whatever I want to buy for it. I've been riding 12 years now, and I finally have the money to buy my dream bike, but just like anything else when it comes to motorcycles or cars i research the hell out of everything i would want down the line.

Its an honest query, and hopefully useful info will come out of it.

Do I like Ohlins?

Yep. Had R/T forks and TTX shock on my 08 CBR1000RR and loved them.

Do I need new suspension for a bike I havent ridden yet?

Probably not, well at least for a little bit. I dont intend to buy the suspension right off the bat, I'll break in the bike while saving a bit up for the individual parts and purchase them when the "Toy Fund" reaches the magic number to purchase said parts.

Ive done the research on the stuff that everybody upgrades or gripes about, and I intend to address those issues first depending on how the bike feels/behaves to me. The Speedymoto top triple clamp will probably be one of the first things to get since I do ride alot, like everyday alot, followed by the Ducati neoprene seat. Then I'll start messing with other stuff like a new Ohlins steering damper and some Acculign rearsets, followed by an EVR Slipper clutch and Arrow Titanium slipons with a PC3 and quick shifter kit. Then comes the more expensive stuff like suspension, wheels, etc. And last on the list of parts I dont really need but want will be carbon fiber bits.

Its just a matter of personalizing your particular bike, its what i like to do, I enjoy working on the bike as much as riding it, always have always will.
 
Just was curious, like you, and I even started a thread about it in the 848 section, I thought after all the griping that there was something seriously wrong with the stock 848 suspension. After sticking 800 miles on it (about 200 with hard driving) I just couldn't figure out what the fuss was about.

I'd do what my dealer suggested (and they're an authorized Ohlins dealer), get some miles on it and then make a decision. I'm not saying you won't want or need to switch it out but I'd personally wait before you trust the hype that can be found on these threads.
 
Thanks for the head up on the WP parts although i cant find anything on any site regarding WP shocks on the 1098/1198.

As for the Marzocchi's, they definitely seem like they would be decent but the fact that you need to upgrade pretty much the entire front end to use them, I doubt that will be the way to go, the forks themselves are priced right but the triple clamps, clipons, front fairing and axle bring the cost up considerably.
 
Yeah I figure that I'll discover more things when i get to ride the bike...I'm on duty today but tomorrow I'm going to Hawaii's Duc shop to see about a ride
 
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