Rear Inertia Active Suspension Shock

[great08]

Originally Posted by roger'sklr

What do you 2 MEAN
I'm on step 2 just waiting for Brian to come out with the Hydraulic remote unit for the shock,getting ready to do LED system and relocate the fuses. Have HID headlight done.Then proper handguards and belly pan then I'm done.
roger'sklr

By done I am thinking that what you really mean is done... until you figure out which farkle you want to do next. Cuz I know that is how I am with this farklitis that I originally thought I was immune to.

[Sculelos]

It really is an improvement. I also will say the sentiment that I do feel some of the very minor bumps but it also tracks much better and gives me much more feel on the bike.

I still feel like going over a minor jump at speed was no big deal where I'd bounce around a bit with the stock, I now track smoothly and stability with the ricor suspension.

Got both the Ricor Intemidators + Rear IAS stock installed with the stock front spring cause Racetech has theirs on back order. I can say I'm happy with it and will probably not use the Racetech ones. Need further testing but so far so good!

[Don M]

With 20K on the KLR half of that on runs to Prudhoe Bay and Inuvik, it is well past time for a new rear shock. Well, I was impressed by all the pre-debute positive ravings on the Ricor rear shock. I, too, jumped into the Beta Testing pool and my first impression is that the preload setting mode was not well thought out. There needs to be some kind of a 'hook wrench' supplied with it to make tightening up the preload easier. I spent about 2 hours turning the collar down about 5 turns, 1/16 turn per move. BTW, a squirt of WD40 on the threads and where the spring and collar meet makes it move easier. A centerstand is very helpful to take the weight of the bike off the shock, too. I used a hook wrench supplier by Koni for my old Airhead shocks along with an allen wrench and a box end wrench over the short leg of it to turn rhe collar. Unfortunately the holes in the collar are a bit wallowed out from the whole exercise and ruined the clean machining. If the price of these shock actually goes to $800 after the Beta group is done, it should have a hook wrench in the kit. BTW, Ricor, it will need to be a double ended one with 2 different reaches due to the limited space to swing it. It could also have twice the number of holes and a one ended wrench. I actually wonder if they had a KLR in the shop when the preload system was designed or used off the shelk parts. In closing, I will qualify this statement by saying I have not actually put the shock to the real test on the road but the quality should be there from the start, which I feel it is not.

$.02 and worth what you paid for it!

[XLXR]

Have you given Ricor your 2 cents worth?

Getting the weight off the bike and WD 40 on the threads will help. I have not worked on a KLR, but if you use one hand to turn the spring, it is easier to turn the tool and collar. By far the easiest way would be to set the preload as close a possible before you put the shock on. Set it a bit on the stiff side because it is usually easier to reduce preload instead of increasing it. Reports from other forum members with the same spring and rider weight should help on that one.

[Les]

Originally Posted by Les

Received the shock today.... Brian & crew, this thing is a work of art! Feel like I oughta buy a second one to hang on the wall just so I can look at it!!!
Was already in the process of installing a new rear tire so after I finished mounting & balancing the new tire and the wheel assembly back in the swingarm, I pulled the old shock and installed the new RICOR unit. Quick & easy!!
I'd received a set of Intiminators for my birthday from my son Josh & his family but have been waiting for the new shock to do the fork mods so....... got the front wheel off and oil draining out of the tubes tonight..will flush the tubes and install the Intiminators tomorrow night then I can test out my "new" KLR!!!! Yeee Hahhhhhh!!!!!!

Update on my "NEW" '06 "Greenie"... still no off-road time yet but..... put a little over 300 miles this weekend to/from the Washougal, WA Tech Day with my normal full load of tools & parts. Lotsa rain & wind both directions of the ride.. a LOT of wind heading south on I-5 tween Longview & Vancouver, WA. Bike handeled it all very well, rail-road track crossings are now a small, soft spot in the road; kinda like runnin over a mouse in the road.... "smuufffff" and yer over 'em! Cracks & rain-grooves still give a slight wiggle to the bike (but much less than it used to do!) altho I still haven't bumped up the rear pre-load past 3 inches (and the new rear sidecases are probably inducing some of the wiggle at higher speeds - will find out more about those on later rides once the monsoon rains go away for a couple of days). Bike tracks on curves very well; even in a heavy, solid downpour... no feeling of squiggles from either end.
Conclusion so far..... DAMN fine suspension components from Ricor.... Brian, you guys have a got a winner with these parts!!!

[Gruf Rude]

Originally Posted by Don M

With 20K on the KLR half of that on runs to Prudhoe Bay and Inuvik, it is well past time for a new rear shock. Well, I was impressed by all the pre-debute positive ravings on the Ricor rear shock. I, too, jumped into the Beta Testing pool and my first impression is that the preload setting mode was not well thought out. There needs to be some kind of a 'hook wrench' supplied with it to make tightening up the preload easier. I spent about 2 hours turning the collar down about 5 turns, 1/16 turn per move. BTW, a squirt of WD40 on the threads and where the spring and collar meet makes it move easier. A centerstand is very helpful to take the weight of the bike off the shock, too. I used a hook wrench supplier by Koni for my old Airhead shocks along with an allen wrench and a box end wrench over the short leg of it to turn rhe collar. Unfortunately the holes in the collar are a bit wallowed out from the whole exercise and ruined the clean machining. If the price of these shock actually goes to $800 after the Beta group is done, it should have a hook wrench in the kit. BTW, Ricor, it will need to be a double ended one with 2 different reaches due to the limited space to swing it. It could also have twice the number of holes and a one ended wrench. I actually wonder if they had a KLR in the shop when the preload system was designed or used off the shelk parts. In closing, I will qualify this statement by saying I have not actually put the shock to the real test on the road but the quality should be there from the start, which I feel it is not.

$.02 and worth what you paid for it!

I concur with Don M's assesment entirely -- at the price RICOR is asking for these shocks (even at our beta 'discount' price) a proper fitting preload adjustment wrench ought to be supplied, particularly since the preload collar is apparently their own proprietary design.

Further, a preload adjustment ring that can only be locked with a single set screw strikes me as a mistake, although I suppose the fact that each full turn of the collar only moves things a tenth of an inch probably renders that something of a moot point. Be nice to see RICOR go to the two-ring system like everyone else, as that would allow the adjustment to be locked down at exactly the right spot, rather than requiring further rotation to get the set screw in place.

RICOR really NEEDS to get a proper adjustment wrench out to its customers as soon as possible -- as Don M points out, the 'make do' methods we all are attempting can damage the adjuster collar and are just plain frustrating enouh to generate bad feelings about an otherwise praiseworthy product.

[Don M]

Well, it just seemed like too much of a love-fest for the Ricor, I do expect it to be a superior piece of equipment when perfected and most of that is simply details (where the Devil himself lives!). The locking set screw is not an issue with me as each turn provides very little additional pressure and one more half turn makes very little difference. It is just that getting the many turns to set the preload was SO PAINFUL! I did follow their request for rider's weight but should have mentioned HT panniers, aftermarket centerstand, top box etc, maybe my bad. I have not submitted this opinion to Ricor because I read that they were following this discussion here. Hopefully they will comunicate that they are listening by their future offering of a wrench. The Ricor shock is indeed a beautifully machined and finished item.

[Frogrider]

Originally Posted by Don M

Well, it just seemed like too much of a love-fest for the Ricor, I do expect it to be a superior piece of equipment when perfected and most of that is simply details (where the Devil himself lives!). The locking set screw is not an issue with me as each turn provides very little additional pressure and one more half turn makes very little difference. It is just that getting the many turns to set the preload was SO PAINFUL! I did follow their request for rider's weight but should have mentioned HT panniers, aftermarket centerstand, top box etc, maybe my bad. I have not submitted this opinion to Ricor because I read that they were following this discussion here. Hopefully they will comunicate that they are listening by their future offering of a wrench. The Ricor shock is indeed a beautifully machined and finished item.

I opted for the 281+ spring, with my big A** and all the stuff, I needed it!

[dashek]

So I guess since I started this thread I should throw in my 2 cents.

Start with the most recent part of this discussion, adjustablity. The easy way that I have found requires no special tools or time consuming kneeling next to the bike.

I have adjusted the preload on mine a couple of times. the first was the worst. After installing the shock and putting the stock links back on, I sat on the bike, Way too low for my long legs so I proceeded to loosen the set screw and started turning what a PITA. I took the bike out an rode it for a couple hundred mile like this. I felt that it was way too stiff. So I backed it of and rode some more. But instead of playing with the set screw and all that jazz I just took it off and wrapped the top of it in a rag threw it into the vice and gave it a couple of turns and put it back on. 3 bold off 3 bolts on. Hell of a lot easier than trying to do it on the bike.

The bike rode better but still wasn't happy with the ride height. So off cam the stock link and back on went the EM RL-1's. Okay we are in the ball park on ride height. Took it for a ride and liked it a little better than before but still to harsh. Pulled it into the shop, removed 3 bolts, into the vice 2 turns back onto the bike and in about 10 minutes I was ready to ride. Found the sweet spot for me.

As to the shock itself. Yes it is a quality piece especially when you consider the stock unit goes for 750 new. Is it a better ride than the stock, most definitely. Is it a game changer, probably not. Yes I ride a little faster off road which has gotten me into trouble but it has mor to do with the mental side of it than any miraculous change in the bike because of the shock. Washboard road still suck, roots and rocks still suck but at least not that don't beat me up as bad. I am still sore at the end of a day riding here in the Rockies where we have alot of rock.

The KLR is still a 400+ pound pig that can go any where the rider has the balls to take it. The new shock has made my boys a little bigger and a little shinnier. But thurth is I would still go the place I go now with the stocker.

Had a conversation with a fellow rider about the shock and one of the things that came up was that after spending almost $600(750 for front and rear) you don't wanna fell like an ID10T because its not as good as you hoped, so people write nice things about it so that othere people will spend the money too and not feel so alone.

In conculsion. Would I buy the shock again, probably. Is it a "game changer", probably not. It is great improvement over stock, yes. Night and day, probably not. nuff said.

Let the flamming begin

[XLXR]

No need for flaming. I do find it interesting how different rider reports after adding Ricor's stuff varies from mild to wild. To some extent that is common with any suspension mod. I have noticed the same thing in other forums with other bikes. I suspect there are a few reasons for this.

The first is the rider himself. I have been working with a friend, adding Intiminators to his Suzuki V-Strom 650. The bike has totally stock suspension. He is a slow beginner rider. I am a fast experienced rider. I used to race motorcross and desert in my younger years I can ride the V-Strom faster than most guys ever will.

After adding the Intiminators, he noticed some improvement. But being a beginner rider, it is hard for him to describe. I noticed a HUGE improvement. Mainly that the tires stayed in contact with the ground much better over really bumpy roads at fast speeds. Same bike, same set up, same roads. I was just a lot faster, and 50 lbs heavier. I have also noticed other reports where slower riders on smooth roads don't seem to notice much difference.

The second thing I have noticed, is not setting up the suspension correctly. Too much oil in the forks, and not getting the preload/rider sag settings correct seem to be common mistakes.

One of my favorite ride reports was a guy who said he didn't feel much difference after adding Intiminators, except that he didn't have to stand up when riding over parking lot speed bumps any more!!!!!! I would call that a major improvement.

[Sculelos]

Right on XLXR. I am a heavier rider weighing in at 230 lbs and got the 221-280lb spring and it had nearly perfect sag right out of the box. Perhaps a bit on the stiff side however I like the stiffer rear feeling when going over rough stuff because it keeps my tires firmly planted.

Using the stock spring with the intimators in the front and the bike handles very well, can't wait to see what it can do in bad conditions since it seems very easy to go though bumpy conditions compared to stock suspension.

[Don M]

There is likely no doubt that the setup is the biggest part of the battle and a big fuss. Thanks for the idea of removing the shock for adjustment though I doubt that would be the easiest way for me to make those adjustments. With the centerstand on, it does not allow the frame to spring open to drop the link. Had to hang ithe bike from the rafters to install the shock

As long as I can ride it and it behaves pretty well, I'm in the ballpark.