[Pmack]

duplicate

 

[Pmack]

I was quoted around $200 shipped for two angle brackets from Norton.
If you have an adapter kit laying around I would love to buy it off you if your shipping charges (to Canada USPS) is reasnoble - thanks

What adapter kit? GSXR shock?

 

[forundred]

What adapter kit? GSXR shock?

Yes, for the GSXR shock/ battery box.

 

[Pmack]

Just flip the stock mount upside down.
I have 2 bikes with flipped stock mounts, 6k miles since between them(including track days), and have had zero issues with it.

 

[Billy Red]

I made my own brackets because I didn’t want to wait and pay shipping for just those. I used a piece of scrap 1/8” aluminum. Three holes and a bend with a little spray of paint-easier than you think if you have a little time. They don’t need to be too heavy duty to keep that tray from moving and I did this 9,000 miles ago so I don’t think they are going anywhere.

 

[forundred]

I made my own brackets because I didn’t want to wait and pay shipping for just those. I used a piece of scrap 1/8” aluminum. Three holes and a bend with a little spray of paint-easier than you think if you have a little time. They don’t need to be too heavy duty to keep that tray from moving and I did this 9,000 miles ago so I don’t think they are going anywhere.

Kudos to you. Different people have different skill levels. I wouldn't know where to begin doing the measurements, And I am not sure how I would bend 1/8 aluminum. Does that mean when you go over a bump all the impact force is basically being transmitted through two holes in Aluminum. I am suprised it is strong enough, but it obviously is -....... anyway well done!

 

[forundred]

Billy Red - Thank you.
Please can you help me clarify something, When you say flip the stock mount upside down.. Is the stock mount on the bike, or on the shock? Is it the battery box? I don't have time now but later I will do a search to see if this has been discussed in this forum. Do you happen to know if it has been discussed before?
Thank you very much - have a great day!

 

[Billy Red]

Billy Red - Thank you.
Please can you help me clarify something, When you say flip the stock mount upside down.. Is the stock mount on the bike, or on the shock? Is it the battery box? I don't have time now but later I will do a search to see if this has been discussed in this forum. Do you happen to know if it has been discussed before?
Thank you very much - have a great day!

You don’t have to flip the mounting brackets for the gsx-r shock to work. People who do track days or race want the rear of the bike higher for quicker turn in when cornering. If you are a shorter person you may be better off leaving it as it is to be able to flat-foot it at stops. The gsx-r shock I bought is only about 10-12 mm shorter so for just street riding it’s fine as is. My homemade brackets are only to hold the tray. I still have the steel factory shock mount brackets also. The factory brackets bolt to the engine and are the top shock mount. You should leave them alone and try it with only the shock first unless you are planning to go to a track.

 

[Billy Red]

I forgot to say that most people lower the front also by 5-10 mm which would help with the shorter rear shock. Don’t go crazy and lower it 5 cm like one person did or it could bottom out and damage the seals. If you are a really taller person then you may want to go to an aftermarket shock that’s longer or just ride it as is and enjoy it.

 

[forundred]

I forgot to say that most people lower the front also by 5-10 mm which would help with the shorter rear shock. Don’t go crazy and lower it 5 cm like one person did or it could bottom out and damage the seals. If you are a really taller person then you may want to go to an aftermarket shock that’s longer or just ride it as is and enjoy it.

Thank you. The short answer for me is I am not short, or long - I am 5'8, and I don't do track days.
The long answer. I put an R6 shock into a cbr250r - the difference was incredible and real. It held the roads on bumpy corners - that it wouldn't before and smoothed out bumps that were painful to hit with the stock shock.
It actually was the best mod I have ever done the whole time I have been riding. (on and off for 40 years)(then I switched out the front springs and Whoa - it was taken up another level again)
Somehow I will do this mod, and it is certainly nice t know that it can be done without brackets.

Honestly - it was 10 times more effective than an aftermarket exhaust and about 15% of the price. In fact alhough I have bought a Z400 I still haven't got it yet ( i get it tommorow) , but I'm already trying to figure out how to switch the back shock out

Thank you, have a wonderful day.

Richard

 

[Billy Red]

No problem. For a street bike the gsx-r shock is a bargain. Adjust it to fit your preference and don’t worry about what anyone else does. I also replaced the fork springs to eliminate the front end dive but some people may like the cushy ride better. Experiment and decide what you like-you can always return it to stock.

 

[Pmack]

The stock shock is 320mm eye to eye, the GSXR600/750 shocks are 315mm(measured on my CNC with a Renishaw probe). So you are -5mm on the shock length.
That makes a larger difference at the swing arm due to the linkage involved. I think it was about 10mm.
Flipping the stock upper mount is either +14 or 15mm(I don't have my notes in front of me).
A good friend that owns a suspension company said he starts with about 330mm shock length when he is setting up a N400. Most of the bikes he works with are race/track bikes and he is setting K-tech or Ohlins shocks to that length as a starting point.
Flipping the stock mount and going to the GSXR shock is the equivalent of a 329-330mm adjustable length shock chassis/geometry wise.
If you just swap the GSXR shock in without flipping the mount, I would recommend raising the forks in the triple clamps(dropping the front lower) to keep the bike from wanting to run wide.
My wife's bike has a 2020 GSXR750(lighter spring than the 600) rear, but the upper mount isn't flipped. The forks are set 35mm above the top triple clamp(not above the handlebar clamps).
I would not recommend dropping the front any further than that, as you could bottom the forks into the lower triple clamp!
My 400 has a stock flipped upper shock mount, 2014 GSXR600 shock, fork tubes set 28mm above the top triple clamp, and I run the taller 140/70 rear tire. It goes where I point it--- on the brakes, mid-corner, on the gas, it goes where I point it.
I have cartridge kits up front that are sprung for my weight, but the shock upgrade(along with raising the rear) was a much better bang for the buck upgrade than the $650 I spent on cartridges(Andreani) and Ohlins oil.
The damping rates on the GSXR shock are on the stiff side for me on the bumpy roads we have around here, but it works really well on the track. I drilled a second hole in my linkage(like @BMHS) that I use on the street.

I would recommend you read this if you haven't already:

Shock Swap w/cur gen GSX-R 600/750

 

[forundred]

The stock shock is 320mm eye to eye, the GSXR600/750 shocks are 315mm(measured on my CNC with a Renishaw probe). So you are -5mm on the shock length.
That makes a larger difference at the swing arm due to the linkage involved. I think it was about 10mm.
Flipping the stock upper mount is either +14 or 15mm(I don't have my notes in front of me).
A good friend that owns a suspension company said he starts with about 330mm shock length when he is setting up a N400. Most of the bikes he works with are race/track bikes and he is setting K-tech or Ohlins shocks to that length as a starting point.
Flipping the stock mount and going to the GSXR shock is the equivalent of a 329-330mm adjustable length shock chassis/geometry wise.
If you just swap the GSXR shock in without flipping the mount, I would recommend raising the forks in the triple clamps(dropping the front lower) to keep the bike from wanting to run wide.
My wife's bike has a 2020 GSXR750(lighter spring than the 600) rear, but the upper mount isn't flipped. The forks are set 35mm above the top triple clamp(not above the handlebar clamps).
I would not recommend dropping the front any further than that, as you could bottom the forks into the lower triple clamp!
My 400 has a stock flipped upper shock mount, 2014 GSXR600 shock, fork tubes set 28mm above the top triple clamp, and I run the taller 140/70 rear tire. It goes where I point it--- on the brakes, mid-corner, on the gas, it goes where I point it.
I have cartridge kits up front that are sprung for my weight, but the shock upgrade(along with raising the rear) was a much better bang for the buck upgrade than the $650 I spent on cartridges(Andreani) and Ohlins oil.
The damping rates on the GSXR shock are on the stiff side for me on the bumpy roads we have around here, but it works really well on the track. I drilled a second hole in my linkage(like @BMHS) that I use on the street.

I would recommend you read this if you haven't already:

Shock Swap w/cur gen GSX-R 600/750

Thank you Pmack - ( has a month gone by that fast??)

Can I just ask how come you went with Andreani, and not Race Tech cartridges/ emulators?
Are cartridges the same as emulators?


My lack of response for so long is not any indication of my grattitude - I have just been caught up in moving, job ending, buying a truck, finding out the truck I bought has a lot of rust..yada yada yada. I am quite excited for the potential this offers having experienced the difference with a cbr250r stock, and a cbr250r with an r6 shock. You took so much time on this post I feel I just had to write something - it's not just me you helped, many people after me will read this, and will take the time to "like" your post. One day I will help people too

 

[Pmack]

Thank you Pmack - ( has a month gone by that fast??)

Can I just ask how come you went with Andreani, and not Race Tech cartridges/ emulators?
Are cartridges the same as emulators?


My lack of response for so long is not any indication of my grattitude - I have just been caught up in moving, job ending, buying a truck, finding out the truck I bought has a lot of rust..yada yada yada. I am quite excited for the potential this offers having experienced the difference with a cbr250r stock, and a cbr250r with an r6 shock. You took so much time on this post I feel I just had to write something - it's not just me you helped, many people after me will read this, and will take the time to "like" your post. One day I will help people too

I wanted full cartridge kits, not emulators.
Andreani are the least expensive option for full cartridges($595). By the time you add the Ohlins oil, you are at $650.
Although Ohlins and Ktech are more well known in the USA, Andreani is huge in Europe and gaining ground here.
They come with springs for your weight and riding style too.

As far as the time I spent to post, it pales compared to the time I have spent reading detailed posts from others.
Life gets in the way of goofing with motorcycles sometimes!
There was an error in my post. The stock shock is actually 319.5 mm.