stinga
Tuned and Synch'ed
G'day All,
Well I finally got around to installing the suspension kit that I purchased off Izzy, at Suspensions R Us in Seaford Victoria Australia, about 2 1/2 years ago, also the K & L Lift previously best thing motorbike money can be spent on. The kit comprises of Matris Fork Cartridge Kit F20K up front and in the rear a Wilbers Racing shock with hydraulic pre load, slow and high speed compression and rebound adjustments and all set up with the correct springs for my weight and riding needs.
Some might think this is a bit of over kill, shit its only a Guzzi more of a Broadsword than a Scalpel, but after a couple of trips away fully loaded up for camping and with the wife on board this thing was dangerous. Also after dismantling the OME front fork cartridges and seeing how cheaply and flimsy they are made, all the more reason to replace them so now its more of an Hunting knife or better.
The reason it's taken so long to fit this great kit is that during that time I've had a job switch and moved home plus the new home never had a shed.
Well we have finally got the shed up and running and I've finally caught up with all the new move jobs around the house so now is the time for the Guzzi to get some much needed surgery.
My Italian Mistress with her legs up in the air
The first problem encountered, it's a bit hard to see in this and the following foto but once the cartridge bolt is tightened up I could move the cartridge back and forth about 5 mm
These 2 following shots show the home made spring compressor made up with a road sign connecting bracket, now don't forget a bit of string threaded up through the spacer to pull up the dampening rod, don't know why the fotos are rotated they are not like that on my computer
The operating table, Nurse more suction and wipe my brow please
Right side showing hydraulic preload, Left side showing remote canister and both high and low compression adjustments screws
Cartridge bolt that had to be shortened
Guzzi POS on the left, Matris on the right
I think this is pretty obvious which is which
After the first ride on a known piece of road down my way called the Warner Glen Rd, now this road is a real back country tar cow country road with heaps of sharp rises like tree roots under the tar, bridge joints, whoopdy do's simular to motocross ones but not as exaggerated and off camber bumpy corners, you could feel the chassis taking all the suspension jarring simular to having your tyres set at 100psi plus its very uncomfortable. Now you can still do 100 to 120 ks on this 20k stretch off road but it's like riding a bronco bull so to counter this I have backed off the high speed compression from 14 clicks to 17 clicks on the Wilbers and also backed off the compression on the forks from 20 clicks to 22 clicks.
To say that this suspension set up works is an understatement, I can now do easily and comfortably in excess of 120ks and corner speed has jumped up 30 to 40 ks higher than previously, cant wait to see how it goes once loaded up for the next camping trip.
Already got the full Guzzitech fueling upgrade now all I need is Todd's 1400 big bore kit, cams and to lose some weight off this thing and it will definitely scary the pants of them DeadCatty riders LOL
Well I finally got around to installing the suspension kit that I purchased off Izzy, at Suspensions R Us in Seaford Victoria Australia, about 2 1/2 years ago, also the K & L Lift previously best thing motorbike money can be spent on. The kit comprises of Matris Fork Cartridge Kit F20K up front and in the rear a Wilbers Racing shock with hydraulic pre load, slow and high speed compression and rebound adjustments and all set up with the correct springs for my weight and riding needs.
Some might think this is a bit of over kill, shit its only a Guzzi more of a Broadsword than a Scalpel, but after a couple of trips away fully loaded up for camping and with the wife on board this thing was dangerous. Also after dismantling the OME front fork cartridges and seeing how cheaply and flimsy they are made, all the more reason to replace them so now its more of an Hunting knife or better.
The reason it's taken so long to fit this great kit is that during that time I've had a job switch and moved home plus the new home never had a shed.
Well we have finally got the shed up and running and I've finally caught up with all the new move jobs around the house so now is the time for the Guzzi to get some much needed surgery.
My Italian Mistress with her legs up in the air
The first problem encountered, it's a bit hard to see in this and the following foto but once the cartridge bolt is tightened up I could move the cartridge back and forth about 5 mm
These 2 following shots show the home made spring compressor made up with a road sign connecting bracket, now don't forget a bit of string threaded up through the spacer to pull up the dampening rod, don't know why the fotos are rotated they are not like that on my computer
The operating table, Nurse more suction and wipe my brow please
Right side showing hydraulic preload, Left side showing remote canister and both high and low compression adjustments screws
Cartridge bolt that had to be shortened
Guzzi POS on the left, Matris on the right
I think this is pretty obvious which is which
After the first ride on a known piece of road down my way called the Warner Glen Rd, now this road is a real back country tar cow country road with heaps of sharp rises like tree roots under the tar, bridge joints, whoopdy do's simular to motocross ones but not as exaggerated and off camber bumpy corners, you could feel the chassis taking all the suspension jarring simular to having your tyres set at 100psi plus its very uncomfortable. Now you can still do 100 to 120 ks on this 20k stretch off road but it's like riding a bronco bull so to counter this I have backed off the high speed compression from 14 clicks to 17 clicks on the Wilbers and also backed off the compression on the forks from 20 clicks to 22 clicks.
To say that this suspension set up works is an understatement, I can now do easily and comfortably in excess of 120ks and corner speed has jumped up 30 to 40 ks higher than previously, cant wait to see how it goes once loaded up for the next camping trip.
Already got the full Guzzitech fueling upgrade now all I need is Todd's 1400 big bore kit, cams and to lose some weight off this thing and it will definitely scary the pants of them DeadCatty riders LOL