playersnoopy Posted September 3, 2017 Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 So 2 days after level 4 (CSS and lvls 1-4 done within a 4 week period; and the only track/school experience I have) I went to the Tail of the Dragon in NC; on my stock 2012 Honda CBR600RR and managed to experience what could only be my rear squatting. Literally I steer into the turn and I'm at a lean then felt the rear sit down into the turn and the bike would pretty much go straight at lean; feeling like the rear just would not come around; the tail of the dragon is mostly banked turns making everyone seem like a pro but definitely doesn't help if your suspension isn't set up. Now I ride mainly street and prior to CSS no where close to riding "hard" or corner all that well (apparently; so I learned) and suspension settings were a non issue even at stock settings. Was it possible to outgrow one's stock suspension just after 4 CSS classes? Apart from having the incorrect settings to begin with I would have to say yes. I do know my cornering speed increased significantly from lvl 2 to lvl 4 on average by 20% based on my personal footage with gps speeds. We bandaged the suspension for the time being but with such little adjustments on the CBR my rebound is all the way out atm. Maybe I'm wrong and had nothing to do w/ my suspension but afterwards I was good to go for the weekend ride in NC. Do people experience outgrowing suspension after CSS especially those going from average street rider to attending CSS? (Mind you my weight is near the max for the CBR600RR with gear) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted September 3, 2017 Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 Yes, it certainly is possible that your change in corner speed has outgrown your stock suspension, and it sounds very likely, based on your description. It's incredible how much difference an upgraded suspension can make in the bike's handling and in the rider's confidence, due to better feel and more predictable handling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybird180 Posted September 4, 2017 Report Share Posted September 4, 2017 You may wish to do some searching in the bike specific forums (600rr.net and or cbrforums.com) to find out if the 2012 was one of the years that Honda cheaped out on the suspension and it's one of the models where the rebound doesn't work. But if you're at max on Preload then a new spring is first order of business. I found after CSS my riding position went rearward and if that also was your case then you may find the spring is indeed all sprung out. I did a full suspension on my 06 CBR1000RR and also my 2002 CBR600F4i and it needn't cost an arm and leg. Be careful with accepting advice from people not paying the bill though. The shocks used on the Unit Pro Link do not offer any ride height adjustments but some models can be shimmed if you need to steepen the static geometry. I've got build threads on cbrforum for my F4i if you'd like to see what I did and on 1000rr.net; same username and avatar. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khp Posted September 4, 2017 Report Share Posted September 4, 2017 My first question: what's the mileage on that shock? - It appears that most OEM shocks are not designed to last much longer than 20-25K miles, before the damping oil has deteriorated so much that there is no damping left. One option is to get a used aftermarket shock that can be renovated (and tuned to your weight/riding style). If it was an old bike this might have been your only option for upgrading the shock, as many aftermarket companies stop producing for older generations. Most aftermarket shocks (Öhlins, Penske, WP etc) can be renovated for USD100-150. I'm not in the US, so I'm not sure of the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybird180 Posted September 5, 2017 Report Share Posted September 5, 2017 ...and there's this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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