[bump909]

I've got a '97 F3 that I took ownership of a few months ago. Being somewhat new to riding, I'm not sure what to expect as far as the suspension is concerned.

First thing that got me worried was when I rode two-up with my wife (she is not a big girl by any means) and the rear sagged so bad I thought the rear tire was going to rub on the underside of the tail. The setting for the rear shock is cranked all the way to "hard" (is that the rebound or compression setting, maybe?) I bought it with it adjusted that way. I've also heard that the fork oil turns to mush on these bikes and that the oil should be changed.. although I wouldn't know if the oil needs replacing.

I'm assuming these are common symptoms of a tired suspension on an older sportsbike. All I want is a bike with a suspension that is somewhat up to snuff. I want to hang onto it for at least another year. Is it worth putting money into?

[gmdboston]

The F3 is a good bike, I can adjust the stock suspension to make it better, but if you really want it to be the best it can be you'll need to spend some money. A fork oil change won't hurt, but a revalve and respring is the way to go. There is not much that can be done with thte stock shock, I would replace it with a Penske or Ohlins. If you are on a tight budget, try Ebay.

[bump909]

thanks for the info Peter.. I just sent you a PM.

[akira700]

I got a new rear Ohlins (used on Ebay)
GMD installed it and just got new oil for the front.

Did wonders for handling...
Also I tweaked the front ride height
by loosening the triple clamp and letting
the bike drop a bit on the front shocks.
But drop it just a little at a time like
3-5 mm. You might need help doing this
as it will wanna just drop by gravity
all the way. Raising the rear will also quicken your steering.

Actually you dont say what the problem is.
Does it handle sluggish? Hard to turn?
For instance think of the differnce in riding a racing bicycle and your moms three speed old bike... The F3 can be adjusted to handle quick, but you dont want to go to far so that you end up compromising your stability. Pete (GMD) will get you set up if you want to spend some bucks. But worth every penny in the long run.

The two other mods that I think will give you big bang for your buck are:
1) new brake rotors and pads
(EBC Prolites and HH sintered pads)

2) new front sprocket that goes down
one tooth
(will give you much peppier pick up)

[OreoGitorio]

raising the front end in the tripples is alot easier w/ a front stand that lifts from the stem

i've got mine up about 10mm on my zx6r, but that's a different chasis than yours. do what feels right w/o increasing the instability TOO much (it'll tend to headshake more the further you raise the front end)

[gonzo6]

Originally posted by OreoGaborio
raising the front end in the tripples is alot easier w/ a front stand that lifts from the stem

i've got mine up about 10mm on my zx6r, but that's a different chasis than yours. do what feels right w/o increasing the instability TOO much (it'll tend to headshake more the further you raise the front end)

this thing about steers itself!

[OreoGitorio]

My bike? hehe... ya liked it, didn't ya Do the same to yours yet?

[gonzo6]

Originally posted by OreoGaborio
My bike? hehe... ya liked it, didn't ya Do the same to yours yet?

no way, i am very very escared.

[Hardcore]

PETE---HAPPY BIRTHDAY----ya old fart

[bump909]

hey, jack someone elses threads.. uh.. jackoffs!


there's nothing really wrong with my bike from what i can tell. i don't really have anything else to compare it to.

[OreoGitorio]

yer gonna be at the trackday next Thursday, right? Have someone take a look at it. I'm sure there will be more than one person willing to take a look, do some clicker adjustments & see how ya like it during the course of the day. We can play around w/ it between sessions. Set your sag, play w/ the comp & rebound settings, see if it's gettin worn out & needs a refresh (i'm sure it does, the oil will probably be SHOT)

[joberly]

Just another suggestion, if you are simply looking for a stock replacement and don't have the money for a penske or ohlins, you can grab an F4i shock and drop it right in. I did this to my F2 and it raised the tail a little bit which made the fall in a bit easier, and the shock came off a bike with only like 4k miles so it was still in great shape. I know the F4 shock isn't anything to drool over, but compared to an F2 shock with over 27k on it, it made a big difference!

[gmdboston]

Originally posted by hardcore
PETE---HAPPY BIRTHDAY----ya old fart

Today I qualify for Formula Forty......

[hessogood]

Originally posted by gmdboston
Today I qualify for Formula Forty......

Maybe you should push to have it replaced with formula 50, that way you can feel young again!

And happy birthday.

[gmdboston]

Originally posted by hessogood
Maybe you should push to have it replaced with formula 50, that way you can feel young again!

And happy birthday.

I'm not forty, I'm 18 with 22 years experience......

[OreoGitorio]

alright, ya old fahk, back on topic here, you're supposed to be helpin this dude w/ his bike

Turns out you're in luck, Bump... Pete's comin to the trackday so get in line & he can fudge w/ it in person

[bump909]

ah, crap.. i forgot to reply last night to ya oreo.. but i'm not going to the trackday on thursday. i think you got me confused with someone else.

[bump909]

pete (gmdboston).. thanks for the advice. i'm sure you'll be seeing me later this year or next spring.


joberly.. i've considered the f4i shock but i wasn't sure if it was a good thing to raise the back of my bike. i don't want to mess with the geomtry. did you need a new kickstand?