[coreyvwc]

I went my local sport bike tuning shop today http://www.leescycle.com/ to get my suspension adjusted and came away with some things to think about. At some point in the next year or so I plan to the suspension re-valved/re-sprung so I asked what they thought about it.

Basically they said that the front could greatly benefit from the setup but not rear because the shock is basically crap. More or less that I'd be wasting my time trying to redo the rear, so just get an adjustable penske, elka, ect... The place has great reputation here in socal so I doubt they're just trying to sell me more stuff.

Has anyone else come across this before?

 

[nelsonvr6]

i would argue against that. most people say it a decent shock. i've spoken to traxxion dynamics, race tech and gp suspension. the basic opinion was the shock is pretty good if the valves, shims and spring are done to fit you. if you do a lot of track days and are very fast you could argue that you need a penske ($775 and up) or just stick to stock with a revalve, shims and spring ($400 or so). they all sell aftermarket shocks and could make money suggesting i get one but again they said if i'm not a fast track guy i could stick with the worked stock shock. you could just convince yourself you need a penske.

 

[old blue]

How/where do you ride?

I don't believe that the rear shock is necessarily worse or better than any standard rear shock. As standard, the spring is too stiff for many lighter riders, and the rising rate is very harsh - it goes from soft to almost solid through just a few inches of travel when you hit a bump or pothole.

It's easy enough to get a spring matched to your weight, and suspension plates such as the legendary [FLUX] plates work miracles on the rising rate. Not sure if [FLUX] still has any, but last I looked Sparker was getting together a group build/buy on something similar.

I still have the standard spring but have fitted [FLUX] plates and they have made a world of difference. I do a bit of sport riding on the road, but mostly track, fast group.

O.B

 

[tooblekain]

Based on your avatar picture I would make the jump to get a decent rear shock. Take advantage of the Group Buy going on for the Elkas held by Falcolion. I did a couple years ago and got a KILLER deal on a 3 way adjustable clicker.

 

[MacBandit]

On the 2008 and older the stock rear shock on the Daytona has horrible rebound damping. At anything but full damping it has too little and at full it has too much. The stock shock should be replaced or revalved for sure but honestly you can pick up a better shock typically for the price of revalving.

 

[Logans08Daytona675]

If you are not 200+ pounds the rear shock IS WAY TO STIFF..... My co-worker at ASV has a good buddy at Race Tech and he called for me. I am 150lbs before gear. Race Tech recommends that I go from a stock spring which is a 12.0 Weight down to a 9.0 (I have been around here long enough and understand suspension pretty well and I can tell you the 675 is WAY to Stiff....

It really effects how the bike handles especially when apexing corners. If it to stiff it's making the tires work way to hard causing to much rigidity. If the front end is to stiff you are going to snow plow into corners which will make you loose the front end.

 

[banjo8]

What i was told by my local suspension shop was yes, the stock shock is too stiff. If you Race Tech it for $400 - $500, you're good to go. If you spend the extra money on a Penske, it can be easily and cheaply modified to fit the next bike you want to put it on. So theoretically you could buy one Penske for your riding career.

 

[umicheng]

If you are not 200+ pounds the rear shock IS WAY TO STIFF..... My co-worker at ASV has a good buddy at Race Tech and he called for me. I am 150lbs before gear. Race Tech recommends that I go from a stock spring which is a 12.0 Weight down to a 9.0 (I have been around here long enough and understand suspension pretty well and I can tell you the 675 is WAY to Stiff....

It really effects how the bike handles especially when apexing corners. If it to stiff it's making the tires work way to hard causing to much rigidity. If the front end is to stiff you are going to snow plow into corners which will make you loose the front end.

Hey Logan - you run a 9.0 for a while now? How's it worked for you? Proper tire wear? Is that Track+Street? Or just Street?

I'm uber paranoid right now as I threw on a 8.5...im reading everywhere that that could be too soft or that could be just right. I hate how suspension is so varied and opinionated....*sigh

Taking into account that note....a popular suspension guy out here in the Northeast, has a strong history with our 675s. He's noted to me that the 09+ shocks (+ Hi/Lo settings) is a HUGE improvement over the 06-08 shocks. When I picked up an 07 for the track, he 100% recommended me upgrading and picking up a 09+ shock.

I can mention from my experience + buddies that have swapped only their springs, that its a tremendous difference in terms of riding and safety as well. If anything, get that done. In the end, all this suspension upgrades is basically what you can afford. I wouldn't say 06-08 shocks are useless, I know plenty of crazy fast riders running them 100% stock.