1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Catylst Reaction suspension vs others?

Discussion in 'General' started by This old Rz, Aug 20, 2020.

  1. This old Rz

    This old Rz Well-Known Member

    Hey I have a question, I was commenting on another post which made me think of this.
    I bought a 97 Suzuki GSXR SRAD awhile ago, and I was told was a former instructors bike at a track School. Anyways the suspension is set up by a company called (Catyltst Reaction) ..a few years ago now... I must say I'm a little dated but this is by far the best handling motorcycle I have ever ridden. I appreciate newer sportbikes but outside of an Aprilia they don't do anything for me and they all look the f****** same they just don't have a souls or individuality anymore.
    Anyways back to the topic... However I now have some leaking seals.. so I was going to get them replaced and then have a suspension shop reset everything to the settings on the that stickers that were applied to the bike from the suspension tuning company.
    So I called some local So. Cal companies that I will leave unnamed (but everybody knows them).... Both of them refuse to work on my bike unless I let them do things their way... and they did nothing but say bad things about the other company WTF? and told me my bike was all wrong and then it would probably be about $700 to fix the mistakes.
    I explained that there's nothing wrong with a bike it's utterly fantastic...and that it's a dream to ride... It's a bit harsh for the street..but me if it aint f*** if it ain't absolutely comforting and at speed handles like a laser to me.....
    But they both said... no, and instead of just getting my seals they wanted to do a whole enchilada of their stuff..... At what I feel is a ridiculous price.
    No thanks.....!
    Just wondering if anybody has used the Catalyst Reaction and what your thoughts are of them....
    Like I said the bike handles stunning to me.... We work stock shocks in the front some kind of lightweight discs conversion from a newer gen, and they rebuild the rear Fox twin clicker and set it up to their specs as well.
    I'm in southern California and their up north otherwise I would just take it to them...basically all I need is the damn fork seals you think that would be simple but apparently in 2020 it's like a needle in a haystack nobody seems to do the simple s**t anymore... Hell I used to be able to go to Cycle Gear and get my fork seals changed. I do it myself but the manual says I need some special tools I've got way too many projects to undertake this one.
    But let me know what's your opinions are and what is the difference between their setup versus the other headliners....I don't get it if it ain't broke and it works great... don't fix it is always been a good motto for me...
    I'm no stranger to mechanics/ engine builders and their egos....like you guys you probably roll your eyes listen to all the b***shit they spew out bad mouthing each other..... But this is new with me as far as suspension goes just never had a problem getting a bike worked on because of it
    Thanks for any replies in advance.
     
  2. SpeedyE

    SpeedyE Experimental prototype, never meant for production

    Catyltst Reaction is Dave Moss, I believe.
    JUst pull the forks/shock, box it up and send UPS/Fed-X to him, imho
     
    TurboBlew likes this.
  3. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    Dave is a solid dude and is at plenty of events & accessible.
     
    SpeedyE likes this.
  4. swetngblts

    swetngblts Well-Known Member

    Dave sold that company many years ago and is not affiliated with them
     
  5. swetngblts

    swetngblts Well-Known Member

    Zoran at TWF racing.
     
    RRP likes this.
  6. VFR#52

    VFR#52 Well-Known Member

    http://www.thermosman.com/
    I feel your pain.
    I have Srad front end on my F3 and ran into issues with nobody knows how to actually fix these forks without the high dollar internals.
    Had a chat with Mike and within 5 minutes he told me what was the problem.
    experience is key with older forks and i trust him completely and forks worked perfect after i got them back.
    The main problem is nobody know how to work on older forks and is still alive or doesn't own the company anymore as you are finding out.
    just call him.

    Steven
     
    cpettit likes this.
  7. StaccatoFan

    StaccatoFan My 13 year old is faster than your President

    +100000000000

    Thermosman

    He’s a certified card carrying badass and nobody knows suspension better.
     
    969, TurboBlew, cpettit and 1 other person like this.
  8. FourThreeSix

    FourThreeSix Well-Known Member

    I raced with Catalyst Reaction (Jim and Nickie, post-Moss) from 2015 to 2018. They do awesome work and I would not hesitate to work with them on anything I own. I consider them family. I can put you in touch with them if needed. If it's just a fork service, you can ship them up in a gun case and they could probably turn them within a week.
     
    code3ryder likes this.
  9. Numlock

    Numlock Well-Known Member

    If you know the fork oil weight and the amount that was used when set up by Catalyst then just find a local racer that has the tools needed to do the job and pay him to do it. Sounds like your forks are set and perfect as is so all you need is new fluid and new seals. Don’t cheap out on seals though.
     
  10. Evolution247

    Evolution247 Well-Known Member

    I've worked with Jim (post-Moss) on a few of my bikes and they were set up nicely. Most recently Jim worked on my 750 that was set up by another company (located in SoCal) and it was night and day difference. I've also had Moss work on my stuff and those bikes also handled like they were on rails. In either case, can't go wrong with either one of them.

    Perhaps see if/when Jim or Moss will be at Buttonwillow and make the trek there. They may be able to do it there.
     
  11. TWF2

    TWF2 2 heads are better than 1

    They are pretty much same as all other gsxr forks before big piston. I raced and won championship on stock forks with just revalve, no aftermarket parts other than springs. And Fox shock on rear.
     
  12. VFR#52

    VFR#52 Well-Known Member

    Yep but finding a suspension guy who actually knows how to work on these forks is super hard because all the new stuff is all the know anything about and never worked on these older forks.
    Mine have Ohlins valves in them and what was wrong was something nobody else could tell me but Mike.
    I'd been dealing with these forks for 4 yrs before Mike fixed them.
    The main issue is nobody has experience with these types of forks because the guys are retied or have passed away.
    And these fork have certain built in things that need to be addressed when working on them.
    I do all my own suspension work and know quite a bit about them.
    Mike actually told me what to look at and how to fix it without sending forks to him.
    So I sent them to him because he knows what he is doing on these older forks.
    I'm sure someone can throw seals in this guys forks.
    But I'd rather someone who knows how much fork oil it takes from experience to work on mine.
    Not many suspension guys will step up like Mike did with no reward or payment.
    I value that a lot and he did exactly what he said he would do.
    Best money I've spent on these forks.

    Steven
     
  13. TWF2

    TWF2 2 heads are better than 1

    They are as easy as it gets :)
    I do get it that now days they just want to swap cartridges.
     
  14. VFR#52

    VFR#52 Well-Known Member

    After trying to figure out why they didn't work right and talking to a few suspension guys.
    I quickly found out that they wanted to sell me some new stuff and that they had no clue how to fix what I had.
    And I'm not putting 2000$ forks on a 200$ motorcycle.
    Mike definitely taught me something.
    That alone was worth trusting him and having him fix anything else I missed.
    4 yrs I had been dealing with the same issues.
    What's that worth to a racer?
    Priceless to me.

    Steven
     
  15. wsmc42

    wsmc42 Well-Known Member

    If you are in Socal, do you know Randy Acevado? He was one of the resident suspension tuners for many years at Chuckwalla among other places. He knows his stuff. i think he is still doing suspension stuff. You can DM me and I will get you his number if you want to talk to him.
     
    VFR#52 likes this.

Share This Page