Guy's I've got an Honda CBR600 F4i and I've got some questions about ride height adjustments. I've read on a couple of strings about people raising the rear height of there F4i's by using shims and a couple where people use the ride height adjusters on there Penske or Ohlins shock. From what I understand people who use shims place a 4-5 mm piece of aluminum with a hole or several washers between the top of the stock shock and the frame. People who use the ride height adjustment of there Penske or Ohlins shock generally lengthen the shock by 10-12 mm. I guess my real question is how can a 4mm shim equate to a 10mm longer shock??? Also are these good numbers??? Thanks John
Most likely they are doing both. Most people that I know are lifting both the front and rear of that bike up.
I raced a '01 F4i last year and the setup for me (5'9" and 150lbs w/o gear) was about 10mm of ride height on the penske. Traxxion did my forks and told me the F4's like alot of ride height in the rear. The bike performed very well with this setup.
ride heights Well that is true...if you don't raise the rear of the F4 or F4i's they ride like a couch. I had designed a aluminum spacer that was slotted and was 4mm thick that slid under the top shock mount and the frame. This was designed for those with stock shocks. This would change the rear ride height by about 10mm overal. The penske I had on, I raised it 8mm eye to eye. The linkage may have been effected differently using either way and may have led to different measurements. As for the front I lowered by about 10mm. The bike handled on rails and I could put it on any line I wanted...outside inside it didn't matter.
Something odd I encountered was that the shock post (or whatever you want ot call it) on my 02 F4I allowed me to place about an 8 mm shim and still get the full width of the nut back on. However, we were going to do the same with an 01 an the top post was considerable shorter. Not sure why Honda would bother to change it .
by no means am i an expert, but i shimmed mine w/3 washers (= 6 mm), and it made the ride height considerably taller. it feels much more comfortable. if you do this, make sure to buy the RED loctite and don't be shy about using it all over the little bit of bolt you have left sticking out of the frame.
Thanks guys! This information will help out a great deal! I'm currently using my stock rear shock and I have made several shims to try 3-6 mm. I also have lowered the front or raised the tubes fork tubes by 4mm. I figured this would be a good set up to start with. I have an Ohlins shock being rebuilt by Traxxion as well. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be able to give it a try and give you guys an up date. Thanks again. John
