Just want to get some input on what to do. I have a 04 gsxr 600. want to redo my suspention with either Ohlins 20mm or 25mm? I'm just getting into racing but plan to race it untill I move up to expert. I will be puttig on the Ohlins rear shock at the same time.
IMO get the 20mm. A "true" novice will not be able to fully take advantage of 25mm forks. If monry is/was no object then getting the 25mm would be the way to go.
What problem are you fixing by doing either? I rode an 05 GSXR600 at Tally a couple of years ago w. a stock front end, and I thought it worked pretty good. I wouldn't rush out and buy fork valving unless there was a specific problem I was encountering that would be fixed w. the 20mm kit.
Obviously the 25mm are better and trust me they are awesome...With that said a good 20mm set up works very well and on that old of a bike, I wouldn't spend the money on a 25mm set up when a new bike (to be competitive) will be in your future.
Why are they obviously better? Granted this is hardly a representative sample, but the LOC guys had a hell of a time getting the 25mm kitted forks to work as well as the 20mm ones on the B bike...I don't thing they ever did accomplish it.
from riding back to back bikes with the 20mm vs the 25mm set ups, I personally like the 25's much better and so did the other rider. 2 places we could feel the obvious difference were going through the carousel at summit and turn 10. The 25mm shod bike would eat up the rough areas and felt planted. The 20mm kit felt good, but you could feel the bike "skipping" across the rough spots on the track. It worked and we could still keep a good pace, but the 25's inspired confidence if nothing else. Have you tried the 25's Dave? I don’t really go from 3rd party info anymore. Every one I am sure has a story about someone who says they like the 20mm kits better. I have tried both set ups on the same bike, both ohlins kits, both set up my thermosman and the 25's work allot better. Also it seemed with the 20mm set up, at different tracks I was chasing set up allot longer then I did with the 25mm set up. Few clicks here and there and the 25's were ready to go. They are that good.
I wasn't arguing that they're good or not...I was just wondering how they were obviously better. I haven't owned them, but I have ridden I TL1000R with Ohlins 25mm kit installed back-to-back with Jason Coleman's stock forked TLR, set up by T-Man, and I liked the OEM valving better. Obviously lots and lots and lots of people like the 25mm kit...I was just pointing out that "it's obviously better" w. no context might be a bit of a stretch is all.
I have an 04 GSXR600 and have Ohlins front internals valving to replace the stock valving with an Ohlins rear shock. I beleive Geoff May had approx the same setup the same year and was on rails then. If you really really want to spend the money on a cartridge kit I would say go for it but I don't think you will see any marked improvement over what I currently have. When I planned on "getting into racing" I had a 1990 FZR600 with no fork oil in it sprung for a 112lb midget with a Fox Shock with little or nitrogen pressure in it and I was just fine.
I understand that, but I think we can assume that he wasn't considering OEM TLR valving for his new bike
having just put the 25 kit on my bike, and having the 20mm stuff on my old bikes, i'll have to say, WOW. The 25 def. feels MUCH more planted and plush. Did i go faster? Not yet (only rode it one weekend), but i could tell a huge difference, and i was turning my race times at a trackday which im usually a second or two off of when just doing a trackday. Having said that, ive had the 20mm stuff for the last 5 years, and have been EXTREMELY happy with it. If youre just getting started in the sport, i'd def. say get the forks worked, but go with the 20mm stuff. Till you get more experienced, IMO, it wouldnt be worth the xtra $$$ for you.
So going by your theory, your 25mm stuff should be worth 2-3 seconds at race pace? That's tremendous!
oh, VERY confidence inspiring. :up: VERY VERY. Afterall, its my opinion that going fast is 80% confidence and 20% machinery.
I had the 25 mm kit on my R1 this past year and it was great. I would argue that although you might not go faster on that kit, it might just give you the superior feedback you need in order to prevent a crash, which is enough incentive alone for me.
