Penske triple question

[stangmx13]

I'm in the process of building my race bike and can't decided which Penske to get, the 8983 (double) or 8987 (triple). I'd have never considered getting the double over the triple until my tuner suggested it... and now i cant decide. His first thoughts were that I won't be racing at washboard tracks and will probably never touch the HS comp adjuster. I never touched the HS comp on my Ohlins last year and he only adjusted it once, adding to my indecision. and we all know Penske's hold their value well, etc etc.

so, how useful do you guys find high-speed compression adjustment? how often do u adjust it? It seems that a lot of guys around here run Penske's. anyone dissatisfied with their 8983 and wish they had splurged? anyone never touch the HS on their 8987 and wish they could have bought another rear tire instead?

posting here is my last ditch effort to validate my choice... and i gotta order the shock tmrw morning cuz WERA starts up again in 1month!!

 

[RickyRacer23]

I'm in the process of building my race bike and can't decided which Penske to get, the 8983 or 8987. I'd have never considered getting the double over the triple until my tuner suggested it... and now i cant decide. His first thoughts were that I won't be racing at washboard tracks and will probably never touch the HS comp adjuster. I never touched the HS comp on my Ohlins last year and he only adjusted it once, adding to my indecision. and we all know Penske's hold their value well, etc etc.

so, how useful do you guys find high-speed compression adjustment? how often do u adjust it? It seems that a lot of guys around here run Penske's. anyone dissatisfied with their 8983 and wish they had splurged? anyone never touch the HS on their 8987 and wish they could have bought another rear tire instead?

posting here is my last ditch effort to validate my choice... and i gotta order the shock tmrw morning cuz WERA starts up again in 1month!!

Back in the day before the Ohlins TTX, I used the high speed adjuster all the time. You can use it in multiple ways. Feedback and feel and on throttle bike attitude. If you know how to tune it then there are advantages. But just like anything, most people don't know how to tune stuff. My advise is don't be afraid to make changes and see what they do. Remember, if you don't make changes you won't find a better setting.

 

[EDR]

+1 ^^^^ well put. Like Ricky says "Play with it" at the trackday or such...try a few clicks and ride back to back...that way you can see what/where it affects. I too like the older ohlins over the ttx.

 

[TWF]

posting here is my last ditch effort to validate my choice... and i gotta order the shock tmrw morning cuz WERA starts up again in 1month!!

Depends on you and bike. It is still there just not adjustable.

 

[Spec-ECU]

If you can swing the 8987, go for it.

Better have it and not need it than...

 

[m54samrr]

I have the 8987 on my R6...never used the other model but from my perspective the adjustment helps. I change HS almost every afm round from track to track. Maybe it's mental or maybe its a feel thing. Whichever model you choose, keep your shock serviced(at a much sooner interval in a race environment...much more than you would even guess).

 

[EDR]

I'm in the process of building my race bike and can't decided which Penske to get, the 8983 (double) or 8987 (triple). I'd have never considered getting the double over the triple until my tuner suggested it... and now i cant decide. His first thoughts were that I won't be racing at washboard tracks and will probably never touch the HS comp adjuster. I never touched the HS comp on my Ohlins last year and he only adjusted it once, adding to my indecision. and we all know Penske's hold their value well, etc etc.

so, how useful do you guys find high-speed compression adjustment? how often do u adjust it? It seems that a lot of guys around here run Penske's. anyone dissatisfied with their 8983 and wish they had splurged? anyone never touch the HS on their 8987 and wish they could have bought another rear tire instead?

posting here is my last ditch effort to validate my choice... and i gotta order the shock tmrw morning cuz WERA starts up again in 1month!!

what bike you looking for?

As other said if you have the old Ohlins or the top line Penske you can adjust, but frankly most don't mess with the separate compression's. The "twin tube" type shocks like Ohlins TTX and K-Tech 35mm DDS shock dont seperate the compression BUT K-tech does have a (handy) bad ass low speed bypass valve. We use typically in wet races (not big deal in AFM) as it really helps out in those conditions, but its great to fine tune and try to see if you need to make bigger changes. Many guys i know in cold track am type conditions will open the bypass valve on the K-tech to just give it a bit better feel/soften up the valving. Pretty nice shock. I love that you dont have to hose clamp reservoir to the side of your bike also! The remote preload is great feature too as you can yourself come into hot pits during a session, think "i think i need more preload" reach back..crank in a turn or two and head back out to try... very nice feature.

K-Tech specs

http://www.k-tech.uk.com/feature.php?features_category_type=road&id=2392


If you want a quote on a K-Tech shock pm or email me for racer price.

 

[EDR]

I have the 8987 on my R6...never used the other model but from my perspective the adjustment helps. I change HS almost every afm round from track to track. Maybe it's mental or maybe its a feel thing. Whichever model you choose, keep your shock serviced(at a much sooner interval in a race environment...much more than you would even guess).

thats interesting... most i know of play with the low speed more than high (shock velocity) speed. But like you said, it for sure is a personal thing so if it works for you, then all the better

 

[TWF]

I love that you dont have to hose clamp reservoir to the side of your bike also!

Which shock you have to hose clamp it?

 

[TWF]

K-Tech 35mm DDS shock dont seperate the compression BUT K-tech does have a (handy) bad ass low speed bypass valve.

How that bad ass low speed valve works?

 

[m54samrr]

thats interesting... most i know of play with the low speed more than high (shock velocity) speed. But like you said, it for sure is a personal thing so if it works for you, then all the better

Interesting is a kind way of putting it , thank you ...Jason at JPH is always trying to get me to make large changes to "feel" the difference.

"give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime"

 

[EDR]

Which shock you have to hose clamp it?

most penske's! They have a FEW with billet reservoir brackets but many, CBR's, ZX, GSXR etc all remote reservoirs supplied with 2 hose clamps and 2 rubber spacers. Why you fishing? you know this.

also "Richard" the bypass is GREAT if you are on the grid and starts to rain (like it does 75% of the NW races!) a rider can reach down and open the bypass up and it really softens up the damping. you cant do that on a TTX. A triple penske you can, but you need a tool, so yeah its pretty bad ass to have a simple quick bypass valve adjustment.

 

[stangmx13]

practically unanimous for the triple already, nice.

i do agree w/ everyone say "play w/ it to find out how it feels". i love to adjust setup/damping as necessary. last year, no HS adjustments were mostly due to the fact that i had a limited number of sessions at new tracks. im still at the skill level, both riding and tuning, where i can only adjust one thing at a time so it takes longer. hopefully in 2013 ill have time to try more changes.

going on my new-to-me 09 CBR600RR. theres a small company called EvolTech that makes a cool bracket to hold the res that ill prob buy soon.

I'm getting the Penske over the Ohlins because the shock comes w/ the valving built for me. I like the valving my tuner put in the Ohlins PRC on me 04' CBR; him and Penske seem to agree on stacks and springrates. I will prob miss the hydraulic preload a little bit, but meh.

more than half the rounds for WERA West are at Autoclub or LVMS... it aint gonna rain

 

[TWF]

most penske's! They have a FEW with billet reservoir brackets but many, CBR's, ZX, GSXR etc all remote reservoirs supplied with 2 hose clamps and 2 rubber spacers. Why you fishing? you know this.

also "Richard" the bypass is GREAT if you are on the grid and starts to rain (like it does 75% of the NW races!) a rider can reach down and open the bypass up and it really softens up the damping. you cant do that on a TTX. A triple penske you can, but you need a tool, so yeah its pretty bad ass to have a simple quick bypass valve adjustment.

Not fishing, you can order penske either way. Personally I like hose because I can transfer shock easy.
You are service center for K-tech, I asked you how it works. You don't have to answer, I just like to know.

 

[EDR]

Here ya go. (the GSXR DID have a billet bracket reservoir on the penske but they kept breaking so now all remote/hose clamped) Nothing wrong with that, but to me i think it's silly to spend over $1,200 and have to hose clamp shxt to your bike. Never liked that. K-Tech and Ohlins dont. Plus i personally LOVE not having to have "special tool" (or a 5mm L-shaped allen key) to adjust preload...just turn the handle.

Penske CBR and ZX (Hose clamps)

and

K-Tech CBR and ZX (billet cylinder heads)

 

[EDR]

Not fishing, you can order penske either way. Personally I like hose because I can transfer shock easy.
You are service center for K-tech, I asked you how it works. You don't have to answer, I just like to know.

I LIKE PENSKE! I just dont like the hose clamp redneck set up on a $1,200+ shock/part!

Plus you CAN order with bracket on some, not many, very few..and again they tend to crack, we've fixed more than a few.

as for the bypass, its pretty self explanatory. It is basically a bleed for the damping. If you like i can have an actual suspension guy respond, i do the engines but trying to just help guy out, give him options is all.

 

[TWF]

So, you saying I can't buy piggy Penske any more?

 

[EDR]

wow do you even read Zoran??

"you CAN order with bracket on some, not many, very few"

where do i say you CANT buy piggy back??

please enlighten me since you are clearly here just to start shit instead of actually giving someone some info, help. Let me know if you CAN order a ZX6, ZX10, CBR1000, CBR600 Penske with piggy back from Penske..as you say "im curious"

Im sitting at urgent care awaiting so i got time to keep going if you wanna continue this tennis match of bs...

 

[TWF]

I am reading, you posting and me asking question. That is all to it, you can make it more if you want.
As far I know I can order pretty much any penske as piggy back, not just very few. If they stopped doing it I am not aware. Did they stop?
I never had K-tech in my hand and simply asked you how bypass works. If you don't have answer that is fine. I did not ask you to stir shit, you are doing that part pretty good
And yes, I do know about some brackets cracking. And replaced for free.

 

[stangmx13]

do u two really need to continue this....

if anyone has ordered a Penske w/ a piggyback for an 07-12 CBR600RR, go ahead and say so. ive never seen one, dont think they exist at this point, and dont rly care.