Jump to content

Nitron Rear Suspension Upgrade


guernsey70

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 34
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Voodoo, How do you like your nitron?
I am in USA, California where did you order from/
Is install possible for a less than average home mechanic?
RC
I ordered mine directly from Nitron UK website but I suppose you can get yours from Nitron USA.   
As for the installation, the top mounting bolt came off easily with just one (19mm?) socketed wrench with extension, the bolt wouldn't spin on itself as your loosen it; the bolt head was slotted into a slit.  Fitting the new shock to top mounting took a bit of fiddling and we had someone holding the piggyback and HPA so they would not bang around.      
 
We tackled the bottom mounting bolt directly at the shock mounting point.  There was very little room to turn a standard size 19mm wrench and we ended up cutting a perfectly good one in half so that we could work on the bolt.  We later figured that the proper way could be first loosening the 2 linkage bolts so that lower mounting bolt would be more accessible. 
 
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member
Voodoo, How do you like your nitron?
I am in USA, California where did you order from/
Is install possible for a less than average home mechanic?
RC
I ordered mine directly from Nitron UK website but I suppose you can get yours from Nitron USA.   
As for the installation, the top mounting bolt came off easily with just one (19mm?) socketed wrench with extension, the bolt wouldn't spin on itself as your loosen it; the bolt head was slotted into a slit.  Fitting the new shock to top mounting took a bit of fiddling and we had someone holding the piggyback and HPA so they would not bang around.      
 
We tackled the bottom mounting bolt directly at the shock mounting point.  There was very little room to turn a standard size 19mm wrench and we ended up cutting a perfectly good one in half so that we could work on the bolt.  We later figured that the proper way could be first loosening the 2 linkage bolts so that lower mounting bolt would be more accessible. 
 

Seems someone around here wrote a how-to for a Penske that should have worked. amazon_zpsfidrgfkm.gif 
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
Bikes:
2015 FJ-09, Seat Concepts seat cover and foam, Cal Sci medium screen, rim stripes, factory heated grips, Cortech Dryver tank bag ring, Modified stock exhaust, FlashTune with Graves fuel map, Cree driving lights, Aux power socket.
2012 Street Triple type R (Wifes)
2007 FJR1300 (Sold!)
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Voodoo, How do you like your nitron?
I am in USA, California where did you order from/
Is install possible for a less than average home mechanic?
RC
Rogerc, 
I am really happy with the rear suspension which allows me to dial-in the setting exactly to my liking, instead of a being in a state of compromise with the stock unit.   The harshness over pot holes and speed bumps are subdued, squatting under acceleration is well controlled and the bike is much more stable over bumpy corners.  The rear suspension upgrade is not as dramatic as a fork upgrade (i.e. to Ohlins fork kit), but it is still very noticeably better than stock.  
 
The shock came with ready-to-ride setting, the low speed compression and preload do not need fine tuning (I fiddled with them a bit but went back to stock setting), the rebound and high speed compression are both 1 click back from stock.   The hydraulic preload adjuster is setup to my exact ride weight and can only be adjusted upward - that precludes any weight loss program I have planned for XD.
 
 
         
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Probably going to order Traxxion AK 20's and their Penske shock in the next couple of weeks. RC
I also gave Penske a thought but I could never understand why they choose to mount the piggyback on the mainframe below where the knee is placed:-/.   
The Nitron piggyback is mounted the way just as I want it: i.e. on the passenger footrest which allow on-the-fly access toolless compression damping adjustment and it is out of the way with a cleaner look imho.  
 
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member
Probably going to order Traxxion AK 20's and their Penske shock in the next couple of weeks. RC
I also gave Penske a thought but I could never understand why they choose to mount the piggyback on the mainframe below where the knee is placed:-/.   
The Nitron piggyback is mounted the way just as I want it: i.e. on the passenger footrest which allow on-the-fly access toolless compression damping adjustment and it is out of the way with a cleaner look imho.  
 

I had to fabricate my own bracket for my Penske, but also mounted the piggyback behind the passenger footrest.4048820.jpg 
4048821.jpg
 
 
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member
I also gave Penske a thought but I could never understand why they choose to mount the piggyback on the mainframe below where the knee is placed:-/.   
The Nitron piggyback is mounted the way just as I want it: i.e. on the passenger footrest which allow on-the-fly access toolless compression damping adjustment and it is out of the way with a cleaner look imho.  
 

I had to fabricate my own bracket for my Penske, but also mounted the piggyback behind the passenger footrest.
Nice job!  Looks very clean!
 
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Voodoo, Do you know if that set up will work with the hard Yamaha bags? They use a cross support about where the reservoir and adjust seem to be mounted.
2015 Grey FJ09 with a few tweaks, 2007 HD Street Glide - Good Bike + Good Friends = Good Day.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
I also gave Penske a thought but I could never understand why they choose to mount the piggyback on the mainframe below where the knee is placed:-/.   
The Nitron piggyback is mounted the way just as I want it: i.e. on the passenger footrest which allow on-the-fly access toolless compression damping adjustment and it is out of the way with a cleaner look imho.  
 

I had to fabricate my own bracket for my Penske, but also mounted the piggyback behind the passenger footrest.
Did you ask for a longer hose on your Penske in order to install it behind the passenger footrest? Where did you order it from? 
 
2008 Street Triple G
2015 FJ-09
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Voodoo, Do you know if that set up will work with the hard Yamaha bags? They use a cross support about where the reservoir and adjust seem to be mounted.
I can't say for sure as I don't have side cases, but I doubt there is any clearance problem as the reservoir bottle and HPA are tucked away and their mounting locations are far from the luggage mount.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 11 months later...
I had to fabricate my own bracket for my Penske, but also mounted the piggyback behind the passenger footrest.
Did you ask for a longer hose on your Penske in order to install it behind the passenger footrest? Where did you order it from? 

I'm just saying.............. 
 
gold.jpg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×