basketkase Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 Hi everyone! I bought my 2015 FJ-09 in the middle of this summer and almost immediately (within a week or 2) ordered a full fork/shock kit from Matt after reading that suspension was the best first mod to make. I want to leave a review to help others who deciding if it’s worth the cost. Part 1: Forks by Matt service I ordered my kit through Ebay, and once I sent my forum username, Matt sent me a PM here to get the details he needed. He needed to know my weight with gear and what kind of riding I do. Initially I wanted the NIX-30 Street forks with the NTR2 rear shock. Matt was able to ship the forks right away and I got them in less than a week. The shock was a different story, after a month of waiting for Nitron to fulfill the order he came back to me and gave me the option of switching to an Ohlins 535 which he did have in stock. Throughout this time I was getting more and more nervous, but Matt was responsive and gave me details for why the order was delayed which I really appreciated. Overall, dealing with Matt was a great experience, he clearly wants to give you the best outcome possible even under less than ideal conditions. Part 2: The upgrade itself When I received the fork cartridges I took them and the bike to a shop to have them install it, they charged me about 4 hours of labor to install them. I rode the bike for a month before installing the shock and I can say that having just the forks done is a bit of a weird experience. The front end feels planted and turn in is great, but then through a turn the back by comparison feels like it’s all over the place. I eventually received the 535 shock and decided to install it myself. With just the center stand and some thin pieces of wood to prop up the rear wheel I was able to get it installed. The hardest part was getting the holes to line up for the bottom mount of the shock, it's good to have an extra set of hands here. I have to say, I’m really happy I ended up with the 535, it comes with a really nice mounting piece for the reservoir and RPA where the NTR2 comes with basically a hose clamp... Having both the front and rear installed the bike immediately felt more balanced and stable. Some of the posts here have said it’s a night and day, world changing difference. I don’t think it’s that dramatic but it does feel “better” to me. My favorite part of having these parts is the adjust-ability, when I change the rebound by one click on the shock, I can actually feel the difference when the rear recovers from bumps, and the same for compression. I love tinkering, and it’s really fun to have some new knobs and dials to play with on the bike. If I had to do this all over again I might save the money on the forks and get just the re-valving kit with springs for the front. I do like having those extra adjustments though... Hopefully this helps others make a decision! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member betoney Posted October 8, 2018 Supporting Member Share Posted October 8, 2018 Having both the front and rear installed the bike immediately felt more balanced and stable. Some of the posts here have said it’s a night and day, world changing difference. I don’t think it’s that dramatic but it does feel “better” to me. My favorite part of having these parts is the adjust-ability, when I change the rebound by one click on the shock, I can actually feel the difference when the rear recovers from bumps, and the same for compression. I love tinkering, and it’s really fun to have some new knobs and dials to play with on the bike. If I had to do this all over again I might save the money on the forks and get just the re-valving kit with springs for the front. I do like having those extra adjustments though... Hopefully this helps others make a decision! With upgraded suspension, its amazing how much of a difference 1-2 clicks can make. I have the suspension upgraded on both my FJ and my YZ250 dirt bike, I always ride with a straight slot screwdriver and if the situation calls for it, I pull over and give it a little tweak. You said the difference isnt "night and day" but it is "better", in my experience when the pace picks up and you really start pushing the bike, the better it works. Tearing through some long, fast sweepers at 100+ and the bike is cutting a line like a surgeons scalpel, I'm usually giggling in my helmet thinking, "OMG, this suspension is AMAZING!!" ***2015 Candy Red FJ-09*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted October 8, 2018 Supporting Member Share Posted October 8, 2018 "...in my experience when the pace picks up and you really start pushing the bike, the better it works. Tearing through some long, fast sweepers at 100+ and the bike is cutting a line like a surgeons scalpel, I'm usually giggling in my helmet thinking, "OMG, this suspension is AMAZING!!" This. The more spirited the pace, the more obvious the difference becomes... my bike it settled, stable, and 100% predictable at speeds that had the stock suspension completely overwhelmed. There’s a shockingly competent sport bike lurking in there; you just have to spend some $$ to find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketkase Posted October 8, 2018 Author Share Posted October 8, 2018 So what you're saying is... I should definitely plan a track day on the bike to really see the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted October 8, 2018 Supporting Member Share Posted October 8, 2018 So what you're saying is... I should definitely plan a track day on the bike to really see the difference? I would highly recommend it. That said, the irony is that I haven’t had mine on the track. I still have my 636 track bike, and I retired from my side gig as a track day instructor just before I bought the FJ. So now I actually have to pay for my track time... oh, the horror! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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