[triumphtimes]

OK, recently, very recently I bought an 06 955 and really not having had a chance to really ride it, I had a chance to take it out for a spin while it was about 70 degrees today. While riding it I was kind of thinking about all of the posts I read where people complain about the stock suspension. I laughed to myself thinking about this for several reasons. One because I've been riding a stock RS for five years and a stock Daytona is light years ahead of it. Two, we are talking about a 9k production bike. For that kind of money what you get is suspension that gets you way more fun than is allowable by law. These aren't 1/4 million dollar GP bikes and won't handle like them and for all practical purposes are designed for road use by average people and they do a pretty darn good job, especially for 9k.
So I rode my RS for a few years and learned it. Got used to the way it handles or doesn't and know where it's limits are. I know the bike inside and out and like to work on it myself. I'd actually become somewhat decent at riding it for what it is, try a 70 Triumph tiger if you want poor suspension. Any way, what really got me thinking about this was I talked to a guy yesterday that owns an MV augusta and does a lot of track days. He was telling me how wonderful the bike is and how one day on the track this vintage racer shows up on an old Norton and kicks his and most everyone else's a** on the track. I guess my point is that no matter how much one spends on suspension or how much one complains about the cheap stock suspension, it really isn't the suspension at all.
Back to the RS/daytona, I rode a nice curvey road on the daytona today that when on the RS I could at the very limits do 70-80mph, which is way to fast or safe for this road. On the daytona 90ish was not even pushing the bike to it's limit and I thought how much more fun do I really need and is effortless really more fun? I think maybe a lot of us have fallen into a plug and play frame of mind and that if we can't have the best immediate results we can't have fun, which is totally not true. There are days when I ride a 1965 250 Ducati at 50 MPH and it is far more fun through the twisties nearly bouncing itself off of the road and being so close to the ground than the Daytona is at 90 smooth and on rails. For me it is the challenge of learning the bike for what it is and how it was built. Once that is accomplished then I will move on to something better.
I understand that if someone is into track days or racing the better suspension may be a personal must. As a matter of fact since I now have an extra newer bike I've just started thinking of putting a slightly better front end on my six year old RS for an occassion track day so I can enjoy or fear that experience, night and day difference I'm sure. Track or not, I can't help but think about the vintage races that go on all over this country, the crappy suspension they run and the old Norton that out rode the MV and a lot of other top notch high dollar bikes. Sorry to ramble, not meaning to push any buttons and this is purely my personal opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it-0.00

 

[toesnose]

I totally agree.We have been sucked into a terrible advertising one-upmanship by all these bike mags and all the hype that follows new model sales , no fair , I think I only know 2 or 3 people who can actually ride these liter bikes or 600's for that matter like they should be ridden , I say get on your bike ,. learn your bike and enjoy it till you can ride the wheels off it before dropping all that cash on suuuupppurb upgrades , then only will you feel the difference !! :razz:

 

[doodledog]

TRUE :-D :-D

 

[lee955i]

The only reason I did the front of my Daytona was for the track. Running out of spring is no fun when contemplating turn in.
It all depends on your weight, really. If you're too heavy, even on the street, weepy or waaay to stiff springs can lead to dangerous situations.
Cheers, Lee S.

 

[Guest]

Yeah, the frontspring is way too soft... also considering to change rear... :hammer: My weight 75kg's

[ This message was edited by: wizard11 on 2006-11-13 14:07 ]

 

[Brooksie]

Not to say the Daytona has anything wrong with it, just would like to get some improvement. I agree the bike has very good suspension and I do not use it for track days. It's just that my Bonnie tracks better over bumpies than the Daytona after upgrading springs and shocks from the budget stuff that was on it. If upgrades can do to the Daytona what it did for the Bonnie, the handling would be even better. The Ohlins rear looks tempting, but unless you can get that front endworked out better, it makes no sense to change from stock for those prices.

 

[doodledog]

I ride hard and push the front on track days trailing the brakes to the apex, I am fifteen stone and six two, and never had a problem either on my Daytona which is relativly new or on the S4 I had before, the Mille I had a couple of years ago was harder to ride and get to change direction fast and the write up by experts say the mille is one of the best bikes around, I prefere the 955, there is so much adjustment it should be tweakable to fit anyone, I know its not a GP bike but I would not call it Budget by any means, try a mille with a sachs rear shock for budget.

 

[Brooksie]

Amen to that, Doodle. I have been adjusting the suspension in the last couple of weeks and have had great results. With the help of the great folks here at RAT, I have suspension setting charts to help lead the blind away from unneeded spending. Great points on a great bike!

 

[fivehundo]

When I bought my Daytona, I had the Ohlins already on there. What I will say about it is that while it handles really well, it's liable to knock the fillings out of your teeth!

For all around street riding (with the occasional track day), stock suspension is fine. If you want to make it a little better, have it adjusted by a shop to fit your weight and stuff but otherwise, I think you're right, man.