[Roaddetective]

Hi
As per the title, anyone bought one of these shocks for their Honda. If so, could you please post a photo as I want to see where Nitron have put the preload adjuster. A dealer here in the UK says they have put it at the bottom of the shock, but they do not have a photo of that particular shock online.

 

[CannonBallRun]

I very recently spoke to one of Nitron’s concessionaires (Brook Suspension in Bradford) with the thought of fitting an R2 or R3 version including the optional hydraulic preload adjuster.
Most certainly in this configuration, the preload ‘collar’ is fitted at the top of the shock.

 

[Roaddetective]

I very recently spoke to one of Nitron’s concessionaires (Brook Suspension in Bradford) with the thought of fitting an R2 or R3 version including the optional hydraulic preload adjuster.
Most certainly in this configuration, the preload ‘collar’ is fitted at the top of the shock.

Hi
Yes I have also been talking to Marc Pearson at Brook Suspension. He does say the R1 shock for my Honda "does" have the preload adjuster at the bottom. They do not have a specific photo of the exact one though. Might have to go on trust and order one.

 

[CannonBallRun]

Although it may not help you, this is their R2 version fitted to a 2020 model.
Like you, if I go ahead, it feels as though I’ll be doing it very much on trust..

 

[CannonBallRun]

Although it may not help you, this is their R2 version fitted to a 2020 model.
Like you, if I go ahead, it feels as though I’ll be doing it very much on trust..

 

[Roaddetective]

View attachment 50985

That looks like the R3 version, as I saw a video online earlier, where the preload hydraulic adjuster looks just like the one in your photo down near the footrest with the longer black knob. Easy with the R3 of course to adjust preload with just a turn of the handle. With that sort of adjuster, it does not matter that the actual preload adjustment ring is at the top. I think going for the R1 or R2, you just can't get to the manual preload adjustment right at the top on our Honda's.

 

[Roaddetective]

That looks like the R3 version, as I saw a video online earlier, where the preload hydraulic adjuster looks just like the one in your photo down near the footrest with the longer black knob. Easy with the R3 of course to adjust preload with just a turn of the handle. With that sort of adjuster, it does not matter that the actual preload adjustment ring is at the top. I think going for the R1 or R2, you just can't get to the manual preload adjustment right at the top on our Honda's.

Here is a copy below of the email Marc sent me about the Nitron R1 to fit to my 2010 CB1000R.

Nitron (and all other shock manufacturers) don't provide us with images of each and every shock that they produce. I've checked the Nitron data and can see that this shock for this bike definitely has preload adjustment at the bottom.



Nitron shocks don't use c-spanners - they use a tool like this, which fits into the holes drilled in the preload adjustment collar - Nitron Shock Absorber Spring Preload Adjustment Pin Spanner

 

[CannonBallRun]

Here is a copy below of the email Marc sent me about the Nitron R1 to fit to my 2010 CB1000R.

Nitron (and all other shock manufacturers) don't provide us with images of each and every shock that they produce. I've checked the Nitron data and can see that this shock for this bike definitely has preload adjustment at the bottom.




Nitron shocks don't use c-spanners - they use a tool like this, which fits into the holes drilled in the preload adjustment collar - Nitron Shock Absorber Spring Preload Adjustment Pin Spanner

Hands up - my mistake. You’re absolutely right. That’s the R3.
Marc / Nitron themselves have sent me a raft of photos over recent weeks and I picked the wrong one to show you 🙄

I do agree that it would be a faff to alter the preload adjustment with the shock in situ. I think it would inevitably mean removing it from the bike again….
I’ve been fine tuning my OEM shock in recent days, to the point where I’m starting to think I may not replace it !

 

[Roaddetective]

Hands up - my mistake. You’re absolutely right. That’s the R3.
Marc / Nitron themselves have sent me a raft of photos over recent weeks and I picked the wrong one to show you 🙄

I do agree that it would be a faff to alter the preload adjustment with the shock in situ. I think it would inevitably mean removing it from the bike again….
I’ve been fine tuning my OEM shock in recent days, to the point where I’m starting to think I may not replace it !

I have tried a few things with my OEM shock, starting of course with setting it up by the book in all settings with my exact weight. Uneven surfaces ridges in the road etc, gives me a harsh ride. So I softened up the preload a bit and the ride was then too bouncy. Loads of owners state the standard rear shock is awful and have experienced a vast improvement with a decent aftermarket one. My bike has only done 17k miles, as I bought it last year with very low genuine mileage. So the shock probably has not worn out, it was just a cheap basic one from the factory.

 

[glenrules7]

Hi there, my Nitron R1 arrived yesterday and fitted today. Ordered in February and took about 3 weeks to arrive, and my local garage took 3/4 of an hour to fit. Very pleased with it, went for a short ride and found that I felt more stable at the rear and held lines alot better. It doesnt run wide at the corner exit as much as it used to and doesnt squat as much during acceleration. I got it from a mate who is a freelance parts supplier, he has the same on his GSX S1000 GT If you would like to get in touch with him, PM me.

 

[Roaddetective]

View attachment 50986

Hi there, my Nitron R1 arrived yesterday and fitted today. Ordered in February and took about 3 weeks to arrive, and my local garage took 3/4 of an hour to fit. Very pleased with it, went for a short ride and found that I felt more stable at the rear and held lines alot better. It doesnt run wide at the corner exit as much as it used to and doesnt squat as much during acceleration. I got it from a mate who is a freelance parts supplier, he has the same on his GSX S1000 GT If you would like to get in touch with him, PM me.

Hi. Thanks for posting this photo. I wonder, to completely put my mind at rest before I order the R1. Are you able to take a photo showing the bottom of the shock with the preload adjuster ring shown. I then know for certain I am able to adjust preload on the R1 shock in situ.

 

[oldcorollas]

Hi. Thanks for posting this photo. I wonder, to completely put my mind at rest before I order the R1. Are you able to take a photo showing the bottom of the shock with the preload adjuster ring shown. I then know for certain I am able to adjust preload on the R1 shock in situ.

looks like at top. a few good views in this vid

 

[Roaddetective]

looks like at top. a few good views in this vid

I did see this video online and yes the preload adjuster certainly is at the top, although this is a later bike than mine. Maybe, just maybe on my earlier model of bike, they do put the preload adjuster at the bottom. That of course must mean, the damping adjuster is now at the top, unless they combine them both together at the bottom. I wonder if I can get hold of Nitron direct and ask them?

 

[Roaddetective]

I think the best thing for me to do is buy the R1 with an additional hydraulic preload adjuster for the odd times my good lady rides pillion. I am going to give Nitron a ring Monday morning anyway to ask a couple of questions. By chance, the Nitron main depot in Witney Oxfordshire is only 20 miles from where I live. Strange though, Nitron's direct price for the shock I want is £831, where the same shock from Brook is £768. Gone are the days where an item bought straight from the factory was cheaper!

 

[oldcorollas]

I did see this video online and yes the preload adjuster certainly is at the top, although this is a later bike than mine. Maybe, just maybe on my earlier model of bike, they do put the preload adjuster at the bottom. That of course must mean, the damping adjuster is now at the top, unless they combine them both together at the bottom. I wonder if I can get hold of Nitron direct and ask them?

i mean.... you could.. email them? or call them since you are in the same country as them???
you could also ask if it could be mounted upsidedown.. they should be able to change the eyelet sizes since the shcoks are all custom built

preload will be at top, damping at bottom.

if you pillion sometimes, of course you should get hydraulic adjuster, no brainer

 

[oldcorollas]

this link is an install on an early SC80

CB1000R（SC80）にナイトロンのリアサスを装着！ - CB1000Rブログ

オーダーから1ヶ月待って、CB1000R用ナイトロンリアショック NTR R3がショップに到着しました！！ うぉぉ、すごい。目につく部分はほぼアルミ削り出し。。ターコイズブルーがまぶしい。これが今から俺のCB1000Rにつくのか。。 外部式リザーバータンク仕様。ナイトロンのマークはステッカーです。最後に貼るよ。このままでもさり気なくて渋いね。 油圧式プリロードアジャスターも標準装備されています。 今回取付はCB1000Rを購入したプロショップにお願いします。...

www.cb1000r.info

 

[CannonBallRun]

I think the best thing for me to do is buy the R1 with an additional hydraulic preload adjuster for the odd times my good lady rides pillion. I am going to give Nitron a ring Monday morning anyway to ask a couple of questions. By chance, the Nitron main depot in Witney Oxfordshire is only 20 miles from where I live. Strange though, Nitron's direct price for the shock I want is £831, where the same shock from Brook is £768. Gone are the days where an item bought straight from the factory was cheaper!

The chap to talk to at Witney is Pete Allen. From my own experience, don’t expect an immediate reply unless you can get past ‘reception’. (I couldn’t on three occasions)
I’ll be EXTREMELY interested to know how you get on and what configuration you land up going for. All the best. Steve.

 

[Roaddetective]

The chap to talk to at Witney is Pete Allen. From my own experience, don’t expect an immediate reply unless you can get past ‘reception’. (I couldn’t on three occasions)
I’ll be EXTREMELY interested to know how you get on and what configuration you land up going for. All the best. Steve.

Hi Steve. Enquiring about shocks, I am also looking now at Hagon and Maxton shocks. I think I will have to go with a hydraulic preload system on the shock, more money of course. Have sent Hagon and Maxton an email with an enquiry. Will of course update when a decision has been made, as well as update when I ride the bike with a new rear shock fitted.

 

[CannonBallRun]

Good evening RD.

Can I make a few suggestions ?

I’ll make a couple of assumptions first because I don’t know how similar the front and rear suspension setups are between your 2010 model and my 2020.
All I’d like to do basically is to make sure you’ve exhausted the following list before you spend a significant amount of money !
No.1 You have preload, compression and rebound adjustment up front.
No.2 You have preload and rebound adjustment only on the rear.
These assumptions are because I’m interested to know whether you’ve tried the approximate set up below for solo riding :

Front tyre pressure as recommended - 36psi
Rear tyre pressure not as recommended - 36/37psi unless carrying a pillion.
(in which case 42psi)

Front compression and preload - significantly lower than recommended for your weight.
Front rebound - at least 1 turn harder than recommended for your weight

Rear preload - one ramp step harder than recommended for your weight.
Rear rebound - at least half a turn harder than recommended for your weight.

Simply doing this to mine has transformed it from a ‘rodeo horse’ to something akin to a decent ride. This is all by my own trial and error over the last few weeks.
My thoughts are that the adjustment to the front end will make it ride more on its ‘nose’’, and those to the rear will control the violent rebound (as standard) that we all experience over bumps, and cut down weight transfer to the rear on acceleration.

I’ve posted about rear tyre pressures elsewhere on the forum to varying degrees of ‘acceptance’ by other members, but I still never stray from the above when riding solo.

Please don’t shoot the messenger but coming from a sportsbike with far more sophisticated suspension (that I also set up myself), the above changes have stopped me from constantly hounding Nitron and feeding my piggy bank !!

PS. My apparent ‘sloppy’ front end setup doesn’t cause the bike to wallow around as you might expect.

I’d thoroughly appreciate your thoughts.

 

[Roaddetective]

Good evening RD.

Can I make a few suggestions ?

I’ll make a couple of assumptions first because I don’t know how similar the front and rear suspension setups are between your 2010 model and my 2020.
All I’d like to do basically is to make sure you’ve exhausted the following list before you spend a significant amount of money !
No.1 You have preload, compression and rebound adjustment up front.
No.2 You have preload and rebound adjustment only on the rear.
These assumptions are because I’m interested to know whether you’ve tried the approximate set up below for solo riding :

Front tyre pressure as recommended - 36psi
Rear tyre pressure not as recommended - 36/37psi unless carrying a pillion.
(in which case 42psi)

Front compression and preload - significantly lower than recommended for your weight.
Front rebound - at least 1 turn harder than recommended for your weight

Rear preload - one ramp step harder than recommended for your weight.
Rear rebound - at least half a turn harder than recommended for your weight.

Simply doing this to mine has transformed it from a ‘rodeo horse’ to something akin to a decent ride. This is all by my own trial and error over the last few weeks.
My thoughts are that the adjustment to the front end will make it ride more on its ‘nose’’, and those to the rear will control the violent rebound (as standard) that we all experience over bumps, and cut down weight transfer to the rear on acceleration.

I’ve posted about rear tyre pressures elsewhere on the forum to varying degrees of ‘acceptance’ by other members, but I still never stray from the above when riding solo.

Please don’t shoot the messenger but coming from a sportsbike with far more sophisticated suspension (that I also set up myself), the above changes have stopped me from constantly hounding Nitron and feeding my piggy bank !!

PS. My apparent ‘sloppy’ front end setup doesn’t cause the bike to wallow around as you might expect.

I’d thoroughly appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you very much for spending the time giving me a good comprehensive reply. In answer to your input, I have already set my tyre pressures front and rear to 36psi riding of course solo. All the other settings are set for my weight, although I have played with setting rear preload one click harder and one click lower than my weight setting. As you suggest, before my next ride out, I will try setting rear rebound half a turn harder. Also set the front as you suggest and see how the bike feels. My main gripe is how the bike over rough road just seems to jiggle up and down, especially if you have it on a lean angle at the time. It just seems to me, that the rear suspension needs to flatten out more of the roughness of the road. On a smooth road it's not too bad at all and does give you confidence through the curves. Heck, even my last bike, a great big Kawasaki ZRX1200S absorbed rough roads better than this far better flickable Honda. I think it will be a while before I get a dry day to take the bike out and experiment further with the suspension. Cheers mate.