Do yourself a favor and check this out!!! Billetproof Machining makes this piece...it's called the LinkPro. It's fully adjustable, changes spring rate by the turn of the screw...works with any shock...you can stiffen or soften from stock...you'll never have to re-spring your shock again! I've used this on an 03 1K with the stock shock and I don't need an aftermarket shock, I can get the stock shock to respond just like a high dollar replacement. This linkage is affordable and it's fully adjustable so you can set it up to your riding style and track conditions. The dragracers love it...might want to give it a shot!


I'm not a suspension guru, and I don't really understand all the physics behind it, but this is how it works...

The further back (towards the rear of the bike) you adjust the piece, the more perpendicular the dogbones become (with respect to the ground). That change in angle effectively changes spring rate because now it doesn't require as much force (weight) to compress the shock. The reverse is also true, the farther forward you move the piece, the stiffer the shock becomes because it now requires more force to compress. It also seems to change the damping qualities of the shock, why that is I don't quite understand myself, but it does feel that way.

I will agree, there is no substitute for good damping...however, with this piece you can fine tune the suspension from rock hard to ridiculously soft and ANY point in between, and that's where this piece shines! You don't have to take the shock apart and re-spring it every time you want to make a change. It's like having an infinite number of springs to work with, just go ride the bike, come back and give the bolt a little turn and 15 seconds later you are back out to see if that was enough or too much...simple as that!

Here are a few pics...the first three are the current version of the LinkPro...the last three are a previous version which shows the piece installed!
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

http://aggressiveracing.homestead.com/files/billetproof_linkpro.jpg
http://aggressiveracing.homestead.com/files/linkpro1.jpg
http://aggressiveracing.homestead.com/files/linkpro2.jpg
http://aggressiveracing.homestead.com/files/linkage2.jpg
http://aggressiveracing.homestead.com/files/linkage3.jpg
http://aggressiveracing.homestead.com/files/linkage6.jpg

Looks a good idea does that. How much do they run at??
We need something like that over here in the uk.

97sradpyscho said:
Looks a good idea does that. How much do they run at??
We need something like that over here in the uk.



$299 USD, which for you right now should be pretty cheap with the exchange rate!

oh kay, so this link can do the same job as a 900$ shock with hugh wuality oil/gas, valves, and more adjsutment points over stock? http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/bs.gif for something to adjsut that i can do with a spanner wrench, ill save the 200 for a prostitute.

So it adjusts ride hight, how does that eleminate the necesity of a new spring for proper sag

It's not designed to adjust ride height, it changes spring rate, DRAMATICALLY. Have fun with your prostitute. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Aren't most shock linkages non-linear (aka rising rate)? That is, as the shock compresses and the linkage moves throughout it's range, the force that the shock sees changes. I believe in most cases, that as the shock gets compressed more and more, the linkage moves in a way such that the resultant forces from the linkage are taken off of the shock, thus effectively 'stiffening' the spring. In other words, as the bike squats more, the leverage from the rear wheel and swingarm is reduced through the linkage. I think it's supposed to work like a rising rate spring, where as you compress it more, it gets stiffer reducing potential for bottoming.

If this IS the case, (and I haven't looked at this stuff in a while) then I would think that this thing would seriously screw up the leverage of the linkage. (bad handling) As a matter of fact, after looking at the pics closer, it will most assuredly change your ride height and linkage leverages. Not necessarily for the better either.

Sorry if I sound skeptical, but I'm chaulking this one up in the 'if it's that good, why didn't the engineers designing the bike think of it?' category.

It was designed for dragracing and it works wonders in that venue...and YES, it does mess with the swingarm leverage, that's what it's supposed to do. The adjustable links (dogbones) are there to re-set ride height AFTER you set the piece to the leverage you want. Just put one on an 02 1k and used the stock "bones" without a problem...BUT, it was setup for that particular rider and it worked well for his weight and swingarm length...not everyone will be at that setting though. The unit I have is much further toward the rear which is much softer than his, this also lowers the rear end...so I used the adjustable links to get the ride height where I wanted it. It's just another option for people, not everyone will use it and not everyone should. And as for the engineers at Suzuki thinking it up...why didn't the 1k and Busa come with adjustable kickstands??? About half of the GSXRs we sell the people want them lowered. There are alot of aftermarket parts that have been designed over the years to enhance performance in all venues, this piece is no different. Just another new idea!!!

Understood-
Didn't mean to come off like a dickhead on that post... Sorry 'bout that. I'm sure this thing has it's uses, I just don't think its a replacement for a proper shock/spring combo such as a Penske, Ohlins, Fox etc... Dragracing has VERY different requirements than roadracing I'm sure- I was looking at it from a roadracing perspective, in which case I'm not sure it would help you out too much. Dragracing on the other hand may be a different story...

-Bob

if anythign, im going higher in the rearend, not lower,
im sure its for someone that out there

actually, a proper linkage-setup would probably compliment a good shock/valving setup.

The linkage does vary the spring-rate curve depending on the design and, in this case, the linkage setting. So, if you want to change the characteristics of the curve, you change your linkage setting and your spring...

course, that's for those few people who really know what they're doing and have a few extra springs hanging around.

agreed nudie, but piece only adjusts on a single plane. The adjustments possible with custom links usually play with angles and overall lengths, not just one mount point between two fixed joints

I don't know why this is supposed to work great for drag racers (besides the lowering factor), but I can see a very good reason why I wouldn't put it on my bike...

Swingarm angle

Changing the linkage is good for generating different leverage ratios, but one of the most important aspects of traction (suspension) on a motorcycle is getting the proper swingarm angle. Changing one mount point's axis does not compensate like you would think (just like Adam has said).

It works great for dragracing, especially with the racers constantly changing setups, swingarm length, wheelbase, etc. etc. I bolted one on and adjusted it on an 04 1K and immediately dropped 1.5 tenths in the 60 ft. I am not some big suspension guru with math formulas on my nightstand, I just know it works. Plus, you can ride COMFORTABLY to the track and within a minute or so, have it setup how you want for the strip, then reset it and ride back home...it's convenient and it WORKS...period. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif