FZRSupport: the FZROnline Archive

I was wondering if anyone knows the stock length of the 1k's dog bones? Center of hole to center of hole preferably. Any love out there? I'm trying to determine if it's the dog bones or shock issue in my ride height.

FZR1000 EXUP-all years (89-96) are 165mm between hole centers. What's the symptoms with your ride height?

Don't forget to check out the WIKI for your Tech Related Questions before for posting. The information is found under Dog Bones

sweekster wrote:FZR1000 EXUP-all years (89-96) are 165mm between hole centers. What's the symptoms with your ride height?

I noticed it seemed a bit low and when I measured the seat height (lowest point) I got 29 inches. I thought maybe it had been lowered with a new set of dog bones. Looks like the ones on there are stock though. Bushings, or spring sag or....? I lost at least an inch of height somewhere.

The shock may not be set up for you. Did you buy the bike from someone who was much smaller than you? The person before may have set the shock up for their weight and riding style. Which needless to say could be very different from you.

Dirk_Gently wrote:

sweekster wrote:FZR1000 EXUP-all years (89-96) are 165mm between hole centers. What's the symptoms with your ride height?

I noticed it seemed a bit low and when I measured the seat height (lowest point) I got 29 inches. I thought maybe it had been lowered with a new set of dog bones. Looks like the ones on there are stock though. Bushings, or spring sag or....? I lost at least an inch of height somewhere.

The 1000 do actually have a slightly lower seat height. I noticed this myself when i went to my FZR1000 from a FZR600. Also, my 1000 is still set at the factory settings which soft and will give a "bottoming out" feeling when you sit on it. You should try adjusting your rear shock to a higher setting. If it's still too low, you can raise it by going with shorter dog bones...I plan on eventually swapping mine out for 158mm ones when it comes to that point.

cad600 wrote:The shock may not be set up for you. Did you buy the bike from someone who was much smaller than you? The person before may have set the shock up for their weight and riding style. Which needless to say could be very different from you.

The shock was stupidly soft, but the free standing seat height is 28.?-29.? instead of the stock 30.? Adjusting the shock certainly makes it more usable, but it's still a bit low. I suppose eventually i'll have to swap to a new rear shock since this one seems pretty tired based on the sag. Any suggestions of a good\easy replacement? Stock r1 shock or something?

I had the same trouble with my 92 1000. I race it & had to run the spring as hard as it would go as well as the rebound damping.
Get the shock serviced, it probably hasn't ever been done & is running the factory 17 year old oil !. When the guy did mine the oil was like soup, & smelt like something had died in there!!!!
The 1000 has a rising rate spring, ditch that & get a mono rate spring, new synthetic oil & re-gas & it will transform the rear end. The shocks are fine, its age of the oil that kills them.
Also at least 158mm dogbones.

sbutler wrote:I had the same trouble with my 92 1000. I race it & had to run the spring as hard as it would go as well as the rebound damping.
Get the shock serviced, it probably hasn't ever been done & is running the factory 17 year old oil !. When the guy did mine the oil was like soup, & smelt like something had died in there!!!!
The 1000 has a rising rate spring, ditch that & get a mono rate spring, new synthetic oil & re-gas & it will transform the rear end. The shocks are fine, its age of the oil that kills them.
Also at least 158mm dogbones.

Now there's a thought. I had assumed you couldn't rebuild the old shock. Where did you have yours done and where did you get a new spring? I can't seem to find anyone that still sells them.

As I live in Austarlia I dont think you'll be sending your shock here.
But you will have to find a place that re-builds suspension's there will be dozens of them in the US.
I used a 94 YZF750 spring as they are 20% stiffer than the FZR 1000 spring. All works like it should.
Also they might have the gas canister off an old YZF shock that has the adjustable compression control.
Get them to fit that as well. Then you'll have a shock with compression & rebound damping.

Do you know if the whole yzf750 shock fits directly, or do you just cannibalize the shock spring?

It seems like you can use a newer (middle 2000s) zx10R shock as well to fix the back end. Also the thunderace shock should be a direct fit, but they were only sold in 97 so they'd have the same age issues.

Dirk_Gently wrote:Do you know if the whole yzf750 shock fits directly, or do you just cannibalize the shock spring?

No it wont fit. You need to both shocks to make one good one.
Spring YZF
Gas canister YZF
Shock FZR

sbutler wrote:

Dirk_Gently wrote:Do you know if the whole yzf750 shock fits directly, or do you just cannibalize the shock spring?

No it wont fit. You need to both shocks to make one good one.
Spring YZF
Gas canister YZF
Shock FZR

Sounds like an interesting plan. I've got my eye on a yzf750 shock on the ol ebay right now. Hopefully I'll pick it up relatively cheap and be able to put together a decent Frankenstein shock.

Dirk_Gently wrote:

sbutler wrote:

Dirk_Gently wrote:Do you know if the whole yzf750 shock fits directly, or do you just cannibalize the shock spring?

No it wont fit. You need to both shocks to make one good one.
Spring YZF
Gas canister YZF
Shock FZR

Sounds like an interesting plan. I've got my eye on a yzf750 shock on the ol ebay right now. Hopefully I'll pick it up relatively cheap and be able to put together a decent Frankenstein shock.

Yeah thats the way. Ohlins are great, but this is the next best way of getting the FZR rear sorted out.
PS:: Dont forget to get at least 158mm dogbones at the same time.

No doubt. I'm probably going to get a set of reelrazor's adjustable ones and call it good to go. Then, change the oil in the forks and I might have this suspension thing handled.