Results from Ohlins rear spring swap

Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
133
Location
Northern Virginia
I am preparing to swap my NT rear spring for the "lighter" Ohlins spring (01092-89/210). As a somewhat lighter rider (175# with gear), I chose this because I think Rajah suggested it, and because I think oldtimer was happy with the lighter spring. Dirtflier has recommended the lighter spring for riders under 200 pounds and has helped a number of members make the swap.

But then TurboV8 found excessive static sag and consulted again with Ohlins, who recommended the heavier (230) spring.

I still have time to exchange my lighter spring with Ohlins. So I'd welcome feedback from anyone else who has installed either spring.

If you installed the heavier (230) spring, did it make much of a difference compared with the stock Honda spring?

And if you installed the lighter (210) spring, were you happy with the results?

Please provide your approximate weight and riding style. Many thanks in advance.
 
Joined
Jun 27, 2015
Messages
13
Location
Lancaster, PA
Bike
2010 Red Honda NT 700 V
Chris - I am 5' 9", 182, with a 30" inseam, and went with the lighter spring and the shorter shock eye. Very pleased and the combo did effectively lower the bike +/- 2 inches. I was then able to flat foot. When I replaced stock seat with the absolutely fantastic Russell Day Long I was pretty much back to square one, as the Russell raises you up about 2 +/- inches. However, what is interesting, is that when my wife gets on the back seat, the shock, obviously compresses, and I'm flat footed once again. Good Luck.
Mark
 
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
114
Location
Silicon Valley
The 230 spring was delayed from Sweden. Now I am told it should come in next week. The problem for my 173 pounds without any camping or riding gear, the #210 spring is, even with preload cranked all the way to max, the sag is at the upper preference. It feels OK enough, although I feel the damping itself is way too extreme for solo riding, but having the preload at max allows no ability to add any gear, or it will sag way too low. I don't know how the 230 spring will be. Who knows? Maybe the jump up in rate is too much, landing me very close to stock? One poster said Ohlins tested the 230 spring and stock spring, and he said something to the effect that in the first 2cm the 230 spring is stiffer, at which point it crosses over and becomes lighter than the stock spring. He noted "no change" in rider, except with the 230 spring he was no longer bolted out of the saddle when going over a sizeable bump.

My gut says probably the way to do this properly is not to just try a lighter spring. The damping is way too harsh for solo riding. Maybe with 230 spring and all loaded up with camping gear, the damping would be more suitable, but then it is not ideal for solo riding. I will post my opinion with the 230 spring when it arrives and I install it. Of course, it will have by then been so long since I rode the bike with stock spring, comparisons between the two would likely be vague at best.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
133
Location
Northern Virginia
Yesterday I completed the swap of my stock rear spring for the "lighter" Ohlins spring (01092-89/210). Did the job on my patio, started about 7am, finished up about 6pm, including a lunch break and a run to my local cycle shop to have them mount a new PR4 on my wheel. Used Dirtfliers outstanding tool set, which now includes threaded rods courtesy of Turbo DV8, I believe.

Only thing I would add to Dirtflier's instructions is that my 22mm wrench came in handy to undo the lock nut under the shock eye. I'd buy or borrow one before trying this job. Otherwise a reasonably complete socket set, with "wobble" joints and an 8mm hex socket, should suffice.

First impressions of the lighter spring: Again I am about 170 lbs and I have set the preload at about 2/3s of the way towards "high."

I think the bike sits marginally lower. I did not measure but I would guess the seat to ground distance dropped by about 1/2 inch. Not enough to affect the lean angle when using the sidestand.

The ride is less jarring. I think I used to involuntarily tense my back up when I was hitting bumps. I have already stopped doing that. I still feel the bump in my seat, but not in my spine. Its not a dramatic change, but it is noticeable.

And I can now bottom the suspension. I tried a neighborhood speedbump at a higher speed than I would normally go, and felt the suspension just kiss bottom, or so it felt. With the stock spring, it would not have bottomed, but I would have been tossed skyward unless I had stood up on the pegs.

So everything is a trade off. I wish it were possible to try the heavier Ohlins spring back-to-back, since I am not sure how much different it would be compared to stock.

But so far I am fairly happy with the lighter spring. Not a bad upgrade for $130, including shipping.

We'll see how well it works on an upcoming trip with bags and topbox loaded.
 

DirtFlier

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Joined
Dec 13, 2010
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3,332
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Troy, OH
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2010 Silver NT700V/ABS
Chris - glad it worked out for you. The "speed bump test" was unnatural because ordinarily you would have slowed and like you say, the standard spring would had launched you skyward (aka Flying W). :)
 
OP
OP
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
133
Location
Northern Virginia
One last post on this Ohlins spring swap thread. I ran the "lighter" Ohlins spring (01092-89/210) for about 4000 miles including my ride up to Nova Scotia. However I felt that the "heavier" spring might reduce sag a bit and reduce change of bottoming suspension. So I got the heavier "230" spring from Ohlins and just did another spring swap.

And now the envelope please:

There is relatively little difference between the two springs. Frankly its hard to tell if any difference I am feeling is "psychological" (as in I expect it to feel differently). The lighter spring has a spring diameter of 14.5mm (including coating) and the heavier spring is 15mm. Both springs introduce more static sag than the stock Honda spring. This could be a good thing if you would like a slightly lower seat height. I do feel that the heavier spring has slightly less sag, but again the difference is marginal. Both Ohlins springs reduce the jarring that you get from the stock spring. I expect the heavier spring is less likely to bottom out.

Given that either spring results in a more comfortable ride for a 170 pound rider, I would choose the heavier spring. But I am not sure it is worth swapping between lighter and heavier -- it does not make that much difference.

And on a related note, it is possible to remove the shock without removing the rear wheel, but the clearance is very tight and its likely that you will nick or scrape off some of the protective coating on the spring in the process. I think its worth taking a bit more time and pulling the rear wheel. Less chance of marring the coating and less frustration, in my view.

BTW if anyone is interested in my old "lighter" Ohlins spring, please PM me. It has some scrapes on it but I think some liquid plastic would fix it up.
 

DirtFlier

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Dec 13, 2010
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2010 Silver NT700V/ABS
Although it's not an easy task, removing the rear wheel provides plenty of room so eliminates a lot of aggravation in removing and reinstalling the shock. And while the wheel is off, you can grease the splines with Moly 60!
 
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