Topic: Ohlins shocks CB400F

[supersports400]

Hi,

Which Ohlins rear shocks do I need or can I use for my (stock) CB400F ?
I replaced the front springs with ones I had made on my own specs.

In the front everything works fine now (progressive, higher spring characteristic, 30% heavier than stock), but having done this it becomes clear that the rear is in need of an update too.

Any suggestions ?

Jensen

[Leino]

If I were you, I'd contact Hyperpro first, Öhlins is very, very expensive and you are in the right country anyway...  .

[supersports400]

Hi,

My experiences with Hyperpro are not good, and that's an understatement.

jensen

[Terry in Australia]

Why not Hagon's or Ikon's mate? A new pair of Ohlins costs about as much as a really good CB400F? Cheers, Terry.

[supersports400]

Hi Terry,

Hagon, yes, that is a possibility, and I am still thinking about it, but I want to have a choice, and I can't choose when I don't know the options. Ikon was former Koni, but after a lot of claims from costumers and suppliers the company got debts, and finally went broke. The company relaunched as Ikon to avoid paying there debts. This wouldn't have happened if they made good shocks.

No, my questions was which ohlins I can use for a CB400f, and that's for a good reason. If ohlins won't fit, I'll go to Hagons, but as I said, if you want to make a choice you have to know the possibility's.

I know that these cost more, and I have them already installed on my Honda XRV750 '98. I also tried an hyper-pro, but the differences between those shocks is bigger then the differences in price.

Next to that I'm riding my CB400F 10.000 - 15.000 km a year, including trips to Italy and other country's with BAD roads, so good shocks are the way to go for me to keep in control of the bike.

My, special made for me, progressive front fork springs, 30% stronger then original are doing the job fantastic, and costed me 125 euro a set.

It will never be a modern sports bike, but with decent tyres, new front fork bearings, stiffer front forks, and a pair of good rear shocks you can accomplish a lot.

Jensen

[Deltarider]

Ikon was former Koni, but after a lot of claims from costumers and suppliers the company got debts, and finally went broke. The company relaunched as Ikon to avoid paying there debts. This wouldn't have happened if they made good shocks.

Your last sentence surprises me. I remember the days that Koni was Mercedes-Benz choice for OEM. At various dealers I've heard nothing but praise for Koni's quality and service. I had an issue once (bike had been too long on the centerstand and a internal rubber part had dried out). Although guarantuee was long over they repaired free off charge. Maybe that's why they went broke.

[Duke McDukiedook]

I bought a set of aluminum body Ikons a year or so ago for my 750 K3 and they work fine.
I would definitely keep them on your short list, they have great build quality.
They probably won't be as nice as a set of Ohlin's but you'll save some serious $$$.

[MRieck]

 The problem with the Ohlins is the clevis mount for your bike. As far as I know Ohlins don't make a twin shock with that mounting system.

[supersports400]

Hi

The problem with the Ohlins is the clevis mount for your bike. As far as I know Ohlins don't make a twin shock with that mounting system.

Yes, I was aware of the fact that all relative cheap Ohlins from the 36 series (E, D, DRL, K and P, PL, PR, PRCL or PRCLB) are having no possibility's for the Clevis mount.
I hoped that someone found a work-around without destroying the looks of the rear arm.

Maybe I was a little sharp on Ikon, but I hear also a lot of said story's about them.

Anyway, thanks for the advices, I'll try to contact a Ohlins specialist about the clevis mount,

Jensen

[ttr400]

As Mike pointed out about the clevis mount.But they do come apart and you can change the eye mount to a clevis mount. Ohlins for the CB400 super four or XJR400 etc would be about right for the CB400F and then change to the clevis mount. I have a set of Ohlins on a CB1100R that have a clevis mount, but are way to long for the CB400F.

Just a couple of examples.
CB400 super four: 92/93 HO142, HO145
Yamaha XJR 1991: YA145, YA138

I have a set of Ohlins for a Yamaha XJR1300 that's going on a custom CB400F that I am putting together now, I will have to change the springs for the CB400 super four type, As these are way to hard.

Kevin

[MRieck]

Machining a clevis isn't that hard that's for sure. If you are going to drop money on the Ohlins whats another 150.00 or so

[voxonda]

Even changing the swingarm to take the Ohlins isn't that much of a job, some work but not too much.

[mlinder]

Works shocks makes very nice ones. They have specific cb350/400f shocks.
$440 to $700, depending on what you get.

[simon#42]

if you really must have ohlins get in touch with harris performance in england , they are a big ohlins dealer and will adapt off the shelf shocks to fit your bike . i sent them a koni unit from an old 250 race bike and they adapted an rc 45 shock to fit . they had to make a new bottom mount and move the reservoir but it worked well and it only took them a week to do . 
wouldn't bother with hagons as the quality is pretty poor , icons are an excellent shock and are hard to beat at the price . budget on around € 1000 for a pair of one off ohlins

[Terry in Australia]

Ikon was former Koni, but after a lot of claims from costumers and suppliers the company got debts, and finally went broke. The company relaunched as Ikon to avoid paying there debts. This wouldn't have happened if they made good shocks.

I don't know where you got that info from mate, but it's incorrect. The truth is, that by the end of the 1990's, Koni (Holland) decided that because there was so much demand for their car shocks that they would concentrate on building car shocks, and sold their motorcycle shock manufacturing business and tooling to the Australian distributor, (Proven products, from memory) who created a new brand, Ikon, as both a play on the old Koni name, and as a tribute to the "iconic" Koni brand. The Ikon factory is located 200 miles up the Hume Highway from me in Wodonga, Victoria, and I can tell you that their products are first class, and are sold all over the world.

Koni (Holland) is still going strong as a supplier to the European auto industry, and has an unmatched reputation as a quality brand, and is an OEM supplier to Mercedes Benz, Aston Martin and several other quality European brands, not to mention several Formula 1 GP and touring car teams including McLaren and Aston Martin.

Here's a list of teams in 2009 that won championships on KONI suspension products:  (cut and pasted from Koni's website)           

Formula 3 Euro Series               -           ART Grand Prix (www.art-grandprix.com)

                                                                       Jules Bianci                  (Champion)

ATS Formula 3 Cup                    -           Van Amersfoort Racing (www.vanamersfoortracing.nl)

                                                                       Laurens Vantoor           (Champion)

                                                                       Stef Dusseldorp            (Vice-Champion) 

British F3 International               -           Carlin Motorsport

                                                                       Daniel Ricciardo            (Champion)

 GP2                                            -               ART Grand Prix (www.art-grandprix.com)

                                                                       Nico Hulkenberg            (Champion) 

International Formula Master      -                   Fabian Leimer               (Champion) 

Superleague Formula                 -                    Adrian Vallas                (Champion)             

Seat Leon Eurocup                    -                     Norbert Michelisz          (Champion) 

Seat Leon Supercopa                -                     Thomas Marschall         (Champion)

GT3                                             -           Hexis Racing (Aston Martin Racing) GT3 –

Thomas Accary and

Julien Rodrigues (Champions)

BRL Light                                   -            Fanzonely BV (www.fanzonely.nl)

                                                                      Chris Maliepaard           (Champion) 

Brazilian Stock Car Series         -                    Cacå Bueno                  (Champion) 

Also, the following teams and drivers have been successful with KONI shocks:

Formula One                            -           Vodafone McLaren Mercedes (www.mclaren.com)

                                                                       Lewis Hamilton 

                                                                       Heikki Kovalainen 

Dutch GT4                                -           Gravity Racing (www.gravityracing.nl)

Danny van Dongen

Offroad Truck Rallye                  -         Team Kotterer (www.team-kotterer.at)

LMP1 Series                            -           Aston Martin Racing (www.astonmartinracing.com) 

GP2                                         -           Giedo van der Garde (www.gigaracing.com) 

Superleague Formula              -           Ho-Pin Tung (www.hopintung.com)

F3 Euroseries, British F3           -         Renger van der Zande (www.trustrenger.com)

Classic Rally                            -           Team State of Art (heritage.stateofart.com) 

Formula Student                       -         URE (www.universityracing.nl)

and many many more...

I recently bought a set of Progressive 440's ($1300.00 RRP in Oz, or 600 bucks in the US, what a rip!) for my Triumph Rocket III at the advice of a lot of R3 owners in the US and Europe, and I've gotta say, compared to the build quality of the 7610 series Koni's on two of my bikes I was disappointed. By comparison, the Progressives look cheap. I should have bought the Ikons, I saw a pair on an R3 yesterday and they look a lot better engineered. Oh well...........   

[supersports400]

Hi Terry,

Thanks for replying, and taking the time to dive in to this matter.
I'll check the info on IKON here,

Jensen

[mlinder]

Again, be sure to look at Works.

Used on vintage racebikes a lot here in the states.

[IHWillys]

Works shocks makes very nice ones. They have specific cb350/400f shocks.
$440 to $700, depending on what you get.

Second that.  Works is where I would go for a high-quality twin shock setup.

Ken

[supersports400]

Hi mlinder

Works is on my list now too.
I tryed to reach there website, but it won't load.
Is this the right link ?

www.worksperformance.com

I'll try again later, but it's not good start.

Jensen

[mlinder]

Hmm, was looking at them earlier. Website does appear to be down at the moment. It happens. Can still ping them. Check tomorrow.

[supersports400]

Terry,

The list of succes for Ohlins is probably larger, but that's not the point.
If the info I wrote is not correct, then I have to check the sources, and I will do that.

Koni doesn't make shocks for motorcycles anymore, and they didn't stop making Koni's for motorcycles for no reason.
I wrote down the reason for that, coming from a reliable source, I'll check if the source is wrong about this.

So I have a short list now :

Works, Hagon, Ohlins, and Wilbers.

Jensen

[MaaseyRacer]

Sorry super late to this, but you forgot to add YSS to the list.

[supersports400]

Hi,

Better late then never, but in this case to late to change my decision.
I went for Ohlins, and had them specially made, with the clevis on the bottom.

Jensen

[bucky katt]

i just got a pair of very low mileage (2800 documented miles) piggyback style cb900f shocks. i have cut 2 coils from the spring and i am going to shorten and re-thread the rod to make these the right length for my k4 750

[MaaseyRacer]

Hi,

Better late then never, but in this case to late to change my decision.
I went for Ohlins, and had them specially made, with the clevis on the bottom.

Jensen

What model did you get? Tell us more about your Ohlins set up, I am very interested in what you did.  Where did you get them from? Do you have photos? How tall are they? Did you go shorter, longer, same height? Is there a noticeable difference? Is the change for the better or worse? Sorry for all the questions I have considered this my self.