ninjette.org - View Single Post - Valve emulators, Are they worth for a track only bike?

thedrewski86 · August 13th, 2021, 07:52 AM

I cannot get into suspension the way some internet folks can, I simply don't have the time (knowledge) to talk about the various wizardry that goes into this but I can speak to it a little:

I've been running RT's emulators on my SV for quite a while now (on the street) and I can say that the predictability of slow and fast damping has improved. I only ride fast, local canyons and they are quite pot-holed. In fact, I have hit some that nearly killed me (I have a set of broken wheels in my garage from one experience!) so I needed to improve my setup. The quality of rebound control is much better with the emulators vs the damper rods. The function of a damper rod involves the passing of oil through two different circuits of holes in the rod itself, as I'm sure you are aware. The emulator eliminates this system and replaces it with a spring-loaded valve that allows for a more evenly controlled flow of oil (which can also be "tuned" with different plates/springs/etc).

Now, how this is tuned relative to slow/fast rebound and all the nuances involved gets hairy, and I have simply found what works for me and went with it. I needed an improvement because my route is very rough and I was increasing my pace. I read tire wear to know how I'm doing (as well as the zip-tie on the forks to measure travel) and I feel much better with where I'm at now as opposed to stock form. I see your point re. the need for emulators on the track... in fact I will be holding off on this mod with the Ninja until I feel I need it, because if it's mostly being ridden on a smooth track I feel the damper rods may suffice. However, I suspect that the quality of damping will still suffer and I will probably do something to fix that. Emulators also help control brake dive, which can make the suspension react similar to a pothole.

This reminds me of upgrading my master cylinder some time back to a Brembo: sure my braking power increased somewhat, but that wasn't the main advantage. The progression in the lever was far superior to the Nissin mc's wooden feel. As a result, I had much more finesse in my braking and could throw the bike into a corner with more confidence. The same thing happened when I installed emulators.

August 13th, 2021, 07:52 AM	#2
thedrewski86 ninjette.org guru Name: Drew Location: SoCal Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2007 SV650S 2005 EX250F Posts: 487	I cannot get into suspension the way some internet folks can, I simply don't have the time (knowledge) to talk about the various wizardry that goes into this but I can speak to it a little: I've been running RT's emulators on my SV for quite a while now (on the street) and I can say that the predictability of slow and fast damping has improved. I only ride fast, local canyons and they are quite pot-holed. In fact, I have hit some that nearly killed me (I have a set of broken wheels in my garage from one experience!) so I needed to improve my setup. The quality of rebound control is much better with the emulators vs the damper rods. The function of a damper rod involves the passing of oil through two different circuits of holes in the rod itself, as I'm sure you are aware. The emulator eliminates this system and replaces it with a spring-loaded valve that allows for a more evenly controlled flow of oil (which can also be "tuned" with different plates/springs/etc). Now, how this is tuned relative to slow/fast rebound and all the nuances involved gets hairy, and I have simply found what works for me and went with it. I needed an improvement because my route is very rough and I was increasing my pace. I read tire wear to know how I'm doing (as well as the zip-tie on the forks to measure travel) and I feel much better with where I'm at now as opposed to stock form. I see your point re. the need for emulators on the track... in fact I will be holding off on this mod with the Ninja until I feel I need it, because if it's mostly being ridden on a smooth track I feel the damper rods may suffice. However, I suspect that the quality of damping will still suffer and I will probably do something to fix that. Emulators also help control brake dive, which can make the suspension react similar to a pothole. This reminds me of upgrading my master cylinder some time back to a Brembo: sure my braking power increased somewhat, but that wasn't the main advantage. The progression in the lever was far superior to the Nissin mc's wooden feel. As a result, I had much more finesse in my braking and could throw the bike into a corner with more confidence. The same thing happened when I installed emulators. __________________________________________________ Don't think, look!