Rookie needing suspension advice

[del_la_sol]

Well after a few years of track daying my street bikes I think I'm about all together done riding on the road. I bought a 2004 GSX-R 600, last season I took Cornerspeed and STT's road racing schools so this year with a few more track days I'd like to try to enter a race or two. The shock is a pretty easy choice Ohlins or one of the Penskes, I'm not in a rush so just whatever I find the best deal on over winter, but my real question is what would you recommend I do to the forks? Lets say with a budget of around $500

[hi-side_racing]

gold valves or axxion valves from Max and springs for your weight, with install about $500

[cb186]

i have to put in my $.02, Thermosman, Mike is outstanding. 703-628-6818.

[StumpysWife]

Call Lithium Motorsports and talk to Rob or Ryan.  712-546-7747.  Their prices are great and so is their work.  If you are a midwest/great plains region person, they are at most races for trackside support, too.

Heather

[OmniGLH]

i have to put in my $.02, Thermosman, Mike is outstanding. 703-628-6818.

Ditto.  Mike is the shiz.

[Jeff]

I'd recommend you send them to Ed Kwaterski. www.tracksideengineering.com

Ed's well known & loved in the midwest.

Lithium & MD Racing aren't bad choices either...

[Chuck]

Ryan at Lithium can revalve for under $500, hell you'd have money left over for Suspension for Mortals.  ;D

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Trackside Engineering in Milwaukee has done an outstanding job for me.  But here is my advice:
Pick a reputable and recommended tuner in your area.  Most importantly, make sure this vendor also provides trackside support.  Trying to tune a suspension over the phone and through the mail isn't much use.
As an example, I had a pair of GSXR750s.  One was a 98, and the other was a 2000.  The 98 had Ohlins and progressive rate Hyperpro springs.  The 2000 had Penske and Racetech straight rate springs.  Ed Kwaterski was able to help me dial in both, but only because he was there at the track, listening to my input and suggesting changes.  The forks on the 98 required a second revalving before they were right.  It boggled my mind when Ed said, "There's nothing else to do but change the valve stack," then did it, and totally transformed the bike in an hour!  Trackside support in your area is the key to having a successful relationship between you and your suspension builder.

[LMsports]

Thanks for the support everyone. Good suggestions by all. The main thing is to work with someone reputable. Find a good suspension tuner that truly is a suspension specialist and stick with them. A huge benefit to working with us is that we will be at all the CCS Midwest and Great Plains races for 2005 providing service and support. Feel free to call us anytime with any questions you may have. Also, if you aren't in our region we can help you find a good tuner where you are located.

[cardzilla]

You may want to wait until January, rumor has it that Traxxion is coming out with 25MM drop in cartridges similar to the K-tech units.  This will be night and day compared to stock or even a revalve.  Call Max and get the real timetable.  I'll tell you if you can get them for under a grand, do it.  I have tried every inexpensive method to set up the forks on my bike and what I've found is that you get what you pay for.  I'd go as far as saying, get the cartridge and a penske 8987(or WP 3-way if you're on a budget) before anything else including a pipe.  
PS - The K-tech 25ssk units are in the $2K range, ridiculous in my opinion... or if you can only spend $500 you could go with the 20ssk setup from k-tech which is a replacement compression and rebound assembly.

[Super Dave]

Ok, so I raced my R6 most of 2003 with stock forks.

I think I still go pretty well.  Someone tell me if I'm wrong.

The most important component of handling is geometry...and most people don't recognize it.

Shock length and fork height are pivotal to that.  Additionally, to me, the relevance of the location of the rear axle relates to it too.

I put in Hyperpro front springs, had my bike GMD Computracked by http://4and6.com ...pretty easy.  Used a Hyperpro rear shock too with their spring.  

Regardless, you can have the coolest replacement shock and the coolest replacement forks, but until the geometry of the bike works mechanically with for the chassis....you're just trying to cover up problems.

Dave's two cents...

Regardless, Lithium and Thermosman and 4&6 do good suspension work for your needs.  I use 4&6 for them in addition to the Computrack work.