Racetech Issues?

[TerryS]

I bought a set of the Gold Valves for the 1300 fork, which included the compression and rebound valves. No real issues installing them, the left leg went together easily and felt good on a bounce test, but the right leg had zero rebound damping!

So I disassembled the right leg and cartridge and expected that maybe I had made some stupid error and installed some part backwards, but nope, correct orientation, check valve operating as it should and shim stack all tight against the valve body. Just for S&G I reassembled the parts (double checking as I went) filled the fork and no change, still no rebound.

So it all came apart again and this time I took a close look at the machined valve body in case it had some obvious defect. It wasn't too hard to spot if you know the way the oil is meant to flow. Easily one way, bypassing the shim stack and pushing the check valve open, and hard in the other direction, when the check valve is closed and the oil is forced against and through the shim stack. I think there was a machining error on one side as there are three ports that are neither sealed on one side by the check valve nor the shim stack, so oil is freely passing when in rebound mode. One face of the valve body looks to be clocked 60 degrees out of alignment with the other side.

This is the rebound side where the shim stack sits. The shims seal across three ports, and the other six stay open..


This is the check valve side, and it seals across the three pairs of ports.

The pen mark shows one of the three ports which is unsealed on both sides. It should be open on the check valve side, but sealed by the shim stack on the other.

I have contacted Racetech today asking for a solution, and will update with their reply. In the meantime my ST now has a mongrel valve set-up with two RT compression valves, one RT rebound valve and one stock valve (but with the RT shim stack). Not sure whether that will be any good but that is what test rides are for.

 

[TerryS]

I had no reply to my email to RT, so called them today. The rep admitted they had occasional machining faults like I found, and they suggested I contact their local agent in NZ for a replacement. Fingers crossed, the local agent (KSS in New Plymouth) appear to be on board with offering a replacement although the slighlty snarky tone suggested they weren't exactly sure I deserved help, given I purchased the parts from a US supplier.

 

[Bmacleod]

I had no reply to my email to RT, so called them today. The rep admitted they had occasional machining faults like I found, and they suggested I contact their local agent in NZ for a replacement. Fingers crossed, the local agent (KSS in New Plymouth) appear to be on board with offering a replacement although the slighlty snarky tone suggested they weren't exactly sure I deserved help, given I purchased the parts from a US supplier.

Wow, good catch on that defect. Good luck with the customer service Terry

 

[Sadlsor]

Wow, that's disappointing.
I installed the Gold Valve Emulators on my Honda Blackbird (actually I mostly watched as a former Kawasaki suspension guru did the work) and they transformed that bike in the twisties.
Not as much disappointing in the defect - crap happens - but in the attitude at the shop.
Hoping it gets resolved with minimal hassle.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Not as much disappointing in the defect - crap happens - but in the attitude at the shop.

In fairness to them, Terry bought the parts online cutting the company who has the NZ rights out of the transaction and revenue. Now they are being asked to expend their time, effort and money to deal with a problem that is not of their making with a part they made no profit on, and most likely won't make anything providing the replacement either.

When we choose to purchase online and exclude local vendors, I think that subsequently expecting those local vendors to provide us with valued customer level service and support after we intentionally cut them out of the transaction and revenue is unfair to them. We make the choice to forego local support when we purchase online rather than from that local vendor from whom we now seek support. It is good custmer service and PR when they do provide that support, but I don't think that it should be our expectation.

 

[robotdog]

In fairness to them, Terry bought the parts online cutting the company who has the NZ rights out of the transaction and revenue. Now they are being asked to expend their time, effort and money to deal with a problem that is not of their making with a part they made no profit on, and most likely won't make anything providing the replacement either.

When we choose to purchase online and exclude local vendors, I think that subsequently expecting those local vendors to provide us with valued customer level service and support after we intentionally cut them out of the transaction and revenue is unfair to them. We make the choice to forego local support when we purchase online rather than from that local vendor from whom we now seek support. It is good custmer service and PR when they do provide that support, but I don't think that it should be our expectation.

Well said, I appreciate the fresh perspective. While I hope that Terry gets the satisfaction he is looking for, this is something to keep in mind when working with various businesses that support our hobby/passion.

In some cases, the "global economy" makes things both easier (when they go right) and more difficult (when things go wrong). Good luck Terry.

 

[SMSW]

If we don't support the bricks and mortar stores, what are you going to do when you need customer service? Hopot and Lowe's drove most of the mom and pop hardware stores out of business. Locksmiths are similarly gone. When was the last time you needed help finding anything at Hopot? Time was when you could get a screen changed or table lamp rewired at a hardware store.

 

[Sadlsor]

In fairness to them, Terry bought the parts online cutting the company who has the NZ rights out of the transaction and revenue. Now they are being asked to expend their time, effort and money to deal with a problem that is not of their making with a part they made no profit on, and most likely won't make anything providing the replacement either.
<SNIP>

In fairness I don't disagree, but will admit I don't know the whole story, or the "back story." I just know RaceTech has, for years, largely enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for quality bits and for service when they get your parts, and I just hope the company doesn't take a hit for the behavior of one of their authorized shops.

 

[TerryS]

All good points above. I have been pleasantly surprised by the local agent's response, however it probably helped when I pointed out I was an actual customer who had commissioned $800 of work on the Ohlins forks on my MT-10SP last year. I was mentally prepared to be rebuffed and take the matter up directly with RT, and have to wait for a replacement from the US. The owner of KSS has had a decent go at opening my wallet further and we are discussing shock options now.

Being in a small country like New Zealand, we often pay quite a premium to support local businesses. When I bought my 2009 ST1300, it came with receipts for previous work, and included in that was the receipt from KSS (the same local Racetech agent) from 2014 for NZ$562 for supply of the Gold Valves. My recent GV purchase from the US came to NZ$420 including shipping. My guess is that the local pricing won't have dropped since 2014, but even at 2014 prices I would be paying 1/3 extra.

I've had similar experiences with our local Honda importer's prices and stockholding policies (i.e none) for genuine parts. I have been able to land parts from Partzilla in half the time and often half the cost (inlcuding shipping) compared to ordering from my local dealer.

 

[Esti1300]

I've had similar experiences with our local Honda importer's prices and stockholding policies (i.e none) for genuine parts. I have been able to land parts from Partzilla in half the time and often half the cost (inlcuding shipping) compared to ordering from my local dealer.

That’s right Terry. I have exactly the same problem here in Canada (Ontario). In a recent purchase this past spring, that I made online with a US supplier I saved CDN$200.00 on the parts if I had purchased them through the Canadian Honda dog and pony crap show in this country.
I’m all for local support but not at the expense of my hard earned money. I don’t even get good service from them if I do HAVE to use them. Parts ordered in Canada can take up to twice as long to receive compared to an order in the US.

 

[TerryS]

In fairness I don't disagree, but will admit I don't know the whole story, or the "back story." I just know RaceTech has, for years, largely enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for quality bits and for service when they get your parts, and I just hope the company doesn't take a hit for the behavior of one of their authorized shops.

So far, the response from RT and their agent has been perfect. I've used RT parts for many years and wouldn't hesitate to buy their products again.

 

[TerryS]

Just to wrap this up, I received my replacement rebound valve yesterday and I re-built and re-fitted the right fork leg last night. Kiwi Suspension Solutions's owner Robert Taylor has been very responsive and helpful to sort this out. I am now weighing up whether to replace the shock with either a Nitron or YSS; there's a decent price difference, but I'm not sure whether the Nitron would be noticeably better. Anyone care to chime in? I had a Nitron on my 09 1300 and currently have one on my 99 VFR800.

I did a fair amount of riding over the past weekend using the hybrid valve set-up (RT parts in compression, one RT and one stock valve in rebound) and was very happy with the result but I did get a little more fork bottoming than I wanted. I opted to stay with the stock springs and moved to RT's recommended 110mm oil height; I think that combination allows too much suspension movement on big bumps, and so I have returned to the stock 62mm oil height with the stock springs.

 

[Sadlsor]

Thanks much for allowing closure for the rest of us!
Really glad to learn RT's esteem (at least in my eyes) has not taken the hit for substandard service.
And lots of folks seem to come in here with an issue of one sort or another, some of us getting engaged, only for the OP to leave us hanging on the cliff. Did he fix it? Did he get the part? What happened?
I can only imagine RaceTech pieces have improved front-end feel for your ST, over the stock bits.