Had my 1st pro suspension setup - feels good/different.

[SA14]

Took it in for a suspension set up today to Phil Hoey who only does motorcycle suspensions and nothing else. Took lots of measurements. Asked me to get on, get off, get back on again, get off, bounce up and down. Helped him push it down on the handlebars and lift it up by the grab rail, adjusted nearly everything and you know what? It does actually feel different. Could be my imagination but I don't think so. He said due to my royal fatness (120kg-ish I'll have to weigh myself next time I'm at the vet) that the rear compresses about 5 mm more than he'd like at rest but he said with my riding style I should be fine. Regardless, now I know it's set up perfectly/correctly. Said the rebound on the front was way off and the fork springs are at their compressive limit too. Great guy, lots of people suggested him. At the end he asked if I had any questions.

I asked him to quote for new suspension. He suggested new fork tubes (my bike suffered a lot of sea air for years sitting still and was garaged dirty after a road trip for 3 years) because there was some pitting. Some were mountains and some were valleys. He said buy your own tubes online and bring them in and we'll do it all in a day or two. Probably YSS but he said it's not super urgent and he doesn't (ever) guarantee 'night and day' difference but it will ride as superb as it ever will. Felt a little feint at the price. Had to sit down for a bit but I was fine.

Today's suspension setup costs only $50 which I think is a bargain for peace of mind knowing that from now it's all down to my skills and practice to get the best out of the bike. Went for a bit of a blast afterward and it felt great but again, could be my imagination. I'll go back onto my usual twisties over the next few days but over all, happy chappy.

and now...a pic!

[steve porter]

Having confidence that the bike is right is the first step to building your own confidence

[grog]

Not much money well spent SA.

[SA14]

Having confidence that the bike is right is the first step to building your own confidence

Not much money well spent SA.

Agreed. I'm reminding myself to ease into it gently still. Over confidence is the mother of...?

[GSXKING]

"I asked him to quote for new suspension. He suggested new fork tubes (my bike suffered a lot of sea air for years sitting still and was garaged dirty after a road trip for 3 years) because there was some pitting. Some were mountains and some were valleys. He said buy your own tubes online and bring them in and we'll do it all in a day or two. Probably YSS but he said it's not super urgent and he doesn't (ever) guarantee 'night and day' difference but it will ride as superb as it ever will. Felt a little feint at the price. Had to sit down for a bit but I was fine. "

That is $50 well spent Baz.  If a professional suspension guy says "it'll be fine for your riding style" and you're comfortable with that, great. My suggestion is just do the basics of oil changing (maybe heavier grade for your weight) and servicing if required.

Sounds like he set up your sag really well if it's only out 5mm. So unless you're going to ride more aggressively stick with the basic set up 

[SA14]

Was asked by another member privately for the settings. Figured I'd put them up here in case anyone wants to copy or comment so here they are. There are lots of variables according to you guys such as if anyone's worked on the suspension before and the general condition of the bike and shocks but I think my bike's in pretty good condition. Also, I'm not a racer and have nothing else to compare it to. In my day "here's your Kwaka 9, learn how to ride it"

I'd consider myself a fatty (6' 120kg+ XXL or XXL in almost everything) and I never pillion or carry any extra cargo.

Front Spring Compression:
Standard setting is; 5 rings from the top are visible
My setting is; 2nd ring from the top is almost visible.

Front Compression Damping: (Little screw at the bottom of the forks)
Standard setting is; screw all the way in then out 6 clicks
My setting is; screw all the way in then out 7 clicks.

Front Rebound: (Little screw on the top of the forks)
Standard setting is;  Screw all the way in then out 8 clicks.
My setting is; Screw all the way then out 1 click.

Rear Spring Preload: (big black knob on the side of the shock)
Standard setting: "All the way out then in 1.5 clicks"
My setting: All the way out then (lol) all the way in (which felt like about 16 clicks...lol@fatty fat bum)

Rear Compression Damping: (small dial on top of the reservoir)
Standard Setting; 2
My Setting; 2

Rear Rebound Damping Force: (Black dial on the bottom)
Standard setting; II (2)
My setting; III (3)

Tyres:
Front 38psi
Rear 38psi

[Batkwaka]

Sag is the most important suspension setting yet the most often overlooked.
Not difficult to learn but definitely worth $50 to get done.

[grog]

Agree Batty

[SA14]

Couldn't stand it so went for a ride today just growling around town and a few local twisties. Half way I decided to stop at a servo and check my tyre pressure because something didn't feel right. After the suspension tune up it felt superb but today not so much. Sure enough 30 front 30 rear. Now that's odd being both exactly the same pressure and that I'd set them both to 38. I always use a tyre gauge to check and over inflate from the pump then adjust with the gauge.

Anyway, decided to set them to 36 and 42 and you know what? It felt immediately much better. I've never had 42 in these personally. I know they set them that way when I got the tyres fitted but I adjusted them myself I think so that I'd get more grip with a softer tyre figuring that more grip was more important to a new (re)rider like myself that mileage out of the tyre.

Anyway, I think the handling improved so much because the rear tyre was now so hard that it was transferring the bumps directly up to the shocks which are better at suspending and absorbing than a tyre is? Let the tyre do what it does and let the shocks do what they do. Sounds about right. One thing I couldn't figure out was why is 42 the same setting for with or without a pillion? Is it for the reason above? The rear tyre should always be this rock hard so the shocks can handle everything regardless of load?

[Hooli]

It's not so much the 'hardness' but the shape. With more pressure in the tyre stays round in cross section which makes the bike lighter to change direction. Obviously too much isn't a good thing either.

[SA14]

Ah well that makes even more sense now. It was definitely lighter around corners and bends. I translated that to "handled better" but I understand now. Thanks.

[Alan Moreton]

Hiya folks. Hope you are all well and keeping safe.

Low tyre Tyre pressures can have some interesting effects on handling.  

My bike club often arranges for speakers to come to our meetings.  Some time ago we had a visit from the UK rep for Bridgestone, who gave us a presentation on motorcycle tyres.
(yes I know - we live fast and loose here in the UK  ).
It was very interesting overall. His chat wasn't exclusively about Bridgestone tyres by the way.

He did talk about tyre pressures.  I seem to recall that he suggested that road tyres should be inflated to the recommended pressures at all times and it is a false economy and possibly dangerous (due to carcass over heating) to reduce pressures or exceed pressures for road use.  Road tyres are designed to operate at their best at those pressures.  I do remember him saying that although there are usually two pressures quoted for the rear tyres (in our case 36  psi for solo and 42psi for two up riding), he simply runs his at the higher pressure for all his riding as, on the road it is highly unlikely any of us would notice the difference. 

Since then I have run my rear at 42psi all the time, as it saves chopping and changing when the missus decides to either come along for the ride or not, whatever the case maybe!!!.  (Currently I'm using Bridgestone T31 front and rear.)

[Hooli]

I tried 36psi in the rear of mine once, it's like riding on a flat tyre. Bloody awful.

[SA14]

My concern is now how did my tyres lose so much pressure? Going from 38 to 30 in a few weeks of sitting quietly in the shed. And they were measured after 30 minutes of riding too. Confirmed by both the tyre gauge at the servo and my handheld gauge...on both tyres at once. Something's not right with that picture.

[steve porter]

Nip your valves up just in case and check them with a bit of spit, and check the pressures at least weekly before you ride the bike