Just about to take my bike to the suspension guru.

[Nic]

Well I reckon Thursday might be a good weather day to take the bike in to Suspension Smith but before I do, a small rant if I may:
Two years ago when I first bought the 14 I just blindly adjusted the settings per Kev's settings on the MCN blurb, Kev's were very similar the Keith's so toss of the ol coin there.
Two years later it's just driving me mad, the bumps and what have you have just got the better of me. So before taking it in I decided to return all the settings to stock, thereby softening things up quite a bit, and what a difference.
After a 10k test ride the bike felt way better, after owning the bike for two years and realizing how much I really do like it, I have come to understand that ultimately I want the bike to float over bumps like a Cadillac, any big arse yank tank will do, I'm not fussy, smooth sailing is the main objective, I don't fang around like the bad ol days, I don't want to lose my license and right now with stock settings the bike handles OK, quite a bit better that the bouncing castle it has been.
    I've also been contemplating buying the Nitron shocks, the cheaper version, not the $2500 ones but the $1400 ones and with the blue springs, I like the blue springs, there is one knob to adjust damping and compression both together, you can also adjust the length of the shock, something I'd be keen on to lift the rear a bit to aid turn in. See them here https://nitronaustralia.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=151_283&product_id=855
I reckon that'd do me but then the stock shocks might be worth keeping, I spose I can always get the Nitrons later on.
Before anyone mentions Hagons, I won't ever be going there again, that's another story. Nor Ikons either, they're ok but nothing special IMO, had them on two bikes. I reckon if you're gonna go for better than stock then you need to pay the bucks and get something that is actually better than the stockers.
So I think Laurie the suspension guy likes to go with Race tech springs and valves for the front, if after he checks the rears they are good I'll stick with them for the time being, if he says they need a rebuild I'll go the Nitrons. The prelaod adjusters both work ok on the stockers.
The ride with the MCN setting was just way hard for my cruising riding style out here in the nothing, city riding isn't a consideration, even so, I can't see how I'd ride any different in the city except for wearing everything out quicker.
So this is just a preamble before I take the bike in and have the front done for sure and not so sure what to the rear but if anyone has adjusted their bike to the MCN settings, don't think for a minute that that is the answer for laid back street riding, ha, for any riding for that matter, the bike would hit a small bump in a corner and just hope sideways, how the fuck has it taken me all this time 
Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the progress to come, Cheers. 

[grog]

I tried those mcn settings when i first got bike. Agree totally with your comments, far far too rigid. Were supposed to be ducks nuts back then, dont always believe what you read. Im used to mine now, but can remember first trip after susp mods, totally couldnt believe the difference. Had sim on a Ducati, spent big bucks on Marzocchi rears, too harsh, no travel.Every week rooting around checking air pressure. Fitted cheap Girling, full travel and damping, set n forget. What a difference. Look fwd to your first comments. 👍

[Hooli]

I prefer MCN settings to stock, but with less preload than MCN recommended. Nice firm shocks controlling softer springing gives a nice ride & decent control - it also happens to be how Lotus setup their cars to be quick on rough Norfolk roads.

[VladTepes]

@Nic what suspension specialist are you going to?

To me, suspension setup is a dark art and I've seriously been considering getting a professional to help me with set up to my needs as well.

[Nic]

Vlad, my guy's in Canberra, his business in called Suspension Smith.
http://suspensionsmith.com/

[VladTepes]

Cool - thought it would be god for people to know.  Let us know how it works out and we can make a list here as to good places to go.

[grog]

Vlad, my bloke was perfect for me but have also heard many bad reports. Wont list him.

[GSXKING]

Realistically if you maintain both ends that goes a long way to a comfy ride.
Pretty much every rider out there has a different setup & thinks it suits them 
Unless the GSX is tying itself in knots trying to turn you should be good.
In 21 years of ownership I've had a go at most riding styles. IMHO GSX is the greatest all rounder of the modern generations 🥇❤️

[grog]

Agree Chris, what else covers all its abilities. Nothing ive found.Can be changed easily to what you want, cheap/easy maintenance Looks good, can sound good, others tour better, lots are faster, as an all rounder, hard to match.

[Nic]

I went on a 50K ride today on one of the lesser roads out here with the stock settings and well, of course the bumps are always gonna be there but now the jarring is gone, it's no magic carpet ride but I could live with it how it is now quite easily, even the seat feels more comfortable or at least less punishing, still, I'm going to go ahead and see how much better it can be, just wish I didn't have to leave the bike for a week or more, I bet the weather will be real good while he has the bike and then the shit weather will return the second I pick it up, just sayin.
Oh and Grog, lots are faster, I'm in no need of more power

[VladTepes]

Low end Torque is much more fun that top end horsepower.

[Nic]

Low end Torque is much more fun that top end horsepower.

Preaching the the choir Vlad 
Took the bike in yesterday, now the wait, strange opening the shed and no bike in there.
The 70K ride on the ha, for lack of a better term, hiway, also showed me that with the stock settings the front just felt a bit light, not as sure footed/planted as with the heavier settings.
I read some posts here the other days where some were saying springs won't make any difference, I beg to differ strongly. Of course other factors come into it as well, Race tech says to use the stock 5W oil but the air gap is 130mil, from memory the gap with the stock springs is somewhere around 160? So that has to make a difference. Laurie said that the stock springs being soft will mean if you have to emergency stop you're more likely to lock up the front, can't comment on that but that's what he said.
After it's all been done, him setting up the bike for you must make a good improvement as well, I myself have not much idea about comp and rebound, I understand static sag which is set via preload but the other two? little to no idea, well of course I understand what they do but what the perfect settings are, no idea and I don't want to just piss in the wind, and in doing so, do you ever get it right?
It's gonna be a long week.

[grog]

How many movies have you watched Nic? Done a few crosswords, studied the horses, watched tennis? Push bike ride, weeded the garden? Arent i a prick. 😂😂 Not long now Mate.

[Nic]

None of the above mate, much to my surprise the weather is pox as it has been all summer here, it is forecast to continue to be pox for the whole of next week so a good time to have the bike away.
I've been busy in my home recording studio making more music.

[Nic]

I picked up the bike today, rode it home on the joke hiway 75Ks.
Where to start, first thing I notice is plenty of vibrations in my hands that were not there before, already we're off to a shit start.
The front is noticeably stiffer, you can easily feel that.
On the way home I was knee deep in endless processions due to road works, this made it hard for me to be in a relaxed state and just ride and feel the new front. I even pulled over once and let them all go but you know what happens, in no time you've caught them up again, at one point I just got the shits and rounded up a whole lot of cages with no regard for the speed I was doing, it was at this point I could feel how well the bike was handling in and out of traffic at speed, well that's great but that's not what I wanted, my Cadillac suspension is not stiff and hard, great on good roads or race tracks, neither of which are in my life.
Getting any info out of Laurie is like pulling teeth IMO, he's a man of few words.
The setting up of the bike for the individual rider consisted of me sitting on the bike, he put a mark on one of the fork tubes and told me to put the bike on the centre stand, he looked at the gap between the top of the fork lower and the mark and said perfect, on your way, enjoy.
So we have 30 mil of static sag and that's all she wrote. There's your way important bike setup right there.
I asked about comp and rebound, he just said he set them to "his" settings whatever they are.
I asked about the oil gap, Race tech says 130mil but Laurie added another 10 mil to "help the springs"
When I got home I checked "his" settings for comp and rebound, he had the comp at 5 clicks out and the rebound at 4 clicks out, I backed them off to 8 and 7 as per the stock settings and by holding the front brake and pushing down on the bars things were a little softer.
I haven't ridden the bike since, I don't know if the vibrations will be better or gone, I can pull 10 mil of oil out of the forks to lighten things up a bit more.
It cost me $500, I'm not worried about that, if I can get rid of the vibrations I'll be happy, if not then the bike is fucked as far as I'm concerned. I probably should have waited a bit before posting my first thoughts but why wait and have them dull, this is how I feel about the bike now. I'll need to take it out again and see how it goes, then I can still remove the extra 10 mil of oil.
I told him I wanted a nice soft ride but that doesn't seem to go well with suspension dudes now does it, I reckon they all must think we ride on the track?
So far, disappointed is the word for today, even though, I can feel that the bike is way surer leaned over that's not what I asked for. I ride on the worst roads known to man and I need the bike set up accordingly.
Stay tuned.