New suspension settings

[HaulinAshe]

Ya mean that I didn't have to pay all that cash for GP suspension? :derisive:

Yes you did. Otherwise that check to Remus would not have hurt as much as it should have.

 

[beacher]

Thanks for the advice, Jeff; guess it's time to get a little better acquainted with the new ride. I have read through the manual several times, but until you start messing around with the bike, the reading does very little. And, really, it rides so nicely, that I had no idea that it could be improved upon!

 

[MojaveFJR]

Bought a nice fork brace that got rid of those WEEBLES of the front end. Have to adjust those settings when I get home. Vibe in the bars makes my hands numb...

No comments needed from the peanut gallery.

 

[Cdogman]

Ya mean that I didn't have to pay all that cash for GP suspension? :derisive:

Yes you did. Otherwise that check to Remus would not have hurt as much as it should have.

Jefff Doooode

I looked at all the stuff here again.... My rear shock has this funny little black thingy on the side of my bike..

My front shock is set to no lines..... All the preload dialed in.. Is is a bit harsh but give me the feel I want playing..

My corner approach speed formula on unknown roads is X2-10 That is to say 25*2-10=40 "FOR MY BIKE" that gives me plenty of margin, this is of course making several assumptions... about road surface and sight distances.

A blind corner... I go the speed limit or no faster than I can see.. Some of the Cali boys on my ride saw me do this and had to compensate for my slowdown.. They were behind me, they know the road, I did not

A road that I know well.. I will tip in as high as x2 - 5, but that is riding a bit harder than needs to be done on the street.. That would be for me 8/10ths.. I prefer 7/10ths.

For those reading this please understand that I said for "my bike"... My suspension is not stock and that makes a huge difference

I ride slower now than I used to, after a couple of track days I have come to realize the streets are meaner than they look, and they look pretty mean.

Now, rather that focusing on speed... I am focusing on lines and technique... I am focusing on the exit.. I dont mind accelerating near the limit of traction as I stand the bike back up... But Technique....... that is worth working on..

Like hitting a golf ball.. and you know by the sound without looking,,, you crushed it perfectly and get satisfaction from it..

The perfect line is like that too, and you dont have to chase the dam ball

 

[HaulinAshe]

Robin,

As always it seems we have a lot in common. I've been told all my life two things...

"You look like you are going slow until I try to keep up with you." and,

"I can easily overtake you going into the corners, but coming out you are... just gone!"

I'm trying to help these folks get more out of their stock suspension without automatically jumping to aftermarket. I would never pretend to state or even imply that aftermarket suspension is a bad thing. Just that it's not always necessary for many riders, especially if you are NOT doing track days.

I'm glad to hear you have slowed down (according to the speedo), and learned to enjoy the precision. But I'm willing to bet that given a twisty road and a stopwatch, you are actually faster than you used to be. So there's no way I'm trying to keep up with you man!

Good to hear from you. Hope married life is treating you both well.

Hang on to the aftermarket suspension. Save your stock pieces for me. I'm wearing them bad boyz out!!!

Oh yeah, if you are completely out of front preload then it sounds like you might be in the market for some new front springs. Maybe a set of progressive springs to relieve the harsh feeling up top, yet keep you from bottoming so easily?

 

[big ears]

My settings are almost identical to yours. I weigh about 185. With a minimal load in side bags and a soft touring bag up top it performed great on a little trip through Texas. Of courst I'm not real aggressive. Talkig about Jeffs settings that is.

 

[Cdogman]

Jeff,, I am riding allot easier,,, and I know I am quicker.. I am a corner junkie.... Top end is for pffffffffffff nuthin

I agree,,,, and i would tell all new riders..... a slow bike and a SMOOTH rider will beat a fast bike and a poor rider, every single time..

If you want to improve and do anything... buy a book,,, read it,,, practice.. in earnest, practice.... In a parking lot..

All the sudden the bike is less important. the clicker settings are less important.... Yes, a good setup is better.... but good riding triumphs all.... Mix the two.. and you got majic,,,, you got zen

Jeff, Doode.. i do not try to keep up with, or beat anyone.... I ride my ride... I think you are the same.... ego has no room in my saddle.. it will get me killed, or a buddy killed.

I will not try to keep up with you either Jeff.... Who ever is running hotter that day, when we do ride.. can lead.... no worries... we will ride again... we have a lifetime to get to that... and I hear you got a couple twisty roads in your area.... Might want to come for a visit... this year wont happen... but we got time

 

[Av8rider]

There is a great write up [with pictures] explaining how to do the BJM, is there a similar write up for adjusting suspension? I have never adjusted the suspension and although I understand what is being discussed here, I don't want to just start adjusting things withought a more thorough understanding of what I'm doing.

The BJM mod was great and easy to understand, I'm hoping for a similar write up for adjusting suspension.

Thanks

 

[HaulinAshe]

The BJM mod was great and easy to understand, I'm hoping for a similar write up for adjusting suspension.

You know, that might just be something I'll attempt to do for the stock suspension. So much of suspension adjustment is personal and subjective, but there are some "universal truths" that can be reasonably applied.

 

[UnCaged]

This is great stuff. Thank you for your information HaulinAshe. I have an 05 with around 19.000 miles, I'm around 185 lbs. your first post was super, I'm going to attempt to set my suspension to your specs.

I'm Suspension challenged and look forward to the positive results. (get'in rid of the bounce in the corners)

Thanks :yahoo:

Uncaged

 

[Av8rider]

The BJM mod was great and easy to understand, I'm hoping for a similar write up for adjusting suspension.

You know, that might just be something I'll attempt to do for the stock suspension. So much of suspension adjustment is personal and subjective, but there are some "universal truths" that can be reasonably applied.

I'm sure that would be greatly appreciated by all.

Having pictures to refer too while making adjustments helps to make sure, for those who have no idea what we're doing, that we are indeed adjusting the right thing.

Its my understanding that adjusting the stock suspension from its factory settings can be a huge improvement. If I thought I could trust my local dealer not to take advantage of my naivety I'd have them adjust it. But as you mentioned, adjusting the suspension is so personal and subjective that in this case doing it yourself is probably the best answer.

It's too bad that we didn't live closer to each other, I'd be more than happy to help you produce an instructional video about this.

 

[caryb]

I did these adjustments on Friday and went for a ride Saturday. I was a little leery of doing these adjustments myself but everything you need to know is in the write up and in the owners manual. Read the materials twice made the adjustments and then re-read again to verify that I had done things correctly. All in all I was way to apprehensive about these adjustments. They are easy to make.

I have had the bike almost two years now and had no idea how much better the ride and handling could be. I am pretty heavy at nearly 250 lbs. The bike use to wallow a bit in the turns especially when the line was upset. These changes have really fixed that problem and in general the bike feels more nimble. I don't have the vocabulary to explain the differences but they sure felt real.

Thanks Jeff for writing this information up and sharing. Now that I have more confidence in the cornering of the bike maybe I will have to start looking for a few curvy roads.

CaryB

 

[Jeff Q]

I have an 08, Not sure where the starting point is on the rear shock. There is a knob on the shaft and I can turn in clockwise or counterclockwise as you are looking at it from underneather the shock so is fully CCW the bottom and go 6 clicks CW?

 

[big ears]

Owner manual tells all.

 

[Jeff Q]

Looks like CCW increases and CW decreases dampening. So 6 clicks CW from full CCW. Done will ride tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[HaulinAshe]

Please be VERY careful about adjusting the rear rebound clicker. The clicker pushes a dampening control rod upward to tighten/stiffen the rebound dampening. Think of it as a right-hand thread when viewed from the bottom. Clockwise tightens/moves the rod upwards/stiffens the dampening.

Fully clockwise is the closed/zero setting. But DO NOT jam the setting tight.

The number of clicks is referenced from the closed position. The more you open the dampening clicker (counter-clockwise), the more open the valve plates become, the more freely the fluid flows back and forth, and the softer the rebound dampening reacts. That means the rear shock will return to its full and upright position quicker as you open/soften the dampening.

Yamaha states the useable range is 3 to 20 clicks.

 

[UnCaged]

Thank you, This thread is awesome. Very helpfully, can't wait to make the adjustments, then ride the dang Bike.... :yahoo:

I'll be back......................

 

[Jeff Q]

Please be VERY careful about adjusting the rear rebound clicker. The clicker pushes a dampening control rod upward to tighten/stiffen the rebound dampening. Think of it as a right-hand thread when viewed from the bottom. Clockwise tightens/moves the rod upwards/stiffens the dampening.
Fully clockwise is the closed/zero setting. But DO NOT jam the setting tight.

The number of clicks is referenced from the closed position. The more you open the dampening clicker (counter-clockwise), the more open the valve plates become, the more freely the fluid flows back and forth, and the softer the rebound dampening reacts. That means the rear shock will return to its full and upright position quicker as you open/soften the dampening.

Yamaha states the useable range is 3 to 20 clicks.

Well I checked it again and I did it backwards. So I reset it. Thanks.

 

[rbentnail]

Finally caught up with this thread knowing I had to stiffen the front end a little but didn't know how much. I'm 165 lbs, a little lighter than most it seems, so I split the diff on the factory settings and the ones most folks like. Mucho better and easier handling. All but eliminated the front end dive on sudden decel. I still have a little tweaking to do but now it's a lot easier since I know WTH I'm looking for. Thanks all!

 

[Foxhuntr]

I did the adjustments last week, backing off a click since I only weigh 160. The rear was too "jittery" so I switched the preload to soft. Big difference! My wife says I'm back to where I was on my FZ1. She rides an FZ1 and had been leaving me in the dust.