RadioHowie
I Miss Beemerdons!
I rest my case. 
New suspension settings
- Thread starter HaulinAshe
- Start date
Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:
KillerMedic
Member
You should, to keep from having an unbalanced situation. But testing is the only way to know for sure as your conditions and riding style may differ from others here.
Medic...out!
Wannabe_4x4
Well-known member
Anyone have a solution to this problem...
Well, the problem is that I'm getting a little bit of wide turning at freeway speeds or going through a big sweeper. Should I open up the rear rebound a little more... say 6,7 or 8 clicks?
Keep in mind I'm 330 lbs.
Here's where I'm at as of 10pm tonight, 6/24/09:
Front forks:
8 clicks rebound
6 clicks compression
preload is right at the 1st line
Rear shock:
set to Hard
5 clicks rebound
I'm running 32 psi front tire, 36psi rear tire.
So far, this is the best setting the bike has ever run at in the 1000 miles since I've had it.
Well, the problem is that I'm getting a little bit of wide turning at freeway speeds or going through a big sweeper. Should I open up the rear rebound a little more... say 6,7 or 8 clicks?
Keep in mind I'm 330 lbs.
Here's where I'm at as of 10pm tonight, 6/24/09:
Front forks:
8 clicks rebound
6 clicks compression
preload is right at the 1st line
Rear shock:
set to Hard
5 clicks rebound
I'm running 32 psi front tire, 36psi rear tire.
So far, this is the best setting the bike has ever run at in the 1000 miles since I've had it.
Last edited by a moderator:
08FJR4ME
-WYNPRO-
Wow!!!
What was i waiting for? After a year and half I finally decided to adjust the handlebars and suspension settings.
Preload front- 2 lines, was at 3 lines
compesion- 8 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
Rear rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 11
Tire pressure- 39 front 40 rear, solo rider
I did a test ride through the twisties down the road from the house and i can't believe the difference. :yahoo: I could probably play with it some more but forgetaboutit. I am really pleased with the current settings.
Dave
No more diving when applying the front brakes very minimal.
What was i waiting for? After a year and half I finally decided to adjust the handlebars and suspension settings.
Preload front- 2 lines, was at 3 lines
compesion- 8 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
Rear rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 11
Tire pressure- 39 front 40 rear, solo rider
I did a test ride through the twisties down the road from the house and i can't believe the difference. :yahoo: I could probably play with it some more but forgetaboutit. I am really pleased with the current settings.
Dave
No more diving when applying the front brakes very minimal.
Wannabe_4x4
Well-known member
UPDATE... Sadly, I've decided to ditch my stock suspension and go with new springs, revalving the front forks, and a new Penske shock in the back.Wow!!!
What was i waiting for? After a year and half I finally decided to adjust the handlebars and suspension settings.
Preload front- 2 lines, was at 3 lines
compesion- 8 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
Rear rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 11
Tire pressure- 39 front 40 rear, solo rider
I did a test ride through the twisties down the road from the house and i can't believe the difference. :yahoo: I could probably play with it some more but forgetaboutit. I am really pleased with the current settings.
Dave
No more diving when applying the front brakes very minimal.
Finder
Member
Wannabe_4x4
Well-known member
HelzBelz
HipHopLitePopMetalist
Wow!!!
What was i waiting for? After a year and half I finally decided to adjust the handlebars and suspension settings.
Preload front- 2 lines, was at 3 lines
compesion- 8 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
Rear rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 11
Tire pressure- 39 front 40 rear, solo rider
I did a test ride through the twisties down the road from the house and i can't believe the difference. :yahoo: I could probably play with it some more but forgetaboutit. I am really pleased with the current settings.
Dave
No more diving when applying the front brakes very minimal.
Mind if I ask your weight? Still trying to dial my 09 in perfectly. I am pretty happy most days with my current setup.
I weigh 200, and typically have 20 lbs in the bags when touring. When the wife is with me we weigh 400 total (including luggage.)
Anyone have any suggestions?
:dribble: :dribble: :dribble: :dribble: :dribble: :dribble: :dribble: :dribble: :dribble: That tire pressure caught my eye.
330 lbs and you're running 10 psi too low in front and 6 psi too low in the rear? Holy cow!
Forget everything else and raise your tire pressures first, then go for a ride.
I'm 300 in gear and have been running 42/42 for 110k miles. At 32 front you will cup the heck out of the front tire quickly with your rider weight. Only sub 140 lb test riders should be running 36 front, (Yamaha's old recommended lowest pressure).
Please define "getting a little bit of wide turning". Is the back end wallowing up/down?
Wannabe_4x4
Well-known member
Ah, that was when I was in the trial and error phase. lol. I'm back up to 39/42, and the suspension still sucked. Current news as of today 8/12/09 is that I'm doing the front springs, drilling and revalving, and getting the penske 8983 in the back. The bike is totally apart, so it'll be a while before I get it back to post up the news.
By the way, are YOU running your stock suspension, or did you do a complete overhaul? At the tire pressure you're running, what tires do you use, and how long typically do they last... 6k, 8k, 10k?? Does the center wear first, or does it wear all over?
08FJR4ME
-WYNPRO-
Lately I hover around 205/210 depending on the brews. :drinks:Wow!!!
What was i waiting for? After a year and half I finally decided to adjust the handlebars and suspension settings.
Preload front- 2 lines, was at 3 lines
compesion- 8 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
Rear rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 11
Tire pressure- 39 front 40 rear, solo rider
I did a test ride through the twisties down the road from the house and i can't believe the difference. :yahoo: I could probably play with it some more but forgetaboutit. I am really pleased with the current settings.
Dave
No more diving when applying the front brakes very minimal.
Mind if I ask your weight? Still trying to dial my 09 in perfectly. I am pretty happy most days with my current setup.
I weigh 200, and typically have 20 lbs in the bags when touring. When the wife is with me we weigh 400 total (including luggage.)
Anyone have any suggestions?
did you set your rear shock to Hard or Soft? i'm about the same size and setting mine the same to try it outWow!!!
What was i waiting for? After a year and half I finally decided to adjust the handlebars and suspension settings.
Preload front- 2 lines, was at 3 lines
compesion- 8 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 12 clicks
Rear rebound- 9 clicks out, was set at 11
Tire pressure- 39 front 40 rear, solo rider
I did a test ride through the twisties down the road from the house and i can't believe the difference. :yahoo: I could probably play with it some more but forgetaboutit. I am really pleased with the current settings.
Dave
No more diving when applying the front brakes very minimal.
No, I'm not running the stock suspension any more. I upgraded to Wilbers shock and fork springs at 26k, (IIRC). When the Wibers shock needed rebuild after 30k or so I had GP Suspension rebuild the shock and completely re-work the forks too. edit: They also replaced the spring with an 800 lb one at that time. The stock spring was supposed to be 600 lbs and was too soft, as well as being softer than it's marked rating. The Wibers shock has a hyd. adjustable pre-load. That allows me to vary pre-load when the fuel cell is empty and loaded Vs unloaded riding.
I've run a wide variety of tires, my preference being Avon Azaros when they were still available. Front tires generally last me 12-14k, rears fairly consistently about 10k. I keep a tire log and can give exact numbers if you want. Currently I am running a Conti-Motion front and a Bridgestone car tire on the rear. There is a thread about the car tire use, (very long), on the forum called 'Going to the Darkside'. Linky. Short answer to the usual questions is that it's really not that much different from a moto tire, there is more turn in pressure required, but you quickly get used to it and there is a slightly different feel to road variations linear to travel, (grooves/seams). Currently I have 20k on the CT and still have approx 10k of wear left. The front Conti-Motion is doing well and at 6600 miles is still showing a nice smoothly rounded profile w/o cupping or the excessive side wear typical of Pilot Roads. I'm liking the Conti-Motion very much at this point. Much better wear characteristics than many of the other tires I've tried. (and I've tried almost everything)
I use all of my tire, but the FJR is my traveling tool, rather than a commuting or short ride tool. I tend to wear fronts all over and center wear the rears. One reason I went to the CT. This doesn't mean I ride slow in the twisties, or can't ride hard when I choose to on the CT.
FYI - 42 psi for the front greatly reduces cupping tendencies. As to the rear, with the loads I run, (me, fuel cell, bags full), 42 works well and I don't feel it contributed to center wear. It's generally the pressure run by FJRs in the LD community. The long freeway runs was more of a factor. I run 30 psi in the CT, but that's a different dynamic. Feel free to post questions on the CT on that thread. No point in hijacking this good suspension thread, (any more than already).
Last edited by a moderator:
VanHarlan
Well-known member
Well, Yesterday I zeroed all my suspension settings on my 2007 FJR, carefully noting how many clicks it took to get to zero. I weigh 220lbs.
Set it up: Front Pre-load @ 2, Front Rebound @ 8, Front Compression @ 8, Rear @ 10.
Immediately I noticed a change in the suspesion as I rolled her off the center stand. Took her out this morning and hit a few of my favorite twist, and some high speed sweeps. Did a little of everything. Noteable changes are these: much better front end feedback, much more sure footed when digging deep in corners - I used to be able to feel the entire front end compress when I got deep, no more exagerated nose diving when on the front brake, more "balanced" feel over the road especially when changes in road surfaces occur, a lot less overall "slop" - she just feels tightened up but not hard, or harsh, at all. The biggest improvements by far are the front end feel and feedback from inputs.
Thanks for all the trial and error guys.
Set it up: Front Pre-load @ 2, Front Rebound @ 8, Front Compression @ 8, Rear @ 10.
Immediately I noticed a change in the suspesion as I rolled her off the center stand. Took her out this morning and hit a few of my favorite twist, and some high speed sweeps. Did a little of everything. Noteable changes are these: much better front end feedback, much more sure footed when digging deep in corners - I used to be able to feel the entire front end compress when I got deep, no more exagerated nose diving when on the front brake, more "balanced" feel over the road especially when changes in road surfaces occur, a lot less overall "slop" - she just feels tightened up but not hard, or harsh, at all. The biggest improvements by far are the front end feel and feedback from inputs.
Thanks for all the trial and error guys.
VanHarlan
Well-known member
Hard.
Did 480 miles around New York's Finger Lake region this weekend - great mix of twisties and sweepers - new settings held up well and felt great - slipped the rear to soft to see how it would feel and it got sloppy right away - pulled over and set it back to "hard". Riding 2-Up fully loaded and with a top case. Hard is the way to go with the setting I have - it is stiffer/firmer, but not harsh at all.
FJR-RemingtonRider
Their Sunset / My Sunrise
Greetings and Salute for this Thread.
Especially for us New Forum Riders.
Thought I would share my experience with the suspension suggestions:
2004 (ABS)
At 6'2", and 240lbs, I went with the following; Preload - 2 (2nd line/2 spacers showing) Rebound 6 clicks out, Compression 8 clicks out, Hard (setting of course) and Rear 6 clicks out.
Heck, once I read the thread about; 1 wrench, 1 screwdriver, and 5 minutes...I was in the pj's and slippers at 12:30am this morning to set those rascals for the morning commute.
Procedure: Re-read the OM, Turned everything to the right-till no more clicks, then backed it up to the desired setting above.
Rode to work today, the action on the front end was very nice. However, felt like I was sitting w/a bowling ball under the seat. Did not like that.
Leaving work tonight, backed out 4 more clicks on the rear. Rear now 10 clicks out......dreamy in comfy.
The difference: As noted in previous threads, less diving, bike much more under control in a tight slow speed turn. Most bumps on the Sam Houston Tollway were eased out. What I did notice was how the bike handled the bumps, it seem to spread the movement over the entire bike front to back, as opposed to just the front. Wrist were much relaxed, and not suffering from the 'heavy dip grasping'. Bike did appear to ride a bit high, but I believe that was just from not dipping as much as before. I think most of the settings were in double digits 12+, and the preload was previously on 3rd line. Did not feel the dive in acceleration which really improves confidence and control.
Again, thanks for reviving that old thread.....This site is AWESOME! :clapping: :yahoo:
Especially for us New Forum Riders.
Thought I would share my experience with the suspension suggestions:
2004 (ABS)
At 6'2", and 240lbs, I went with the following; Preload - 2 (2nd line/2 spacers showing) Rebound 6 clicks out, Compression 8 clicks out, Hard (setting of course) and Rear 6 clicks out.
Heck, once I read the thread about; 1 wrench, 1 screwdriver, and 5 minutes...I was in the pj's and slippers at 12:30am this morning to set those rascals for the morning commute.
Procedure: Re-read the OM, Turned everything to the right-till no more clicks, then backed it up to the desired setting above.
Rode to work today, the action on the front end was very nice. However, felt like I was sitting w/a bowling ball under the seat. Did not like that.
Leaving work tonight, backed out 4 more clicks on the rear. Rear now 10 clicks out......dreamy in comfy.
The difference: As noted in previous threads, less diving, bike much more under control in a tight slow speed turn. Most bumps on the Sam Houston Tollway were eased out. What I did notice was how the bike handled the bumps, it seem to spread the movement over the entire bike front to back, as opposed to just the front. Wrist were much relaxed, and not suffering from the 'heavy dip grasping'. Bike did appear to ride a bit high, but I believe that was just from not dipping as much as before. I think most of the settings were in double digits 12+, and the preload was previously on 3rd line. Did not feel the dive in acceleration which really improves confidence and control.
Again, thanks for reviving that old thread.....This site is AWESOME! :clapping: :yahoo:
Last edited by a moderator:
Remington, thanks for your post! I am 6'2" and 250 lbs, so I was curious what settings worked for a guy more my size. I used your settings on my 2007, and I noticed a number of things.
1) Sleepy hand was significantly reduced. Typically I would get numbness in the thumb, index, and middle finger on the throttle hand within 10 minutes of riding. Not sure whether to attribute that to the new suspension settings absorbing some of the vibration that made it to the throttle grip or less hand stress from how I respond in handling the bike itself, but I read this post last night before heading home from work, and decided to head out to the parking garage, get out the factory tool kit, and within 5 minutes had completed all adjustments. The delivered settings were the following:
Front Preload front - 3 lines
Front Rebound - 12 clicks
Front Compression - 12 clicks
Rear Preload - Soft
Rear Rebound - 12 clicks
I changed mine to what Remington suggested:
Front Preload front - 2 lines
Front Rebound - 6 clicks
Front Compression - 8 clicks
Rear Preload - Soft
Rear Rebound - 10 clicks
2) The bike handled noticeably better. The difference was like going from a Lincoln Town Car (not a terrible ride in relation to comfort) to a Camaro. My previous rides had all been tweaked in regards to the suspension settings, but this being my first NEW bike purchase, I was hesitant to change much before giving the stock settings a try. Having just turned 8K (exactly 2 years since taking delivery), I figured it was time to put the things I read in this thread into action. The handling is much more confidence-inspiring (though I have been a licensed rider for over 16 years, and have a good command when on a bike) for an experienced rider compared to the softer settings, and my personal preference is always a bit stiffer setup, since I feel like I can control the bike a bit more with less effort. The curves, like others mentioned, definitely are far easier to manage with the stiffer suspension settings over the default ones. Taking bumps, dips, and imperfections in the road (most of my current riding is my work commute - 35 miles one-way from Alsip in the south suburbs of Chicago north on I-294 to I-290 west to Itasca in the NW burbs, so virtually all expressway riding) provides less trauma for the bike, and while I may "feel" the feedback a bit more, the bike's handling of such things is far better than it was previously.
3) Overall, a significantly reduced effort to drive, which is a joy. I feel more relaxed as well, and the bike seems more responsive. There is a huge reduction in the movement of the bike in response to turning, accel/decel, lane changes, etc. This is more of a sports bike now than the touring bike, which, for some, I can imagine is a downer, but for me, it is a welcome adjustment, since I don't feel like a get a workout going to work and back.
I still anticipate getting a throttle lock, but now it is not an urgent need. During my 45-minute commute, I only took my hand off the throttle once compared to about 8-10 times before the adjustments, which is the number one telltale sign for me. That alone is worth the price of admission on this. Now to just perform the clutch plate soak (yeah, been dealing with the terrible clutch/shifting performance since the 600-mile service was done), which I am a bit skittish to do, but am almost to the point of just diving in as well, especially after the marked improvement from this change.
Thanks to Ashe for the original post and to the others who contributed their settings, based upon weight and payload. Quite a valuable thread here, and certainly a huge appreciation from me!
1) Sleepy hand was significantly reduced. Typically I would get numbness in the thumb, index, and middle finger on the throttle hand within 10 minutes of riding. Not sure whether to attribute that to the new suspension settings absorbing some of the vibration that made it to the throttle grip or less hand stress from how I respond in handling the bike itself, but I read this post last night before heading home from work, and decided to head out to the parking garage, get out the factory tool kit, and within 5 minutes had completed all adjustments. The delivered settings were the following:
Front Preload front - 3 lines
Front Rebound - 12 clicks
Front Compression - 12 clicks
Rear Preload - Soft
Rear Rebound - 12 clicks
I changed mine to what Remington suggested:
Front Preload front - 2 lines
Front Rebound - 6 clicks
Front Compression - 8 clicks
Rear Preload - Soft
Rear Rebound - 10 clicks
2) The bike handled noticeably better. The difference was like going from a Lincoln Town Car (not a terrible ride in relation to comfort) to a Camaro. My previous rides had all been tweaked in regards to the suspension settings, but this being my first NEW bike purchase, I was hesitant to change much before giving the stock settings a try. Having just turned 8K (exactly 2 years since taking delivery), I figured it was time to put the things I read in this thread into action. The handling is much more confidence-inspiring (though I have been a licensed rider for over 16 years, and have a good command when on a bike) for an experienced rider compared to the softer settings, and my personal preference is always a bit stiffer setup, since I feel like I can control the bike a bit more with less effort. The curves, like others mentioned, definitely are far easier to manage with the stiffer suspension settings over the default ones. Taking bumps, dips, and imperfections in the road (most of my current riding is my work commute - 35 miles one-way from Alsip in the south suburbs of Chicago north on I-294 to I-290 west to Itasca in the NW burbs, so virtually all expressway riding) provides less trauma for the bike, and while I may "feel" the feedback a bit more, the bike's handling of such things is far better than it was previously.
3) Overall, a significantly reduced effort to drive, which is a joy. I feel more relaxed as well, and the bike seems more responsive. There is a huge reduction in the movement of the bike in response to turning, accel/decel, lane changes, etc. This is more of a sports bike now than the touring bike, which, for some, I can imagine is a downer, but for me, it is a welcome adjustment, since I don't feel like a get a workout going to work and back.
I still anticipate getting a throttle lock, but now it is not an urgent need. During my 45-minute commute, I only took my hand off the throttle once compared to about 8-10 times before the adjustments, which is the number one telltale sign for me. That alone is worth the price of admission on this. Now to just perform the clutch plate soak (yeah, been dealing with the terrible clutch/shifting performance since the 600-mile service was done), which I am a bit skittish to do, but am almost to the point of just diving in as well, especially after the marked improvement from this change.
Thanks to Ashe for the original post and to the others who contributed their settings, based upon weight and payload. Quite a valuable thread here, and certainly a huge appreciation from me!
effjayare
Member
I echo noticing much of the same successful results after making the suggested tweaks! In fact, I was describing it as improving it from a Buick ride... just hadn't tied it to what it rode like after adjustment.. now I know.. and I should have already, since I own a Camaro.
Anyway, another happy camper- thanks to the incredible resources contributing here. Thanks!
RadioHowie
I Miss Beemerdons!
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