Suspension settings for heavier riders in the 290-350 lb. range

[Wannabe_4x4]

After WEEKS of tinkering and watching countless Dave Moss youtube videos, I got my suspension handling like a Ducati! I knew something was up with the super stiff settings I've seen on here in the past. The front and back ends were packing down, causing the bike to either wallow, or feel like it was riding on a hinge. So here are the new settings...

Bike and Rider - 2009 FJR, rider is 330 lbs. with helmet and jacket, solo rider/no passenger, hard bags removed off the back of the bike, no top case or any other luggage.

Riding style - 3 digit speeds on the freeways, aggressive canyon carving, and usually take 45 mph sweepers at 65-75 mph.

Tire pressure front and rear - 38 psi, running on Michelin Pilot Road tires.

Front Preload - no lines showing at all, the top of the cylinder is flush, with just the nut and black adjuster knob exposed.

Front Rebound - 23 clicks out (turn counter clockwise from full stiff)

Front Compression - 18 clicks out (counter clockwise from full stiff)

Rear lever set to - Hard

Rear Rebound - 30 clicks out (turning from right to left, or clicking out from full stiff)

Basically, stand next to the bike and push down on the handlebar and base of the gas tank hard. If both the front and back end come up simultaneous in a smooth manner, you know you have the rebound set right. The way I got the compression right in the front was by going over the same 4 or 5 turns in one of the canyons here until all the bumpyness was gone, and bike would turn into the corners consistantly.

If you're a heavier rider, I strongly suggest trying these new settings. Please post YOUR results here either way, as I'm curious if these settings work for you.

 

[bramfrank]

Good work - I'm about 265 and went trhrough the same exercise when I got my '06.

About the only suggestion I would make beyond the settings you have that work for you is that you set cold tire pressure to factory settings - 39F/42R - or even a bit higher to reduce sidewal compliance.

And get a GOOD tire pressure gauge and compressor and check the settings each time before you head out.

Oxford makes an excellent one that is bang-on accurate and is calibrated in tenths of a pound, with a pressure release button - so you can slightly overfill and bleed air to get to your desired settings. It comes with a spare battery (because I gather there is *some* drain - mine was fine but a friend's unit came with the internal battery dead and we used the spare) and I suggest keeping an extra near the device because they don't last a season.

A link to a vendor's page: https://www.motoliberty.com/prod_detail.asp?Prod_ID=275

A link to a review of the gauge, noting that the reviewer says in one place that the device doesn't have the bleed button (which is the silver thing in the photo of it on the spoked wheel) and that it does in another . . . . https://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/digital-tir...-digi-gauge.htm

 

[tindjin]

A little unsure from your post, did you get stiffer springs or no?

 

[wingnuut]

Go to your local auto tire store $5 per tire you get nitrogen installed your pressure will not change hot or cold.

 

[YooperDick]

In addition to the spring question noted above, did you measure the sag and what was it?