This could be a total flop but hear me out...
Ok we all know about all the different suspension mods that can be done to the GS. So many threads, so many questions, so much experimenting has been done, some mods raise the back, some make it ride too rough, etc.
I thought it might be cool to have a thread where you post your stats and then your mods. Meaning... your height and weight, etc. followed by what you've done to your GS to make it comfortable/stable for yourself.
A newer rider that is complaining about the "squishy" stock suspension could come here (one stop) and compare his/her stats with what others have done.
Idk like I said... it could be a dumb idea... I know I know, they should just search. Anyway, here goes...
Rider Stats:
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 147 lbs (without gear)
Inseam: 32"
What I did to make it better for myself:
.75 Sonic Springs
OEM preload adjuster caps set at 3
10w (stock) fork oil
120mm air gap
Spacers cut to 4 9/16"
1/2" aluminum fork brace
SV650 rear shock, modified as per the wiki, preload set to the lowest setting
stock dogbones
I love the idea!
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 170 lbs
R6 Rear Shock
Low speed: 15 clicks
High speed: 2.5 turns out
Preload: setting 5 on ramp
Rebound: 17 clicks
RaceTech Front Springs
.85 kg/mm
20w Fork Oil
Billet Fork Brace
.85 seemed a touch soft for when my GS had the fairing
Now that she's nakey ;) the .85 are great!
F model with hard luggage (adds another 10 lbs or so to the back end)
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 190 lbs With gear
Katana 600 rear shock
Preload: I forget
Damping: Lowest/softest setting
Sonic Front Springs
.90 kg/mm
15 weight fork oil
Pre-load spacers cut flush with top of fork tubes.
Billet aluminum fork brace.
Front seems about perfect. Rear is a little hard when I am riding solo without any cargo but perfect when I'm loaded down or riding two-up. The fork brace really helps under hard front braking.
5`9
Around 180 with my gear and backpack.
Katana 600 rear shock set on 4 preload and 3 damper.
Forks have progressive springs with 15wt oil and an aluminum fork brace.
It's a bit of a stiff set up but it works well for be because I'm a rather aggressive rider.
Cool, thanks everybody! I could see this really helping someone out... come on peeeeeps, post your info :D
5'7"
195 lbs without gear
Stock fork springs, haven't changed the oil there myself, so I assume still original.
Stock rear shock, preload set to 7 (max). Borderline too stiff for me when cruising around, but feels awesome cornering in the twisties!
Quote from: ShowBizWolfA newer rider that is complaining about the "squishy" stock suspension could come here (one stop) and compare his/her stats with what others have done.
I'm gonna bump this, because that's why I'm here.
Unfortunately there isn't anyone else who is 5' 10" 140lbs with a 32' inseam (SBW is the closest) :D
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 225 lbs
'09 R6 Rear Shock
Low speed: 19 clicks
High speed: 3 turns out
Preload: setting 6 on ramp
Rebound: 16 clicks
Set at 35 mm of rider sag
RaceTech Front Springs .85 kg/mm
15w Fork Oil
RaceTech emulators, blue spring, four turns
Preload adjusters from eBay
Set at 35 mm of rider sag
Billet Fork Brace
Sport Demons, stock size.
----
Lovely on the street. Never had a moment of worry.
Have done four track days at the ridge, no chicken strips, scraped each peg once. Only problem I ever had was losing the rear in the rain while creating turn 3, which is off-camber. Just a wobble though.
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 185 lbs :( (with gear)
Katana 600 Rear Shock.
Preload: No idea
Damping: No idea
i didn't know these settings existed until this post came out. So i need to look into that. :p
Front springs: Stock. Soon to be Sonics. .80. Oil: whatever is in there. Magic i guess? Need to change that.
Billet aluminum fork brace.
inseam: 30-31
Quote from: akapellen17 on August 04, 2015, 01:18:41 PM
I love the idea!
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 170 lbs
R6 Rear Shock
Low speed: 15 clicks
High speed: 2.5 turns out
Preload: setting 5 on ramp
Rebound: 17 clicks
Have you ever measured your rear sag? I still need to get my R6 shock dialed right. I'm currently on 4 on the rear but hesitant to take up further. I believe I need about 10mm more sag on the front end.
(I'm don't consider things "successful", thus I'm not posting yet :tongue2: )
I can't exactly remember what my rear sag is. I knew it was within the good working range though!
Rider: about 180lbs with gear
68.25 Inches barefoot
Use: mostly commuting, one 350+ mile trip...contemplating some cross-country
Front: Progressive Springs
1" Preload (only 22mm sag, will likely go to 3/4" preload)
10wt oil (assuming, I've never changed it)
Rear: 2009 R6 shock (silver....'cuz it's classy)
Preload: 3 (seems to me to correspond to 4 on the stock GS shock)
Low Speed Comp: 17
High Speed Comp: 3 1/6 turns out
Rebound: 17
(softened a bit from stock... may need to firm rebound and low speed comp a bit)
I installed the shock and rode with the preload on 4 all summer. I finally set it to 3 and it feels right - the way the bike felt when I rode it last fall but without the floating over bumps. I still need to get the compression and rebound right.
200 lbs with gear on.
Progressive front springs (came with the bike) - forks filled with 130 mm airspace with 15 wt fork oil. Preload spacers even with the top of the tube before caps go on.
Stock rear shock - Preload set to 5.
This set up has worked decently for me. Pretty comfortable to ride, and no problems with bottoming out or feeling too stiff.
perhaps applicable here....the troubleshooting sticky seemed particularly concise
http://www.r6-forum.com/forums/56-suspension-settings/
searching "Yamaha YZF-R6 (model year of your shock) owners manual" will likely turn up a Yamaha-hosted link to said manual in PDF form.
Sorry it's taken me so long, but better late then never :cheers:
I'll have to add, and update this but:
155lbs with gear
use: sport touring
Front: .80 springs / 20mm preload
Race Tech Gold Valves with blue springs / 4 turns of preload
15w oil @ 110mm
Rear: R6R - 2006
will need to update with settings
But, I'll need to update it all. I've started picking up the pace a bit more and am discovering some more tuning is needed.
Starting with
.80 springs / 20mm preload
Gold Valves with yellow springs / 2 turns of preload
20w oil @ 110mm
Will probably be looking for some .85's soon, but after this "change up" I'm going to just adjust 1 thing at a time.
Bumpppppppp for anybody new who might want to add their information to this thread
200lbs with gear
use: street
Front: .80 springs / ??mm preload
15w oil @ 100mm
front end lifted so that the top of the forks are level with the top triple with the instrument cluster thingie removed.
Rear: '99 SV650
Drilled the clevis to match the stock dimension
Quote from: ShowBizWolf on August 04, 2015, 11:44:36 AM
Rider Stats:
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 127 lbs (without gear)
Inseam: 32"
Somehow I think some of the more important and relevant stats are missing from your list
Quote from: mwe on February 09, 2016, 02:05:24 PM
Somehow I think some of the more important and relevant stats are missing from your list
Naughty boy
I don't see how any other stats come into play for the OP's suspension setup?
Just because people are on the internet, doesn't actually mean that the world is just talking bubbles on a screen. Show some respect, and have some class.
wow Rich, clearly a joke and hardly offensive by any standard outside of perhaps 17th century puritan Salem. Showbizwolf is clearly a big girl (not a dig since we do have stats on that :icon_lol:) who can stand up for herself...and if not, she should learn to if she somehow found my comment offensive. It is certainly better than waiting for the internet class police to provide protection...otherwise she will be waiting a long time.
Quote from: Big Rich on February 09, 2016, 07:44:13 PM
I don't see how any other stats come into play for the OP's suspension setup?
Just because people are on the internet, doesn't actually mean that the world is just talking bubbles on a screen. Show some respect, and have some class.
Well said.
I'm a big girl?? :icon_eek: Lmao they must make 'em tiny where you live ;) You guys never fail to brighten my day :D
Not a bit offensive... believe me, I've heard it all... being a chick on quite a few car/bike forums over the past decade. I've found that comments like that come with the territory!
But I DO want to thank ya Rich and bombsquad too... I *haven't* often found people so willing to stand up for respect and all that happy stuff... and keeping the thread on topic. Back to talking about bikes! :cheers:
bumpity bump for anyone new who wants to add their info
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 175 Pounds (no gear)
Inseam: 32"
.85 Sonic springs with 15w fork oil (aggressive rider)
1/2" Fork Brace
R6 shock (I forget the settings, I'll put them here later)
Overall, works very well for me. Feel very confident with this suspension.
b.u.m.p.
Alright, I'll play. I'm pretty boring though
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 195lb no gear, 233lb with everything
Use: Commuting, charity rides, 1 marathon ride (2500 kilometres) per year
Stock springs, 15w Dextron Automatic Transmission Fluid "Fork Oil", maintenance recommended gap.
Stock shock, 5 preload
It still seems to work. Only gotten back onto the bike in the last month again after issues.
rainy morning bump for anyone new
OK this is going to be a long list, but I am contemplating suspension mods (cos front seals are due - like 3 yrs ago)
240 lb is riding gear.
31" inseam, 5' 10".
Mostly Super slabber. Almost no twisties, either local road commuting @ 10-20 over the speed limit, or highway @ 10-20 over the limit max. Sometimes I go 3 mph too. Wonders of our highway system.
95 bike.
Kat 6 FE with blown seals or splitting dust covers, seals may be OK.
1/2" fork brace.
Rear shock - RF600.
B4 rear wheel.
The only complaint is that sometimes the front pogo's more than I like. Fluid viscosity needs to be upped ? and what did I start out with on this mystery FE (which could be the original factory issue for the kat 6) ?
Cool.
Buddha.
Quote from: ShowBizWolf on February 11, 2016, 02:19:24 PM
But I DO want to thank ya Rich and bombsquad too... I *haven't* often found people so willing to stand up for respect and all that happy stuff... and keeping the thread on topic. Back to talking about bikes! :cheers:
I missed reading these posts ... but you appear to have taken the space Pandy occupied in 05-07 and Mary after that in this forum's psyche. People (mostly my Brethren) would do some stream of consciousness cat calling in a rather un thought out fashion that seems to accomplish nothing and thankfully isn't offensive either and the ladies just swat them away. All fun.
BTW how is Mary anyone know - I should start a new thread for this, back to suspension mods Y'all.
Cool.
Buddha.
Finally heard from Mary in that thread! :D
Bumpity for anyone new to add their info.
3 month bump for new peeps :D
100 kg (220 lb) in riding gear.
31" inseam,
I was once 5' 10" but I think 50 years of gravity has reduced that a bit :D .
2007 model bike - Used for commuting all year round (60 k round trip mostly on dual carriage way type roads).
I try to get away for multi-day tours at least twice a year. With an Air Hawk seat I stay pretty comfortable on 500+ k days in the saddle.
Stock front springs
15 W fork oil
reduced air gap
Stock rear suspension set on position 5.
Seems to be a good compromise that is sufficiently comfortable / stable / stiff.
2009 GS500F
Rider Stats:
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 225 lbs (without gear)
Inseam: 32"
What I did to make it better for myself:
Sonic .95 springs with 15wt fork oil
R6 Rear shock (08 model)
Preload set at 9
Rebound out 3
Compression out 1
Fast Compression out 1/2 turn
Thicker aluminum fork brace pending installation
new years bump for anyone new
OK, here goes.
Rider stats:
Height: 5'11+
Weight: 210 lbs
Inseam: 32"+
Fork:
Stock springs with 5 coils cut off, PVC spacer + 1" fender washer added between PVC spacer and stock spacer tube (may slow damping)
15wt fork oil, 120mm oil height
Rear:
Katana 600 shock, 0 preload, damping on 3
Ride is firm but plenty plush, responsive and comfortable. Much less pitching and diving than with stock suspension, and no bottoming of the fork.
I ride a mix of neighborhood streets, a little bit of suburban highway and a lot of twisty two-lane hill country roads.
Don't know if this'll help advice specifically (Lots of you guys have long legs, lol), but...
210 lb with gear
5' 10"
29" inseam
Front:
Sonic springs .85
Preload spacers cut about level with fork, plus a couple of Sonic Springs supplied washers.
15w oil, just a bit more oil than oem spec
Reload's aluminum fork brace
Rear:
Katana 600 shock
Preload 1
Damping 2
Doesn't brake dive much at all, though a little firm ride. Rear is a little higher/harder than ideal for me, but static & rider sag are perfect for somewhat spirited riding.
Quote from: Sassy on January 22, 2017, 10:49:00 AM
Don't know if this'll help advice specifically (Lots of you guys have long legs), but...
230 lb with gear
5' 10"
29" inseam
Front:
Sonic springs .85
Preload spacers cut about level with fork
15w oil, just a little more oil than oem spec (I'll have to look)
Reload's aluminum fork brace
Rear:
Katana 600 shock
Preload 1
Damping 2
Doesn't brake dive much at all, though a little firm ride. Rear is a little higher/harder than ideal for me, but static & rider sag are perfect for somewhat spirited riding.
0.85s shouldn't be firm for your weight. You might try setting the fork oil level to 120mm, that should help. Proper method of setting level is in the instructions, of if you don't have them anymore go here:
http://sonicsprings.com/catalog/damper_rod_forks_tech_article.php
Actually, the oil level is very close to what is recommended. The firmness is more due to the preload. I recently added a few additional washers that firmed things up, but forgot until after I posted :icon_rolleyes:
And, um, I guess I lost some weight. Been dieting and it's worked more than I thought :woohoo:
I'll update my post (and double check figures before I post them, lol!
Quote from: Sassy on January 22, 2017, 07:48:53 PM...And, um, I guess I lost some weight. Been dieting and it's worked more than I thought :woohoo:...
Congrats!! :thumb:
Thanks! Yeah, I knew I'd lost a certain amount, but didn't realize it was still dropping off. Guess I was focused on a bunch of other things, though my clothes *seemed* to be getting bigger. :embarassed:
I'm sure suspension firmness is rather subjective, too. I guess it all comes down to everything being juuust right (in my mind) and I'm happy with the ride.
Bump for March !!
It's-almost-officially-summer bump! Anyone doing anything new? I'm considering an R6 shock...
hey SBW I'm close to your height and weight so there you go. I'm liking the gs a lot more now that I've got the battlax 45's on and it goes around corners like it's supposed to. So now I want to make it better, I am seriously tempted with that stain tune I posted in the other thread https://staintune.com.au/collections/suzuki/products/suzuki-gs500-2003#content I'm impressed with the sound and that they reckon there's another 4hp in it, which is about 10% of the bike. We put a Dyna on our S40 savage and now my GS sounds a bit wimpy. I like that it has an easy to removed baffle. Also going to go for a reshaped seat from http://custommotorcycleseats.com.au and some sonic springs in the front, then maybe an R6. I can highly recommend the GIVI E460N top case, comes off easy and fit's in with the look of the bike, I don't like the latest givis, they look too much like something from The Jetsons.
Looking through my own thread here and wondering what settings on my R6 shock will end up being the best for me.
Looked up an owners manual for the R6 bike online and set the shock to standard everything to begin with (except the preload, which is currently set at 1... I'm thinking because of my weight I'll start there).
If anybody else has the shock (or even if you don't lol!) and wants to add their information to the thread, I think that would be really awesome! :kiss3:
Or any tips to help me (and other people) better understand how to set up a shock :cheers:
I'd bet you'll end up closer to 4 on the preload - it's not that much stiffer than stock - what's nice is how much adjustment you get than just preload. It's incredible when you zero in on your damping. Does wonders for ride comfort and stability.
Take your time setting up suspension. Be sure to have someone help you to get measurements.
Lots of good articles out there regarding rear suspension adjustment - although, Showbiz, I'm sure you've been reading - as you sound like me when pulling the trigger on a project.
- Bboy
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Omg, true story!! I do so much reading and searching and googling etc before I make a purchase or work on something I haven't done before... sometimes I feel like I end up spending more time reading and gathering info than it takes to actually complete whatever it is I wanted to do LOL :icon_rolleyes:
Was just reading a suspension article online last night at work... but I don't have nearly the amount of down-time there as I used to... which is a good thing, don't get me wrong haha!
Lol - I do the exact same thing. Heck, that's why I found GSTwins and stuck around - there was so much I hadn't done regarding bikes before I purchased my GS
- Bboy
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bump for anyone who wants to update their info (as I did) or for anyone new who wants to add!
If you can fit an R6 shock it would be a win. Adjustable compression and rebound damping make a significant difference in handling. Plus the spring can be replaced with one suitable for your weight. It's an additional expense, but getting the correct spring is the first step.
Woah haha I forgot how much of a different direction this thread started to go than what I originally intended....
Thank you for the reply, alpo! :cheers: I'm hoping to get this thread back to how it started. Would you be interested in sharing your rider specs with your suspension mods? Check out the entries on the first page of the thread to see what I mean.
You are most welcome. :cheers:
I have not made any suspension mods on mine. It's a matter of having the time. :) I've done plenty on the other bikes. The biggest bang-for-da-buck is changing the springs to suit your weight. The GS500 is apparently at a disadvantage because the available information says the shock spring can't be changed. Changing it may be possible; I have not taken mine off to look at it.
2004 gs500f - crashed/abused parked for 10 years. Naked now
I am 6' and 195 lbs dry
Bridgestone s20 evos 140 rear
Sonic springs .90, spacer cut per instructions, 15w oil with factory air gap
Fresh fork rubbers
Chuck fork brace
Galfer steel braided line
EBC HH pads
Just ordered a cheap 1 1/4" rise aluminum bar, not yet installed
Very pleased with the front end, except I think the bars are a hair too high, but the new bar should combat that. Was thinking clipons, but wanted to try an intermediate step first. From the factory I dont think the bike puts enough weight on the front tire for taller folks. The bike will stoppie.
Rear end is controlled by a newer model (06?) Katana 750 remote reservoir shock. I had to clearance the swingarm a little bit to fit it. The actual hose barb for the reservoir fits fine, and the reservoir fit neatly attached to the left side subframe behind the tail plastic. I gave it a couple wraps of tire tube and used a pair of zip ties, orienting the adjuster up. A flathead can adjust it with the seat off, and it can't be seen. The shock itself is nice and looks sharp through the bike
The rear is pretty stiff. It's also raised a bit from stock, which suits me. My riding style is fairly fast, and the bike is super nimble. The rear gets chattery over washboard bumps, but takes big hits well because it won't bottom. On smooth twisty roads it's great. Cornering clearance is up quite a bit over stock because of the ride height. (I also have tidier pegs). I still have to dial the shock in. If you're a big guy riding fast (relatively, it's a gs) I think it could work well for you. If you weigh 155 lbs, I think it will beat you up, and probably be detrimental to mid corner traction on choppy road.
Also, you must run your chain looser or it will bind with this shock. Go 5 or 10mm over stock loose spec. A binding chain can cause major parts failures or traction loss. Once you adjust it, check it under a variety of conditions and make sure you always have some slack. Your D.I.D. limiting wheel travel is a recipe for disaster.
I threw on a new used rear rotor because the one on it was grooved terribly and pads had no friction material left. Got sixity ceramic touring pads too, like $6 on ebay. Left the mushy rubber rear line. Not a big fan of rear wheel skids. I like this setup for the rear. Not a lot of bite, but easy to modulate. They squeel a bit, but I don't find it offensive. You probably wouldn't hear it over loud exhaust.
Overall pleased with my setup. Not a lot of miles yet but my corner speed is as high as on any of my roadburners past, maybe faster. Sticky radials were a big help too.
Thank you so much for adding your info here! These are the kinds of things I wanted for this thread.
The chain advice is perfect IMO, I learned that kind of stuff the hard way (a better way of explaining it eludes me at this moment lol) after installing the R6 shock and after swapping it for the SV shock.
2005 GS500F, 1065km
165lbs in gear.
Tires: stock Bridgestones
Front: Progressive springs, 15w Bel Ray, 34mm preload spacer. (I might end up softening the preload a bit)
Rear: 2011 R6, preload @ 2, all other settings=Yamaha stock. I could probably get away with preload @ 1 and increase the compression dampening,
but for now the front and rear seem well balanced.
Still working on settings, but I consider these changes to be a huge improvement. Most rides consist of a mix of "b" roads, smooth highway and stop n' go city.