for rear shocks?...when carrying a 100lbs passenger?
i'm 140 myself...is there any marking on the shocks i can go by?
I am about your weight and when I would ride with the better half I usually cranked the pre-load from 4 to 6 on the stock shock. After I got the Katana shock I just left it on 4, for two up or solo didn't seem to matter because it was much stronger and didn't cause any extra sag like with the OEM shock.
so do i need to bring it back down when i ride solo?
holy...how much more complicated can it get? :?
Its pretty easy to set the rear preload using the instruction on the site. Here in Australia we can also set the front preload so that takes a little more effort.
In summary format for rear preload (bike on a level surface).
Step 1. Put the bike on the centre stand so the rear wheel is totally unloaded. Measure and record the distance between the axle and a point on the side of the bike directly above the axle.
Step 2. Take the bike off the centre stand and measure the distance between the two points again. Subtract this from the measurement in step 1, this is your STATIC sag.
Step 3. Sit on the bike (centre stand up) in the same position you ride in. Measure the distance between the axle and the same point again (you will need a friend). Subtract this measurement from the measurement in Step 1, this is your RIDER sag.
Now adjust the preload so the RIDER sag is between 30-40mm. Check that the static sag is between 5mm-10mm. If you have set you RIDER sag so hard that you no longer have any STATIC sag, reduce the preload until you have at least 5mm --- compromise.
With a helping hand this doesn't take very long. :thumb:
how about 155lb for me and 125lb for her what adjustments are needed???
what is the purpose/benefits of adjusting shock??
I'm not home right now but I do have the Clymer manual, are the steps listed in the manual? I'm :? !! as heck.
Quote from: Rippa_MDI'm not home right now but I do have the Clymer manual, are the steps listed in the manual?
In my 1986-1996 Clymer manual the "instructions" are listed in Chapter 11 - REAR SUSPENSION on pages 349-350 under the heading "SHOCK ABSORBER - Spring Preload Adjustment".
Just so you know, I have NEVER adjusted the rear shock in 30,000 miles. That includes mostly "by myself" miles, but also ~2,000 passenger miles and ~10,000 miles with 50+ pounds of luggage. This is not to say that life is no better for the passenger with a higher preload setting - just that I've been too lazy to mess with it, and we've done OK.
Here is just one of the many threads you can find by SEARCHing with terms like: shock spanner preload adjust, etc.
Changing the suspension preload
Quote from: Rippa_MDhow about 155lb for me and 125lb for her what adjustments are needed???
what is the purpose/benefits of adjusting shock??
...
Using others settings for your suspension will not result in the best or right setup for you. After I setup the bike's suspension it improved the handling of the bike - it just felt better afterwards as the preload was a bit too soft for my weight. Its easy, cheap and worth doing :)
Cheers
Conrad
Quote from: conradvr on May 12, 2004, 08:30:16 PM
Now adjust the preload so the RIDER sag is between 30-40mm. Check that the static sag is between 5mm-10mm. If you have set you RIDER sag so hard that you no longer have any STATIC sag, reduce the preload until you have at least 5mm --- compromise.
Hi to You all guys (first post) and thanks for that awesome forum with lot of useful threads. I was stumbling forum from quite a long time. I am not sure about one thing, so I've decided to register and dig this old topic out (I think that its not worth starting new very similar one).
I am wondering about the optimum settings for the best handling of the bike. I've signed up for two days camp of improvement riding class (by racing rider on race track) and would like to set my bike as good as possible before. I've got not much experience (about 6000 km) on the road so oprimum SAG adjustment is black magic for me :(.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awq-S8CSmB8&t=3m40s
On the movie above rider wanted to get 'basic' sag 30 in front and 30 in back. And I've found some different theories about the optimum sag different from that one, these are:
1. front sag 35 to 48 mm, back 30 to 40 mm for every motorcycle and every type of riding
2. front and back should be set to same percentage of overal suspension travel (so for my GS it would be 40mm in front and 33mm in back)
I've checked my rider sag according to video linked above, and for me (in full gear) there is 46mm in front and 33 in rear.
How should I set my sag? Release some preload from back to get 46/46? Or add some spacers in front forks to get 33/33? or maybe change the springs for new ones/progressive? What sag setting would be the best? 46/46? 33/33? 30/30? 40/33?
Does the relation between front and back SAG makes much difference while cornering?
I appreciate Your tips.
(http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w465/jdoorn14/zombiethread.jpg)
Generally speaking, it is more appropriate to start a new thread than to resurrect an eight year old thread. You could always reference/link this thread in your new one. :thumb:
That said, welcome! The general consensus around here is the front fork springs should be replaced with something stiffer to help reduce the nose dive when braking hard & in corners. Check out the wiki for options and how-to. Many people replace the rear shock with a katana 600/750, R6 or SV650 shock to stiffen up the rear.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xslElWhAZBQ/SEi55f7bjcI/AAAAAAAAASw/v55Eh0cPLvE/s400/return_of_the_living_dead.jpg)
(http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2009/2/6/128784270049646431.jpg)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FaCV5qZajHU/TP2MCuGjNoI/AAAAAAAAAdM/GqunXMORKYA/s1600/incaseofzombiesBox_real_AR.jpg)
(http://images.superdimensional.net/ZombieHunterZERO.jpg)
Michael
Thanks Guys for Your replys, and sorry for digging this dead man out of the grave. I just wanted to avoid starting new, similar thread that was answered before (on some boards I would get banned) :P
Quote
The general consensus around here is the front fork springs should be replaced with something stiffer to help reduce the nose dive when braking hard & in corners. Check out the wiki for options and how-to. Many people replace the rear shock with a katana 600/750, R6 or SV650 shock to stiffen up the rear.
At this time I'll try experimenting by putting extra teflon spacers in front forks to see how my suspension mod will change handling in corners. Any suggestion how long should these be? 10 mm, 15mm or maybe 35mm long (like http://www.gstwin.com/making_fork_spacers.htm)?
You know, I've put 55,000+km on my GS and the front springs are stock though I did add heavier oil when I changed the seals at 43,000kms and the back preload is still at the factory setting of 4. Bike seems fine to me. :thumb:
Quote from: chrupq on July 20, 2012, 03:03:10 AM
Thanks Guys for Your replys, and sorry for digging this dead man out of the grave. I just wanted to avoid starting new, similar thread that was answered before (on some boards I would get banned) :P
Yeah, except the mods on those forums are a$$holes. :2guns:
In all the forums I like to participate in, they would rather someone start a new thread referencing the fact that they searched the existing threads and got confused instead of resurrecting ancient threads. At least on this forum, when you are using the website to post you get a message that asks if you really want to post in a thread that has been inactive for 120+ days.
Besides which, I get excited when I see a new thread...and then depressed when I see it's an ancient one that I've already read.
Quote from: jdoorn14 on July 20, 2012, 09:25:42 AM
Yeah, except the mods on those forums are a$$holes. :2guns:
Well we try to be but we fail ... :icon_twisted:
Anyway an 8 yr old thread is a bit extreme, but I prefer 1 thread for a topic sorta ... however we dont care if new threads are opened either.
Cool.
Buddha.
To the OP.... some people put their preload on 7 and ride that way two up and solo.
There are not hard set-in-stone-rules on this one.
Michael