Adjusting Suspension Front/Rear On 09 R6?

[mase_tw]

Hi,

Pretty simple one how do i adjust the front and rear suspension on a 2009 R6?

Also as i will be riding it at Snetterton for the first time is it better to set it up on the track compared to just in the garage at home?

It is going to be a track bike only so doesnt need 2 settings for track and road.

Cheers

Mason

[jambo]

I'm going to assume that you've not spent a lot of time setting up suspension before, rather than that you're unfamiliar with the R6 specifically?

There are plenty of articles / youtube videos about. I would say it is worth setting the pre-load in the garage as you can use 2 or 3 people to work with that. Everything else I'd set to "standard" and then adjust as needed on the day.

Jambo


Edit: This is the link that tends to get shared at this point (http://www.gostar-racing.com/information/motorcycle_suspension_set-up.htm)

[mase_tw]

Pretty much a newbie when it comes to suspension setup! Me and my brother were talking about doing it on our bikes sometime this week just wanted to know how hard it would be. Yes ive seen this link numerous times but gets VERY technical to me, would just like someone to translate this into 'simple' terms haha

[jambo]

Rule 1: There is no "correct" suspension set up
Rule 2: When someone provides the "best" set up and tells you it will suit you because they work for Ohlins / pit crew for Rossi, see rule 1.

Very basically:
Preload exists not to make the springs stiffer or less stiff, but to adjust sag. That is, how low or high the bike sits in its travel for a given load. If you have loads of preload, then on the brakes the rear will top out and you'll be fighting to keep it in line, the forks will top out leaving the front wheel in the air when you get on the throttle. Too little and you'll bottom out under hard braking, acceleration or bumps.

Damping: Controls the speed at which the suspension moves, NOT the position it ends up in.
Compression damping - How fast the forks or shock compress - too little and the forks dive on the brakes, and the rear squats on the throttle, too much and the bike doesn't transfer weight or react to bumps quickley enough feeling skittish / crashy robbing you of grip.
Rebound damping - Controls how fast the forks / shock return. Too much and the suspension "packs down" over bumps getting harsher as you run out of travel. Too little and as you get off the brakes or power the bike "bobs up" getting unsettled, or feels bouncy through a corner.

Clear as mud? Excellent! Again, set it to standard, and move one thing at a time. You can ruin a really good track day by fussing about all of this stuff instead of just enjoying it. Sometimes a bike can be made to feel better through one part of the track with an adjustment that makes it worse in others. Often people are sucked into twiddling adjusters instead of improving their lines. Don't spend the whole day trying to "fix the bike" if it's in good mechanical condition it will already be just fine, all the above is adding salt to taste, which is why no 2 people can agree on what's "right". See rule 1.

Jambo

Edit: There are those on here that know far more than me about this stuff. If you have specific queries I'm sure someone will be able to give a better answer.

[Bibio]

basics to get you started. http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=185674

[wideguy]

If you're a rider with anything near average weight and abilities, the settings your R6 came with are probably very good. Excellent even.
Unless you're a very experienced and very good track rider, you'd be far better off to worry about nothing more than your tire pressures and your riding.
If you feel compelled to change suspension settings, take notes of what you do. That way if you make it worse, you'll at least be able to go back to where it was.

[yorkie_chris]

Just leave it how you are used to it on the road if you haven't done much track stuff, no point spending the time learning a different bike...

[NTECUK]

Look in the owner manual.Set it to what they say.
Preload (Sag) set up should be in there .You Ideal need two peiple to set that up .Worth doing .