Handling Query SV1000 K3-N

[Mark_h]

I'm looking for anyone who really knows their way around handling issues. Before I go spending out on forks and shock service/replacements just want to make sure I'm not missing out anything simple.

K3 SV1000N
42k miles
New Michelin PR3's front and back
Original suspension
14 Stone Rider

Issue 1:- Sorted
Was falling into high speed bends. Corrected that with a new front tyre. The PR2 had worn to a v-shape and so messed everything up. Prior to that I'd been generally messing with the compression and rebound damping on the rear shock to the point it became pretty much unrideable at speed! New rubber + defaulted rear shock, ended up with slight damping adjustments but much much better than before.

Issue 2:- Need help.
When powering through a bend it feels like the back is coming around. Now we're not on hard enough to be spinning up or over far enough to be running out of tyre (not entirely sure you can even run out of tyre these days) but it's just a bit unsettling. Feels like a softer version of the feeling you get when the rear spins up on a bend but without the high-side kick you usually get at the end.

I've dropped the rear tyre pressure a tad which has improved it slightly. Was running 42r/36f but now back to 36/36 under recommendation from Michelin. Dropping the rear a bit has possibly improved it slightly but hard to tell.

So. Symptom is rear feels like it's coming round on you in hardish cornering. Does this sound like a bit of rear damping adjustment, front damping adjustment, swing-arm bearings, or do I need to accept that after >40k miles I need to spend some money on getting the suspension serviced. Not entirely sure the standard thou rear shock can be serviced anyway and replacement is not cheap unless I go shoving a GSX-r unit in there but then I'm into batterybox mods etc which I really don't want to get into.

Limited time/budget/skills. Where would you start?

[jambo]

when you say "coming round" does it feel unsettled, or is it actually sliding?

Jambo

[flymo]

Initially that sounds to me that your rear compression or rebound damping (or both) is set too stiff. You probably do also have a tired shock after high mileage when compared to a new one which wont necessarily help.

First thing I would do before spending anything is to go through setting up the proper amount of sag on both front and rear. Adjust the damping to the default settings provided by Suzuki and start from there.

When were the forks last serviced with fluid replacement?

[Mark_h]

Originally Posted by jambo

when you say "coming round" does it feel unsettled, or is it actually sliding?

Jambo

Not entirely sure how you'd tell.
No chewing up of the tyre rubber on the edges but all the roads round here are not the sort you can see if you've left black marks on.

It's not super-moto style it's pretty subtle. Was noticed by someone else when we swapped bikes but that may be because I asked him to look out for it.

[Mark_h]

Originally Posted by flymo

First thing I would do before spending anything is to go through setting up the proper amount of sag on both front and rear. Adjust the damping to the default settings provided by Suzuki and start from there.

Yep- Done that. Sag probably not spot on as had no helper but not miles out. In fact still got the cable tie on the front fork

Originally Posted by flymo

When were the forks last serviced with fluid replacement?

Probably the day it left the factory. I've certainly never done it and I've had it for the last 20k miles. I suspect it needs new oil at the very least. Just trying to work out if I fancy giving that a go DIY or send the forks off or send the bike off. I've now got a headstock lift but not sure if I need to order some more talent first.

[jambo]

Start with flymo's advice.

I'd also say that at 42,000 miles the chances that the original shock is still doing its thing as intended are not great. I'd have a quick call to k-tech, and kais suspension to see what either company would quote for a rebuild in terms of time and money. I've had good work done from both of them in the past. Any replacement shock on ebay will be of completely unknown condition, so I prefer to have them rebuilt if possible.

Jambo

[flymo]

The fork fluid will be like dish water after mileage like that. If you are considering keeping the bike longer term and have a budget to spend then put the forks through a full service and replace the shock with a good aftermarket item like a Nitron (good price from sv650_racer at Steve Jordans). The bike will ride like brand new for around £400.

I'm assuming that you dont have any other distractions such as a loose headstock or play in the swing arm bearings etc. Hopefully these would have been discovered during an MOT but you never know.

[Mark_h]

Originally Posted by jambo

Start with flymo's advice.

I'd also say that at 42,000 miles the chances that the original shock is still doing its thing as intended are not great. I'd have a quick call to k-tech, and kais suspension to see what either company would quote for a rebuild in terms of time and money. I've had good work done from both of them in the past. Any replacement shock on ebay will be of completely unknown condition, so I prefer to have them rebuilt if possible.

Jambo

Doubtless about to get massively flamed for this but I was talking to a suspension guru a few years ago about the standard GSX-R mod and his advice was not to do it. He said that although it will feel great initially they are not designed to take the heat you get from the rear exhaust of the SV so they tend to degrade real fast so his recommendation was to get something designed for a v-twin rather than something designed to run cooler.

He gave mine a good twiddling a fair few yeas ago which transformed it over how it was set when I got it but at the time he said the pre-load was pretty much spot-on both ends and it just needed some damping adjustments. I've not touched the front since but the rear's been all over the place but has since been pretty much put back to where he had it with just a bit less damping as it kept leaping off bumps and spinning up too easy.

[flymo]

I would agree on the heat degradation, I used copious amounts of exhaust heat wrapping and during racing obviously limited my riding to short bursts of activity of 20 mins or so.

If it were me I would skip the experimental stage and just do it properly.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Mark_h

Doubtless about to get massively flamed for this but I was talking to a suspension guru a few years ago about the standard GSX-R mod and his advice was not to do it. He said that although it will feel great initially they are not designed to take the heat you get from the rear exhaust of the SV so they tend to degrade real fast so his recommendation was to get something designed for a v-twin rather than something designed to run cooler.

He gave mine a good twiddling a fair few yeas ago which transformed it over how it was set when I got it but at the time he said the pre-load was pretty much spot-on both ends and it just needed some damping adjustments. I've not touched the front since but the rear's been all over the place but has since been pretty much put back to where he had it with just a bit less damping as it kept leaping off bumps and spinning up too easy.

I was talking about having your SV Thou shock rebuilt by one of those 2 companies, should be about £100-ish pounds and it'll be the same shock, but as it was when it was new.

With the fork oil being 20-40,000 miles old I'd do that as well

Jambo

Edit, I've re-read my statement and can see where the confusion's come from, what I was saying was not to just buy a 2nd hand shock from another bike from ebay as you've no way of telling how old that is in terms of miles