Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

So the internet has turned up the following settings for my 'GSXR 750 2000-2003'.. I know that preload is meant to be setup by measuring the static sag so I'll use a cable tie on front forks & get someone to help with the rear.. But as for the rest of it I'm not 100% about what I'm doing..

standard settings

rear
preload 10mm of thread above top locking ring
rebound 1.25 turns out from fully in
compression 1 turn out from fully in

front forks
four rings showing
rebound 1.25 turns out from fully in
compression 1turn out from fully in

suggested settings

rear
preload 15mm of thread showing above top locking ring
rebound 3/4 turn out from fully in
compression 1.25 turns out from fully in

front forks
preload 2 rings showing
rebound 1.5 turns out from fully in
compression 3/4 turn out from fully in

With me being plenty heavier than your average 11 stone test rider should the suggested settings be a lot 'more' than the suggested 1.5 turns or 3/4 turn from fully in. I.e. like 3 turns and 2 turns?

Also when I bought the bike I never got a handbook so I don't know which adjusters do which job on the forks and shock.. I'll post up some pics if necessary so the wise owls of the org can guide me

Thanks in advance

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc
 

By all means try the settings you've found, but bear in mind that your bike isn't new and that suspension units, (even the good stuff), will gradually deteriorate through their life, making the settings needed for a given amount of damping change, sometimes quite dramatically. Clearly this is less so for spring settings, but it's still completely impractical to make any sort of prescriptive recommendation as to where your shock should be set, other than a heavier rider will generally require a higher setting that will a lighter one.

There is no universally 'right', or even for that matter 'good' setting, the suspension is right when it's set to accommodate the way you ride, on the roads you ride, at the speeds you cover them.

I know this isn't an answer, (at least not a direct one anyway), to your question, but hopefully this will disabuse you of the notion that there is a prescription for correct suspension settings. As said above, by all means try the settings you've found, but bear in mind that they are almost certainly not the best your suspension can offer you, there is every possibility that trying them will expand your understanding of what does what, and allow you to reach a suitable setting based upon your experience of how changes to the suspension make a difference to how your bike works - experiment, it's the only way.

Very generally speaking the adjusters on a Japanese motorcycle are found thus:

Front
Hexagon at top of fork typically 17/19 ish mm = preload adjuster.
Top of fork, screw in centre of preload adjuster, typically a slot, sometimes a 5/6ish mm square = rebound damping adjuster.
Bottom of fork, screw, typically facing backwards under brake caliper = compression damping adjuster.

Rear
Big slotted ring around shock body, usually at the upper end = preload adjuster.
Screw at top of shock body, or on reservoir whether remote or not = compression damping adjuster.
Screw at bottom of shock body = rebound damping adjuster.

Damping adjusters; almost always clockwise, (inwards), for more, out for less.
Preload adjusters; viewed from top, clockwise, (downwards), for more.

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

Nice squid thank you mate. I appreciate it's not a black & white issue & the settings can be tweaked to make a difference..

All it is is that my SRAD 750 handled like a dream but this 'newer bike' is still twitchy & the steering feels a bit vague so I'm guessing the suspension needs fiddling with to get rid of this lack of cornering confidence.. Also hoping some new rubber might help (back on pr2's!)

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

. . . and you're within 10 miles of Reactive Suspension, of whom I have heard great things.
01347 811 529

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

Don't bother with out of the book settings, ride it.
You can completely screw all low speed adjustments by changing from 1 brand of 5W to another so what chance have they got.

When you have the rebound too tight it will feel to chatter and skip wide. Too loose and it feels like the front is floating and doesn't settle.

Sort compression when you have rebound right, you are lucky on those forks that they are independant adjusters. :)

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

Pleez will you come and fix it for me yc.

edit feck me YC how did you get to 23,000 posts?

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

when you say its twitchy do you mean it drops in and needs to settle or you feel as though you need to pick it up mid corner? or its just bouncing about a lot.

my forst bit of advice would be get the rubber sorted as i noticed you had two different tyres on it last time i was up. this sint going to help.

then think about what the actual problem is (this is harder than you think) you will notice that getting it right for a smooth corner isnt the same as a bumpy tight corner.

Ive had a fair old play about with mine and am really happy with it (although ill probably egt the rear rebuilt for giggles this year) i would advise you seriously think about getting the fork oil changed as well. its really not hard.

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

I guess the best way to describe it, is the front end feels vague..

On the srad I could set up for a corner and carve through it like the tyres were leaving dig marks in the road, or I could even run into a corner too hot, look to where I wanted it to go and it just leant over and went without ever feeling like I might come off..

With this though, even the most familiar smooth corner it kind of feels like a guessing game with the front end. I'm back to my old way of thinking "Is this gonna wash out in in a minute??? Or am I ok?".. Kind of like it's 2 seconds away from disaster but there's no real feedback or sensation of what's going on with the steering..

I also think the rear might be a little squared off as I felt a weird unexpected movement when I tipped into a corner the other day.. Could have been my bowels. But yeah I desperately want Pilot Road 2's on it asap.

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

D'ya reckon the fork oil could do with replacing as well?

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

unless you know its been done then i noticed an improvement when i did mine. Having dishwater in their basically all your adjusting wont have the desired effect.

try roadsmarts :)

ok does it run wide then and you feel as though your fighting to keep it on line? or that its waving in the air?

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

Right then basically.



If your going wide then there are several things that youcould look into. Firstly look at the rear. If the rear is too soft then as youapply the power leaving the corner then the rear squats and the front endlifts. The tyre looses contact with the ground and your running wide a bit. Thisgets even worse if your rebound isn’t right on the front. If you have littlerebound damping then the fork will try to extend really quickly and canactually bounce things back up (if that makes sense) so again the front end is lightand you loose all feeling. However if you wind the rebound damping straight upthen the forks would rebound enough and as the rear squats the forks wont keepcontact with the ground (under very hard acceleration) and the front end startsto wave about (this is what I get)



So if your coming into a corner and you don’t have the confidenceto tip it in then there could be a lot of things wrong. However starting at therear again if the compression is too hard then you will feel as though the rearwill skip about as you come into a corner (especially on the brakes) andgenerally unsettle the bike. Again with the compression too high at the rearyou will find the bike will flop into the corner quickly so you may findyourself picking it up mid corner and kind of seesawing with it.



Once that’s sorted you can look at the front.







However one point to make is that all this means bugger all(especially comparing clicks) if your sag isn’t set properly and if your suspensionsnot been looked after. Don’t worry about clicks or turns. My bike says I shouldhave about 6 clicks from out I like it at 2. Its all personal preference,weight, style etc.

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

Just spoke to YC
http://images.pictureshunt.com/pics/y/yoda-11317.jpg

Gonna set the static sag on the preload and then try adjusting the rebound before anything else. Asked him about renewing the oil on the forks and it turns out they're not as straightforward as sv650 forks (bloody technology making things complicated) so if it still feels rubbish then I'll take it to him for the oil sorting..

I think the main issue is that I'm using the SRAD as a measuring stick. That thing had very very firm suspension and felt like it was laser guided. This newer gsxr feels a bit like it's guided with washing up bubbles. When I get home and have a tinker with it, it'll probably become apparent very quickly that a previous owner has set up the suspension with one of these:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...noBook1972.jpg

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

Just for the record, when I checked on saturday morning, it turned out that the previous owner had set the rebound to Fully screwed in (maximum?) hence why the front end felt random.

Wound it out 1.5 full turns and rode to helmsley.. When in helmsley, wound it out another half turn and it felt great. Til I broke down.

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

I use this as a guide to understanding suspension components and how to set up my bike accordingly!

http://www.onthethrottle.com/howto/s...zuki-gsx-r600/

I am defo no expert, but for me its been a good starting point and is better suited to me than the factory settings. As SS says your suspension changes over time ie from hot/cold oil, old/new oil etc so the settings may have to be tweaked from time to time depepending on your riding style and whether its track or road. Its best to adjust a setting and then go try it out in the real world to see the difference. Remember to record your settings so you can always change back to what it was before.

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

As above, and only change one thing at a time - otherwise you can get lost and not know what did what.

Re: Setting up compression/rebound/preload etc?
 

This video is very helpful. Kieth Code knows his stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBlqVx4mWUw