Good Suspension Set up

[G]

I have never set my suspension up right on any of my bikes mainly because I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. Recently I started getting a strange vibrations from the front suspension after seriously hard braking, people have been saying that it could be compression and damping fighting against each other so I thought I would do something about it.

Spoke to a few suspension places and a well known company who were to busy to get me in pointed me in the direction of the below website.

http://www.sportrider.com/suspension...ngs/index.html

http://www.sportrider.com/motorcycle...ion/index.html

I set my suspension up to whats recommended on the website and the difference is frankly bloody amazing. I have been riding around with a completely crap and random suspension set up because I messed about with something I knew nothing about. It didnt sort out the vibrating front end completely but it improved, the handling and feel however is completely different and on bumpy roads its unbelievable.

I dont think the SV650 has that many option to change things but the SV1000 is on there and alot of people on here dont have SV's anyway so thought it was worth posting.

I bottled it and took Wilma (650 with GSXR springy bits front and rear) to Kais, following recomendation from Quiff.

Sorting your suspension does make a difference, even to someone like me whose riding ability is average. My settings were way off for my weight which is why I noticed a difference.

Did you do it yourself using those settings then G? They have recommended settings for my bike too which I'd like to give a try - never touched my suspension before. Is it a quick job?

[G]

Originally Posted by carty

Did you do it yourself using those settings then G? They have recommended settings for my bike too which I'd like to give a try - never touched my suspension before. Is it a quick job?

I did it myself using those settings yeah.

Before I had just played with the setting with no real idea what I was doing to make it abit harder, and it was crap on anything short of silky smooth tarmac in comparison to now.

After I changed it to these settings, I sat on my driveway and instantly thought the front was way to soft as there was so much movement. I thought it would dive at the front when braking but its near on perfect very progressive and just soaks up the bumps rather than twitching and headshaking all over the place.

Transformation for me anyway.

[G]

Originally Posted by carty

never touched my suspension before. Is it a quick job?

It took me maybe 30 - 45 minutes. Not long at all.

I just had my manual out to make sure I was changing the right things and turning things in the right direction and job done.

I was thinking of taking my bike to KAIS - £45 for a setup. But I might give it a go myself first - what's the worst thing that could happen?!

Glad it's worked mate

[G]

Originally Posted by carty

I was thinking of taking my bike to KAIS - £45 for a setup. But I might give it a go myself first - what's the worst thing that could happen?!

Glad it's worked mate

May as well try it and see how it feels, you can always put it back to standard with the manual afterwards.

[yorkie_chris]

Vibrating under braking, discs not warped, wheel bearings OK?

[G]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Vibrating under braking, discs not warped, wheel bearings OK?

Brakes discs have been check as has the wheel bearings.

The symptom is that after very hard braking down to say 5 mph, I lift off the front brake and and when re-applied there is a funny judder (not through the lever) just through the front of the bike, lift off and apply again and its fine again.

Only happens after really hard braking though and only once.....very strange. Possibly need to strip down my brakes and clean them.

The sport rider stuff is good, but rather than blindly looking at the settings they have come up with read the articles on how to come about those settings yourself. Here:

http://www.sportrider.com/suspension...ide/index.html

Otherwise, you'll be just as clueless as before you changed anything except with a different set of numbers on your suspension adjusters.