Wavey front end on a K6

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Did you check the tyre pressures ?

Originally Posted by 21QUEST

The most sensible most here.

Agreed, even if you meant post, not most.

Increasing the preload DOESN'T make the suspension harder, neither does it compress the spring any more.

Proof to follow.

it pre-loads the suspension, so they suspension isn't stiffer - but by increasing the preload you are moving the suspension to a point past the first softest section of the springs. So are they stiffer? No, do they feel less soft? Yes. -
But lets face it - it's a pretty redundant adjustment when the whole suspension is pretty poor.

I think this is all to do with tyres - whether it's a difference in make/type or just a pressure issue.

[TSM]

Originally Posted by gettin2dizzy

it pre-loads the suspension, so they suspension isn't stiffer - but by increasing the preload you are moving the suspension to a point past the first softest section of the springs. So are they stiffer? No, do they feel less soft? Yes. -
But lets face it - it's a pretty redundant adjustment when the whole suspension is pretty poor.

I think this is all to do with tyres - whether it's a difference in make/type or just a pressure issue.

Well, bottom out your suspension then. That what the adjuster helps you with. Read up setting up sag and how the adjuster relates to that. At best its helps with preventing bottoming out easily, at worst it does nothing at all because the rider is too heavy and overcomes any of the adjustments. Whichever way for most people its only a stopgap adjustment for proper setup.

ps. Most springs are linear so they compress the same amount along the length of the spring coils.

[Viney]

Head bearings could slo be loose, tyre pressures higher than what you are used to etc that combined with different preload settings will make the bike feel different. I have ridden i reckon all models of sv, and found them all to be different, but thats because of the things listed.

Originally Posted by TSM

Well, bottom out your suspension then. That what the adjuster helps you with. Read up setting up sag and how the adjuster relates to that. At best its helps with preventing bottoming out easily, at worst it does nothing at all because the rider is too heavy and overcomes any of the adjustments. Whichever way for most people its only a stopgap adjustment for proper setup.

ps. Most springs are linear so they compress the same amount along the length of the spring coils.

Yeah i do agree with that. Luckily I'm not heavy enough to worry about it! I just find altering it bit by bit, and seeing how it feels was the best for me I'm glad i haven't got the complexity of an r6 suspension setup!

Gaz, rang my old man and asked him.

Not read all this as there seems too much arguing, but basically, comparing your setup to mine, your front end is too soft. We need to stiffen it up a bit so we need to adjust the settings (the bits of metal sticking out the top yoke )

Yours is on the softest, we should set it back to the middle and work our way from there.

U'll be so suprised at the difference. My SV was so much more planted at the front, and tbh, i should only expect a slight increase in performance from the newer models.

Email me.

[TSM]

Originally Posted by Daimo

Gaz, rang my old man and asked him.

Not read all this as there seems too much arguing, but basically, comparing your setup to mine, your front end is too soft. We need to stiffen it up a bit so we need to adjust the settings (the bits of metal sticking out the top yoke )

Yours is on the softest, we should set it back to the middle and work our way from there.

U'll be so suprised at the difference. My SV was so much more planted at the front, and tbh, i should only expect a slight increase in performance from the newer models.

Email me.

If you read everthing thats been posted then you will see that that adjuster does not stiff up the front forks.

Originally Posted by Daimo

PS, now i've ridden both, Curveys still rock over pointys

Been trying to tell people this for ages.


Not being very constructive, I know!

Originally Posted by gettin2dizzy

I'm glad i haven't got the complexity of an r6 suspension setup!

I do but i cant say i have changed it at all! It feels so much better than the SV that i havn't bothered to have a fiddle. I probably should though

Starting with the spring at its maximum length just supporting the bikes weight, as it then starts to be compressed it will be easy to compress. As the spring is compressed under say, hard braking (front forks), the spring will be progressively compressed and therefore will become stiffer and stiffer as its length decreases.

If it did not become stiffer then what would be the point in pre-loading it? It would not bring any benefits when adding a pillion passenger for instance. In this set up the pre-loaded spring better supports the extra weight of a pillion due to being compressed to a shorter length already, before riding over bumps tries to compress it even further! All the damping does is prevent the spring taking all the force of big bumps and bottoming out. Rebound damping does the same in reverse so it prevent the spring bouncing your pillion 2 feet off the seat!
The spring setting has to be a compromise, soft enough to feel comfortable but firm enough to steer properly when on a bumpy surface.
Too hard (too much preload), like too much damping will make it under-steer and chatter across the road plus the ride will be hard and bone jarring.
Too soft (not enough preload), like not enough damping and the bike will tip into corners too easily and feel like its bending in the middle, sometimes refered to as wallowing but it may be very comfortable over a bumpy surface when ridden in a straight line.

In my 28 years riding bikes I have never ridden one that was very comfortable that also handled very well, I don't think its possible to have both on any bike! ...and before the bullets start flying this way, I am talking about extremes here, scratching the country lanes as opposed to cruising the A roads!

The wavey K6 if you ask me has not been set up properly 'or' there's a problem with fork oil levels or broken spring or some other mechanical problem.
If you add several minor problems together you can get very strange results. A worn rear tyre with too much preload and damping relative to the front plus uneven fork oil levels and the bike would be all over the road....you know....the way bikes used to handle back in the 1970's!
Sometimes people just exagerate a tiny bit!