Shocking Suspension

[_Stretchie_]

Originally Posted by Baph

Apparently, if you ride for a mile, then change the suspension setup, ride for a mile, change, and repeat until you've ridden in EVERY possible setup, you could of ridden to mars & back, and still have 40 miles left to ride!

What the?!?!?!

So what exactly can you change? I have a Yamaha Thundercat, fore runner to the R6, as standard the suspension was fully adjustable front AND back:

Pre-load
Rebound damping
Compression
and obviously you could speed the steering up or slow it down by moving the yokes up and down the shock at the front....


How much more is there?

[Biker Biggles]

I had adjustable preload on my rear shocks on my 1977 CB400 four.Does that count?

[northwind]

Originally Posted by _Stretchie_

Pre-load
Rebound damping
Compression
and obviously you could speed the steering up or slow it down by moving the yokes up and down the shock at the front....

How much more is there?

Seperate high and low speed damping adjustment, and I think maybe ride height at the rear. I think Ride don't really understand damping speeds... I think the current top-end Mille and 999 have both had the same level of adjustment, but that was OK because they're exotics. But a mere Jap!

I watched a suspension chap set up an 06 R6 for a colleague of a mate at Snetterton last year, it had been on factory settings from new, with this static set up done the bike was much better for it's owner. The service continued throughout the day with dynamic feed back from the owner, the handling was transformed and a sheet prepared with all the details of adjustments to standard for the owner to take away with him. £40 for all the work done on that bike throughout the day, not cheap but excellent service for a guy that was not confident to tinker with the settings himself.

[northwind]

Bingo... TBH, with that level of adjustment I'd probably take it to a pro too, for a good baseline. In the ideal world dealers would set up every single bike with adjustable suspension before it left the shop. In fact, in a truly ideal world bikes would be delivered to the shop unsprung, and various cartridge specs would be available. "Send me a GSXR in XXL Fat ****". But we'd end up paying for it anyway... Some particularily good dealers will give at least a basic suspension setup though.

It does baffle me a bit, that so many people will leave their bike as it left the shop. I had a guy tell me once "Why do you assume you can improve on what Suzuki say it should be? They know a lot more than you about this bike!"

[21QUEST]

Originally Posted by Essex of Essex

I watched a suspension chap set up an 06 R6 for a colleague of a mate at Snetterton last year, it had been on factory settings from new, with this static set up done the bike was much better for it's owner. The service continued throughout the day with dynamic feed back from the owner, the handling was transformed and a sheet prepared with all the details of adjustments to standard for the owner to take away with him. £40 for all the work done on that bike throughout the day, not cheap but excellent service for a guy that was not confident to tinker with the settings himself.

I'll call that quite cheap mate. Mucho excellent value for money that.

I know of a place down sarf that used to charge £75 to twindle your knobs indoors. ...and that was about 6/7 years ago when I went to them. I'm sure the price would have gone up by now as well.



Ben

I think it's good value for the money the two guys with him were picking the guys brains and trying to do the same to a Blade and a CBR 600RR not wanting to pay the money. The suspension chap was quite happy to give them the advice they were looking for and suggested quietly that folk like that normaly made such a mess they came to him next time out, so he would get paid in the end.

Originally Posted by northwind

It does baffle me a bit, that so many people will leave their bike as it left the shop. I had a guy tell me once "Why do you assume you can improve on what Suzuki say it should be? They know a lot more than you about this bike!"

Muppets everywhere. The SV has very budget suspension and we ALL know it needs improvement. I bet Suzuki know that too, but as we keep buying them they probably don't feel the need.

Originally Posted by SV650Racer

or skipping the pie and mash the night before

This is my favourite mod! I find it amusing how much time, money and effort people spend to try and shave weight off their bike's and often overlook the lump of lard sitting on top of it

Originally Posted by Essex of Essex

I watched a suspension chap set up an 06 R6 for a colleague of a mate at Snetterton last year, it had been on factory settings from new, with this static set up done the bike was much better for it's owner. The service continued throughout the day with dynamic feed back from the owner, the handling was transformed and a sheet prepared with all the details of adjustments to standard for the owner to take away with him. £40 for all the work done on that bike throughout the day, not cheap but excellent service for a guy that was not confident to tinker with the settings himself.

There was a guy at Silverstone doing the same, except last time I only had the SV, so was wondering exactly what settings he could tinker with for £40! Next time, I think I'm going to get it looked at, as mine is still on factory settings and I have no idea where to start!

Originally Posted by 21QUEST

I know of a place down sarf that used to charge £75 to twindle your knobs indoors. ...and that was about 6/7 years ago when I went to them. I'm sure the price would have gone up by now as well.

There must be a smutty comment I could make after that, but for the life of me I can't think what