Before I go Bonwick on the thing, don't suppose anyone knows what optimum settings for an average weight rider might be? They're not phenomenally adjustable, so I'm not hoping for much... -- ogden sv650 (slow) cg125 (dead) zx7r (in bits) Last few 7R bits: http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZdr.daifQQhtZ-1
ogden says... Try asking the boys who race them on the Bemsee forum. -- Lozzo Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits) Suzuki Bandit 600S (Green with added shit bits) Yamaha SR250 Delusion (It's "Special") Homefucking is killing prostitution.
There are other screws? Short of dropping the yokes or replacing linkages (can you believe there are FAQs on the web about _softening_ the suspension??), there's not much other than preload adjustment anyway. Was just hoping someone might have a good starting point for just how much preload would be ideal... -- ogden sv650 (slow) cg125 (dead) zx7r (in bits) Last few 7R bits: http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZdr.daifQQhtZ-1
Set the static sag first then work from there. I nicked this off my website. One of the most important suspension settings is static sag-the amount your bike's suspension compresses when you sit on it. This method takes into account any stiction in the components. It's best to have two friends to help-one to hold the bike while the other one measures-while you (fully dressed in your riding gear) do the compressing. First, extend the front suspension completely. Measure from the seal wiper to the triple clamp for a conventional fork, or to the axle clamp for an inverted fork. Call this number L1. Sit on your bike in a normal riding position (or racing crouch if you're track-bound), and have one helper steady the bike. Your second helper should push down on the fork, let it extend slowly and then re-measure as before. This number is L2. Finally, the fork should be extended by hand, settled slowly, and re-measured. This figure is L3. Halfway between L2 and L3 is where your suspension would settle if there were no friction in the system. Static sag can be calculated as follows: sag=L1-(L3+L2)/2. Repeat this process to determine the rear sag-measuring from the axle to a point directly above on the frame for each of the numbers. If you have too much or too little sag, dial in more or less (respectively) preload as needed.
www.MollyG.net You have a link on your home page to wwww.betarecords.com - note the 4 w. It don't work.
ogden wrote In the middle? Mind you it depends what you mean by average dunnit? Neither are we dearie, neither are we.
I always assumed that anyone capable of taking advantage of the sag being set up correctly would know how to do it.
Andy Bonwick wrote Well yes, obviously but as I appear to be the only one round here who is prepared to admit that I find the handling of most bikes still much better than me however I twiddle the knobs and stuff on the running gear and thus tend to go for a nice squidgy comfy setting so any advice I might offer on the subject is considered a matter for derision by The Experts but I would still relish the chance to contribute my meager knowledge to the pool if only with a modest call for the poster to **** off and read the ffaq should he be so silly as to want to faff around given that practicing his basic riding skills will do more to improve the handling of his bike than anything else on the plantlette. Mind you having the good advice like that prefixed with your good advice as well might be even better. Perhaps something Ms Gower might consider for the future.
I've never had a bike that wasn't better at corners than me, and that includes learning on a CB100N. I can make the handling worse by adjusting things to their limits in either direction, but it's always brown trousers well before I get off the flat part of the tyres.
have you ever thought it might already be there? <goes to check> nope. <adds to list> -- Adie (replace spam with nickname to reply) UKRM FAQ: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/ keeper of the ukrm faq for my sins YZF-R1: ZX9R E1 MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22 BOMB#11
Two more on at the front seems to have made quite a difference, haven't fiddled with the back yet. Fuckloads of plod round Bicester, wonder if someone's done a runner from the prison. -- ogden sv650 (slow) cg125 (dead) zx7r (in bits) Last few 7R bits: http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZdr.daifQQhtZ-1
I wound the preload on the shock up to about 5, and put 15W fork oil in (instead of the 5W as standard). It worked for me. You could go nuts with it and fit all sorts of fancy shit, but those simple tweaks were fine.
What's too little, or too much? From what I read of that, you'll end up with a figure but have nothing to aim for. As the OP was originally asking for something to try out and work from, does this help much?
I've always aimed for one third of the available travel as static sag. Dunno if this is right or not, but it works for me. Thanks to adjusters on the top of the stanchions, I'm no longer making spacers from washers and 2p coins.
<visions of a bike with a Hotpoint attached to each side> "Take her up to full spin, Mr. Scott" "She cannae take any more, sir. We're on family wash as it is!"
I've wound on the front preload to one line short of maximum, and it's a step in the right direction. When I feel motivated enough to bother, I'll wind the back up to about the same and see what happens. The little I've done so far has been enough to transform it from terrifying to slightly treacherous. Bugger that, this is a 1 year stopgap til I have NCB again. The most I've spent (other than the cost of the bike) is 60 quid on a hugger I can no doubt punt back out on ebay for the same this time next year. -- ogden sv650 (slow) cg125 (dead) zx7r (in bits) Last few 7R bits: http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZdr.daifQQhtZ-1
I didn't realise you had a newer fancy one. My forks had no adjustment. I didn't think the handling was all that bad. Have you checked www.sv650.org for articles? It was pretty helpful.
