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Get Rich Quick

Joined:

Feb 04

Posts: 13

Idiots guide to suspension set up

Not long after I bought my 2000 TT600 (March 03), Performance Bikes produced a little booklet called Set-Up Manual which included our bike. I did find this improved things slightly, not that I thought there was anything wrong in the first place! Now we all know suspension helps absorb shocks but I am sure there are a lot of bikers who like me a year ago, just didnt have a clue about damping, compression, rebound and preload. The guide explained them very well and then told me what settings to change my bike to so here is a direct copy. [b]What is damping?[/b] If suspension only had springs, you would bounce all over the road like a pram. Damping puts a drag on the springs to stop them compressing or extending as fast as they want to. [b]What is compression?[/b] It's the movement caused when a wheel first hits a bump, or when the front dives under braking or when the rear squats under power. [b]What is rebound?[/b] Extension after the spring has been compressed. It's the movement when the spring is unloaded; coming off the peak of a bump or when the weight is transferred away from the front under power or away from the rear under braking. [b]What is preload?[/b] It's the amount by which a spring must be loaded before it begins to compress. It's adjustable as to keep both ends of the bike the ideal height from the ground to compensate for the varying weight of a rider, luggage or passenger. Also, being able to tip one end of the bike more than the other lets you alter the bikes steering geometry (which makes the steering faster or the bike more stable). Which is nice. Right, now you know what they all do, the following is their recomended settings for the Track and Road, but first listed is the standard factory. I will abreviate Track T, Road R and Standard S. [b]Rear Shock[/b] [b]Preload[/b] S 37mm of thread above top locking ring. T & R 44mm of thread showing above top locking ring. [b]Rebound[/b] S 1 1/2 turns out from full in. T & R 3/4 turn out from full in [b]Compression[/b] S 1 1/2 turns out from full in. T & R 1/2 turn out from full in. [b]Front Forks[/b] [b]Preload[/b] S 5 lines showing. T 1 line showing. R 3 lines showing. [b]Rebound[/b] S 1 1/2 turns out from full in. T 1/4 turn out from full in. R 1/2 turn out from full in. [b]Compression[/b] S 1/1/2 turns out form full in. T & R 1/2 turn out from full in. Tyre pressures for the track it recomended dropping to 31psi front and 33 psi rear. Now for those that dont know what bits on the bike to adjust print out this page and stand next to your bike. Starting at the front. the front preload is the adjustable nut right at the top of the forks. Adjust this with a spanner. It is very easy to adjust as it has lines machined into the body of the fork top just below the nut. The fork rebound is the screw adjusters on the top of the forks. Goes without saying adjust with a screw driver. Fork compression Screw these adjusters which are also very small. These are situated right at the bottom of the forks facing the rear of the bike. When adjusting all the front settings, its very important to adjust both sides of the forks to the same settings! Now to the rear of the bike. Rear compression is a little screw adjuster also facing the rear of the bike. This is attached to the remote reservoir on the exhaust side (just behind the spring). Rear rebound is a little screw adjust right at the bottom of the shock absorber on the same side as the chain. Its almost directly in line with the top of the chain and faces towards the side of the bike. Rear preload is the threaded collar and locknut aduster on the shock body. In the words of the book it says"Adjust with C Spanner. Can be hard to shift - skinned knuckles inevitable. Needless to say, I adjusted everything bar that. Lastly, I went to a track day at Snetterton a few weeks ago and had a whale of a time. While I was there I spent £30 with an Ohlins Suspension set up facility they had. I dont have

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  • Posted 9 years ago (11 September 2004 22:31)

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Trumpetman21

Joined:

Mar 04

Posts: 815

Trumpetman21 says:

Great stuff,

Just one thing - there were no GSX-R1000's around 6 years ago!?!?!

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Get Rich Quick

Joined:

Feb 04

Posts: 13

Cor blimey!

Your right it was the 1100 because it was black and ugly.

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Trumpetman21

Joined:

Mar 04

Posts: 815

Trumpetman21 says:

Sound,

I can sleep easier now!

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Ghoti

Joined:

Aug 02

Posts: 33

Ghoti says:

Can you just confirm for me...

The adjustments made by the Ohlins' people - were they made after you had done your settings? Do you remember exactly what they were? [i]the front measured 7mm below the rear and on a 600 it is normally 20 to 25mm[/i] - Where are the measurments taken from? Were the additional adjustments made by Ohlins just for the track or did they work OK on the road? Sorry for all the questions. I've now got the bike to feel balanced (found the front too soft for the rear on standard), but I did this when running the bike in and I softened the rear to match as I was not hammering it around. Was planning on having a play this weekend so I will probably go with the above settings (adjusted for the Ohlins bit?). Thanks

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Get Rich Quick

Joined:

Feb 04

Posts: 13

Adustments

The adjustments where made by the Ohlins mechanic after I had done my settings. I think he left the rear perfectly alone and only changed the front. He actually made the front softer as I can now see 6 rings plus 1mm at the top of my forks for the preload. I remember him saying you may find this strange, but if I soften the front it should make you steer quicker. I never noticed any extra dive even though I hammered the brakes, but this may be due the to the rebound and compression being better set up by him. I will check how many turns the rebound and compression are tomorrow and post the results. Unfortuanately I cant tell you where he got his height settings from. All I can tell you is he got me and another guy to lift up the front (one handlebar each) and then slowly lower it. He measured and then he bounced down on the front. Measured again. We then did the same with the rear. Sorry, I can't help more.

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Ghoti

Joined:

Aug 02

Posts: 33

Ghoti says:

Thanks GRQ

A friend was saying something about 'static sag' and it being the difference between unloaded and loaded measurements. Soundls like that is the 20mm lower at the front thingy. I'll have to give him a ring and get him to explain it in english again. I assume that you still use these settings on the road and they are not just for the track?

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Get Rich Quick

Joined:

Feb 04

Posts: 13

Front settings

I have just checked my front compression and front rebound. Both are set to half a turn from full in. I do use the settings on the road aswell. I find it behaves no different.

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Count Von Count

Joined:

Aug 02

Posts: 43

Rear preload

I was going to have a tinker with my setup today, the bike just doesn't feel right recently - always feels like it's going to lie down when I'm cornering. Checked the tyre pressures which helped a bit but I wanted to experiment. Before starting I checked the handbook. It gives out dire warnings about trying to adjust rear preload yourself: needs experts with specialist tools apparently! So has anyone actually adjusted their own rear preload? Any problems other than skinned knuckles? Cheers Count

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