Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

I just adjusted my rear suspension

I tightened it up 1 setting.

apparantly from the factory they are set for someone of 68kgs.
add 20 to that for me

anyway i found that its heaps tighter feeling on the street now.
ie i feel every bump.
BUT in the corners it doesnt do that digging in thing mid corner where it feels all soft and it feels like its tracking easier now to me.

i reckon it feels better but has anyone got any tips for how "good" suspension settings should feel

You've done the hard bit mate which is being game enough to have a go at it. Suspension is a black art but that doesnt mean that with the amount of adjustments they have now that any "Nana" cant get to work to suit better then they usually come from the shop or previous owner.
Make notes, adjust it make notes an so on. When it feels worse go back to where it felt better and so on. Most people get used to how the bike is set & not everyone will use or like the same settings even if they are technically correct.
Cheers Brett

preload is your friend.
make sure you adjust (increase) your compression and rebound dampening to complete the picture.

also check this out it's a very helpfull set up guide.

http://www.gostar-racing.com/club/motor ... set-up.htm

thanks for the support ponti

i figure i might as well experiment with it - i might even learn something.

That link is great Hoffy - it certainly helps explain what the hell i am messing with. i will try the other settings now and see what happens.

hopefully i can get it riding more like a sportsbike rather than a pram

no its not that bad but i wont know if it can be better unless i try huh.

Can you fellas give me some pointers on the best way to adjust the preload on the rear without having to goto a garage each time.

I read somewhere that you can get suspension/spring clamps which you tighten up and then you can play with the pre load...

If this is correct, where can you get these for the bike, or do you go to somewhere like supercheapauto and ask for one.

Any tips appreciated.

Thanx

Martin

thewonderer wrote:Can you fellas give me some pointers on the best way to adjust the preload on the rear without having to goto a garage each time.

I read somewhere that you can get suspension/spring clamps which you tighten up and then you can play with the pre load...

If this is correct, where can you get these for the bike, or do you go to somewhere like supercheapauto and ask for one.

Any tips appreciated.

Thanx

Martin

Depends on your bike, some you can fit the "special tool" to adjust the rear spring preload, some you can't and your suppose to remove the shock.
The alternative way is to use a hammer and a screwdriver (or something a little softer so as not to damage the adjusting collars.)

Some one nearby may be able to help, but you'll have to fill out your profile so they know where you are...

thewonderer wrote:Can you fellas give me some pointers on the best way to adjust the preload on the rear without having to goto a garage each time.

I read somewhere that you can get suspension/spring clamps which you tighten up and then you can play with the pre load...

If this is correct, where can you get these for the bike, or do you go to somewhere like supercheapauto and ask for one.

Any tips appreciated.

Thanx

Martin

U need to set up the rider sag first before you touch anything. This is the distance measured in a straight line when you sit on the bike. What u are looking for is a drop of 35-40mm. Once rider sag is set you have a good base with hich to adjust your damping.

Compression controls the rate at which the suspension compresses, and rebound refers to how fast it returns to static position.

A lot of compression will help limit fork travel under brakes, but will make it harsh over small bumps. To much rebound will mak the forks/shock "Pack down" over a series of bumps. In other words it is not returning fast enough. If it is kicking you outta the seat(rear) it needs more rebound, if the forks smack you in the face when you let off the brakes you need more rebound. This is very simplified but hopefully it help somewhat. As Ponti says suspension is a black art. Only real advice I would give you is the softer you can run them them, the better they will handle. Harder is not always faster.......

I have a 2003 zx-6r with a ohlins spring (almost half the thickness of the OEM one!). Since having the new spring installed, its made a difference but it still feels to kick happy at the rear for my liking.

Heard about these clamps you can use, but a mate has warned me that they can scratch the spring...

I know the best thing is to get the whole bike fixed up by a person in the know. What kind of price do you think I ought to expect to pay for someone to sort out the old girl?

Cheers,

Martin

Hmmm a '03 Barra with a over active rear end. Would one of the "barra" owners want to field this one ?. Bob, Tanya, anyone ?.
Cheers Brett

If martin can pm me and drop around some time i can adjust it for him and i have a fair idea of what has to happen.

I live at west chermside by the way.

While we are here what do you weigh martin??

Thanks for the offer Barrabob, i've sent you a PM

I weigh.... wait for it....

73kg + leathers... the guy who supplied the replacement spring took this into account when sourcing a spring for me, or so he said, hopefully a few threads up on the pre-load will do the job

Got sometime this weekend, if you have...

A BIG thanx to Bob for helping me with my rear suspension!!!

The rear is less kick happy and now all I need to do is blast around my old roads to see what needs to be done next.