Susspension set-up anyone?

Ianh · Post by **Ianh** » Thu May 19, 2005 5:54 pm

How-doo
My VTR has done a shocking amount of miles now and the front suspension was just giving out, so I decided to replace the original springs with Hagon progresive ones, all well and good but how do I set this up??? I know its a bit daft but I have no idea.
I'm 5.7 and 12 stone (all muscle...

)
How do I set the pre-load and all the other bits and peices for my height weight and so-on?

Thanks all,
Ian

sparky750 · Post by **sparky750** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:50 pm

I'm sure someone will know how to do it scientifically. my way has always been to adjust it a bit, ride it a bit, adjust it a bit, ride it a bit etc takes a while but I've always got the perfect set up for me with this method.

Ianh · Post by **Ianh** » Fri May 20, 2005 11:03 pm

Hey Sparky
Yeaj you are right, I took the bike out today with a 14mm spanner and a screwdiver and rode for 20yards then braked like made and made adjustments for around 30 mins.

I just realy didnt understand what did what, but hey my old springs after 47k miles were a little worn!

three cheers for beer!

thom353 · Post by **thom353** » Tue May 24, 2005 1:00 pm

Hi,
I'm with the trial and error gang, did mine yesterday. brought my VTR a few months ago and they were set at six, i was bouncing all over the bad roads, so put them back to standard which is four and adjusted from there. Currently i am at Two. That is the pre-load adjusters not the damping adjuster.

JamesK · Post by **JamesK** » Tue May 24, 2005 6:38 pm

i just got my VTR and have set the suspension as per a performance bikes setup guide that my mate had. He had done the same with his 94 blade highly recommended their settings.

Forks:
Preload - second ring
Rebound - quarter turn out from full in

Shock
Preload - second notch from bottom (third for track)
rebound - quarter turn out from full in

The change of forks springs from standard will change how this setup behaves but it will give a good place to start. I also believe the Hagon website gives some settings for Air gap etc.

When i test rode my VTR the rear shock and forks were set on max preload with no rebound, i dont know how the bloke managed to ride it, he was only a bit heavier than me. The front end was waving all over the place and the understeer was scary.

Thank goodness the engine is so much fun or I would have dismissed the VTR and bought a 600

Squiffythewombat · Post by **Squiffythewombat** » Sat May 28, 2005 6:49 pm

are there any website or could anybody explain in REALLY SIMPLE terms about dampening, rebound etc etc as its confusing me soooo badly and i really want to sort my sus out but dont want to make the bike ride like a load of poo......ie: which dial does what and why?

Stormin Ben · Post by **Stormin Ben** » Sun May 29, 2005 12:24 am

Simple guide

Preload - use a spanner on the two flats on top of the forks or a C spanner on the collar on top of the spring on the rear shock
If a spring is rated at 10kg per cm that means it takes a force of 10kg to compress the spring 1cm.
If you shorten the spring by 1cm (using the preload adjusters) then to compress the spring a further centimetre will require a force of 20kg coz 10kg will only bring it to the point that the preload adjusters are initially holding it
This is why when you increase the preload the suspension sits higher
HOWEVER
If the spring is too soft increasing the preload is only gonna make it feel better for the first few cm of its travel. After that its back to the same 10kg for 1cm ratio

Damping
When the suspension moves, the oil below the piston is displaced and has to move past it. To do this the suspension has a hole to allow the oil to flow through. If the hole is small the oil can't flow through it very fast and it resists the suspension movement.
This is damping
As you increase the damping you are effectively reducing the size of the hole and the suspension feels stiffer

Compression- not available on standard Storm suspension
when you hit a bump or brake, the forks compress. If you have lots of compression damping this movement is slowed down and vice versa

Rebound - little screw on top of the forks or at bottow right side of the shock
Once you release the brakes of pass over the bump the suspension tries to rebound to its original position. The resistance to this is called rebound damping. If you have lots of rebound damping the forks return very slowly and you run the risk that they may not be back to normal length when you hit the next bump. Conversely if there's not enough rebound damping the forks spring back too quickly. This transfers weight to abruptly and unsettles the bike

Hope this helps, any further question I'll try to help

Ben

robin1000 · Post by **robin1000** » Sun May 29, 2005 9:22 pm

Succinct and perfectly put. Nice one Ben.