Front End Feels Sketchy With 'sport' Suspension Settings

Appoooh · Sep 2, 2017

Hey all,

Have started occasionally pillioning a willing passenger on my 2016 ST S and because the sport suspension settings were close enough to the two-up settings I adjusted the suspension from street to sport and have left it there while riding solo.

On good roads it feels great - the steering feels sharper, its easier to tip the bike into a corner and I can hold a tight line with less effort. Although on bumpy roads the ride is definitely harsher and I was bounced out of the seat a few times.

What troubles me is that on two occasions I managed to slip the front while pushing hard around tight low speed corners. The first time was actually a roundabout - as I was accelerating towards the exit with the bike still lent over I felt the front tire skip before the bike righted itself. The second time was a slow speed corner up a hill - I pushed on the bars to try and tighten my line and the front tire slipped hard before catching again.

Could sportier suspension settings cause this or is it just coincidence?

Cheers,
David

Callumity · Sep 2, 2017

It sounds like weight transfer......acceleration unloads the front tyre while extra weight at the back (without excessive lean!) helps the rear stick. Stiffer suspension settings will maybe expose it more over road imperfections.

MickEng · Sep 2, 2017

Appoooh said: ↑

Hey all,

Have started occasionally pillioning a willing passenger on my 2016 ST S and because the sport suspension settings were close enough to the two-up settings I adjusted the suspension from street to sport and have left it there while riding solo.

On good roads it feels great - the steering feels sharper, its easier to tip the bike into a corner and I can hold a tight line with less effort. Although on bumpy roads the ride is definitely harsher and I was bounced out of the seat a few times.

What troubles me is that on two occasions I managed to slip the front while pushing hard around tight low speed corners. The first time was actually a roundabout - as I was accelerating towards the exit with the bike still lent over I felt the front tire skip before the bike righted itself. The second time was a slow speed corner up a hill - I pushed on the bars to try and tighten my line and the front tire slipped hard before catching again.

Could sportier suspension settings cause this or is it just coincidence?er

Cheers,
David
Click to expand...

Can't you just put it back to solo position when you're out on your own ?
Or just ride between Melbourne and Adelaide, not a corner to be seen for 730 miles, the most boring stretch of road I have ever been on.