I promise...I'm not trying to flood the forum with just my questions...honest! So, on the assumption you have done your job on my previous metaphorical wobble thread and I have decided to keep my blue burley beast...I am considering what mods I can (or indeed should) be looking to make? Its a 2002 955i remember (in blue - the fastest colour). I need to understand and learn about suspension. I do not know if I ride hard or fast enough to appreciate what mods may offer in this respect. Or maybe my arse just isn't as refined as everyone elses . I have set all my settings to "as soft as possible". This is because I enjoyed the wallowyness of my previous old bike (a honda NTV650). I liked the fact it was 'soft and spongy'...however i think the triple is too sporty (and therefore firm) to compete? So...scrub all that. Educate me...please(!), What should I be looking for (feeling for) when it comes to suspension and shocks? What difference will I actually feel. And how might this translate to a difference in handling? I don't do track days...I commute - through town, and on fast A roads, thats all.... Next up - and perhaps a new thread would be better - is I am due a new chain. Should I be looking to renew the sprockets too? If I am to replace the sprockets - again - replace like for like or is now an opportunity to play with the teeth and ratios? If so, what changes will translate to what feel or differences? Again - just commuting. I often wonder if upgrades and changes are subjective...can you really feel a difference with a new shiney thingamy...? Or maybe I am simply not a honed enough rider to notice...? Educate me...please! As ever...thank you...all opinions gratefully received!
thankk you smilinjack - I am not overly experienced (or...perhaps more accurately - happy to be sedate)...and so will indeed heed your advice. I don't necessarily want to make upgrades, just owndering if they were useful or necessary. It is good to hear that they may be neither! Thanks you!
check out suspension setups on Youtude, Dave Moss is a good one. Get shock and forks serviced, shock may not be able to be done so an upgrade new one to replace could be a good start. set sag to 35-40 mm as a start. If you have it too soft, front will dive too much under braking and rear could squat accelerating out of a bend and cause you to run wide, soft isn’t good!
I have the same (albeit in green, the loudest if not fastest colour). Many years ago I did my 1 and only track day on the bike. There was a specialist suspension service at the track day. My settings were on stock. I paid this man some money ( about £30 back then I think) and they fiddled with all the settings that you can nowadays see on YT videos. It made a massive difference, the advantage of doing this at a track day was I could immediately test the changes and keep going back with feedback on how it felt. What I learnt from this was all bikes & rider combinations are different, but a pro can setup your bike to feel loads better. It cornered more precisely with less wallow, and although felt stiffer it actually coped with bumps (especially mid-corner) much better than previously. I have a note somewhere with my settings if you think it would be useful? I weigh about 73kgs, not sure what that would be with full riding kit on. But, I think it was money well spent, so maybe a suspension specialist could do the same.
You stick to your loud colour Gurgly Bogs ... That's a really useful insight regarding the suspension set up. I have mine currently set to "as soft as possible"... But perhaps I'll start winding it in slowly slot and see what it feels like. Cheers!
