What a useful post. I will certainly give it a go! A couple of questions... Taking readings 'a' and 'c', can this be done using the centre stand - with the bike lent forward or rear to take the weight off the relevant wheel? Secondly, and this is a more general question from a sedate big bike rider... What difference am I likely to actually feel? Are these subtle and bespoke differences that only the most attuned rider would feel; or big obvious changes in ride and bike feel? I have a speed triple (955i) and could tell that the ride was more firm than an old 650 Honda.... But will it ever be wallowing and soft(er) is by its very nature will just be a firm ride? I made the ride as soft as the manual said I could....but my novice bum couldn't really notice a difference! Very happy to be educated!
All, I took the liberty of typing this great info up and created a (hopefully) useful crib-sheet. See attached at link below: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qq8ejkduvrv5p6r/BikeNet - Suspension Set-Up.pdf?dl=1 Gled
Many thanks for typing this up, I have saved PDF of it to my bike folder on my phone for later reference
Thanks indeed for the typing! I read your post the other day and this makes it a lot easier for me to check out the setup on my Scrambler, after some alterations. Thanks again!
Yep got to agree BB, suspension and tyres in my opinion for any form of motor sport provide better gains than HP.
Just received my new springs for my Speed Triple today I wil be referring to this very useful guide when I fit them at the weekend Thank you @Bad Billy and @Gled for making it so easy to reference
Thanks, I bought my XRX 2nd hand so wasn't sure if the rear suspension had been played with, the manual seems to suggest hardest setting for pillion and/or luggage v softest setting for solo rider. Nothing inbetween the two extremes. I set the loaded sag to 56mm which is 1/3rd of the travel, it might just be my imagination, but it felt more planted in the corners on my way in this morning, and I'm happier that it's only been messed with by me now
yes, I did wonder about the sag. 40mm would be to close the hardest setting possible, I'm not heavy either (11.5st) so I went seeking information elswhere, several sources suggest 30% of max travel is the sweet spot, so I went with that. It's harder than it was before I messed with it
I just noticed that the guide was written by Andy Ibbot. I met Andy a few times when he was running the California Superbike School before he became ill. What a top bloke, really helpful and knowledgable and he even took my ex missus as pillion round Rockingham for a few fast laps.
Suspension set up totally over my help, so i would have to take my bike somewhere to sort it. Ive watch loads of youtube videos of a chap called Dave who specialises in the suspension setups. Looks easy but i worry about buggering it up. At the moment my Tiger is set at the factory settings and i seems to work for me
But i am a fat git and wear fat git sizes. The setup suits me and i also found loaded with all my camping gear the bikes handling hardly effected.
First and foremost, my sincere apologies to Bad Billy for not responding to your detailed and patient reply to me earlier up this thread. I have no excuse. Meanwhile, if you are still talking to me...I am going to have a go at this sag check - and adjustment if necessary... However I am confused with the front static sag; specifically where to measure between. See photo of my bike. I have highlighted in red the "bottom yoke" and the "top of the stanchion". Are these the correct points to measure between? I ask as surely these two points do not move on the bike...? The stanchion slides in and out the outer tube below...but the actual distance I am being asked to measure is static, surely? Or have I misunderinterpretated something? Now lift the front of the bike off the floor using the same side stand method. Measure from the bottom yoke to the top of the stanchion. For upside down forks measure to a point on the bottom section that holds the wheel spindle. We will call this measurement ‘C’. Like measurement ‘A’ this will remain the same throughout.
The measurement you want is UNLOADED from your bottom yoke (lower red circle) to say a convenient point on the lower leg or near the wheel spindle. Actual position used doesn't matter as long as same points are used for both dimensions. Then with an assistant measure using the same two points the distance LOADED i.e. with you seated on the bike in normal riding gear. The difference in the two measurements is your static sag . Seeing as you have a centre stand in the picture, take your first measurement with the bike on it, someone pushing down on the rear and the front wheel off the floor. 2nd measurement with both wheels on the floor and you sat on it.
Apply same thought as already mentioned. Pick a fixed upper point above i.e. bottom yoke, then use wheel spindle as the lower point.
