News:

Come on, summer...

Main Menu

Suspension Settings

Started by The Yeti, September 29, 2008, 03:12:51 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

The Yeti

So, last Friday night I went through all of my suspension settings on the 950. I'd set them all to the "sport" setting some time ago, but had adjusted here and there for what I thought would work better...I was WAY off!

My front preload was dialed all the way out!! Not sure how I ended up there, but that's where it was...it's now cranked all the way up and the front handles MUCH better! I had my rear preload up way too high, as well, causing the rear to bounce around like a pogo stick on rocks. It's much smoother now.

Here's the settings I ended up with:

Moved fork legs flush with top yoke (were about 1/8" above yoke)
Front preload to max
Front rebound to max
Front compression at 15 clicks
Rear compression, High Speed at 1.5
Rear compression, Low Speed at 26
Rear rebound at 20
Rear preload at 10 turns (was almost maxed out, around 35 turns, I think!)

This also amost got rid of my high speed wobble. I think if I move the forks down a bit more in the yoke it may cure it completly.

Went for a ride on Saturday over some trails I know very well, and the settings made a HUGE difference!! Was like riding a different bike. Handles the rocks much better now. I didn't try airing down the tires, but I bet when I do, it's gonna be a real easy ride over the rocky stuff.

Sunday I went exploring for some new trails around Nemo and got into some pretty rocky stuff (not like the creek beds during DDSR, but more stable rocks). The bike handled the rocks pretty well...I just don't like riding over rocks on this bike like I could on the KLR, too much bouncy, bouncy!  ;D
"You want me to ride up THAT?!"

fringefan

Thats awesome yeti. After seeing those utube videos that bike is more than cabable of anything a KLR can do just a little heavier. Really thinking about some suspension upgrades to mine and the 685.

Hank

I have all mine pretty much right in the middle of the range.   I'm sure it would be worth the effort to play with them a little.
A bunch of guys in the OC just swear by having the forks and shock revalved to your specific weight, but its pretty expensive and I doubt my pace/skill warrants it!  I think super plush is the place that does it.  They also can increase / decrease stroke so if you wanted to get yours to "S" spec its possible.

I've pretty much decided not to swap / shorten mine.  I'm getting used to it enough it doesn't bother me so much any more.

The Yeti

QuoteI'm sure it would be worth the effort to play with them a little.

The ones that made the biggest difference for me was dialing the fork preload & rebound up all the way and dialng down the rear preload, give it a shot, I think you'll like it.  ;D
"You want me to ride up THAT?!"

The Yeti

Oh...my...GOD!!

Had a revelation today.

On a lark, I decided to try turning down my front rebound, had it on max, so I dialed it down to min. All other settings same as above.

All I can say is "Holy cr*p!"

Went over some moderately rocky trails today (maybe 80% of Camp 5 rocks) and I felt like my front end was literally FLOATING over the rocks! Compared to how harsh the front end was before, it was like riding over marshmallows!!! I am VERY happy!! The bike also tracks WAY better on loose gravel & dirt.

Now, I just gotta sort the rear so there's not so much bouncy bouncy!!   ;D
"You want me to ride up THAT?!"

Hank

#5
So your front must have been "packing"..   I'll have to try what yer sayin'.   Sounds like a big improvement.

The Yeti

Quote from: Hank on October 06, 2008, 05:17:28 PM
So your front must have been "packing"..

Is that some sort of thinly veiled "gay" reference?!   8)

QuoteI'll have to try what yer sayin'.   Sounds like a big improvement.

It was a HUGE improvement. Not only the rocks, and the loose gravel...my front brake is much more responsive in anything that's loose. Before, it would lock up way too easy, now it seems to be less easy to lock.

Not saying you'll have the exact same results, but it's worth a try.  Now, I gotta figure out why my rear is so damn bouncy!
"You want me to ride up THAT?!"

Hank

No I'd be much more blunt if thats what I meant!  LOL

If your rebound damping is too high and you hit successive bumps it doesn't recover (fully extend) and "packs down"

If your rear is bouncy your compression damping could be too light...

Bouncy rear.. sounds like another gay reference  :P

I'm just a rookie.. could be all wet.

The Yeti

QuoteIf your rear is bouncy your compression damping could be too light...

Hmmm...high or low speed?? (Edit: Never mind, that's compression damping) That's something to try at least. I assumed if I wanted the rear to be "less bouncy", I'd want to have less damping/softer settings. I have it set pretty soft right now, next ride I'll try more damping and see what happens!
"You want me to ride up THAT?!"

Hank

Softer springs possibly.    Damping is what slows down the motion.  Compression damping slows compression, rebound damping slows rebound, or extension. 
So if its bouncy its underdamped, on compression or rebound or both. 

The Yeti

See, this is how woefully under-educated I am on suspension...I thought that more damping increased the speed of the motion, my settings are definitly too low. I need to slow down the reaction from the rear shock, so my settings should be higher, right?

The problem with the rear is that when I hit a decent sized rock, the rear just bounces to one side or the other, instead of going smoothly over the rock (like the front does now).

Also, I just read on ADV that it helps to take out all rear preload...not sure about that one, but I'll give it a try. I expect to start bottoming out with my big-ass in the saddle.  Mines only at 10 turns now, thought that was pretty low, but I'm not bottoming out at all.
"You want me to ride up THAT?!"

Hank

Well I know the theory, but my real world application of it is pretty limited.

If you have some good links for suspension threads on ADV, please post them.  Some good base settings for a 200 lb desk jockey would be great...   

Oh and I need to get it dialed in so I can do bigger knack knacks.   LOL.

The Yeti

Just do a search in Orange Crush for "suspension + rocks" or "rebound + rocks"...the settings I posted in the original post were from a suggestion there, it's a good starting point (as good as any, I guess).
"You want me to ride up THAT?!"

Hank

Thinking about it, what feels like bouncing could be the rear wheel not compressing fast enough and bouncing over rocks as well, so it could be too much damping.   What I thought you mean earlier - not enough damping - would be a pogo stick effect.  Over compress, then over extend, etc etc.

You'll just have to try one way and see if it gets better  ;D

At least testing is fun!

The Yeti

Went out this afternoon for a bit more testing. Turned the rebound on the rear all the way out. Made a difference, the rear tracks better over rocks and also seems to hook up better in anything loose, harder to spin. Seems to pogo a bit over larger whoops, but I think it's a good trade-off. It also seemed to tame the high speed wobble on pavement. Messed with the rear preload, and ended up at 6 turns out, seemed to work the best for my weight.

I'm really happy with the way the bike is handling now, however, the better handling has me carrying more speed, which almost got me in trouble today. Was going down a very familiar trail, going faster than I have before. The trail had a few puddles from the rain we had last night, I hit one while braking for a hard left hander, locked the front and ALMOST high sided. While all this was happening, a deer ran out in front of me!  I came very close to clipping a tree, but managed to keep it reigned in, and all was well in the end. Another scary moment, though. Learned to keep the speed down in the wet.

I'm ready to try Camp 5 again, this time on the pegs.  ;D
"You want me to ride up THAT?!"