Suspension Setup guides
Discussion
Most of the 'guides' on the web are just that: guides. You need to start with rear ride height, then static sag, then dynaimc sag (will determine whether you have the correct weight spring fitted), and only then move onto high/low speed compression and rebound damping.
All the damping does is control the spring movement, so until you have the correct spring fitted, it doesn't really matter if you have a factory ohlins unit fitted! Try and call Colin Leeder at 100% bikes Suspension, or any of the multitude of suspension service centres (most cater for more than one brand of shock) and seek advice on baseline settings. What is right for one bike, will probably not be right for another bike due to manufacturing tolerance differences (certainly the case on stock ZX10 rear shocks!)
PS don't let anyone sell you a revalve (i.e. re shimming, or a new compression or rebound piston) as the chances are that you really don't need it. This is a really common trick amongst several of the 'service cetnres'. You need to ride the shock as is first of all to assess a baseline setting.
Make sure you have ridden the bike for about 10 minutes, or 3 or 4 laps of a track before attempting any measurements. This should give the oil in the shock a chance to warm up.
Good luck.
PS Bennyboyvsuk came 2nd in the bemsee minitwins championship this year, he should be able to point you in the right direction. Dave Lodge, (who won) is also good on setup.
>> Edited by fergus on Friday 16th December 20:36
All the damping does is control the spring movement, so until you have the correct spring fitted, it doesn't really matter if you have a factory ohlins unit fitted! Try and call Colin Leeder at 100% bikes Suspension, or any of the multitude of suspension service centres (most cater for more than one brand of shock) and seek advice on baseline settings. What is right for one bike, will probably not be right for another bike due to manufacturing tolerance differences (certainly the case on stock ZX10 rear shocks!)
PS don't let anyone sell you a revalve (i.e. re shimming, or a new compression or rebound piston) as the chances are that you really don't need it. This is a really common trick amongst several of the 'service cetnres'. You need to ride the shock as is first of all to assess a baseline setting.
Make sure you have ridden the bike for about 10 minutes, or 3 or 4 laps of a track before attempting any measurements. This should give the oil in the shock a chance to warm up.
Good luck.
PS Bennyboyvsuk came 2nd in the bemsee minitwins championship this year, he should be able to point you in the right direction. Dave Lodge, (who won) is also good on setup.
>> Edited by fergus on Friday 16th December 20:36
fergus said:
Most of the 'guides' on the web are just that: guides. You need to start with rear ride height, then static sag, then dynaimc sag (will determine whether you have the correct weight spring fitted), and only then move onto high/low speed compression and rebound damping.
All the damping does is control the spring movement, so until you have the correct spring fitted, it doesn't really matter if you have a factory ohlins unit fitted! Try and call Colin Leeder at 100% bikes Suspension, or any of the multitude of suspension service centres (most cater for more than one brand of shock) and seek advice on baseline settings. What is right for one bike, will probably not be right for another bike due to manufacturing tolerance differences (certainly the case on stock ZX10 rear shocks!)
PS don't let anyone sell you a revalve (i.e. re shimming, or a new compression or rebound piston) as the chances are that you really don't need it. This is a really common trick amongst several of the 'service cetnres'. You need to ride the shock as is first of all to assess a baseline setting.
Make sure you have ridden the bike for about 10 minutes, or 3 or 4 laps of a track before attempting any measurements. This should give the oil in the shock a chance to warm up.
Good luck.
PS Bennyboyvsuk came 2nd in the bemsee minitwins championship this year, he should be able to point you in the right direction. Dave Lodge, (who won) is also good on setup.
>> Edited by fergus on Friday 16th December 20:36
Help much appreciated Fergus!
Guy at Nitron has said he's happy to work with me on this, so I'm sure if I need to swap the spring for one of a different rating, it can be done. Similarly, I'll take my steer on valving from Guy. He's recommended K-Tech to sort the front end out, so once I've got the R1 setup installed, I'll be heading up there. Depending on how things feel with the new front end on with standard settings, I will either ride up, or take the bike up there in a van. I have noticed that the GSXR yokes that I'll be using, have less of an offset, from the centre of the steering stem, to the centre of the fork tubes. I'm trying to preserve the standard steering geometry as much as possible, since far greater minds that mine decided upon it. Would I be right in thinking that the reduction in offset would reduce the trail on the front wheel, giving quicker steering response, but less stability in the front end? If I'm going down this road, at what point does the need for a steering damper arise. I'm aiming for a plush and composed road riding setup, so a setup needing a steering damper feels too extreme as an idea.
I'm a complete novice with bike suspension, so excuse my ignorance of how the components relate to one another (and the endless stream of questions
). Cheers,
Steve.
Steve_T said:
Most of the 'guides' on the web are just that: guides. You need to start with rear ride height, then static sag, then dynaimc sag (will determine whether you have the correct weight spring fitted), and only then move onto high/low speed compression and rebound damping.
All the damping does is control the spring movement, so until you have the correct spring fitted, it doesn't really matter if you have a factory ohlins unit fitted! Try and call Colin Leeder at 100% bikes Suspension, or any of the multitude of suspension service centres (most cater for more than one brand of shock) and seek advice on baseline settings. What is right for one bike, will probably not be right for another bike due to manufacturing tolerance differences (certainly the case on stock ZX10 rear shocks!)
PS don't let anyone sell you a revalve (i.e. re shimming, or a new compression or rebound piston) as the chances are that you really don't need it. This is a really common trick amongst several of the 'service cetnres'. You need to ride the shock as is first of all to assess a baseline setting.
Make sure you have ridden the bike for about 10 minutes, or 3 or 4 laps of a track before attempting any measurements. This should give the oil in the shock a chance to warm up.
Good luck.
PS Bennyboyvsuk came 2nd in the bemsee minitwins championship this year, he should be able to point you in the right direction. Dave Lodge, (who won) is also good on setup.
>> Edited by fergus on Friday 16th December 20:36
Help much appreciated Fergus!
I have noticed that the GSXR yokes that I'll be using, have less of an offset, from the centre of the steering stem, to the centre of the fork tubes. I'm trying to preserve the standard steering geometry as much as possible, since far greater minds that mine decided upon it. Would I be right in thinking that the reduction in offset would reduce the trail on the front wheel, giving quicker steering response, but less stability in the front end? If I'm going down this road, at what point does the need for a steering damper arise. I'm aiming for a plush and composed road riding setup, so a setup needing a steering damper feels too extreme as an idea.
I'm a complete novice with bike suspension, so excuse my ignorance of how the components relate to one another (and the endless stream of questions
Cheers,
Steve.
From the post, I presume you are using R1 forks? Which year? You may not NEED to revalve the front end if they're off an 04/05 bike, but just put different LINEAR (i.e. not porgressive rate, as per the factory) springs in, and mess about with different weight fork oil and air gaps. On pre 04 forks, the main thing you can do is to remove the hydraulic bump stops as they make the forks chatter when pushed hard on the brakes.
a decreased trail, i.e. steeper steering head angle will speed up the steering and you may initially get the impression that the bike wants to 'fall' into corners. As you suggest, it may well be less stable on the road, and may 'kick' off small bumps in the road. Only you can tell whether it will need a damper. let us know how you get on.
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