Suspension question

[boman]

Hey fellow bikers.

I have a question re suspension. I own a Daytona, with Ohlins, and I find it is not too hard to bottom out my suspension under heavy braking, and some bumps. Is it because the spring is too light for my weight, or my preload is too much.

Any help greatly appreciated.

[nzspokes]

Hey fellow bikers.

I have a question re suspension. I own a Daytona, with Ohlins, and I find it is not too hard to bottom out my suspension under heavy braking, and some bumps. Is it because the spring is too light for my weight, or my preload is too much.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Go here, you can calculate what will suit your weight and riding style. http://racetech.com/ChooseVehicle.aspx

[Blackbird]

Have you measured your static sag, then loaded sag with all your gear on? That's your first step to check your preload. If you haven't got measurements, you'll be guessing.

[boman]

Have you measured your static sag, then loaded sag with all your gear on? That's your first step to check your preload. If you haven't got measurements, you'll be guessing.

Yes I have. 41mm is the sag.

What I really need is to know if the stock spring is suitable for my weight. I have PM RT to see if he can supply an answer.

I need to see if its my set up, or my spring that is my issue.

[Blackbird]

Yes I have. 41mm is the sag.

What I really need is to know if the stock spring is suitable for my weight. I have PM RT to see if he can supply an answer.

I need to see if its my set up, or my spring that is my issue.

I take it you're talking about your loaded rear sag. What is your static sag? It should be around 15-20mm according to most guidelines for road work. Robert is a joy to deal with. I bought my new Nitron custom shock for the Triple through him. Compression and rebound damping didn't need touching and I only needed half a turn on the preload. Awesome guy!

[mossy1200]

Ask your avatar to check the rebound adjustments.

[Ocean1]

I take it it's the front that's bottoming under brakes?

Only, you mention "spring" (as in the single rear spring).

41mm is a bit too much, you can increase preload to get it down to maybe 35mm but you have two targets, static sag and loaded sag, and only one spring rate will be correct for both. You can usually live with a little more or less static sag and adjust the loaded sag to the correct level, but chances are you're up for a spring change. If you're lucky RT will have something suitable in his second hand bin he can swap for less than the cost of new ones.

[nosebleed]

Hey fellow bikers.

I have a question re suspension. I own a Daytona, with Ohlins, and I find it is not too hard to bottom out my suspension under heavy braking, and some bumps. Is it because the spring is too light for my weight, or my preload is too much.

Any help greatly appreciated.

To quote Dave Moss... "The shock is for horsepower... the forks are for braking..."

With that in mind, check Roberts video;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjGgq1z9zbo
The fork session starts at around 4.25

[boman]

I take it you're talking about your loaded rear sag. What is your static sag? It should be around 15-20mm according to most guidelines for road work. Robert is a joy to deal with. I bought my new Nitron custom shock for the Triple through him. Compression and rebound damping didn't need touching and I only needed half a turn on the preload. Awesome guy!

Yes, I am talking Loaded sag. I cannot wind my preload anymore than it is, which leads me to think the spring is wrong. Static is 25mm or there abouts.

[boman]

I take it it's the front that's bottoming under brakes?

Only, you mention "spring" (as in the single rear spring).

41mm is a bit too much, you can increase preload to get it down to maybe 35mm but you have two targets, static sag and loaded sag, and only one spring rate will be correct for both. You can usually live with a little more or less static sag and adjust the loaded sag to the correct level, but chances are you're up for a spring change. If you're lucky RT will have something suitable in his second hand bin he can swap for less than the cost of new ones.

Yes it is the Front end bottoming, but not all the time.

I have put up with it for ages, with the hope of losing some weight, but that is not going to happen fast.

Too many pies me think...

I am looking at getting it sorted out over winter.

[Blackbird]

Yes, I am talking Loaded sag. I cannot wind my preload anymore than it is, which leads me to think the spring is wrong. Static is 25mm or there abouts.

Yep, sounds like your spring is a bit soft from your static and loaded measurements. You may or may not need the internals tinkered with too, both rear shock and forks. Having upgraded both my Triple and Blackbird with quality components and experienced the huge difference, I'd spend money on suspension way before splashing out on aftermarket cans or other farkles.

[SVboy]

Yep, sounds like your spring is a bit soft from your static and loaded measurements. You may or may not need the internals tinkered with too, both rear shock and forks. Having upgraded both my Triple and Blackbird with quality components and experienced the huge difference, I'd spend money on suspension way before splashing out on aftermarket cans or other farkles.

Lots of sense in this advice.

[Blackbird]

Lots of sense in this advice.

Thanks! Just to be clear, I'm an ordinary rider who has noticed handling shortcomings on a few bikes over the years and have personally experienced the huge improvements to be gained by setting a bike up properly. It's a complicated business with spring rates, compression and rebound damping, oils, shim stacks and valves etc and that's why organisations like Robert Taylor's and Restorace in Auckland are worth their weight in gold.

The problem for me is that when I owned the Blackbird I didn't know what I didn't know. That meant that I didn't even know whether I had a problem. Did a lot of reading and there seemed to be some pretty consistent guidelines that people could use as a benchmark to find whether they were within cooee or outside recommendations. I copied and pasted what I'd read into a single document I could refer to when doing checks and have attached it in case it's of any use for anyone to get the ball rolling. There's nothing special or revolutionary about the methods but it certainly gave me a head start in finding out whether I had a problem, then getting some seriously good improvements from the experts.

[Ruahine]

Dave Moss has some good tutorial videos on suspension setup.

Here is one for setting sag http://feelthetrack.com/free-vidoes/setting-sag-2/

I learnt a lot going to one of his seminars recently.

[boman]

Hello,

Does anyone know if Robert Taylor is still doing his thing? And if he is, what does he call himself nowadays?

[boman]

Yep, sounds like your spring is a bit soft from your static and loaded measurements. You may or may not need the internals tinkered with too, both rear shock and forks. Having upgraded both my Triple and Blackbird with quality components and experienced the huge difference, I'd spend money on suspension way before splashing out on aftermarket cans or other farkles.

My thoughts too. It already has Ohlins so I guess the internals should be quality.

[Blackbird]

[QUOTE=boman;1130855146]Hello,

Does anyone know if Robert Taylor is still doing his thing? And if he is, what does he call himself nowadays?[/

Crown Kiwi Technical. 11 Manadon St, New Plymouth 4310. New Zealand. Email : ohlins@crownkiwi.co.nz. Phone: +64 6 751 2100. Fax: +64 6 751 2100.

[nzspokes]

Hello,

Does anyone know if Robert Taylor is still doing his thing? And if he is, what does he call himself nowadays?

Kiwi Suspension solutions. He doesnt come on KB anymore. E-mail him through his website, I get fast response.

[boman]

Kiwi Suspension solutions. He doesnt come on KB anymore. E-mail him through his website, I get fast response.

Thanks RDF. I will do.

[boman]

Kiwi Suspension solutions. He doesnt come on KB anymore. E-mail him through his website, I get fast response.

I cannot find a relevant website, and no e-mail address. Do you have it by chance?

[nzspokes]

I cannot find a relevant website, and no e-mail address. Do you have it by chance?

sales@kss.net.nz

[boman]

sales@kss.net.nz

Thanks. Contact has been made.

[granstar]

Thanks! Just to be clear, I'm an ordinary rider who has noticed handling shortcomings on a few bikes over the years and have personally experienced the huge improvements to be gained by setting a bike up properly. It's a complicated business with spring rates, compression and rebound damping, oils, shim stacks and valves etc and that's why organisations like Robert Taylor's and Restorace in Auckland are worth their weight in gold.

The problem for me is that when I owned the Blackbird I didn't know what I didn't know. That meant that I didn't even know whether I had a problem. Did a lot of reading and there seemed to be some pretty consistent guidelines that people could use as a benchmark to find whether they were within cooee or outside recommendations. I copied and pasted what I'd read into a single document I could refer to when doing checks and have attached it in case it's of any use for anyone to get the ball rolling. There's nothing special or revolutionary about the methods but it certainly gave me a head start in finding out whether I had a problem, then getting some seriously good improvements from the experts.


Thank You :niceone: Checked mine today was ballpark front but 15mm out too high rear. So it will reduce my ride when I adjust which is great as i'm 5 ft nothing, as you say a better ride.