setting sag? help!

[750Y]

any suspension gurus out there?
i need to set my sags front & rear. anyone round here can help me?.
I read a few articles & sort of know what to do but i don't have enough bike-aware people around to help me. it needs one to hold the bike up while the rider's on it & one to measure (unless someone knows an easier way i can do it).

[jrandom]

i need to set my sags front & rear. anyone round here can help me?

I find that the 12-packs from Dunkin Donuts work well.

[Motoracer]

I find that the 12-packs from Dunkin Donuts work well.

Do you work as a standup comedian for your night job? :laugh:

[White trash]

any suspension gurus out there?
i need to set my sags front & rear. anyone round here can help me?.
I read a few articles & sort of know what to do but i don't have enough bike-aware people around to help me. it needs one to hold the bike up while the rider's on it & one to measure (unless someone knows an easier way i can do it).

Panic not. The Trash man cometh.

First wrap a cable tie around the front fork leg on the slider. Lift all the weight off the front whhel and push the tie right up to the fork seal. Then gently lower the bikes weight back.

Sit on the bike normally while someone holds it upright. Dont bounce around or anything but be sitting naturally and with your feet on the pegs.

Climb off the bike and then lift all the weight from the front wheel again so the forks extend fully. Measure the distance between the cable tie and the fork seal. It should be around 20mm on your machine. If it's less, you need less preload, if it's more, you need more preload.

For the rear, get all the weight off the shock amd measure from the axle directly vertical to a point. It doesn't matter what on the bike just allways use the same spot. Then once again, climb on and sit in your normal riding position. Have someone measure from the axle again to the same point on the body work. Aim for about a 30-35mm difference.

Once you've got the "sags", you can start playing with compression and rebound.

Have fun.

[750Y]

JR you are a funny man seriously tho I don't need any of them 12 pack donuts 8-).

cheers Trash, how do i know if the spring rate is wrong?(i'm half expecting it to be too light in the rear). is it when I can't reach the desired measurement by adjustment?

[White trash]

The spring rate doesn't change with preload adjustment. It merely changes how much of the travel the shock uses. i'd be very surprised if it's too light though.

How heavy are you? This is on your Gixxer I'm assuming. Most people find a happy medium but if you're a little heavier than most, you may need a heavier spring to compensate.

[750Y]

I notice Your method doesn't factor in the calculation for static sag. (the amount that the suspension settles under it's own weight). it may not be important...
I weigh (96kg) the stock unit is rated for around a 65-80kg rider from what i can gather.
RaceTech have a calculator for spring rates but it's hard to trust them when they quote incorrect spring rates for your model. they use the method of sag calculation using the static sag as well.

[White trash]

I notice Your method doesn't factor in the calculation for static sag. (the amount that the suspension settles under it's own weight). it may not be important...
I weigh (96kg) the stock unit is rated for around a 65-80kg rider from what i can gather.
RaceTech have a calculator for spring rates but it's hard to trust them when they quote incorrect spring rates for your model. they use the method of sag calculation using the static sag as well.

It probably is important but I've never worried about it for a road bike. Sorry, it should be 15mm at the rear.

[Marknz]

Excellent, looks like it's WT that I need to get to my place to sort out the setting on the Gixxer. What's the cost fella, a slab?

[Cajun]

thats good info WT i need to adjust the sixxer as well

[duckman]

Excellent, looks like it's WT that I need to get to my place to sort out the setting on the Gixxer. What's the cost fella, a slab?

Nah it'll be an Ounce of green bro .... :killingme :killingme

[svs]

I found this sport rider article (http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0006_susp/) to be quite useful.

Saying that I got the suspension on the race bike sorted by Robert Taylor at Hawera Motorcycles (http://www.ohlinsdownunder.com/). Can definately recommed him. Got forks and shock turned round in a couple of days and bike feels much better.

[750Y]

I found this sport rider article (http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0006_susp/) to be quite useful.

Saying that I got the suspension on the race bike sorted by Robert Taylor at Hawera Motorcycles (http://www.ohlinsdownunder.com/). Can definately recommed him. Got forks and shock turned round in a couple of days and bike feels much better.

what did he do & how much did it cost?
are you running ohlins internals & ohlins shock too?

[svs]

what did he do & how much did it cost?
are you running ohlins internals & ohlins shock too?

Race-tech emulators and springs up front and ohlins rear. Don't know how much it would cost to do from scratch.

I told him my height, weight and how I ride etc and he rebuild everything with new springs, different oil and set all the levels etc. cost me $200 :) . This was probably due to the fact the he did me a trade in on the existing springs so that knocked a few hundred bucks of the price. He also said it was a good starting point, but its so much better than it was, that I'm not sure I want to mess with it.

[DEATH_INC.]

You'll know if the spring rate is too far off if you can't get the static sag and loaded sag within the allowable ranges together.
WT,you sure static is 15mm?sounds a bit much.....