Diavel suspension is too firm

[F5 Dave]

I found it hard to be consistent with just 10mm. 20mm /20 was beterer and well acurate enough to tell the difference between 8kg/mm and 8.8. Scales would go out of range with more. Heck maybe i used 15, be written in my book somewhere. Proper rigs have adjustable stops and vernier calipers bolted to them.

[cods4]

The guy who built the suspension for my rally car has a suspension dyno and gave me a printout of the shock behaviour at all the rebound settings. Not sure if this is sometimes done for motorbike suspension?

[AllanB]

The guy who built the suspension for my rally car has a suspension dyno and gave me a printout of the shock behaviour at all the rebound settings. Not sure if this is sometimes done for motorbike suspension?

I'm sure Mr Taylor has something like this.

[Bass]

I'm sure Mr Taylor has something like this.

Very likely but that takes all the challenge and some of the fun out of it.

[Ocean1]

I'm sure Mr Taylor has something like this.

He does, but they'e used for measuring damping performance, not spring rates.

In fact I'm pretty sure the last time I was there he took the spring off a shock before testing it, which makes perfect sense.

[BMWST?]

to some of us the behaviour of the shock can not always be totally seperated from the behaviour of the spring.To have the actual shock behaviour optimised seperate from the spring rate would be a very important step in the modification to the suspensension.I am sure that the valving of the shock is very closely aligned with the actual spring rate

[nzspokes]

I'm sure Mr Taylor has something like this.

Which is why next week Im sending him the shock and forks from the CBR.

[DMNTD:Me]

Owned one, loved it and once I changed the set up it was most epic mid corner, sweepers and straights.
To be fair they are obviously different to set up pre cornering but once you get the knack you can own most sportsbike riders

[jamjam]

Once you understand the characteristics of a bike you can really push them and surprise people how quick you can corner something that isn't a sports bike. It is a heavy slug in comparison I won't deny but you can still make it do what you want it to. it can certainly carve through corners if you are prepared to lean it more and set up a good line.

The big problem here is the bike is set up for smooth roads end of story and has little room to move on settings. I reckon the shock internals are as much to blame as the spring. I'm looking forward to getting RT to fit the Ohlins rear and also he's gonna do the Andreani internal cartridge kit for the forks. I figure sort the front and rear in one hit and be done with it

After that I'm confident this bike will be sweet to ride on our nz bumpy roads

[F5 Dave]

Best time to do upgrades is early in your ownership, that way you enjoy them for longer.

Had a bit of a chuckle before. 7 pages of `My Ducati has hard suspension `. . . well yeah.

Next week we'll cover `My Hardly is a bit loud`

[pritch]

Clickers are only fine tuning and past a certain range become innefective at higher speeds or destroy lower speed.

Was just looking back over the thread; from memory the Ohlins manual says that you should be within five clicks of their recommended setting. If you need more than that you should be looking at spring or valving changes.

[MD]

In saying that it is ironic that for the first time in decades I'm changing my current bikes shock for a better one. But that is after 3 months of serious hard riding to get to know it and too many scary moments that have convinced me I'm playing Russian roulette.

If you ride heaps and it does sound like you have tried all possible variations with the OEM then yeah, change bikes or change the suspenders.

Apologies if it sounds like I did some preloading before writing this.

Not being a fan of changing OEM suspension I must confess today I had my first chance to go for a decent blat with the new Nitron shock on the MT09. Bloody hell it was a vast improvement. Most noticeable was when riding in the wet the bike gives so much more confident feedback. Pushed it harder than before in the wet. Handling in the dry was way better. Well spent money at KSS.

[biggo]

Not being a fan of changing OEM suspension I must confess today I had my first chance to go for a decent blat with the new Nitron shock on the MT09. Bloody hell it was a vast improvement. Most noticeable was when riding in the wet the bike gives so much more confident feedback. Pushed it harder than before in the wet. Handling in the dry was way better. Well spent money at KSS.

Hi

Did you get Robert to do any changes to your front suspension or just the nitron on the rear? Have a Tracer and a KSS make over is on the list to do

[MD]

Hi

Did you get Robert to do any changes to your front suspension or just the nitron on the rear? Have a Tracer and a KSS make over is on the list to do

No they shipped the shock to me set up based on my weight and height and riding preference. Bloody awesome.
We agreed to disagree that the front on the MT09 (2017 versions onwards) needs attention. I prefer to enter corners hard and carry plenty of lean, rather than the more common approach of; brake hard -turn-accelerate out. I have to rely on the front working and for me the MT09 does the job well as is with OEM.

[jamjam]

I too have never been a modifier but this time round something needs to be done... the parts have arrived at KSS and it's booked in for the work to be done next week. Ohlins shock and Andreani cartridge for the forks. I'll take it for a good spin afterwards and report back. Right now it's very firm and bucks over high speed bumps, the front and rear don't feel like they are responding at the same rate, the rear pushes the front mid corner and the bike skittles over imperfections on corners. I don't have confidence to push it hard through a corner so have been taking it easy. Hopefully all that changes next week.

On the plus side it does do wheelies (which I thought it wouldn't) and/or lights up the back depending on road surface grip

I think I am going to really like this bike