Suspenders, confusing init?

**Robert Taylor** · 13th March 2008, 08:56

Originally Posted by martybabe

I have recently acquired a GSX1400 Suzuki and I gotta say I'm pretty happy with it but...

It blew around like a scooter in a gale in the slightest of breezes.Clearly not right for such a big heavy naked bike. I checked the head races ,tyre pressures etc to no avail, so I decided it must be the tyres and looked forward to the day they needed changing.

In the meantime (beyond) gave me some suspension settings to get the most from the 14 in the twisties ,as this scoot comes from the factory a bit on the squidgy side. I dialed the settings in yesterday but it was pissin down so I took her out this arvo.

Here's the thing, it handels brilliantly now, a true carving machine but it dawned on me at some point during the ride, it was really windy, I noticed because I was blowing around like a flag but the bike was totally unaffected, even in the strongest gusts. It is a totally awesomely different bike, a precision missile.

I've just had the ride of my life, 20 mins turned to three hours, me ass was killing me but I didn't want to go home.Its like being born again, Woooooo fackinghoooooooooo.

Question.......in simple terms, what the hell just happened how the heck can suzzy settings affect how the bike blows around in the wind. I am confused but euphoric.

p.s. Big thanx to BEYOND p.p.s If your kind enough to answer my question,please don't be giving me, if a wheel was in two parts the bottom part moves faster than the number I first thought of. It'll be wasted on me.

Sidewinds will act on the surface area of the motorcycle and also on your own body surface area. Given that indeed the standard suspension on this bike is somewhat wanting and lacks low speed damping control the ''leverage'' imparted by the wind on the bike and your body will compress the underdamped suspension. Firming it up ( as you have done ) will somewhat negate this.
If you fit the highest quality best performing and best backed up dampers ( such as our Ohlins units ) this will further negate the problem. BUT without compromising ride compliance as will happen with the oem stuff, plus better tyre life.

**jrandom** · 13th March 2008, 08:58

You're nothing but a big bunch of meanies.

Now be nice, or I shall hold my breath.

**martybabe** · 13th March 2008, 09:52

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

Side winds will act on the surface area of the motorcycle and also on your own body surface area. Given that indeed the standard suspension on this bike is somewhat wanting and lacks low speed damping control the ''leverage'' imparted by the wind on the bike and your body will compress the underdamped suspension. Firming it up ( as you have done ) will somewhat negate this.
If you fit the highest quality best performing and best backed up dampers ( such as our Ohlins units ) this will further negate the problem. BUT without compromising ride compliance as will happen with the oem stuff, plus better tyre life.

That's a bit clearer thanks,The fact that it's more stable in winds is just a very happy coincidence for me, I would never have made the suzzy/stability equation. apart from winding up the rear to carry the bride,I've never bothered with setting a bike up much. Cool it's good to learn.

Half an hours twiddling has transformed this into a different bike, the improvement is that marked. I shall cease to be an ignoramus and will henceforth investigate suspension dynamics as a real science not just something bike mags make copy out of.

**smoky** · 13th March 2008, 14:34

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

Sidewinds will act on the surface area of the motorcycle and also on your own body surface area. Given that indeed the standard suspension on this bike is somewhat wanting and lacks low speed damping control the ''leverage'' imparted by the wind on the bike and your body will compress the underdamped suspension. Firming it up ( as you have done ) will somewhat negate this.

eat more chips and maca's - get fat, then your body weight will be sufficient to counter the wind effect. Worked for me.

**martybabe** · 13th March 2008, 14:53

Originally Posted by smoky

eat more chips and maca's - get fat, then your body weight will be sufficient to counter the wind effect. Worked for me.

I am trying dude.

**Robert Taylor** · 13th March 2008, 17:33

Originally Posted by martybabe

That's a bit clearer thanks,The fact that it's more stable in winds is just a very happy coincidence for me, I would never have made the suzzy/stability equation. apart from winding up the rear to carry the bride,I've never bothered with setting a bike up much. Cool it's good to learn.

Half an hours twiddling has transformed this into a different bike, the improvement is that marked. I shall cease to be an ignoramus and will henceforth investigate suspension dynamics as a real science not just something bike mags make copy out of.

Yes, a lot of bike mags write fiction so that advertising dollars are not withdrawn....

**martybabe** · 14th March 2008, 09:17

Just as a final tie up to the windy problems I experienced.

I adjusted the front suzzys first and it handled better but it was when I adjusted the rear that the windy problem disappeared completely.

I still dont fully understand why the rear suzzy settings would change a bikes susceptibility to side winds but it did.Maybe putting more weight on the front planted the front wheel more and therefore less likely to get blown off track. I am a sex god not a suspension god so I dont know the whys only that it worked, and I mention it only because it may be of use to someone with similar windy probs.

All the best and thanx for your input. MB

**PrincessBandit** · 15th March 2008, 21:09

Uuuuhhhhhhhhhh, am i the only one who read the title of this thread and thought "Yay! I love suspenders" (obviously not the type you guys are all thinking about......)

Sorry, didn't mean to imply that any of you guys in the big bikes club might have any dodgy vices

**martybabe** · 15th March 2008, 22:08

Originally Posted by PrincessBandit

Uuuuhhhhhhhhhh, am i the only one who read the title of this thread and thought "Yay! I love suspenders" (obviously not the type you guys are all thinking about......)

Sorry, didn't mean to imply that any of you guys in the big bikes club might have any dodgy vices

The suspenders we're talking about get adjusted cause they bounce around.The sort your on about get adjusted and then you bounce around. Easy mistake.