Taming the R6

[carbonhed]

I don't ride at that kind of level to really know but I suspect that if my front end started to slide the throttle would slam shut even faster than my arsehole... however that's bound to be exactly the wrong thing to do

As a theory I suspect that before the thing actually starts to slide more front end bias will bring more grip. Once it starts to slide surely you've got to relieve some of the pressure on the front before it will grip? Stay on the gas, hang loose and pray?

[Leyton]

Stay on the gas, hang loose and pray, Gyro is a wonderful friend

[vifferman]

That leaves the preload adjusters. I am using them to alter the geometry of the bike to mitigate a tendency for tank slappers.

Yes, adjusting the preload adjusts the geometry of the bike. To a limited extent.
That wasn't my point - it was to do with the semantics of what you said.
If you going to set your bike up properly, you need to start with setting the suspension sag properly, to set a baseline, and to establish whether the springing is correct, based on static and rider sag. If it is within limits, then you can go on to adjust the damping, raise/lower the forks in the triple clamps, etc. If the springing is not right, you're chasing your tail trying to get the bike to handle properly.

[Maki]

Yes, adjusting the preload adjusts the geometry of the bike. To a limited extent.
That wasn't my point - it was to do with the semantics of what you said.
If you going to set your bike up properly, you need to start with setting the suspension sag properly, to set a baseline, and to establish whether the springing is correct, based on static and rider sag. If it is within limits, then you can go on to adjust the damping, raise/lower the forks in the triple clamps, etc. If the springing is not right, you're chasing your tail trying to get the bike to handle properly.

It was never my intention to set my bike up "properly". The R6 is one of the stiffest bikes out there out of the box. If I wanted a softer bike I would have got one. I am not about to change the springs of this race bred machine so that I can set it up with a way that suits the average rider on the average bike. That is just not my style.

I like to challenge myself, learn for myself and gain experience.

As it is I am delighted with the way the bike handles. I could care less if that is not "proper" in your opinion. You are not riding my bike.

[Odakyu-sen]

...

As it is I am delighted with the way the bike handles. I could care less if that is not "proper" in your opinion. You are not riding my bike.

A: Do you have the stock rear suspension on your R6?
B: How much do you weigh on the bathroom scales (wearing only your fundoshi)
C: Do you get bounced out of the seat on rough roads at 140 km/hr or so?

If the answer to A is Yes, B is less than 80 kg and C is Yes, then your spring could be a little too strong.

[Leyton]

A: Do you have the stock rear suspension on your R6?
B: How much do you weigh on the bathroom scales (wearing only your fundoshi)
C: Do you get bounced out of the seat on rough roads at 140 km/hr or so?

If the answer to A is Yes, B is less than 80 kg and C is Yes, then your spring could be a little too strong.

Yeah I had to back mine off one knotch! and thats all it took to stop me from flying out of the seat. I was too lite

[Leyton]

As it is I am delighted with the way the bike handles.

I feel I have missed your point to this post ? sorry.

I think to conclude from what I have "skim read"

• You have a track bike, not a road bike. Yamaha built it for the track then realised that the riders had spent too much money on the bike that they can not offord a ute to tack it to the track, so they made it road legal. (Not far from the truth)
• Start with preload first, Preload is about spring "Pre..Load" not height. It is about 'Pre' Charging energy into the spring. Get a height adjustment kit for the R6 if you want to piss with height.. On the other coin, if the soft preload has given you higher or lower.. and it is working for you.. thumbs up.
• Acually go an talk to someone experience face to face regarding suspension, you may be supprised what they have to say.
• Stick within the parameters of the bikes intended design, or not. Horse's for courses tho
• If you like how it feels, handles and you have stuck a peice of 4x2 in place of the rear shock because you like it stiff, who cares. It's how you feel when you are riding it.
• Do not adjust everything at once. Make sure you keep a log aswell

Preload.. well..

Take a spring, pen spring, Compress it. When you release it , it hits you in the eye. Or there abouts..

On a bike it is the same, but your weight is applying the compression, your weight is charging that spring. Under a situation when the spring can uncompress, like the trailing edge of a bump in the road the spring since it is compressed more (due to the pre-load been set harder), the spring is more tort, it will decompress quicker with more effort. The resault is, if your weight is too lite, you will have a very bouncey bike, this can lead to traction issues on the rear wheel.

If you have a looser pre load, it does not decompress as fast. Same can be said for the compression aswell (Or Sag, when your ass sits on it), it will be lower, but it will squat alot more.

[Maki]

A: Do you have the stock rear suspension on your R6?
B: How much do you weigh on the bathroom scales (wearing only your fundoshi)
C: Do you get bounced out of the seat on rough roads at 140 km/hr or so?

If the answer to A is Yes, B is less than 80 kg and C is Yes, then your spring could be a little too strong.

The answer to C is a resounding no.

Thanks.

[YellowDog]

140kph - huh - that's not legal.

But seriously, I think that this cause for donation is a better one than the bridge adventure thingy.

[Odakyu-sen]

The answer to C is a resounding no.

Thanks.

Great! (Sounds about right, then.)

[Leyton]

Hey, I found something today!

I took my bike into the shop.. my rebound on the front was set incorrectly from the start! so they set it to the factory 15 clicks and WOW...

It is like riding a new bike, However! It will take alot to get used to it I am used to the bike trying to kill me.. now the ride was as smooth as going around corners, It was like WTF!

[Odakyu-sen]

Hey, I found something today!

I took my bike into the shop.. my rebound on the front was set incorrectly from the start! so they set it to the factory 15 clicks and WOW...

It is like riding a new bike, However! It will take alot to get used to it I am used to the bike trying to kill me.. now the ride was as smooth as going around corners, It was like WTF!

What? Both forks or just one?

Don't assume that both forks are set up the same way; there may be a couple of clicks difference between their settings.

It pays to play with the settings and see whether the factory settings are suitable for gnarly NZ roads. These are imported bikes. They aren't Made in New Zealand for NZ conditions.

[Leyton]

What? Both forks or just one?

Don't assume that both forks are set up the same way; there may be a couple of clicks difference between their settings.

It pays to play with the settings and see whether the factory settings are suitable for gnarly NZ roads. These are imported bikes. They aren't Made in New Zealand for NZ conditions.

He reset both forks back to the factory 15 clicks. What I thought was the 15 clicks was different!!. I was not familure with the feel of a closed valve in the rebound adjustment of the front forks

I will tweak it harder if I am not happy with it as I go . I am just now not used to the way it gives me stuff all feedback around a corner hehe, it has smoothed it out!

I will keep an eye on how comfortable the bike is around the corner, I think it has taken a little bit of the tightness out of its cornering but it does feel much better. Need to go for a good hard twisty blat and see. The rain limited me a bit yesterday and my mind was not on task.

[Dave-]

What I have done has raised the center of the bikes gravity. I have lowered the rear slightly from what I had before but raised the front by about 10mm. I guess the center of gravity has gone up by about 7mm give or take. The bike feels more responsive and quicker handling than before. I previously put this down to the fact that the slightly improved riding position made it easier for me to counter steer, etc... The change in geometry should have made the bike handling slightly slower than what it was, I have made the head angle a little less steep after all. I have given this some more thought and my conclusion is that changing the center of gravity must have quickened the handling.

...etc...

So, the higher centre of gravity has more than compensated for the fact that I made the head angle more slack than it was before. Interesting stuff. Apparently this is controversial but true in my experience.

all true, except your change in direction will be slower, heavier and longer.

there's always a trade off.

[surfchick]

I just switched from a 996 to an r6 - but in transit the r6 front fork blew a seal... so I have the seal whole set-up to do... left it in the shop today for the seal, once its back its sort the suspension time...
was glad you lit up this thread....