Set up for the long one.

[cooneyr]

Sounds good to me Nordie. Springs and damping being set up for total race weight weight. This would mean that the static sag is probably just a good way of figuring out if the springs are right or not.

[warewolf]

why is any adjustment at all necessary? After all, the spring is carrying the same load regardless of where it is attached.

= rider sag, or sag "all in". Wot I bin sayn all along.

The adjustment comes because the amount of the load sprung by the rider's legs changes. Dunno exactly why, that's just how "they" set bikes up. Suspect it is because while standing up (it's more obvious) the torso doesn't move as much as the bike; the legs flex between the load & the chassis in the same way the bike's suspension flexes between the chassis & wheels.

Mmmm, beer!

[junkmanjoe]

is width a factor to the mathematical combination of numbers...

JMJ & 9FIDY

[NordieBoy]

is width a factor to the mathematical combination of numbers...

Only if you're counting wind resistance.

However if the tops of the containers slope forward then at speed there'll be some wind induced loading of the suspension as well.

[junkmanjoe]

so they will act like a wind spoiler to help hold the rear wheel on the ground with down force...when i reach maximum velocity...

[Waihou Thumper]

i went and got a panadol

Haha, that is funny...lol Just ride......

[Waihou Thumper]

is width a factor to the mathematical combination of numbers...

JMJ & 9FIDY

NO, just have enough money to pay for the Wide load Pilot vehicle...

[Bass]

The spring rate needs to be set for the race sag (rider + luggage). At this point the static sag is just academic.
Damping also needs to be set for the total weight.

.

At last, despite the clowns, an answer that makes sense.
So, what this means is that the luggage is NOT part of the static sag.
Thanks Fran.
This gives me a means of quickly and exactly calculating the correct spring rate for the next big trip.
"Just riding it" isn't an option. Believe me, after 20,000 km and 85 million corrugations, half of which you can camp behind to shelter from the wind, if it ain't right, your arse is grass. The likelihood of a serious breakage goes up dramatically too.
As an aside, I ran into Ken MacIntosh at Motomail a while ago and had a really interesting discussion. He uses a drill press and a set of bathroom scales to measure spring rate - so simple and ingenious.

[warewolf]

so they will act like a wind spoiler to help hold the rear wheel on the ground with down force...when i reach maximum velocity...

That will act like a lever on the rear of the bike, lifting the front causing understeer. Not what you want at max velocity.

[NordieBoy]

That will act like a lever on the rear of the bike, lifting the front causing understeer. Not what you want at max velocity.

Only if the centre of the top of the box (centre of effort) is behind the rear axle

[NordieBoy]

At last, despite the clowns, an answer that makes sense.
So, what this means is that the luggage is NOT part of the static sag.
Thanks Fran.
This gives me a means of quickly and exactly calculating the correct spring rate for the next big trip.

As long as you always ride with the extra weight.

[Bass]

As long as you always ride with the extra weight.

This whole thread was about setting up for the big one - so that's a given.
The DR has the stock spring on the back these days

[That looks like fun]

Just went out to the garage and poked both shocks (front and the other end) with a stick and niether of them sagged and I never got a static shock so the sprung vs unsprung wieght must be in balance with the power output of x squared by the root of the tree in the middle of the field 2 men plowed on a moonlight night.
I think

[Bass]

so the sprung vs unsprung wieght must be in balance with the power output of x squared by the root of the tree in the middle of the field 2 men plowed on a moonlight night.
I think

Times 3 foot 6, minus a bottle of orange

[tri boy]

Neil, remember that even the best suspension guru's like Robert or Paul Thede (Race Tech founder) acknowledge that their job is to set suspension up with "the least amount of compromise".
But their is always compromise. Don't fall into the trap of over thinking what the forks/shock are doing in an attempt to nullify every type of load factor.
What may be 95% tuned for ruts, will have you cursing as you go into soft sand etc
Just my opinion.