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Get your suspension set up!!!

Started by gm2, October 15, 2008, 10:14:54 AM

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arai_speed

You guys crack me up!   [laugh]

I never said I was an expert suspension tuner...far from it....but I disagree with the comment that only highly magically charged specialists should set up bike suspension.  Clearly we are not gonna agree on that. [beer]

JDS 07 S4Rs

Quote from: Spidey on October 15, 2008, 01:08:08 PM
Suspension set up is easy.  You don't need a pro.  Just click the 'lil knobby things to the right.  If you almost crash, click 'em back to a left.  Then take a hammer to your rear shock.  Turn some more knobby things.  Turn 'em at the top, at the bottom and anywhere else you can find little knobbies.  Then measure the height of your bike.  Jump up and down on the tank and seat.   You're done.   [thumbsup]

U hit the nail on the head Spidey. That's the way I do it,,,lol. Eventually U will come up with the right combination (if it doesnt kill U 1st)  ;D
2007 S4RS
2007 1098S Salvage Title (that's it. NO MORE BIKES)
02 GSXR 750 Trackbike - Ins Write/off
06 ZX636R Trackbike  - Ins Write-off (I couldnt help it, the price was right)
2003 BMW 1150R
2004 450 YZ
&,,, a few others :-)

Capo

Quote from: gm2 on October 15, 2008, 10:14:54 AM
was cornerworking at a track school last weekend.  i had to sit there and watch 2 1098s and a 999 circle the track that all desperately, visibly needed suspension help.  i expected each one to go down each time they came by.  MANY totally unnecessary close calls.

this has been the subject of several comically combative posts here re folks who think they can do this themselves.  suspension dialing is a science.  if you aren't that scientist.. as in, this is not already what you do for a living.. pay the $40-$70 for someone who knows what they're doing.

these poor guys were fighting their bikes all weekend.  it made me cringe.

Never have more truer words been spoken here. [clap]


Capo de tuti capi

ICON

#18
I'm one to admit I pretty much know to little to setup my own suspension. I tried playing with this and that and never got/felt the results I was looking for. I was very disappointed.  :'(   I also had installed springs for my weight.

I finally had the time to take my bike to the local shop. The owner is a racer and knows what he is doing. He dialed in my 620 for me at one point and it was amazing. He took his time riding my bike and pulling into his shop about 4 times. He noticed a strange sound coming from the rear and spent some time looking for it. I had the rearsets on too tight. He fixed that for me too. He clicked away at the rear the front, the compression and rebound. The bike never felt better. I took her up that morning(his shop opens at 7am) and road her like a madman.

Thanks POLO!!! I offered to pay him for his services and he refused.  [thumbsup]

Here's the shop: Ask for Polo.
http://www.mototecnica.net/home.htm

gm2

socal only (obviously) but i've also heard good stuff about that shop from racers.
Like this is the racing, no?

arai_speed

#20
Quote from: ICON on October 17, 2008, 03:44:07 PM
I'm one to admit I pretty much know to little to setup my own suspension. I tried playing with this and that and never got/felt the results I was looking for. I was very disappointed.  :'(   I also had installed springs for my weight.

I finally had the time to take my bike to the local shop. The owner is a racer and knows what he is doing. He dialed in my 620 for me at one point and it was amazing. He took his time riding my bike and pulling into his shop about 4 times. He noticed a strange sound coming from the rear and spent some time looking for it. I had the rearsets on too tight. He fixed that for me too. He clicked away at the rear the front, the compression and rebound. The bike never felt better. I took her up that morning(his shop opens at 7am) and road her like a madman.

Thanks POLO!!! I offered to pay him for his services and he refused.  [thumbsup]

Here's the shop: Ask for Polo.
http://www.mototecnica.net/home.htm

Polo is a good guy - his crew brought my old R1 back to life after a lowside on T8 at WSIR so I was very happy about that.  I then took my WHEELS to get new TIRES mounted and they hooked it up for $20.  I later found out that they had completely misaligned my front wheel which resulted in a ruined trackday for me.  I haven't gone back since...ohhh well.... [drink]

derby

Quote from: arai_speed on October 18, 2008, 07:55:26 PM
I later found out that they had completely misaligned my front wheel which resulted in a ruined trackday for me. 

that's really hard to do w/ only the axle and a single spacer.
-- derby

'07 Suz GSX-R750

Retired rides: '05 Duc Monster S4R, '99 Yam YZF-R1, '98 Hon CBR600F3, '97 Suz GSX-R750, '96 Hon CBR600F3, '94 Hon CBR600F2, '91 Hon Hawk GT, '91 Yam YSR-50, '87 Yam YSR-50

click here for info about my avatar

RST

#22
Quote from: arai_speed on October 18, 2008, 07:55:26 PM
Polo is a good guy - his crew brought my old R1 back to life after a lowside on T8 at WSIR so I was very happy about that.  I then took my WHEELS to get new TIRES mounted and they hooked it up for $20.  I later found out that they had completely misaligned my front wheel which resulted in a ruined trackday for me.  I haven't gone back since...ohhh well.... [drink]

You "took in the wheels to get tires mounted"?  They only charged you $20?  So you re-installed the wheels on the bike yourself, yes?

After your T8 lowside, did you get your forks, wheels, swingarm, frame, subframe straightened before blaming the "misaligned" front axle?  Do you think that a properly set-up suspension might have prevented said lowside in the first place?

Just askin'  :)

-R.

gm2

Quote from: RST on October 22, 2008, 09:18:14 PM
  So you re-installed the wheels on the bike yourself, yes?

[laugh].  i had decided to leave that one alone....

Like this is the racing, no?

DRKWNG

I wish I could get my suspension dialed in by someone who knows a lot more than I do about tuning, but I think I am SOL without any sort of track in Hawaii...

gm2

Quote from: DRKWNG on November 19, 2008, 01:27:59 AM
.... without any sort of track in Hawaii...

wish they would fix that  :)
Like this is the racing, no?

zooom

99 Cagiva Gran Canyon-"FOR SALE", PM for details.
98 Monster 900(trackpregnant dog-soon to be made my Fiancee's upgrade streetbike)
2010 KTM 990 SM-T

Spidey

Quote from: DRKWNG on November 19, 2008, 01:27:59 AM
I wish I could get my suspension dialed in by someone who knows a lot more than I do about tuning, but I think I am SOL without any sort of track in Hawaii...

There's a group of Hawaiians who fly out to SF once a month to race AFM.  Considering the overall cost of racing, 8 flights a year ain't that bad.  It's just a bit more than a set of tires.
Occasionally AFM #702  My stuff:  The M1000SS, a mashed r6, Vino 125, the Blonde, some rugrats, yuppie cage, child molester van, bourbon.

gm2

Quote from: Spidey on November 19, 2008, 08:48:01 AM
There's a group of Hawaiians who fly out to SF once a month to race AFM.  Considering the overall cost of racing, 8 flights a year ain't that bad.  It's just a bit more than a set of tires.

and they leave their bikes in the states...?
Like this is the racing, no?

Spidey

Quote from: gm2 on November 19, 2008, 09:03:28 AM
and they leave their bikes in the states...?

Yeah.  They've got a storage unit shared with some locals where they keep a toyhauler and their race bikes.  A couple of them come out for some of the West Coast AMA rounds too.  It sounds like they end up doing a lot of late night wrenching after flying out because they don't have their bikes with them on the islands.  I guess if you live in Hawaii and want to race, that's how you do it. 
Occasionally AFM #702  My stuff:  The M1000SS, a mashed r6, Vino 125, the Blonde, some rugrats, yuppie cage, child molester van, bourbon.