[PCHbreeze]

http://www.sportbikes.net/forums/pe...p-my-own-suspension-suggestions-comments.html

 

[Bpro]

start with setting the ride/race sag.

Once you have race sag set check the free sag to determine if you need different springs.

once you have the proper spring rates/sag numbers set the rebound.

Once rebound baseline is found adjust the compression to taste and to fine tune ride quality.

 

[Tripped1]

start with setting the ride/race sag.

Once you have race sag set check the free sag to determine if you need different springs.

once you have the proper spring rates/sag numbers set the rebound.

Once rebound baseline is found adjust the compression to taste and to fine tune ride quality.

Slightly odd terminolgy. I learned it as static sag but it sounds like the same thing.


Sport Bike Suspension Tuning Guide - Sport Rider Magazine

That will get you started. Untill you have the sag sorted there really isn't much point to really messing with your suspension. If the loaded wieght of the bike is out of the proper range you will always be on the top or bottom of the stroke and it will never feel right.

 

[HiSpeed48]

Bpro is right on

to add to what he said, when adjusting rebound and compression, balance is also important. the bike should rebound evenly between the front and back, without either end rebounding up faster than the other.

 

[SRADkneedragger]

Good articles no doubt but the first question you need to ask yourself is
"What am I going to use this bike for"
Second question is " What can I live with"
So my personal advice is this:
Get on the net do some research find out what Rebound, Compression, Preload and Static Sag are what they mean and how they affect the ride, handling, suspension, tracking<Turn in etc etc.
Once you have an idea what everything does and how every thing is inter-related, then decide what you want to use the Bike for. Setting it up to be a knee dragging corner smoking tire eater is going to make the ride rather harsh, on the other hand turning it into a great big pillowy soft Goldwing type ride is going to make it ride like a Marshmallow. Find a compromise that you can live with. In SRAD's case he found that the ONLY way he could tune his RC51 suspension to be comfortable to ride on long trips was to buy a Hayabusa! Of course the Busa will never handle like the RC51.
Find the best compromise for YOU, the best way to do that, read up on it.
Now here is the MOST IMPORTANT PART! ONLY CHANGE ONE THING AT A TIME!
Change one thing ride the bike see if it is better or worse. Then onto the next thing. I've seen far to many riders go in make wholesale changes and they are lost because they don't know where they went wrong. Adjust ride height. Stop go ride. Adjust front to rear height, stop go ride. Adjust rebound. Stop go ride. You get the idea change one thing go ride see if its better or worse. then onto the next.

 

[smashbox]

suspension is the biggest mind fuck you'll ever get yourself into.. you'll turn wrenches, and screw drivers all day and you'll get back on the bike and ask yourself "did anything even change!?" i paid 40 bucks to have mine set up for my weight and aggressive street and track riding... best 40 bucks i ever spent

 

[teedubyaw]

suspension is the biggest mind fuck you'll ever get yourself into.. you'll turn wrenches, and screw drivers all day and you'll get back on the bike and ask yourself "did anything even change!?" i paid 40 bucks to have mine set up for my weight and aggressive street and track riding... best 40 bucks i ever spent

This.

Spend $30-$40 to have it done by someone who knows what they're doing.

It'll save you a lot of hassle.

 

[HiSpeed48]

doing it yourself will help you understand your bike better and the ways in which your suspension operates. but i agree, there is no substitute for paying a professional suspension tech to do the work for you. no harm in doing some trial-and-error adjustments on your own though, you can always go back to the previous settings.