Ok I'll be honest, being a man I haven't even opened the owners manual for my bike yet. I never read instructions for anything unless I'm desperate. I gleaned somewhere (I think on this forum) that the standard pressures are 36psi front and 42 rear. I haven't checked mine but they seem fine.
I just wanted to know what pressures you chaps were using, since I've just started tweaking things on the bike to 'dial it in' a bit more.
Also, if you have changed the shock preload settings, what are you running and how do you like the new settings?
If you'd share your weight it might help too! Don't be shy, I'm sure there are a fair few porkers amongst our riding bretheren!
(03-23-2014, 08:45 AM)The ferret_imp Wrote: [ -> ]http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=417
Yes thanks ferret, I'd already read that thread, but all it really covered were the technicalities of how suspension adjustments work. What I'd like to know is who's actually had a fettle and what the results were for them.
Also, nothing about tyre/tire pressures, which I believe is the single cheapest way to alter a bikes feel/handling.
So..what pressures are you running, cronies?
36 and 42 as called for although I would think you could run 36 front and anywhere from 36-42 rear. My Nighthawk called for rear 36 solo and 42 double up.
I set my front suspension 4 rings showing and rear in deepest slot
funny, I'm the opposite, maybe because I am an IT person, I read manuals from front to back, many times before I even get the product since you can download manuals online now. If its in paper form, it becomes bathroom material, may as well multi task!!
My front suspension is three rings showing
Rear in #4
I fiddled with it a lot when it was new that is where I settled in.
and stock tire pressures work for me so far 36F 42R
Tortuga - good question and IMO a good topic for the forum remebering that factory specs are a guide rather than a rule ... how can one setting be right for all rider weights, riding styles, roads, application and climates!!
I run 30 - 32 PSI on the front and 36 - 38 on the rear. Given most of my rides are through the twisty roads and not high speed highway I feel better about running lower pressure. If it were a really hot day (e.g. 35C and higher) I might put a few more PSI up to the recommend specs to prevent excessive heat buld up.
My rear suspension is set at second softest setting and the front at three rings showing which gives me about 30% sag when I am on the bike. I had stiffened it previously in search of more 'direct' handling but I noticed it was just too rigid as here in AU a lot of our country roads are not in great shape. My weight is about 85Kg plus gear and I rarely take passengers. Other thing to note is I added a fork brace which does help the front end feel more stable when cornering over bumps - I went back to softer settings once I had the brace fitted. As a few of the boys on the forum have gone to the next level to fit rear Ohlins and resrpung the front with gold valves it would great to come up with a wide cross section of set ups experience in this one post.
Good luck in fine tuning to suit your needs.
In cooler weather on twisty roads, 34/36, and I am running bias-ply tires.
Freeway and hotter weather, 36/42.
G'day All.
I would be about 85kgs all up and felt that with about 20kgs of gear on the back that, while cornering hard on some uneven surfaces, there was too much "wallow" for comfort. I then re-set preload to second firmest position with tyre pressure standard at 36/42 for all temps. Better ride, but still some wallow. I think this may be a function of rebound qualities (not adjustable) rather than preload. I have kept this setting with, or without, luggage. Front end feels OK but will try a brace when I get around to putting in an order.
I have 29000kms on the bike and am planning a fairly long trip in (our) spring. So what is the next step? Well first I will load up the bike and try maximum spring preload. I am not confident that this will improve handling. From there the only options that are available are to upgrade the rear shocks to units with greater adjustment possibilities, or to leave the shocks standard and accept the ride that this gives me. As Flyer has mentioned some of our country roads can throw up some surprises in the form of sunken and distorted tarmac or just plain old potholes.
I will be interested to hear what other setups have produced, particularly with regard to the combination of a loaded bike and rough surface cornering.
Cheers.
I left the suspension at factory default. That's because I'm a default-parameter American buyer.
I run 46/47 rear and 38 front (cold). It's not as grippy as the factory pressures, but what I've learned to do after decades of wearing out the center of tires in curve-less FL.