Big Loop Ride Sun 8/24 *Route has been changed to Sunday!

[Mel]

I noticed no one answered my suspension questions

Mel

[GreenMachine]

I thought those were all statements about what you've done to the FZ.  You might want to give those a reference as to which ones were questions.

[Mel]

Here are the suspension questions from my post GM:

-How many of you know what spring rate you have in your front forks and on your rear shock, and if it is the right spring rate for you?

-How many of you have set the proper sag in your suspension front and rear?

-How many of you know the oil weight in your front forks?

-How many of you with the newer sport bikes have adjusted your compression and rebound damping in your front forks and rear shock by going out on the roads and clicking up or down to find the sweet spot?

These are just a few basic questions on setting up your suspension, but you should get the idea.

Mel

[GreenMachine]

I can answer the last two; 7.5w and yes.  That's how my primary bike, the one I rode this weekend is setup.  I has a predictable balanced feel to it, allowing me to corner without worrying too much about the typical road surface.  I'm sure I could adjust them for other road conditions, but I like how its setup for how I ride and where I ride as it is.

[Mel]

That's cool GM that you have taken the time to sort out some of your suspension. I think the first two questions are the most important, as proper spring rate, along with proper sag, is really the baseline of setting up your suspension.

Mel

[GreenMachine]

Of my two bikes, the one I was on Sunday has the softer suspension.  I've heard the newer bike I have, with its stiffer suspension, was tailored more towards a track setup.  And it's true, it would probably be the faster of my two bikes around a track, but it's also my second choice for weekend rides, especially when I'm going any great distance.  The older bike has me arriving with less fatigue.

The one thing I've learned from these bikes and from life in general, is that everything is a compromise.  My two bikes are heavier than newer sportbikes, but they have more capacity as well.  They're more comfortable to ride than similar sport bikes, but then they're not as fast and quick as the others.  They're not as versatile in tight quarters as smaller bikes, but they're more stable if not impossible to get into a head shake on.  And they're very stable and predictable at speed.  For touring & two-up riding, the touring guys will have the advantage.  They have more storage and usually more power to tote two riders around.  For off-road/goaties, neither of mine are that great, but that's nothing more than a fish out of water scenario, much like I felt going past a couple of houses on Sunday.  The residents must have been looking and laughing inside.  "What's that idiot doing out here!?"

I'm not going to invest in suspension components for riding conditions I rarely do and don't particularly enjoy.  I will however invest my time riding on them, enjoying them for what they already do very well, which is take me to the twisties and far off destinations like no other bikes can.

I completely understand that someone like yourself or Dave Moss could transform the way our bikes ride, but then will that make them more enjoyable or less to ride?  Probably more enjoyable for fast riding, but at what cost?  There's going to be or may be something that will be given up.  If you and I switched bikes, we'd probably both come back hating the experience.  I know I would.  Not that your bike isn't a great bike, but it's not for me.   I'm sure you'd stop after a mile or two as well and demand your bike back. 

For me, I'm set.  I don't need to repeat.  For others, maybe there's room for improvement to make their bikes have some additional capability they don't currently enjoy, maybe even safer to ride.  And for those riders, I'd encourage them too to get their bikes setup properly.  If the bike is holding them back, they're probably not loving riding like Mel and I do on our bikes.

[Mel]

Very well said GM! You hit the nail on the head by saying you have to set your bike up for the type of riding you want to do. You don't do goaty type roads or long distance touring on a regular basis, so you have your bike set up for the exact type of riding you do, and when you get out of your element your bike can still do it, but just not as efficiently.

I have set my FZ6 up to work well on ALL types of roads, as contrary to popular belief here, I am NOT always on goat roads ! I also ride at a very aggressive pace, and that really factors into the suspension set up. Luckily, my suspension also works really well even when not running a spirited pace, and it is very comfortable even on 400-500 mile day rides, but that also has a lot to do with the way I have set up the ergonomics on the bike...another very important part of bike setup. The only place where my FZ6 will be at any disadvantage is the race track, where you are running a 10/10ths pace on a fast, smooth track. My suspension would be overwhelmed then, as it is setup too soft for that type of riding, but like GM with the goat roads, I never intend to be on the race track!

For you newer riders that aspire to become fast, proficient, and safe on the street, you are the ones that will benefit most out of proper suspension setup, especially if you want to ride on all types of roads. Also, work on getting your ergonomics set up for your riding style, because like I said, it is an important part of the package for over all better handling and comfort. GM and I have reached our utopia, so to speak, for our bikes and riding style, but you newer guys are still working on it, and hopefully some of this advice will help you get there also !

I wanted to add a couple more things to this post. First off,  this is for you guys that have been riding for awhile. Some of you probably have never messed with your suspension at all, and have been riding your bike the way it came. Those of you in this category that think "my bike is working just fine" really are losing out, because you don't really have any reference to what "just fine" is without actually trying different setups on your suspension. Do not be afraid to experiment where you might actually find something even better than "just fine"...trust me on this !

The second thing I forgot to mention is to let you guys that want to learn more about suspension know about this book by Andrew Trevitt. It is probably the best book out there on suspension, with very detailed info and great photos. Here it is here:

http://www.amazon.com/Sportbike-Suspension-Tuning-Andrew-Trevitt/dp/1893618455







Mel