Ohlins set up

[Gecko]

Ohlins just been delivered - to be fitted on Wednesday evening. To save a bit of time anyone recommend an ideal setup for 15 stone (100 kg) rider ? Almost always ride solo but will be loading luggage on Thursday so about an extra 40kg of kit going on for the trip.
Whats the ideal set up ? Any suggestions from current Ohlins users please

 

[simonm]

Assuming the shox are new and have the correct spring rate fro your weight I'd leave them as standard for a while. The difference between any new shox and a "tired" set is so radical its worth getting used to them before starting to make adjustments.
If you have to twiddle make sure you make a note of the current settings (count clicks to full off) before you start.
Bear in mind that the figures for static sag quoted in the Ohlins manual appear to be generic ie aimed at all bikes. Some would say that the quoted sag numbers are low ie you may need more sag on a longer travel suspension such as the GS. I think mine ended up at about 30% of available travel rather than the 20-25% in the manual.
Other than that the manual setup guide is pretty good.
Once they are dialled in I add five turns extra preload for a pillion or full luggage (camping kit) and two clicks LESS rebound on the rear. I've never felt the need to change the front. I guess a pillion
plus luggage may require more adjustment including the front.
Enjoy.

 

[RadioActive]

So Gecko - how did the Ohlins perform then? I'm still pogoing along while I pluck up the courage to get a set for my 1100 without the wife knowing!

Chris

 

[Gecko]

Well fitting was pretty straightforward - took about an hour from start to finish and nothing especially difficult just obvious unbolt and replace work.

Having ridden them on teh out the box settings for a day or two I felt the difference - less jellyish over speed bumps and bumpy corners but I didn't really have a chance to run them much before the ride to the hog roast.

Fully loaded with the pre load wound up to the max the bike handled really well driving through the twisty B-roads. It felt well planted and secure which was a definite improvement of the old OEM shocks.
The big test was the off rad at the hog roast so everything was unloaded and we headed off trying to keep up with a DRZ400 and a CR450 ..... The Ohlins were spectacular off road. The absorbed everything I could give it. The bike was transformed and I never once bottomed out the suspension which was happening quite often on the OEMs.

Final test was a week of touring around Wales following the hog roast. Overall verdict is that I definitely need to replace the OEM shocks. They were working but clearly at the end of their life after 80,000km of use in all conditions. The Ohlins are a very worthy replacement and represent value for money against a replacement OEM set.

The down side is I don't think I will be able to get the front alternator cover off to get at the poly-v-belt without removing the front Ohlins. They are much bigger than OEM so there is no space around the shock. I'll find out when I get round to needing to do this some time in the months to come.