Rear suspension settings?

[Chewie2112]

Some advice please,

I have a 2001 single spark 1150GS, and I'm loading some ARDcases on for the weekend along with a dry roll on the pillion seat.

I have never played about with the preload or rebound adjusters, but what should I set them to for the best setting for a laden bike with no pillion?

Cheers

 

[Fanum]

plus 1.745

 

[ian6760]

Just turn up the pre load to compensate for the extra weight. Job done.

 

[Flipfly]

plus 1.745

I would have gone +2.28 but I'm fatter than you

 

[ahutcheon]

I'd wind up the preloaded a couple of turns. Or not, depending on whether I got round to it. If you're happy with the suspension solo and not filling the cases with wet sand it won't make much difference. Hell, if you feel a soggy or bouncy rear once you're on the road, pull over and give it a tweak.

 

[King Rat]

I'd wind up the preloaded a couple of turns. Or not, depending on whether I got round to it. If you're happy with the suspension solo and not filling the cases with wet sand it won't make much difference. Hell, if you feel a soggy or bouncy rear once you're on the road, pull over and give it a tweak.

Aha - a man after my own heart.

I have never adjusted the suspension for any loading....for fear of bugg8ring it up! You soon adjust your riding for a heavily laden bike, which I doubt you could set a record of the N'ring on with all your camping gear on anyway.

 

[Wrigsby1]

Stick the rebound somewhere in the middle and start with the preload a few clicks in from soft and work from there... The good ness is with simple suspension is the operation and effect is simple... BM make the rear shocks a compromise to accept panniers and some load so the work well with it... As has already been said, it's simple to add a few clicks of preload in necessary... PS too many people see hard suspension as good suspension and the 1150's a bit harder than the 11's...

 

[mspenz]

If that's still the standard shock then I'd hazard a guess that it's farked anyway and could probably do with a refurbish...mileage? Play around a bit anyway, you've nothing to lose!

 

[superteso]

13th years old suspension? Original? Never checked up them?
Sorry, how many miles they worked?
In this case, every adjustment is the same.... Nothing will change.

 

[Cyrus]

My 1995 1100GS responds well to rear suspension adjustments. The front is less sophisticated but I put it on the second setting and it seems fine.

This is what I did for the rear end: started with preload halfway between soft and hard, rebound about halfway too. Then rode around for a few days, adjusting the preload two clicks at a time - this allowed me to then fine tune one click either way if I wished once I got used to what was going on. Now I tweak the rebound on the go by simply reaching down behind my left heel.

I found that the preload only needed half a turn in the hard direction to become a tad too firm for my svelte frame so I turned it back a quarter turn.

Standing on the pegs and bouncing hard at slow speed gives me a good idea of how the settings feel - seems to help if you let the suspension warm up for a while so it starts working properly.

Not saying it's perfect after 19 years though! The preload adjuster wheel has a spot where it goes from being stiffer to turning more freely after one click but how much this affects the performance I don't know.

I made sure I fiddled with only one parameter at a time so as not to get confused. Now I really feel that I understand my suspension settings and can adjust them as required. Hooray!

 

[superteso]

I am wonder.....

Really.

 

[Baggers1]

Given the age of the bike, you may well find that the rear preload adjuster either doesn't turn because it is stuck, or turns but doesn't seem to do anything.

If either applies some maintenance is called for. Try this thread for a little guidance

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?366323-Testing-preload&highlight=Preload+adjuster+oil

It is surprising the impact topping up the oil in the preload adjuster can have