V85 tt rear shock setting

littlemegdog

Active member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
142
Reaction score
17
Location
Swindon, Wiltshire
Hi Now I am keeping the v85 as the wife complains of being bumped up and down and the top box appears to hit her back. Can anyone tell me what suspension settings you have on your rear shock with two up riding?
 
Hi V85 did not work out for the two of us, bike now sold givi rear rack in the for sale section plus i have aprilla front mudguard and extension pm if interested.
David
 
Rarely ride mine 2-up. Now using about the 4th from softest for solo riding to maintain ground clearance in the twisties... I go pretty much hardest possible with my girlfriend on. I'm 92kg, she's 55kg
 
3 up for me, solo riding and with some occasional luggage.... just leave it set and perfect for me
 
When mine was delivered it was on the softest setting, I increased it to 2nd softest, but still felt wrong. Now on 3rd from soft and much improved. The rebound screw is set at 1.5 turns, I just might increase it to 2 turns out. I'm a heavy bugger but it seems to work well. Front fork is on factory setting.
325 miles now. Gearbox is a bit clunkier than I remembered especially 1st to 2nd, I can't wait until it's loosened up.
 
Factory recommended settings for the rear are:

TYPE OF ADJUSTMENTRIDER ONLYRIDER + BAGS AND TOP CASE OR RIDER + PASSENGERRIDER + PASSENGER + BAGS AND TOP CASE
PRE-LOAD (RING)
1 notch
3 notches
7 notches
HYDRAULIC BRAKING (ADJUSTER) - FROM COMPLETELY CLOSED (*) OPEN (**)2 turns1 a turn0.5 turns

Currently assessing 5 notches and 0.5 turns.
 
Factory recommended settings for the rear are:

TYPE OF ADJUSTMENTRIDER ONLYRIDER + BAGS AND TOP CASE OR RIDER + PASSENGERRIDER + PASSENGER + BAGS AND TOP CASE
PRE-LOAD (RING)
1 notch
3 notches
7 notches
HYDRAULIC BRAKING (ADJUSTER) - FROM COMPLETELY CLOSED (*) OPEN (**)2 turns1 a turn0.5 turns

Currently assessing 5 notches and 0.5 turns.
How did that work out? Am going to carry a pillion and a bit of luggage but were both pretty light. Also, not sure i understand the manual instruction for the rebound ...do you turn it fully anti clockwise (so the screw is poking out) and go 0.5 turn clockwise, or turn it fully clockwise(so the screw is fully down) and go 0.5 turns anticlockwise?
 
How did that work out? Am going to carry a pillion and a bit of luggage but were both pretty light. Also, not sure i understand the manual instruction for the rebound ...do you turn it fully anti clockwise (so the screw is poking out) and go 0.5 turn clockwise, or turn it fully clockwise(so the screw is fully down) and go 0.5 turns anticlockwise?

Sorry for the delay in replying.

I went back to 3 notches on the pre-load; I'm not sure why, I think just I didn't need as much pre-load. Like you I take a pillion and not much luggage; perhaps if touring and fully loaded I might go back up to 5.

For the rebound I fully screwed it in and then backed off 0.5 turn.

Hope that helps.
 
Sorry for the delay in replying.

I went back to 3 notches on the pre-load; I'm not sure why, I think just I didn't need as much pre-load. Like you I take a pillion and not much luggage; perhaps if touring and fully loaded I might go back up to 5.

For the rebound I fully screwed it in and then backed off 0.5 turn.

Hope that helps.
Thanks for that, it's good to know that did the rebound right.
I'm running it on 3 without any luggage or pillion as it seems a bit more planted and steers better, though had no real complaints on the standard set up really.
Then tried it on 5 with my partner and some luggage and it worked well so think will keep to those settings for our ride to Wales in May with all the camp stuff on. Though, now i know for sure that doing it right, maybe just tinker with the rebound.
 
I'm around 95k (but I'm on a diet!) and ride solo with panniers generally on but lightly filled. I set preload at 3 up and I'm sure I go against the grain here but rebound is 2 to 2 1/8 out which I find gives a nicer ride on poor surface roads while still ok for other riding.
 
I've done one decent ride on my V85TT - 300km - and I ran the rear shock preload on 4 from bottom , mainly to see how it quickened the steering. On the crappy Australian roads, it was way too harsh at high speeds. I've dialled it back to "2" and I'll experiment with the rebound as well.
 


Back
Top Bottom