WP suspension trouble shooting guide
- Thread starter Giles
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Get a softer rear spring
Ohhh bloody hell ... I'm not going down that route! I'll back it off a bit and see if it helps ....
Dellis
Registered user
For what it's worth...
Preload
dynamic sag - when on the bike with your riding gear on the suspension should use around 30% of its overall travel adjust to that. Next is static sag i.e. how much suspension travel the bike uses when supporting its own weight which should be in the region of 5 - 10% 0f travel much less and the spring is too hard much more and the spring is too soft. Set this for your usual riding be that one up, two up etc. then adjust as the load changes but the spring rate needs to be right for you normal load, it may well (probably will) be a compromise for other loads.
Damping
set everything halfway through the range of adjustment then only adjust ONE setting at a time - making more than one adjustment at once will really give you a headache
Ride the bike with everything set in the middle
Start with the front compression damping add 5 clicks ride your test route - next go 5 clicks the other side of the mid setting and ride the test route this will give you an idea of which direction you need to go in - fine tune in you preferred direction (harder or softer) until you are happy
repeat the above for settings
As a rule of thumb I aim to firm up compression damping until things start to feel a little harsh then back off a little with rebound damping I tend to wind it off until the bike feels like its wallowing then add until it doesn't wallow.
That should occupy you for and afternoon and give you a good base setting then you can further fine tune from there.
When you add weight be that a passenger or luggage the objective is to adjust back to the 30% sag so the bike always has the same level of sag and as you add weight you'll find that you need to add rebound damping before you need to add compression damping.
I made a mistake with my 1190 and should have ordered a bike without electrically adjustable suspension (all the standard 1190's imported into the UK come with electric suspension, bikes without it have to be ordered and I was too impatient), in most cases it works well but when I'm two up with camping gear I get a bit of high speed wallow its not much but a bit more rear rebound would sort it.....
Last thing make a note of each change and how it feels.
Dave
Preload
dynamic sag - when on the bike with your riding gear on the suspension should use around 30% of its overall travel adjust to that. Next is static sag i.e. how much suspension travel the bike uses when supporting its own weight which should be in the region of 5 - 10% 0f travel much less and the spring is too hard much more and the spring is too soft. Set this for your usual riding be that one up, two up etc. then adjust as the load changes but the spring rate needs to be right for you normal load, it may well (probably will) be a compromise for other loads.
Damping
set everything halfway through the range of adjustment then only adjust ONE setting at a time - making more than one adjustment at once will really give you a headache
Ride the bike with everything set in the middle
Start with the front compression damping add 5 clicks ride your test route - next go 5 clicks the other side of the mid setting and ride the test route this will give you an idea of which direction you need to go in - fine tune in you preferred direction (harder or softer) until you are happy
repeat the above for settings
As a rule of thumb I aim to firm up compression damping until things start to feel a little harsh then back off a little with rebound damping I tend to wind it off until the bike feels like its wallowing then add until it doesn't wallow.
That should occupy you for and afternoon and give you a good base setting then you can further fine tune from there.
When you add weight be that a passenger or luggage the objective is to adjust back to the 30% sag so the bike always has the same level of sag and as you add weight you'll find that you need to add rebound damping before you need to add compression damping.
I made a mistake with my 1190 and should have ordered a bike without electrically adjustable suspension (all the standard 1190's imported into the UK come with electric suspension, bikes without it have to be ordered and I was too impatient), in most cases it works well but when I'm two up with camping gear I get a bit of high speed wallow its not much but a bit more rear rebound would sort it.....
Last thing make a note of each change and how it feels.
Dave
Dellis
Registered user
Mine is still not quite right, and I want to spend some more time having a play on familiar roads with my tools.
What's interesting, is that I went out wither her indoors the other day having not been on the bike for over a week (and the last time I had, had been suspension tweaking), rode off and immediately thought ... 'Ooooo this is just lovely - it's floating over everything'. And it was ... until wifey got off and I had a blat on my own! Not bad, but still just a bit jarry over the lumps and bumps compared to the beautiful float two up!
So if I can get my head around that and just work out how to replicate the two up, to one up (that might be as simple as a tweak of the pre-load), I'll be a happy man ..
Could need less rebound damping, if you have too much the suspension doesn't return to its normal state quickly enough and the bike will feel over firm aka 'pump down' - but save the settings you have for two up. Oh and check the sag
Dave
Dellis
Registered user
So I'm looking for quite a soft set up ...)
You need to produce Giles' version of Roadcraft, I'd buy it
2 up to 1 up.
Try Backing the preload off and take a couple of clicks less rebound.
Try Backing the preload off and take a couple of clicks less rebound.
If you do not have the correct springs for your weight any other adjustments are just a compromise.
Always take my bikes to Revs Racing, give them my weight and they select the correct spring.
This puts the shock piston in the correct position for optimum effect.
The rest goes from there.
My KTM 350 went up 4 spring settings, internal valves changed and then the rebound, compression was adjusted.
Could not have been optimized without the basic changes being done beforehand.
They also recommended changing the bladder on the rear shock as the pistons do not work.
When I get a 1190 R that will be going straight to Revs
Always take my bikes to Revs Racing, give them my weight and they select the correct spring.
This puts the shock piston in the correct position for optimum effect.
The rest goes from there.
My KTM 350 went up 4 spring settings, internal valves changed and then the rebound, compression was adjusted.
Could not have been optimized without the basic changes being done beforehand.
They also recommended changing the bladder on the rear shock as the pistons do not work.
When I get a 1190 R that will be going straight to Revs
Deleted account 211025001
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I'll be very interested to see what you think, let us know. I'm still a bit surprised at how soft the comp damping is set on the forks. I even checked it a couple of times in case I'd made a mistake................
I'm off up to Manchester, cross country, at the weekend so will be able to check it out properly and have a little tweak here and there. I'll report back if I end up changing anything.
i don't think it's possible to get one spring that's correct for 1 up and 2 up riding. there's always a compromise somewhere.
unless you use a pneumatic spring that you can adjust
i don't think it's possible to get one spring that's correct for 1 up and 2 up riding. there's always a compromise somewhere.
unless you use a pneumatic spring that you can adjust
Absolutely agree but is the spring correct taking into account everything.
If it is not then the rest of the adjustments are a waste of time.
Dellis has shown how it should be done
Dynamic and Static sag needs to be sorted first and that is a combination of spring selection and preload.
He needs to decide what he does most 1 up or 2 up and then make sure he has the correct spring
I ain't going to change the spring!
I've spent far too much money on this bike already! I'm sure I'll be able to tweak it so it's just fine .... (It's way better than standard at the mo - standard is rock hard .. !). Just a bit more playing that's all ...
I've spent far too much money on this bike already! I'm sure I'll be able to tweak it so it's just fine .... (It's way better than standard at the mo - standard is rock hard .. !). Just a bit more playing that's all ...
Dellis
Registered user
I ain't going to change the spring!
I've spent far too much money on this bike already! I'm sure I'll be able to tweak it so it's just fine .... (It's way better than standard at the mo - standard is rock hard .. !). Just a bit more playing that's all ...
Giles, just take the measurements, I'm sure it will be there or thereabouts and once you know the spring is ok then you can sort the rest out.
Dave
Deleted account 211025001
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We're pretty much there
I've wound off the rebound and made a few other tweeks and i'd say it's pretty much spot on.
What have you ended up with in the end, similar to K-Tech or different?
I had the chance to fully access my settings at the w/e and overall it all feels pretty good in terms of handling, control, feel etc but it still feels a bit (rear shock) hard. It may well just need breaking in more [1] or maybe a softer spring (sag measured spot on though?) or maybe I'm expecting telelever type smoothness and that's being unreasonable?
Anyway, I'm really pleased with it as is and TBH I'm being ultra critical so will leave as is - I'm very happy.
Andres
[1] I remember Cookie having a go on my 3000 mile Griso and as I handed it over to him I mentioned the back end was a bit harsh. When he gave it back he said it felt lovely. Lo and behold when I rode it later it was. I can only assume that the Sachs shock needed breaking in or maybe it had something to do with the fact it had just been ridden a bit quicker and better than it had so far experienced
Deleted account 211025001
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Or that cookie is a fat bastard and got the spring moving ..
Ha ha, no, Cookie is a lot of things but fat bastard is not one of them
Andres
Or that cookie is a fat bastard and got the spring moving ..
he just needed telling
but i am fatter now
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