New 1250 GSA with non ESA 'standard' suspension........

littleade said:

If you have no success setting the suspension up the way you want it you could take it to a suspension specialist to see what they think is possible using the original parts.

As has been said a suspension upgrade to something like Wilbers shocks would most likely make a huge difference and someone like Revs Racing in Halesowen would do the whole lot for you on a ride in ride out basis and depending on if you intend to keep the bike long term you could sell your originals to offset the cost, or keep them and swap them back when you sell it.

Give them a call-they are very helpful and would be able to discuss the options available- I had a lengthy chat with them when I was thinking of getting an Explorer and they certainly seemed to know there stuff. They're not cheap, but the best never is...…..

http://www.revsracing.co.uk/contactus.htm

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Thanks Littleeade. I would certainly do this if I can't get a decent result from standard adjustments (and maybe a chat with my dealer).......and/or if/when the standard equipment is knackered. It already feels a whole lot better with some playing around on the two adjusting 'wheels' - but the real test will be a more spirited ride, particularly with luggage etc on a mountain pass / tour........at which point I will probably need to dial everything up a little bit.

LBJ GSA said:

Thanks Beaver. So the sag adjustment is all done via the large upper pre-load wheel, not the lower damping wheel?

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yes.. but at 75-80kg.. i think it will be fully off... I'm 90KG and fully off is just right for me....

beaver said:

If they are 80kg.. and I'm 90KG, with no pre-load I only just get the sag figure.

Checking sag is easy.. look at the full spec of your suspension.. my rear for example has a range of 200mm.
Taking 30% as a sag figure, this means my sag is 60mm
so with the bike on the ctr stand, take a measurement from the frame to a point on the wheel centre (say top of the axle tube)
Now with you on the bike with all your gear on, the amount it compresses the spring should reduce that measurement by 60mm

If its not seeing 60mm your spring is too hard.
If its going over 60mm turn up your pre-load until you get 60mm

2 man job as you need to balance on the bike with your feet off.. but quite easy to do

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Good summary - the only thing I would add is that I think the 30% figure, though often quoted is not necessarily definitive - bikes tend to be set up with less sag for track use, but more sag for road use. I used to aim for 1/3 or 33% of available travel on bikes with manual adjustment, but would not be too concerned if I couldn't quite achieve that when fully loaded with pillion and luggage, though I drew the line at the 60% sag my Versys 1000 had with preload maxed out when loaded for two-up touring, so bought a new rear shock with uprated spring!

I have also seen guides where sag is quoted in mm, not a percentage, but this seems wrong to me as different bikes have different amounts of suspension travel so you should be going for a proportion of available travel, not an absolute amount. I think the idea of setting sag is to apportion the available travel into the amount of upward travel still available on a loaded bike to take further compression when hitting bumps, versus the amount available to extend the suspension downwards into negative bumps - i.e. holes or hollows in the road surface.

beaver said:

yes.. but at 75-80kg.. i think it will be fully off... I'm 90KG and fully off is just right for me....

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Got it. Thanks dude.