suspension adjustments, your opinion please

texomawaves

Registered
What's your opinion on spring pre-load adjustment to your comfort or performance versus factory setting? Thanks again! I'm heading back out into the garage to look at this *****. I told my girlfriend I'm dating a Suzuki now.
 
There simpley is not a common adjustment. Everyone will be different. It all depends on what you weigh, how you ride , and where you ride. Your owners manual will explain how to adjust, plus there are several threads here that will explain it very well. Once you get it set close by the numbers then it is just a matter of riding and fine tunning for riding style and roads you ride.
 
You need to set the suspension "sag".
You'll need a front forklift stand, a rear stand, 2 jack stands, a 3' x 5/8" rod to slide through the frame(local machine shop is a good place to check), and a metric tape measure.
Here's a thread for a gen1, but it's done exactly the same.
You'll also need another set of hands to do the measuring for you, as YOU the rider must be sitting on the bike.
Typical sag is 30 to 35mm for track(as they are a smooth surface) and 35 to 40mm for the street.
Keep in mind that if the front is set correct and the rear is not(or vice versa) that the whole ride suffers. Both must be correct.

https://www.hayabusa.org/forum/maintenance-do-yourself/89876-jinkster-attacks-suspension.html
 
I weigh 170. Thanks!!!!!

I'm 173lbs, but around 193 in full leathers(193 is what my sag was set to, sold my gen2 a couple years ago too).
I have a post here somewhere that has my settings listed. I had mid 30's (mm) for front/rear sag and my gen2 handled great.
The search function here has become pretty bad in the last couple of years. If I can find it I'll post the link here.
Those settings will get you really close.
It's always best to have the sag set for YOU specifically, but if you don't have the tools and ability or a shop to do it, then copying someone else's sag settings at nearly the same weight will still be an improvement.
 
Here is the thread.
My settings are in the first post.
They are also for 20 lbs heavier than you, and set at 30/31mm of sag. Stiff for the street, but good for hard cornering.
I also made fine adjustments after.
These are NOT where you want to stay, but they will get you into the ballpark of where you want to be.
There is no telling what is set where on your bike. There is no factory setting, regardless what you hear. I've seen new bikes come with each fork set differently.
I would definitely still set the sag to YOU asap.

https://www.hayabusa.org/forum/general-bike-related-topics/150575-tufbusa-help.html
 
find a local shop who KNOWS sportbikes and check how much they'll charge to set up your bike's suspension. I paid mine $35 :) (70 inches tall, 190-ish lbs, no track, mostly commute on freeways with occasional twisities on weekends)
 
Getting the right set up is a great idea but don't be afraid to change settings for changing needs. Two up or touring. Bad bumpy crappy roads versus smooth roads . Just remember/record the settings so you can go back when things are "normal" again. When I go touring, even though there is more weight on my bike, I take out 1/2 turn of preload and back off compression and rebound damping by a couple of clicks so the suspension can do more work. I can't/won't flog it as hard with a heavier load so a softer setting is fine for the job at hand. Different personal choices.
 
When you set the sag do you back off the comp, And rebound front and rear all the way.

You could, but do not have to.
The rider sits on the upright bike and measurements are taken, after the measurements have been taken from the bike on stands(unloaded suspension). The difference gives you your sag numbers.
From that point you add or subtract to get to a desired number, just say 35 to 40mm.
These numbers also may not be possible if you weigh too much for the limits of the factory suspension.
Either way, improvement is always possible.
Suspension is fine tuned from there. You can read tire wear to determine any issues, and what needs to adjusted to improve it.
 
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