Posted this over at the CR...........didn't notice this forum...........is it new?

I am currently "fiddling around" with my new suspension parts, the Ohlins 2004 R&T and Ohlins shock, to try to find the best set-up for the road conditions here, which are bumpy, to say the least.

I have set the proper sag, the preload in the rear are within Ohlins recommendations, whent 1mm up (stiffer) on front preload and a couple of clicks up on rebound, front and rear. I heard that was recommended because of my light BST carbons http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

Rear tire pressure approx 36 psi, front approx. 32 psi



Yesterday I went out for another ride and the bike handles good. It is a bit "hard", but I guess can not make it to suit every different bumps I encounter here.
The rear feels confident, it grips well. The bike turns in quick and steers through the corners OK.

The only thing is that I can not get that confident feeling from the front end and I also feel that it could hold it's line through the turns a tad easier.

Coming downhill (not steep) through some ss's yesterday, flicking the bike into a left turn, the front end went away mid turn. I saved it, but it was a close call http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
My speed would be approx 50-60 mph

I went back to the turn to see if I had hit some gravel, but couldn't see any.

Is there any general consensus to what is wrong when the front end behaves like that?

Can't see that I was pushing too hard in this case.

Too much load on the front?

What is the effect on the front end "behaviour" when incresing the rear ride height vs lowring the front through the tripples?

Sorry for all the Q's http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif, but I need some ideas.

Thanks

Narve

If I read that correctly, you're saying you were going downhill into a left hander and as you went into it your front end tucked a little on you?

If you were trailing the front brakes at turn in it's highly possible that you may have just overloaded the front end. To eliminate the bike front putting too much weight on the front with downhilll corners I tend to use my back brakes more to slow me down and not pitch the front end as much.

Just a theory....

...........and probably a very plausible theory too http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The front washed out just as I had came onto the throttle and the more I think about this lone incident is maybe more down to rider error.

What "concerns" me more is the lack of confidence up front. Don't get me wrong, it's not like the bike is awful to ride or anything. It's just that I think it can be a tad better.

However I am sure some adjustments will fix it.

.........if I could just stop working so long hours so that I had a chance to go out and ride http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif

Problem solved http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif

click (http://www.gixxer.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB18&Number=1035003&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=all)

what solved the problem?

This is my reply over at CR forum:



Quote:
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bmfgsxr said:
do one end at a time. do the front first. go by 5mm's. raising the rear is something you only do if your running wide on corner exits. if your not running wide then there is no need to adjust it. and yes, raising the rear will effect the front even though it has a more profound effect on the rear. but only change one end of the bike at a time.


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Big thanks to you bmfgsxr

I raised the front by 5mm yesterday and whoooola..........confidence up front restored

It didn't have any great effect on the flickability either, most likely because of the light BST wheels.

As you say above, I felt that bike run a tad wide on corner exits, so I raised the rear a few mm's and that helped, but it took away some of the feeling up front so I might take that out again.

I set the up the bike according to Ohlins manual with only a few minor changes to the setting and it is amazing to ride now.

Thanks to all of you for your advice.



Narve

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

UPDATE:

Raising the front did help a lot regarding the confident feeling, but after riding some more I just wasn't happy with the over all handling of the bike. It didn't handle bad, but I just felt that something wasn't correct. The "final touch" just wasn't there as I expected it to be with all the fancy suspension stuff I have on the bike.

As I have just scrubbed in a pair of Sportecs M-1's I decided to take another route.
I had been wondering if I tweaked to much with the settings to begin with so I dicided to set everything, apart from adding 5mm rideheight, back to the recommended settings from Ohlins, including lowering the front back to 3 lines showing. I also checked and corrected my sag.

I just came back from a ride and I really got a "wake up call".
The bike handles awasome in every aspect. After adding a couple of clicks of compression damping, it is smooth over bumps, holds a line perfectly, flicks easily and have fantastic grip both rear and front http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

I am a little embarressed I didn't try this before, but as a suspension newbie I gues I have just started on the learning curve.
Anyway it gives me great satisfaction to have found the right set-up................which I should have done long time ago http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

Narve

glad you got it working good for you bro.. playing with your settings is great experience. now you know what doesnt feel good as much as what feels good. and it makes it easier for you to set up that bike on different tracks, and even different bikes in the future.

A question for you, Comeback. My front end has a leakage so I am considering buying ohlins FG311. I understand you've got ohlins front end, are they worth the price, I mean is the improvement noticeable?

Gibi said:
A question for you, Comeback. My front end has a leakage so I am considering buying ohlins FG311. I understand you've got ohlins front end, are they worth the price, I mean is the improvement noticeable?



The improvement is noticable http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

Worth the price for street riding? Hardly

I think a re-valve of your stock units would be better value for money.