16-07-14, 11:17 PM
It is so technical and difficult to both understand fully...and even more difficult to explain.
I've been on here trying to figure the suspension on my Gen2 fazer and it has been interesting to get the just of what it is all about......but i still haven't got it right yet.....small adjustments make a big difference.
Everyone says to set up the preload first......on most budget bikes then you can only ever set up preload anyway.....for instance my 600 had preload adjusters on the front forks at the top of the forks which were wound inwards or outwards to change preload....it was a 2001.....but some of the previous models didn't even have this on the forks.....the 600 also had a preload adjustor on the rear shock......this time it was a plastic collar around the top of the shock spring which you turn with a special tool called a c spanner....i think the thou is the same and the c spanner will be in the bike tool kit....& might also include an extension bar to slip the handle inside....it fits into the notches on the plastic collar so that you can turn it round and it will click into place on each notch.
In my basic terms then the preload is how much the bike sinks down when you sit on it with all of your kit on and both feet on the pegs.....the bike should sink down as one....not more at the back or front......if it doesn't sink down enough or sinks too much then when you ride it is gonna be that bit closer to bottoming out or topping out as you go over bumps or use the brakes or accelerate......i think the bike should sink down about 30 -35 mm. (Check this, someone had the figures on here recently...im sure 35mm was a good level)...I'm sure I've heard that if you tie a cable tie around the the front forks where the top enters the bottom part, on the shiny bit...enough that it can slide up and down and then get sat on the bike with all your kit and someone holding the bike.....then get off and take a look.....because the forks went down then the cable tie should have been forced up the shiny bit or rather the shiny part was forced through the cable tie.....now you're back off the bike measure how much the cable tie has travelled up the fork....this is how much the bike sunk down.....or your preload.
On the back then you cant do the cable tie thing so you need to measure between 2 points on the vertical axis before sitting on the bike ie centre of the wheel to something like the pillion peg....do this before sitting on the bike and then measure it again when you are sat on the bike and see how much the bike has sunk down......get the c soanner out and turn the collar around either way until you get the preload the same as the front.
Do these preload adjustments on flat ground and remember not to take your initial adjustments with the bike still on the stand...take it off the stand so that your first measurements measure basically how much the bike sinks down by its own weight before you get on it.
Once you've set up the preload then go for a spin and see if it feels any better and then the fun starts on setting the other adjustments called compression and rebound.....the H & S that you described earlier on your fork would be SOFT and HARD.....i don't know about your bike this could be a joint compression/rebound adjuster......or on my Gen2 thou then i have compression hard and soft on the left side fork top and rebound soft and hard on the right side fork top.......ill let the gen 1 thou owners advise you on that one.
I've been on here trying to figure the suspension on my Gen2 fazer and it has been interesting to get the just of what it is all about......but i still haven't got it right yet.....small adjustments make a big difference.
Everyone says to set up the preload first......on most budget bikes then you can only ever set up preload anyway.....for instance my 600 had preload adjusters on the front forks at the top of the forks which were wound inwards or outwards to change preload....it was a 2001.....but some of the previous models didn't even have this on the forks.....the 600 also had a preload adjustor on the rear shock......this time it was a plastic collar around the top of the shock spring which you turn with a special tool called a c spanner....i think the thou is the same and the c spanner will be in the bike tool kit....& might also include an extension bar to slip the handle inside....it fits into the notches on the plastic collar so that you can turn it round and it will click into place on each notch.
In my basic terms then the preload is how much the bike sinks down when you sit on it with all of your kit on and both feet on the pegs.....the bike should sink down as one....not more at the back or front......if it doesn't sink down enough or sinks too much then when you ride it is gonna be that bit closer to bottoming out or topping out as you go over bumps or use the brakes or accelerate......i think the bike should sink down about 30 -35 mm. (Check this, someone had the figures on here recently...im sure 35mm was a good level)...I'm sure I've heard that if you tie a cable tie around the the front forks where the top enters the bottom part, on the shiny bit...enough that it can slide up and down and then get sat on the bike with all your kit and someone holding the bike.....then get off and take a look.....because the forks went down then the cable tie should have been forced up the shiny bit or rather the shiny part was forced through the cable tie.....now you're back off the bike measure how much the cable tie has travelled up the fork....this is how much the bike sunk down.....or your preload.
On the back then you cant do the cable tie thing so you need to measure between 2 points on the vertical axis before sitting on the bike ie centre of the wheel to something like the pillion peg....do this before sitting on the bike and then measure it again when you are sat on the bike and see how much the bike has sunk down......get the c soanner out and turn the collar around either way until you get the preload the same as the front.
Do these preload adjustments on flat ground and remember not to take your initial adjustments with the bike still on the stand...take it off the stand so that your first measurements measure basically how much the bike sinks down by its own weight before you get on it.
Once you've set up the preload then go for a spin and see if it feels any better and then the fun starts on setting the other adjustments called compression and rebound.....the H & S that you described earlier on your fork would be SOFT and HARD.....i don't know about your bike this could be a joint compression/rebound adjuster......or on my Gen2 thou then i have compression hard and soft on the left side fork top and rebound soft and hard on the right side fork top.......ill let the gen 1 thou owners advise you on that one.
Easiest way to go fast........don't buy a blue bike