Homework Assignment

Looking at the weather, it should be a lovely weekend pretty much all over the place. Odds are, many folks will want to get out and ride this weekend.

For this reason, I'm assigning Homework to each and every member of this fine forum. Homework must be completed before riding this weekend, so grab a beer and head out to the garage.

This week's homework assignment is: Setting your Sag.

Setting your suspension's sag is a necessary part of getting the most out of your bike, whether you're on stock suspension, or on upgraded suspension.

The process is rather easy, but can require 2 people to do properly.

A member on another forum came up with a suspension "worksheet" for you to record all of your measurements, and this sheet can be downloaded and printed from my Google Docs here: Google Docs

The process is rather straight forward.
Step 1: Measure your current setup.



  • Front:
  • Measure from the top of the dust seals on the forks to the triple tree with no weight on the bike.

    Rear:
  • Measure the rear from the ground to a spot on the bike. (This spot must stay the same for all measurements, so take a piece of tape, stick it to the tail and mark it with a Sharpie)

Step 2: Measure with you sitting on the bike (this is why you need a second person)
  • Measure the movement from the unweighted bike, and compare to measurement with you on the bike
  • Same for the rear

For the front, you can do it by yourself if you wrap a zip-tie around the fork tube, and with the bike unweighted, push the zip tie down to the top of the dust seal.. then measure from the dust seal to where the zip tie moves to when you sit on the bike.

Step 3: Adjust.
You're trying to get the amount of movement to line up with the specified numbers on the chart. In adjusting sag, all you're adjusting is the spring preload. Compression damping and rebound damping are adjusted by feel after you've set the preload.

Step 4: Measure again

Step 5: Adjust again.

Repeat as needed, until you get the movement within specifications.

***If you cannot get your sag within specifications, you need new springs.***

Since I recently reworked my suspension with stiffer springs, and AK-20's I'll be doing this on Thursday. Also my favorite riding buddy got my hand-me-down cartridges with Axxion valving installed so we'll be setting the sag on his 03 FZ as well... So.. I'm not just assigning this for everyone else... I'll be doing it as well.
 
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Check....ok.. so now what do I do with the rest of the beer???:beer:

But really. This is good advice for every one. Even if you have already done it. Re checking is always good. Things do change. There are a lot of factors going on.
 
worksheet

I downloaded and printed that worksheet some time ago. When my riding buddy gets back to town I will get both our machines done and recorded. I have fine tuned my own by "seat of the pants" and a little experimenting and am happy with the feel and performance for now. Having a method and some refference number would be a good thing though. Proper set up means better control and that is always the way to go.

Thanks
 
Thanks Aaron! I will go do this now as I've yet to properly do it at all.

Sorry, but I just haveta.... Gian T. Balls Sag! :spank2: lolup
 
I'd like to see feedback here after you guys have done it as well.... to see how far out some of you were/are before adjusting...

I'd like to see Sag measurements as it sits now, compared as to what you're new settings are....

I've set up a few bikes that had 50+mm of sag before I started, then I managed to get them down to 15-20mm...

*** As another note... if you're a fast rider (don't lie to yourself if you're not) the settings can stand to be a bit tighter... somewhere in the neighborhood of 15mm front and rear.. ***
 
After basic setup is complete... refer here for more advanced setup, and reading your tires:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYkZNaByBog]YouTube - Motorcycle Suspension setup 101.2[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JutNhZw1TB0]YouTube - Types of Tyre Wear on Motorcycles[/ame]
 
Good point VA! i always find myself first trying to get used to the bike before screwing with the suspension. I will change that!

PS anyone interested the vids in VA's last post are really great. I have a few dvds from this guy and they are great!
 
I've set up a few bikes that had 50+mm of sag before I started, then I managed to get them down to 15-20mm...

*** As another note... if you're a fast rider (don't lie to yourself if you're not) the settings can stand to be a bit tighter... somewhere in the neighborhood of 15mm front and rear.. ***

What if the rider is "too big boned" and the stock suspension is not enough, sag is still too much and you can't afford major upgrades (because you blew the wad on . . . . oh . . . I don't know.... Maybe a bunch of Copperdog stuff or something like that) ??? Huh??? What then??? :gagged: :eek:
 
Where is it?.....uh....sorry teacher, the dog ate my homework, er, uh, I mean it got blown out the window on the flight over here, er. uh......I mean.... it .got uh............. lol
 
Na....serriously I'v been working on it along with damping and compression, but being the temporary lardo that I presently am, I really have found no baseline to use for my weight a blimpy 275-80. I'v set the sag, but may still fiddle with it some.... somewhere in the window you'v prepared and presented us. I'm leaning towards a 'soft' setting on the front forks and rear shock in the compression area, and somewhere in-between on the damping. The roads around here are actually pretty good, in fact alot better than alot of places I'v been, with little damage or sands at intersections, all the little ooppps's that one usually encounters, and I only recall one little 'burp' on a sandy corner, just an N'th of loose.

I know a fiew members have followed my introduction to the FZ1 as I'm a recent member, reguardless of the title on my avitar of 'senior member' and now over a couple months, I'v become used to the power, how it comes on, the trans and which gears are appropriate for different circumstances, either cruising or honking-on. All of you members have put a little somthing in my mind to digest and consider.
 
I didn't... As a matter of fact, due to scheduling issues, I didn't even get to ride on the weekend AT ALL!

This weekend is shot. I'm traveling to pick up a Craig's List purchase then going to my Mom's to do some work for her (She's 80) and then coming back Sunday afternoon. So, maybe, just MAYBE next week?

Sorry Teach!!! But I promise to get it done as soon as I can and leave feedback.
 
next week I'm work free, so will endeavour to set my bik's sag. And will also even try to set the sag on my race bike. Will keep you posted....target date for completion is now set to Sunday 18 april....
 
I did mine....had to fly solo for the rear so it is pretty close, but not absolutely perfect.

how you ask.....put the centerstand on for the basleline reading. Then I compared the weight of the bike vs. the weight of the bike on the rear stand -- reading was within a 1/16th of each other. So I marked the swingarm and marked the measuring point, with the suggested tape to keep the points the same during measuring) and then sat on the bike, on the rear stand, to get my final measurement. This was a bit harder to do and keep accurate, but I kept coming up with the same measurement within an 1/8th and I was not in gear, so I erred on the stiffer side......

I need to start playing with the compression/rebound on the rear becasue I originally went with the setting that had come dialed in on the shock as the baseline from Traxxion, which was pretty plush. The new settings gave the ride more "bumps" felt in the road but some of the turns on the normal commute had a completely different result than what was previously felt.

I should also mention that I put the bike back to its factory setting with the new adjustable links that I had because the other raised links were not identical and possibly put the rear in some sort of bind to not operate at its peak efficiency.

I had ridden the bike for about a week before I did the homework assignment, so the difference I'm feeling is not all do to the fact of lowering the rear back to stock. I'll raise the rear using the adjustability on the Penske so that it is not as extreme as going to raised links, and start playing with the settings to see how the ride is affected.....

The front shocks were originally dialed in from a call to Traxxion and their best recommendation for a baseline.....It was pretty close to being spot on.....again, need to play around with the compession/rebound to see what the effects are.....

more to come as settings change and I better began to understand the effects of changes in the settings....
 
Checked it, rode it. But man I need new springs. I'm double what Yamaha thinks is average grith. Then when I put my girl on the back.... Lets just say, it's a cushy ride.
So I'm trying to make up with rebound and compression settings.
I know I just need to get suspension (shock and fork work), but that is just a far off glimer of hope. BUt one day... one day.
For now I just keep the handy dandy little screewdriver in my side pocket and adjust away as to what I need for the time.
It would be really neet to have a remote Dail-A-Ride on the handle bars so I wouldn't have to pull over while I adjust... ok I know I know I'm dreaming again.
I guess I could go on a diet..... pfffffffffffttt yeah right...lol:p
 
Well, as my FZ was used when I bought it...

I took it to a friend of mine to ensure that it was good to go. We put on a new chain and sprockets (stayed 530 w/stock gearing), changed the oil, put on a slip-on exhaust (thanks Varider!) and adjusted the sag.

This bike rides so much better than my FZ6 and after I added the exhaust the power was much, much better!

I appreciate the post as I didn't know the specs, but my friend is very experienced at it and my bike is fairly set up for me.

Depending the route I take with this bike, I might upgrade the springs and rear shock. But, I might be picking up a second bike if I sell my Busa.:)
 
Still traveling this weekend so I can't do homework. I'll try and do it Monday since I am working from home. I'll drag the wifi laptop out to the garage and work on the bike while monitoring my @work activities. :D
 
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