Race techs motorcycle suspension bible provides a clear understanding of the most misunderstood aspect of motorcycle performance. A complete guide to setting up your sportbikes suspension, including all the terms, technology and troubleshooting introduction get started on your setup section 1. Making adjustment to a motorcycles suspension should start with setting the bike up to the factory recommended specifications. This includes replacing leaky seals, lubricating sticky linkage bushings, and changing old fork or shock oil. Likewise, even with a perfect shock specification, poor clicker settings will ruin the whole farm. To get the most out of your new suspension setup, we recommend following a. Progressive suspension is the best way to lower your motorcycle. Suspension and chassis geometry set up on a road race 125 is a little subservient to the need for optimum attitude. Some people, media and websites will charge or tell you what they think is best for you whilst amongst top racers it is a closely guarded secret. But, we realize its not always practical to hunt down the particular session you need, so we compiled the whole thing into a handy dandy pdf.
Steering dampers your motorcycle needs the best quality. The setup sheets are in pdf and excel format, while the gearing chart, raketrail calculator and thrust chart are. True to our roots, we remain a racing suspension company to this day. Testing with champions enhances your ride rider machine. Oct 25, 2017 making adjustment to a motorcycles suspension should start with setting the bike up to the factory recommended specifications. Motorcycle suspension guide superbikecoach a motorcycle. The shock absorberfront forksteering damper is an impor. Motorcycle rear suspension worcester polytechnic institute.
In general, most riders will find the factory settings to be best. Motorcycle suspension is critical to ensuring both safety and comfort while. Ohlins racing ab began in 1976 as a motocross racing suspension company. Sag is how much the rear shock compresses with a rider on board the motorcycle. Whether a motorcycle has adjustable or nonadjustable suspension, it comes from the factory with the suspension set up for a single rider even if its a dualseat bike weighing about 7585kg.
Screw in for firmer quicker extension and out for softer slower extension. Seven myths about motorcycle suspension motorbike writer. Our suspension is now improving the ride and performance of motorcycles of all types. Suspension setup unfortunately there is no literature that can give you the perfect setup for your harley. Yet knowing how your suspension works and what effect the various adjustments have will help you get the best out of your riding.
Suspension and chassis geometry set up on a road race 125 is a little subservient to the need for optimum attitude of the fairing into the airstream. Motochassis is for those interested in motorcycle handling and chassis. Highlights important information regarding procedures or recommendations on the products installation or use. Race tech will be closed november 29th 29th for thanksgiving. One of the major keys to a successful suspension setup is the condition of the components. We stock a full array of motorcycle suspension adjustment tool models like air pumps, seal drivers, spanner wrenches, shock adjustment tools, spring compressors, fork oil levelers and more, and.
No shims, therefore no loss of damping because of bent shims. Owners manual and suspension setup guide squarespace. Complete motorcycle suspension units for sale ebay. Motorcycle tuning setup guide penske racing shocks. All chassis dimensions and specifications are editable. Street, track or strip get the hot setup for your chosen venue. Remove the setup sheet at the back of this manual and photocopy it. In part 2 we are going to be talking about the most basic types of geometry changes that we can employ in order to change the natural characteristics of our bikes. Aug, 2018 aug 2018 suspension secrets 2 comments due to motorbikes having 2 wheels instead of 4, they have significantly less geometry to think about. You should adjust the front fork preload, rebound, and compression settings. Minimising aerodynamic drag and optimising forward speed on a 125 is all.
Motorcycle suspension explained tfx suspension technology. Motorcycle information bike year, brand, model and displacement. Race techs motorcycle suspension bible motorbooks workshop. Your motorcycles level of comfort, control and traction can be improved by properly adjusting your suspensions rebound damping. Other fork designs are girder forks, suspended on sprung parallel links not common since the 1940s and bottom leading link designs, not common since the 1960s. The reason why there is so much debate and controversy regarding suspension set up is because it is a personal experience and depends on how and where you ride your motorcycle. Before attempting any setting changes, check to make sure your bike s fork and shock are in good working order. We can therefore only try to give you guidelines and ground rules for the setup of your motorcycle. We can therefore only try to give you guidelines and ground rules for the chassis setup of your machine. Manuals ohlins racing all vehicles suspension manuals. It is of little use making suspension and geometry adjustments when you have no idea of the basics. Use a steering damper to provide you with the best control possible. The setup sheets are in pdf and excel format, while the gearing chart, raketrail calculator and thrust chart are all in excel format.
How i set up my motorbike go star racing motorcycle. Everyone is different in their perception of how their bike should ride. May 19, 2009 suspension setup guide staff weve heard practically every excuse in the book from sportbike riders who refuse to mess with their suspension, from, i dont know what knobs do what, to, it works. Downloads motorcycle data acquisition data for motorcycles.
Setting up your motorcycle suspension is one of the most arcane and confounding disciplines, yet one of the most important. Breaking it down its important to start at the basics, so lets do that by breaking suspension down into the damper and the spring. Race tech upgrades for your motorcycle will have you thanks giving with every ride. Superbikecoach motorcycle suspension guide the suspension setting process provided here is a basic methodical guide to providing a way to update you current suspension to the style of riding to best suit your needs. The modern era in suspension design was initiated when yamaha announced their cantilever system, and employed just one suspension unit monoshock. However, the geometry that they do have is adjustable and affects the handling of the bike in a big way. Begin to choose your bike brand and model, at step 2 enter your weight and preferred sag. High performance motorcycle suspension, including shocks and springs for harley, honda, suzuki, yamaha and kawasaki. Last week, we wrapped up our sixpart suspension setup series. Performance suspension guide find the base set up for your bike and optimize it for you. Dealer programs dealer application rt ride center program rt harleydavidson brochure. To get the best out of your bike it needs to be set up for the conditions in which you will be riding. The basics whether you are a road rider or a racer correct suspension setup is the key to fast smooth riding and consistent lap times.
Road race suspension set up tips teknik racing unit 45 harford street, penrith 2750 nsw p. Articles and illustrations on motorcycles and racing in general. The most common form of front suspension for a modern motorcycle is the telescopic fork. Tech tip how to set motorcycle suspension static sag. This page has motorcycle setup sheets and downloads that are useful for keeping track of your chassis setup and give you some direction on making changes. Initially the yamaha version was designed for motocross to extend wheel movement, and this led to a wide variety of alternative rear suspension systems by several manufacturers.
A fork rebound damping usually located on top of the fork in the center of the preload adjuster. Progressive suspension high performance motorcycle. Spec is software for tuning motorcycle suspension and chassis geometry motospec has been designed for racing use, with a simple interface and clear outputs, to assist motorcycle tuners and race teams make quick and knowledgeable decisions. The suspension setting process provided here is a basic methodical guide to providing a way to update you current suspension to the style of riding to best suit your needs. When suspension works correctly the bike will be much more enjoyable to ride.
Motorcycle setup sheets these three motorcycle setup sheets can be used to help you track your setup changes over time and from track to track. Suspension set up explained the components, where are they and what do they do. How i set up my motorbike go star racing motorcycle club. Unlimited opening up of wp cone valve so harshness reduced. Its important to keep your motorcycle suspension parts in good working condition. Progressive suspension offers some of the best shocks and fork springs on the market, while legend suspension is a top dog for offering air ride.
Motorcycle suspension setup getting to grips with a black art suspension setup. How to set up your motorcycle suspension motorbike writer. Breaking it down its important to start at the basics, so lets do that by breaking. Suspension setup is individually dependent on the rider style, preference and road conditions, which vary from the surface and climate. At tfx suspension we often have people emailing in asking for some advice on how to set up their motorcycle suspension correctly, so we have created this guide to help explain. Aftermarket components like yokes and linkages can be measured and input by the user. Motorcycle setup software is indispensable for anyone involved in designing or modifying a motorcycle, setting up sport or racing motorcycles, achieving improved comfort and handling, students and anyone wanting to better understand the workings of suspension systems. Figure 9 19 pope motorcycle with plunger system setup on the. You will see how you can optimize your ride with ohlins suspension. It is the prime source for the book motorcycle handling and chassis design by tony foale and software packages for motorcycle suspension setup and analysis. Motorcycle suspension 101 a complete guide for riders.
If your suspension is just fine, but you want a better ride, there are plenty of options to accomplish just that. Motorcycle setup software motochassis by tony foale. Getting the perfect setup as motorcycles get more and more complex, its easy to think that the science behind the suspension on your bike is almost too much to understand. Turn the adjusters clockwise, counting the clicks or turns. Suspension setup guide staff weve heard practically every excuse in the book from sportbike riders who refuse to mess with their suspension, from, i. Fully extend the rear suspension with the wheel off the ground. Next in the equation 1, there is the air resistance, whose main component is a quadratic velocity vr, an input factor of driving. When all is said and done, the factory will have spent many hours with professional riders fine tuning the motorcycle before offering it to the public. Whether a motorcycle has adjustable or nonadjustable suspension, it comes from the factory with the suspension set up for a single rider. Motorcycle suspension systems utilize the laws of mechanical physics to dissipate forces acting on the wheels, in order to provide a smooth and stable ride.
Not all bikes have this adjustment, and some have it linked to the rebound damping. May 06, 2009 motorcycle suspension setup getting to grips with a black art suspension setup. As i said in the first part of this series, the words geometry changes often strike fear into the hearts of many riders thinking about making changes to their setups. Crown kiwi technical is a company focused solely on optimising motorcycle and race car suspension. Place motorcycle on the ground, bounce the suspension a couple times, let it settle and measure from the axle back up to the same point on the rear mudguard. The book provides stepbystep photos of suspension disassembly and assembly as well as detailed troubleshooting for dirt, street, and supermoto promising a solution. Tires, your riding style, where you ride, the condition of your suspension and rider weight and ability all play a part in finding optimum settings. Some people, media and websites will charge or tell you what they think is best for you. Motorcycle ohlins usa ohlins usa suspension products. Motochassis introduction motochassis by tony foale. Apr 22, 2010 a complete guide to setting up your sportbikes suspension, including all the terms, technology and troubleshooting introduction get started on your setup section 1. How to setup your bike s suspension trusted by some of the best teams in the world and rightfully regarded as one of the best men at bike setup in the world, niall mackenzie can suss and sort suspension in seconds. Controls the extension of the fork after it compresses.