Suspension

Front Forks:

This is the setup I’ve found to work on both road and ventures onto the track for track days. I weigh 70 kg and I’m 170cm tall. I’ve found the best pre-load position to be approximately mid-way at line 3 on the adjuster. I’ve kept the fork legs flush with the top yoke. I’ve tried dropping them through the yoke and found for my style of riding it just didn’t work it made it handle worse. I was bought up on 70’s trial bikes and a Z750 E1 so perhaps I’m suited to the wallow style of riding, I find rigid sport bikes difficult to make go where I want them to go.

The only modification I have done is exchanged the standard progressively wound springs for slightly thicker diameter wire progressively wound springs. This made the front end firmer and inspires more confidence that the tyre will not let go unexpectedly. The fork oil by experiment level had to be lowered by 10mm from 99mm to 109mm.

Rear Shock:

My standard unit gave up after about 12,000 miles plenty of bounce but no damping. I couldnt decide whether to stick to standard or go for a more expensive named make with compression damping. I then found that a shock absorber with all these requirements, that would fit with no modifications. It was from a GSXR1100K, so I bought it and took it to a local guy to me who had supplied the front fork springs.

He totally rebuilt the unit, made a great job of it. I learn later that he does shock absorber re-builds for most of the UK works motor cross team. The famous in your backyard.

I now seem to have the ideal set up for myself so aim to have no further developments here unless I come across a set of White Power or Ohlins upside down forks at the right price.

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