1. note the current setting of the suspension
2. check the tire pressure The tire pressure and the carcass have a significant influence on the suspension. Therefore, adjustments should always be made with the same tire and tire pressure as when driving.
With progressive springs, the spring rate increases with increasing pressure over the entire spring travel, while springs with a two-stage spring rate have a defined crossover point at which the rate changes. With linear springs, the spring rate always remains the same.
3. warm up the suspension The temperature influences the viscosity of the hydraulic oil and the tire pressure.
4. fully open the rebound and compression stages Important for initial adjustment. This will give you a better feel for the different adjustment ranges later on. This step can be omitted for subsequent adjustments.
*The negative suspension travel is the distance that the spring is compressed by the rider and the vehicle when stationary. This is the amount of travel available for rebound over depressions in the road surface. 5. adjusting the spring preload The spring preload is used to adjust the negative suspension travel. Only with progressive springs does the preload have an influence on the hardness of the spring. If a spring is clearly too hard or too soft, the only solution is to replace the spring.
The rubber bump stops from the shock absorber can be used as an aid here. Alternatively, you can also work with two markings (points) on the vehicle. If these points are not on the axle of the shock absorber, the deviating spring travel due to the lever must be taken into account.
On scooters, the negative suspension travel (N1) often cannot be determined due to the low unsprung mass. In this case, only N2 with rider and payload is used for adjustments.
The illustration shows the ratio of spring preload to negative suspension travel*. It also shows how changing the preload changes the percentage of suspension travel available for compression and rebound. Total suspension travel A = 100 % (wheel fully unloaded to block) Negative suspension travel N1 (vehicle without rider and load) front = 10-20 %, rear = 5-15 % Negative suspension travel N2 (vehicle, rider, fuel, load) Street: front = 30-35 %, rear = 25-30 % Racing: front = 20-25 %, rear = 15-20 %
If the vehicle is too hard and bumpy, especially after a series of bumps, the rebound damping should be reduced. Turn the adjustment knob 4 steps counter-clockwise and take a test ride. If the vehicle is now too unstable and spongy, turn the adjustment knob back by 2 steps.
The illustration shows the relationship between rebound damping and traction, vehicle control and absorption capacity of the suspension. If traction suffers with more rebound damping, the subjective feeling of vehicle control still increases. Most riders will benefit from riding with less rebound damping than usual.
If it feels unstable in fast corners and has a tendency to dip easily into bumps and potholes, the compression damping should be increased. Turn clockwise 6 clicks and test again. If this was too much, turn back 3 clicks. If it feels hard and bumpy or tends to bounce under braking, the compression damping should be reduced. Turn counterclockwise in six steps. Carry out a test run and, if necessary, set back again by 3 clicks. It only makes sense to make further fine adjustments after a rough presetting.
As you can see: As with rebound damping, traction and vehicle control suffer as compression damping increases. However, both do not drop as quickly as in rebound damping. Note that here too, maximum vehicle control is to the right of traction.