V11 suspension setup

[rossi46]

Hi all, New owner of a 02 V11 sport(12,500mls) and I'm finally get some miles in on the bike! however I think the suspension needs alittle tweaking, the front seems way too firm and the rear too soft. I have afew articules from guzzitec etc to read(this is all new to me!) but before I start down that road I need to put the bike back to factory settings.I have an owners manual but other than tell you that you can adjust the front it does'nt mention how it left the factory. As for the rear is does say the factory setting i.e 20 snaps from closed, I assume closed is all the way clockwise?and I have no tool kit can I use a 'c' spanner from another bike? also any tips on getting to the rear shock?thanks guys

[Guest ratchethack]

Welcome, Rossi

 

There's nothing in any Guzzi manual that I know of that covers correct suspension setup. Start by setting sags, and ignore comp & rebound damping until you have sags set correctly. NOTE: If you have incorrect fork and/or shock spring rates for your weight and riding preferences, you may be well advised to upgrade springs to the proper rates if they're too far off. If so, you won't be able to get the sags set correctly.

 

You can use any C-spanner that allows you to adjust the shock spring collar setting, however, the confines of the shock may not allow what you have. Alternately, you can use a long screwdriver to tap the lockring and spring collar around.

 

The following links should be a big help:

 

http://www.racetech.com/articles/SuspensionAndSprings.htm

 

http://www.strappe.com/suspension.html

 

After you've got the above covered, you can fine-tune the fork with the guide at this page:

 

http://www.peterverdonedesigns.com/oilheight.htm

 

Hope this helps.

[rossi46]

Thanks I'll read those articules, owners manual states factory settings for rear i.e 20 snaps from closed , so is closed fully clockwise?

[GuzziMoto]

Yes, fully closed would be fully screwed in which would be full clockwise. Don't over close it.

[mdude]

I would take the fact. manual settings with a huge dollop of scepticism. It makes the bike very hard and nervous, suppleness does it!

 

I found an excellent writeup on this forum by some australian when I bought my bike, and that helped me.

These excact sag measurements and settings which Ratch writes about is of course vital; but that writeup (if you can find it) gives you some veeeery useful first step hints. Things that you easily can do yourself.

 

Backing up completely on all settings and tightening the rear spring (I almost turned it way down) to get a bit more weight to the front is step 1 (amazing transformation...), then experiment with comp and rebound front and rear until it suits you and your weight. Better springs in the front fork is a very good tip and THEN you can dial in the right amount of sag with the fork spacers.

[rossi46]

Ok, filter box off to access shock but when I turn the adjusters- C and D in manual-they both turn and theres no 'clicks! I assume they compress the spring i.e stiffen it when screwed in? do I need to hold one whilst turning the other? also manual says hydraulic braking, what does that mean? what does ring nut A do? thanks

[GuzziMoto]

C and D may turn together, and there is no clicks. They just compress the spring raising the ride height of the rear when you are on the bike (race sag). They do not actually stiffen the spring. You do need to be sure to tighten them (C and D) against each other when you are done. This prevents them from moving from where you set it. The one against the spring is the one that sets preload and the other is a lock nut to hold the first in place. I find it easier to undo "C" so that it is no longer against "D". That makes it easier to turn "D" to adjust, and then tighten "C" back down tight against "D" when you are done. Also, it is okay to turn the spring with "D" and sometimes that makes it easier to adjust "D".

"A" (at the other end of the shock)is a rebound adjustment. That is how fast the shock extends after compression.

"B" (on the remote res) is your compression dampening.

[Guest ratchethack]

Ok, filter box off to access shock but when I turn the adjusters- C and D in manual-they both turn and theres no 'clicks! I assume they compress the spring i.e stiffen it when screwed in? do I need to hold one whilst turning the other? also manual says hydraulic braking, what does that mean? what does ring nut A do? thanks

Hi Rossi

 

Don't know if your manual is the same as mine or not, but it looks like you're adjusting shock spring preload. It's not necessary to have the air box out to do this -- and quite a piece of work to get it out and back in! There are no "clicks" when turning the lockring or the spring collar on the shock. Both turn smoothly on the shock body.

 

Yes, it's often necessary to secure the spring collar when breaking the lockring free. Once the lockring is free of the spring collar, you can back the lockring out a ways and turn the spring collar. Since you're working against spring pressure, there will be resistance to turning. It helps quite a bit to ease the pressure on the spring collar first, by putting the bike on a stand with the rear wheel off the floor.

 

 

Shock spring preload adjustment

 

NOTE: Before adjusting preload, it's often a good idea to get some rags under the shock and give the fine threads on the shock body a shot or two of WD-40 or similar spray solvent/lube to get the road grit out of the threads. Makes the task LOTS easier, and avoids damage to the threads.

 

RE: "Hydraulic braking" - This looks like a Mandello Tech Pubs translation for "damping".

 

The "clicks" are a reference to an arbitrary "baseline" adjustment for shock damping. Again, the correct procedure (per the links I provided above) is to set the sags first, before setting damping. This means adjusting preload until the sag numbers are as correct as you can make them.

 

Again, if you study the links I provided above, the most common terms you will need to communicate about this are fully explained.

 

Any need for help, if you let me know, I will get you through this with a correctly set up Guzzi.

 

WARNING: There are some self-professed suspension "experts" hereabouts who haven't the slightest clue about how to do this correctly. Their posts here clearly indicate that they have never done it correctly themselves, and/or that they have never as much as attempted to do it themselves. I warn you that this does not stop them from being quick to provide false advice. It's up to you to figure out who the resident dipsticks are. They know enough to get YOU into trouble at no risk to themselves, and they couldn't care less. I suggest that you avoid them like the plague. As a public service to this Forum, I have occasionally been known to flush them out into the open for all to see, by getting them to post what they actually believe. The results of this exercise are always surprising, and occasionally quite bizarre. As elsewhere, if you neglect the wisdom of reasonable discernment with your sources on suspension set-up, the pretenders will have you confused and frustrated, to the point where you'll be sorely tempted to give up long before you've made much progress, if any.

 

Should you suspect this is the case at any point to come (it may or may not be obvious), PM me, and we'll have you set up correctly and down the road ASAP, with the least confusion.

[rossi46]

thanks guys, had the tank off so figured whilst I'm there whip the air box off too!

[neophyte]

I have the öhlins shock which I think has the "C" and "D" rings in the same orientation. I have the special tool to turn them. I took a side panel off but the airbox looks in the way for reaching through. I didn't really see how you can get at these even with the tank off, but maybe once the tank is off you have more room??

 

What is the easiest way to adjust the rear spring pre-load - move the collars?

[rossi46]

just remove the air box-a couple of screws and some electrical thingy-have read people have done it with out this but I think thats a disaster waiting to happen! it only takes afew mins

[Baldini]

...What is the easiest way to adjust the rear spring pre-load - move the collars?

 

I just tapped a large flatblade screwdriver against the shoulders on the screw rings. Sounds crude I know but worked fine.

As I recall I removed seat & lifted rear of tank a little. If you do this don't be heavy handed & careful not to scratch bodywork etc.

 

KB

[neophyte]

Thanks,

 

O.K. if this is the right time to ask...I don't understand how the hoses come off the tank. They are quick connect conntectors? Do I pull on the gray platic collar, away from the elbow. I'm not lazy I just don't want to ham fist and break the darn thing and have to wait 8 months for parts and be stranded.

 

It seems pretty quick to do, although a little complicated....everything off, adjust preload, everything on, measure, repeat

 

Maybe I would hope one turn of the preload ring equals about one millimeter of sag adjustment like the article says?

 

I had a ride height of F1-F3 = 43mm (front) and R1-R3 = 38mm (rear).

 

The generic Öhlins owner's manual, that I downloaded somewhere years ago, suggests front 35-50mm and rear 25-40mm. The öhlins website has a bit different numbers. I think the rear number is too high as it is and more pre-load would be a possible good thing to do.

 

I read "pre-load on the springs is very important" but that and some generic ranges are all I have for guidance. What would Mr. Knievel do??

[gstallons]

"most" quick-connect couplings push toward each other then slide off the attached part. Try it very easily before jerking and cussing.

[GuzziMoto]

Rumor has it that there is a two to one ratio between axle movement and shock movement. That means that a 1 mm change in spring preload should equal about 2 mm change in ride height.

Suspension set up is a matter of personal preference, but a couple rules that I use as a guide are;

Front and rear race sag (with rider on board) should be pretty equal. This maintains the steering geometry when you climb on board.

Race sag should be about 20 to 25 percent of average suspension travel. Free sag should be about 5 to 10 percent of average suspension travel. If you set you race sag and your free sag is off then you need different springs.

If in doubt about where to start, a pro suspension guy is a good investment to get you started in the right direction and it is surprisingly cheap to have your suspension professionally setup. Well set up suspension is worth its weight in gold.