suspension
- Thread starter jake78cnc
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- suspension. preload
Mart Man FZ6R
New Member
Where's the best place to eat dinner?
This is a very loaded question. Your weight and the type of riding you're doing will have an impact on where you would adjust it. We would need more info to SUGGEST a setting. Guys my weight say they set to 6 but I didn't like the harsh ride on the concrete slab highway so I have mine set at 5. I've considered setting it back to 4 and I weigh 250 lbs. I've spent nearly a whole day in the twisties at this setting an noticed no problems. I don't ride that hard though. It's about the scenery for me.
Some of us have upgraded the suspension with stiffer springs and or valves.
So it depends on how you want the bike to feel.
I have RaceTech springs front and rear.
I weigh about 210 lbs and had the rear shock set at max when it was stock.
The spring is not made for a 210 lb person and in the turns, I could feel the rear shock doing a pogo. I upgraded to springs that are designed for my weight and changed the fork oil from 5w to 15w.
I still have the rear shock at 5 with the stiffer spring and have barely 20mm sag front and rear. My bike is really stiff...and predictable...
I have to use my knees when I ride to keep it smooth but then I like the "track bike" suspension feel. Old habits die hard and if I wanted a comfortable ride I would have bought a cruiser....
Experiment with the rear shock to get the sag closer to what you like and then change the front fork oil to 15w. It'll improve the handling immensely and is a cheap modification. You will still have that FZ6R dive going into the corners until you either change out the springs or put a longer spacer in the fork tubes to change the sag.
Then if you want, you can go with straight weight springs like I did or go with progressive springs, change the valves to cartridge emulators etc.
Have fun..be careful and do what you feel is best for you.
So it depends on how you want the bike to feel.
I have RaceTech springs front and rear.
I weigh about 210 lbs and had the rear shock set at max when it was stock.
The spring is not made for a 210 lb person and in the turns, I could feel the rear shock doing a pogo. I upgraded to springs that are designed for my weight and changed the fork oil from 5w to 15w.
I still have the rear shock at 5 with the stiffer spring and have barely 20mm sag front and rear. My bike is really stiff...and predictable...
I have to use my knees when I ride to keep it smooth but then I like the "track bike" suspension feel. Old habits die hard and if I wanted a comfortable ride I would have bought a cruiser....
Experiment with the rear shock to get the sag closer to what you like and then change the front fork oil to 15w. It'll improve the handling immensely and is a cheap modification. You will still have that FZ6R dive going into the corners until you either change out the springs or put a longer spacer in the fork tubes to change the sag.
Then if you want, you can go with straight weight springs like I did or go with progressive springs, change the valves to cartridge emulators etc.
Have fun..be careful and do what you feel is best for you.
W
whatever
too bad you have to remove the forks to change the oil wt,
but when your on the gas the bike takes the bumps pretty good... when you off the gas and you hit few bumps one after other you can tell they are little weak in that area.
but when your on the gas the bike takes the bumps pretty good... when you off the gas and you hit few bumps one after other you can tell they are little weak in that area.
i had mine set on 3 from factory, and went to 4 and now 5. i like how it feels, but then again, i have never tried 6. i like a little stiffer suspension. for me it seems a bit harsher on rough patches, but it settles out alot quicker than when i had it on 3. btw, im around 165 lbs.
panda express!, beat you detrich
panda express!, beat you detrich
Can't say for sure where I found it, but somewhere in the Inet universe, there was a write up on changing the springs (very detailed pics and all) and oil while still on the bike. They used a syringe from a pet supply store with a long tube attached to removed the oil (most of the oil, they said you'd never get it all out this way).
Not sure what others have done on here, but a few have changed it.
Hi Jake, and welcome.
Clearly, many people consider suspension settings to be personal preference, but measuring sag is probably the most scientific way to choose a setting.
However, based on what I've read on this forum here is a very general guideline:
1 is the least preload. 3 is default preload from factory. 7 is the most preload.
Try 1 or 2 if you're under 150 pounds. Try 3-5 if you're between 150 and 200. Try 4-7 if you're over 200.
Add 1 or 2 if you do fast, sporting riding (this is perhaps debatable). A lower setting will definitely yield a plusher ride and is more suitable for rough pavement, commuting and cruising.
The fact is that the FZ6R is sprung for something like a 140-180 pound rider, and if you weigh more, increasing preload is not as good as getting the proper spring for your weight.
I weigh 165 without gear, and I find 3 (factory setting) to be good for all purpose riding. The bike is somewhat wallowy when I ride hard through curves, but that is more a function of damping, which you can't change through settings. You can effectively change the damping of the forks through an oil change though.
Clearly, many people consider suspension settings to be personal preference, but measuring sag is probably the most scientific way to choose a setting.
However, based on what I've read on this forum here is a very general guideline:
1 is the least preload. 3 is default preload from factory. 7 is the most preload.
Try 1 or 2 if you're under 150 pounds. Try 3-5 if you're between 150 and 200. Try 4-7 if you're over 200.
Add 1 or 2 if you do fast, sporting riding (this is perhaps debatable). A lower setting will definitely yield a plusher ride and is more suitable for rough pavement, commuting and cruising.
The fact is that the FZ6R is sprung for something like a 140-180 pound rider, and if you weigh more, increasing preload is not as good as getting the proper spring for your weight.
I weigh 165 without gear, and I find 3 (factory setting) to be good for all purpose riding. The bike is somewhat wallowy when I ride hard through curves, but that is more a function of damping, which you can't change through settings. You can effectively change the damping of the forks through an oil change though.
Put a strap around the frame under the triple and use a hoist to lift the front off the ground about 3 inches. I used a rear wheel stand to steady the bike.
Unbolt the brakes and fender and remove the front wheel. Loosen the caps on the top of the forks and then loosen the 2 bolts holding the fork in. Slide the fork down and off the bike. It takes less than 10 minutes to remove the forks literally.
Once off the bike, remove the cap and turn the fork upside down with the top in a pan to catch the oil. Set aside the spring, shim and washers and pump the fork up and down a bunch of times to get rid of the oil.
Reverse the steps to reinstall the forks and add 16 oz of fork oil to each fork tube, tighten the cap and you are done.
It took me less than 2 hours the first time and I had to measure a bunch of times and cut custom length bushings for the new springs. If I was just changing the fork oil, it would be a 45 minute job total.
Everyone has given good advice here. I weigh about 180, have the rear preload on 5. Works well for me when I hit the twisties here in Colorado, or just for cruising with a passenger. I did just recently change out the front springs to HyperPro, and WOWWWW, much better. No more diving under decel, more stable, and great with a rear passenger.