deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
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posted July 17, 2004 01:19 PM
"bouncy" suspension???
OK guys, here is a question for the suspension experts. My bike feels... well, "bouncy". When I'm cruising down the road at higher speeds/normal speeds/whatever speeds, the bike feels like it has "springs" on it - much more bouncy than normal. I'm wondering if I have to change the suspension settings now that I put a 190 rear on with a 17 Tooth front sprocket? I also have a 1/4 mile dirt/gravel driveway, so the bike travels on this rough surface a lot - maybe I damaged the suspension? Anyone have any ideas? The front forks don't look like they are leaking anything, and I seem to have noticed the bounce after I went to a 190 rear. HELP!!
  
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slug
Pro
Out in search of my mind...
Posts: 1433
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posted July 17, 2004 01:39 PM
did it suddenly start? or did you just start to notice it in the post-mod paranoia phase?
;P
if it is just somethying you are noticing, it could very well be a wear problem in the suspension. try adjusting your compression damping and rebound damping a little to compensate
if it is sudden, look for some sort of catastrophic failure (oil leaks etc)
changing tire and sprocket ought not affect suspension action, unless the tire is flat.....then it'll ride funny (but won't steer)
   
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deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
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posted July 17, 2004 01:46 PM
Hey slug - Its actually like a flat tire kinda., but not as extreme. I started to notice it post mods - and maybe it is paranoia - but christ I don't remember the '12 being so bouncy. Mine was always super stable. Any ideas on what to adjust? Front or rear?
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deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
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posted July 17, 2004 04:07 PM
OK - I just sat on the bike and did what I'm going to call a stupid mans suspension test. The stupid man's test is as follows : I pushed really hard on the front of the bike to test the front suspention and sat up and down really hard on the seat to test the rear. The rear seemed to move around WAY too much, so I adjusted the rebound and compression damping 3 clicks more (3 clicks clockwise for each). Maybe its because I'm 200+ lbs and not the 150lbs that I think my bike was set at as default?
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CrotchRocket
Moderator
Bracket Racing with Betsy
Posts: 8038
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posted July 17, 2004 04:56 PM
The suspension are set for a 150lb. rider...So you need to make the adjustments a little stiffer!!!...Go for a 1/2 hour ride so the suspension is warmed up, then adjust the forks and shock...Go for a ride on a bumpy road and see if you like it...
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Jason Miller StreetBike Seminars
*****DragRacers do it better, because they dont cut Corners*****
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deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
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posted July 17, 2004 05:02 PM
You think I'd know that rocket  - I've had her since 2000 !!!
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CrotchRocket
Moderator
Bracket Racing with Betsy
Posts: 8038
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posted July 17, 2004 05:43 PM
Sorry dude, my bad I guess its time for a new shock or re-valve OEM...
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Jason Miller StreetBike Seminars
*****DragRacers do it better, because they dont cut Corners*****
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deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
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posted July 17, 2004 06:09 PM
AHAHA - no I meant that is good advice, you think I'd have taken it by now. I left my shocks STOCK!! I'm gonna try and adjust them to be a bit more tolerant to a bigger guy like me .
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CrotchRocket
Moderator
Bracket Racing with Betsy
Posts: 8038
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posted July 18, 2004 04:52 AM
OK...Dont forget to turn the spring collar clockwise at least 2 turns, to make the spring stiffer!!!
Make the spring do most of the work, not the shock...Then you will get longer life from the shock!!!
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deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
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posted July 18, 2004 09:21 AM
GOOD LORD!! I set my bike to Nick Jefferies suggestions today (from the Bike Magazine zx-12 article suggestions). Funny thing is that my bike's front fork rebound was set to full on on the left fork and FULL OFF on the right fork!!! HOLY CRAP!!! It came like this from the factory!!! Jeezus. I can't wait to try it now that its fixed - too bad it is POURING outside  .
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deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
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posted July 18, 2004 10:57 AM
Still pouring. This sux .
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swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
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posted July 18, 2004 10:57 AM
It came that way from the dealership, not the factory...
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deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
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posted July 18, 2004 12:22 PM
I always wondered why one side's adjustment screw was at a different "clock" position from the other - DOH!
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tuusinii
Pro
Posts: 1031
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posted July 18, 2004 09:55 PM
If the bike is '04 as You said it certainly is time for freshen up the suspension - have the front fork oils changed and the rear shock maintenanced - day and nigth difference after 4 years... Check also Your tire pressures.
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Hells Dark Lord
Needs a life
living life, and loving it.
Posts: 7981
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posted July 19, 2004 04:46 AM
check the settings, adn the air pressure in the tires.....once you have that done ride it, if it still feels bouncy turn the rebound all the way up and the compression all the way down and push down on the rear of the bike, it shoudl go down easy and come up sloly, if it does, change the settings, turn the compression all the way up and the rebound all the way down....push down on the rear of the bike again, it should go down slow, and come back up fast......I had the shock on my 600 lose its charge and it lost all of its compression and rebound , it was like riding a pogo stick around.....if its good, go back to your base settings and start from there.
When I dropped from the 200 to a 190 the bike felt wrong to me, adn no matter what I did to it, it just never felt right to me....Roger put a Kennedy Turnbuckle style dogbone on it so I could raise the ride heigth and that got me right again...I still need to put a few more turns in it, then she will be perfect.......
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
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posted July 19, 2004 05:07 AM
Hmmm...maybe the ride height made mine to where I couldn't get it where I want it.
Too much rebound will make it 'pogo' more than compression - check that.
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Hells Dark Lord
Needs a life
living life, and loving it.
Posts: 7981
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posted July 19, 2004 05:14 AM
my bike lost both Jon, the compression and the rebound, I was riding on a spring, not a shock....that sucks, cause I was on the track when I found out...made for some interesting corners......lmfao
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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