TESTING

get it sorted this weekend

ACCording to the owners And eXPertshow to PerFeCt YoUr Bike,

SET-UP GUIDE In aSSocIaTIon wITh ThE InSTITUTE of aDvancED moTorISTS

FREE WITH RiDE MAGAZINEAugust 2010

bRING ouT THE bEsT IN youR bIkE – FoR FREE!

the perfect suspension settings for your bike

the right tyres and…

inCLUdes ALL BritAin’s Most PoPULAr Bikes

HALF-FAIRED

SUPERBIKES

NAKEDS

SPORT 600s

ITALIAN V-TWINS

SPORT V-TWINS

BRITISH TRIPLES

Welcome

contents4 Set yourSelf up 5 Set your bike up8 ApriliA: tuono & rSV-r9 bMWS pluS pillionS10 DucAti: 999 & 1098

12 HonDA: cbr600S, HornetS, fireblADeS, Sp-1/2 & fireStorM

16 kAWASAki: ZX-6r, Z750, Z1000, ZX-9r & ZX-10r

19 repAir, or replAce?

22 SuZuki: gSX-r600, gSX-r750, gSX-r1000, SV50S & SV1000S

26 triuMpH: SpeeD triple, DAytonA 600, 650, 675 & 955i

29 yAMAHA: r6, r1, fAZer 600 & 1000

32 Stock SuSpenSion SettingS

34 tyre cHooSer

The expertsMCT Suspension (www.mctsuspension.com)FTR Suspension (www.ftrsuspension.co.uk)Compiled byNathan Millward, Kevin Raymond, Simon WeirEdited byColin OverlandDesigned byDan Hilliard, Austin Smith Published with the July 2010 issue of RiDE© 2010 Bauer Specialist Media

Everyone wants a bike that’s as good as it can be, that allows us to ride it to the best of our ability, secure in the knowledge that it’s safely within the envelope of the bike’s ability. In other words, we

want a bike that’s well set-up. This guide aims to explain a few basic things: what a good set-up is, how you’d go about adjusting your bike to find a good set-up and what owners and suspension experts

recommend for 30 of the most popular models with RiDE readers. However, the most important thing to remember is that,

regardless of what others suggest, the best set-up for your bike is the one that works for you. Everyone rides differently, so what works for one person may not work for another and the real secret to a good set-up is making it your own. Use the information and advice in this supplement to find your perfect setup

S e t - U p G u i d ew w w . r i d e . c o . u k 3

The bike’s sorted... now I AM going to sort rider safety

w w w . r i d e . c o . u kS e t - U p G u i d e4

I thought I was a good rider, I AM now thanks to the IAM

Better, smoother riding starts with you – the way you work with the bike and how it’s set up

Most of us are pretty happy with our bike – if we weren’t, we’d probably try to replace it. Or we could just try changing it, to make it work better for us. In fact, even with a bike we do really like,

there’s often scope to improve it slightly, to tailor it to the way we ride and the roads we ride most often. For many, that’s an even bigger reason to tinker. Because that’s the promise that setting the bike up holds: it’s your bike, made even better.

So where do you start? More than anything, with understanding what you’re trying to achieve. Before going near the spanners it’s vital to be clear about what end result you’re trying to achieve. It could be a smoother ride with a pillion, it could be more feel for the front end under braking, a faster and more confident feeling when turning into corners – anything. As long as you have something clear to aim for. The other way of looking at it is establishing what traits of the ride

“it's worth checking that the problem isn't the way you're riding”

you want to eliminate – the harshness over the ripples on that stretch of road, the vagueness when you brake for that roundabout, the way the bike wallows as you turn into that corner. The more precisely you can identify the behaviour you want to fix, the better your chance of doing it.

Of course, sometimes it’s not the bike. The most sublime motorcycle in the world can feel like an ill-handling pig if it’s ridden raggedly. Especially when you get a new bike, it’s crucial to take time getting to know it and understanding how it behaves before reaching for the tools. It takes a bit of time to learn how to ride a new bike to get the best out of it – change too much too soon and you may just be chasing your own tail.

Likewise, it’s worth checking that you’re not bringing bad habits to a bike – that the problem isn’t the way you’re riding it. A style or riding technique that works on one machine may not suit another. For many riders, a bit of advanced training will

set yourself up


I AM a better rider thanks to IAM Skill For Life

“don't touch suspension until you're sure the rest of the bike is set-up right”

unlock more of the bike’s potential than any amount of fiddling with it.

So before getting ready to set up the bike, make sure you’ve sorted your riding. Then be absolutely clear about what aspects of the bike’s behaviour you want to change and how you think it should feel if you get the job done right and set it up perfectly. And finally, be realistic: almost all bikes can be improved, but there are limits to what can be achieved. For instance, as worthy as the Honda CB500 is, it’s unlikely to ever handle like a MotoGP machine. But you could make it feel unbeatable on your local roads – and that’s the kind of result we’re all after.

who can help sort your riding?

Don’t get put off by strangely named adjusters – everyone can sort out their suspension

Why might my suspension need setting up?Maybe it doesn’t, in which case you’ll save yourself some hassle. But most of us have bikes that can benefit from a little careful setting-up, because one size doesn’t fit all. Optimising your suspension settings to suit your weight, riding style and how you like the bike to feel can make a huge difference to your enjoyment of your bike.

Where do i start?Don’t touch the suspension until you’re sure the rest of the bike is properly set up. Adjust the position of the levers until they’re comfortable and make sure the wheel alignment is perfect. If you can, make sure the head bearings, swingarm bearings and suspension linkage bushes are smooth and greased, with no play. Just doing this could make the bike feel like a new machine. And always, always check your tyre pressures carefully – more suspension problems are sorted with an airline than with a spanner.

set your bike up

hoW do i knoW What to adjust?

There’s no point making any adjustment unless you know what it will do – and how that will benefit you. And there’s no point trying to solve problems that aren’t there. So the first thing is to find a short test route – a

It pays to sort

your riding before

worrying about

the bike

BikesafePolice-run riding assessment scheme. For a small fee (usually about £35) police riders check out your riding, with tips and information about advanced riding techniques. Do a BikeSafe course and you could get a discount on your insurance.For information see www.bikesafe.co.uk

enhanced rider schemeA DSA-approved scheme, where participating motorcycle trainers check your riding and help you reach a certified standard. Costs vary from trainer to trainer, but once you have the certificate you qualify for cheaper insurance with several big insurers.For more information see www.direct.gov.uk/motoring

the institute of advanced motorcyclistsThe IAM is a charity dedicated to improving riding and driving standards. Local groups have observers who train members, with an IAM test pass earning an insurance discount. The Skill for Life programme costs £139 and includes the excellent “How to be a better rider” book as well as a package of tuition.For more information, see www.iam.org.uk

rospaThe Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is another advanced training charity with local groups or instructors providing training, building up to an advanced test that can earn you an insurance discount. Members often get free tuition from local groups, though instructors training to the RoSPA standard will charge (prices vary – expect around £150 a day).For more information see www.roada.org.uk

You don't need a flash workshop,

just time and patience

Glorious roads and a sweet

handling bike are wasted if

your riding isn't up to scratch


I AM confident, I AM in control, I AM a better, safer rider

couple of miles at the most, but with enough corners, straights and areas of braking to let you get a feel for what the bike is doing. It should be quiet enough that you can ride it repeatedly without having your runs spoilt by traffic.

If you think a previous owner has fiddled with the bike’s suspension, it’s worth returning everything to the standard settings (these will be in your owners’ manual or on pX). This should put the bike on a reasonable compromise setting, but you do need to check the static sag. Ride your test route a few times, concentrate on how the bike behaves and decide what, if anything, needs to be done.

Then work methodically, adjusting only one parameter at a time and checking what effect it’s had. Note each change you make, so you can undo it if necessary. This is important, as you can make matters worse if you go off in the wrong direction. If it all goes wrong and you hadn’t noted what changes you’d made, return to the stock settings and start again.

hang on, What’s static sag?This is a measure of how much the suspension compresses under the weight of the bike. It’s a baseline setting – get this wrong and adjusting anything else is a bit of a waste of time. You need a helper or two to measure it: put a cable tie round one of the front fork stanchions. Get a friend (or two) to lift the bike to the full travel of forks while you push the cable tie as far up the fork leg (on upside down forks) or down the slider (on RWU forks) and measure how far it is from the front wheel spindle. Let your helpers gently set the bike down, let it settle on its springs and re-measure to the cable tie at the front. Then get your helpers to lift the back of the bike while you measure the distance from the floor to a reference point at (like an indicator or pillion footrest hanger). When they set the bike down, measure the new distance to your reference point.

The difference between the resting on the floor and suspension extended measurements is the static sag. If the bike’s set for a fairly sporty ride it’ll be about 20-30mm at the front and 5-10mm at the rear; or around 25mm at each end for

a typical road ride. If you need to alter it, use the preload adjusters. It can also be helpful to check the sag with you on board – same principle, but it takes more people as you’ll be sitting on the bike in a normal riding position, in your kit. With the rider on board, you’d look to use between a quarter and a third of the available suspension travel front and rear.

noW tell me aBout the adjusters and What they doPreload is the most basic adjuster. It’s the amount the spring has to be loaded before it starts to move. More preload will brace the bike for heavier riders, lighter riders will need less.

Compression damping controls how rapidly the shock or forks compress when they hit a bump. If there’s too much compression damping, bumps will be felt through bars and seat as the suspension’s too stiff to soak them up, while forks won’t dip much under braking and the front end will feel vague. Too little compression damping will have the bike moving more than it needs to – suspension may even bottom out – and it will dive a lot under braking. Some sportsbikes have separate high and low speed compression damping, allowing fine control over how the suspension reacts to sudden bumps or gradual changes in surface.

Rebound damping (sometimes also called tension damping) controls how rapidly the forks or shock recover from compression. If there’s too little rebound damping, the suspension will bounce back like Zebedee and the bike may run wide out of

“adjust one parameter, checking what effect it's had on the bike”

Fork preload

Fork rebound

rear rebound

rear preload

Fork compression

rear compression

Rear preload's adjusted

with a C-spanner. Note

the compression adjuster

on the reservoir

Setting the static sag:

Get some mates, a tape

measure and take your

time. This will become

the baseline setting

for your bike



our expertsMCT Suspension are based in Stowmarket, Suffolk. Boss Darren Wnukoski has raced in motocross, trials, enduro and British Supersport and works extensively in BSB. For more information see www.mctsuspension.com

FTR Suspension are based in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk and are another of the five UK Öhlins centres. Top man Kevin Harris used to work with WP and has worked extensively in MX racing. For information see www.ftrsuspension.co.uk

corners. Too much rebound damping is likely to make the bike feel wallowy and sluggish as the suspension struggles to get back to where it should be. If the suspension gets increasingly jolty over a series of bumps, it suggests the suspension is ‘packing down’ as too much rebound damping stops it recovering fast enough to cope with each bump.

What can i do if my Bike has no adjusters?Just because there are no adjusters, it doesn’t mean suspension can’t be adjusted. However, that’s more a garage project, as it involves changing fork oils, air gaps, trying different springs… This is where taking the bike to a suspension expert makes a lot of sense, though you can do it yourself. The trick, of course, is knowing what to change and having the patience to keep experimenting. One thing’s for sure, you’ll learn lots in the process.

“make notes of every change you make – you may want to undo some”

Turn over For experT and owners Tips on geTTing The besT ouT oF Your bike

Front rebound uses the

adjuster in the fork top

Compression is often

adjusted at the bottom

of the fork leg

Front preload's set on the forks. "In" is more, "out" is less



Some owners fit a fatter rear tyre. Does it improve

handling? Not really

Racey handling, bad attitude… but decent suspension

Early R or Factory models have superior Öhlins suspensionBasically a good all rounder. Showa forks benefit from

better oil. Sachs shocks: reduce length by one turn to improve balance on brakes and entry into corners. MCT

Reduce preload tubes by 6mm to achieve 30-32mm sag. Changing the fork oil and using a good-quality 10wt oil can

make a big difference. Some of these bikes will have a few miles on the clock by now, so if the suspension is tired, the best bet may be to repair or replace it. Look on eBay to find an RSV-R Sachs or Showa OE shock in decent condition that you can fit. With a good set-up, that’ll do all you need. MCT

Took bike to KAIS in Altherton for a ride-in, ride-out set-up. Don’t know what they did to it, but the bike was too low at

the back for me. Changed the 180 rear tyre for a 190 but prefer the 180, maybe it will grow on me, Mark Irwin

Took mine to Kais in Bolton, who spent an hour with me and the bike and sorted it out for a respectable £45. The bike is

now brilliant to ride. I love the Avon VP2s fitted to the bike, too. Martin Chadderton. (2003 bike) Added Öhlins rear shock and steering damper to mine. David Bushell (2005 bike) I added an Öhlins shock and had the forks set-up by Reactive Suspension in York. I also dropped the yokes by one ring on the forks for faster turn in and moved to 180 tyre from the 190 section. Michelin Power 2CT make me happy too,Paul Hodgson (2006 bike)

“what the experts say”


Pirelli Diablo Corsa, Metzeller Rennsport

popular tyres

Bridgestone BT-016, Pirelli Diablo Rosso

popular tyres

“what the owners say”


Aprilia RSV1000 Mille / RSV-R

Aprilia Tuono

I AM a better rider thanks to the IAM’s Skills For Life


Sorry, but we’re treating BMWs a bit differently – partly because there’s usually limited scope for adjustment but mostly because most owners are very familiar with their machines. For those

curious about the marquee, Boxer series twins use a Telelever front end – the forks are just tubes holding the wheel, while the suspension is provided by a single shock that nestles between them. On most bikes there’s a stepped preload adjuster, though some models (notably later ones) will also have a compression adjuster. The Paralever rear end, with the swingarm and driveshaft, operating on the rear shock is equally straightforward. Preload adjustment (usually remote) is easily used and some have rebound damping adjustment.

The recent K-series bikes feature a different front end – a Hossack-style girder front end that, again, uses a single shock to provide suspension action. One of the major innovations was the introduction of the optional Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA) system on the K1200S – a system that’s subsequently been rolled out as an option across both K and R series bikes. The rider can adjust the set-up, even while riding.

The idea is simple. At a standstill, before you start riding, load level can be selected using the ESA button – the choices are solo, solo with luggage, two-up, two-up with luggage. This simply affects the preload settings. Then there are damping

“BMW’s electronic suspension adjustMent Means the rider can adjust the set-up When riding”

settings that can be selected as you ride – Sport, Normal or Comfort. Clearly, Sport is firm, Comfort is soft and Normal is somewhere between the two. Those preset load and damping levels can’t be customised by the owner, but consensus seems to be that the factory got the settings pretty right.

Limited adjustment isn’t a problem for most owners anyway. “Most customers ride to the strengths of the bike,” says Gary at Balderstone BMW. “Occasionally we’ll have a customer replace a spring if they’re very heavy or very light, to customise the system to their weight. We have one customer with a GS who has fitted fully adjustable Öhlins shocks at both ends, but he takes it on track so needs the greater range of adjustability. For most people, though, the standard system is more than adequate – they’ll add rear preload for pillions and take it off again when they’re on their own.”

pillionsTaking a passenger can compress the rear shock and make it more likely to bottom out – to run out of movement – when it goes over bumps, resulting in harsh jolting. With the spring compressed, there will be more of it left to expand when it’s temporarily unloaded, so the ride feels bouncier as well as harsher.

If that’s not bad enough, as the back of the bike is lower the forks are extended, leaving less suspension extension to cope with dips in the road and making the front feel vague. Plus with the forks raked out like this, the bike can become more reluctant to turn.

Increasing preload can go a long way to solving these problems, but good pillion set-up isn’t just ‘add preload’. If you can increase rebound damping slightly, it can help cushion the increased force that’s returned over every

bump. Compression damping is rarer on pillion-oriented bikes, but if it is an option it’s best not to increase it – that would result in a harsher ride. Backing it off slightly is likely to be better, but only if rebound damping can compensate. And always check your manual for pillion tyre pressures, which may be higher than solo riding.

Always switch back to your normal settings at the end of the two-up journey. Riding solo with a full set of pillion settings makes the bike feel hard, alien and wilfully difficult to steer. This is where BMW’s ESA system scores so well, allowing rapid shifts between laden and solo settings.

Simple adjstments make

the bike pillion-friendly

When it handles like this, straight out of the box, who needs to fiddle?

Paralever, Telelever, Duolever. Is this a different language or just a different way of looking at suspension? BMW owners know

BMW suspension

Sporty bargain – and highly adjustable

Eye-widening performance and top-notch suspension.

Just set it up to suit you

Adjusting the front and rear preload correctly is critical to obtain the correct sag. You want 28-32mm at

the front, 14-17mm at the rear. FTR

With the standard forks on the 1098 (and 1198 –it’s the same chassis) it’s good to raise oil level to stop severe

bottoming out. A better solution is to re-valve the compression side of fork damping to slow travel. The Öhlins forks on the S model are fine MCT

The standard setting is fine for road use, but replaced exhaust with lightweight Termis and carbon body panels.

Dominic Camilleri (2005 bike) Full set up at Pro Twins Ducati specialists – adjusted to make bike steer and turn quicker, put more weight on front to improve feel under braking. They re-shimmed forks and supplied differ-ent grade fork oil to suit my weight, then raised rear ride height to aid weight transfer. I moved the tank, seat and tail unit to furthest forward position, race seat fitted (taller than stock), changed steering head angle, bars moved forward and outwards, standard footpegs adjusted to suit new riding position. Rear tyre changed to a 190/55 from 190/50, not as nice on normal roads now. Andy Taylor (2006 bike)

Had it professionally set up by Pro Twins: revised springs and oil up front and then set-up for my weight and riding

style – fast road and a few trackdays. They also suggested a quick-action throttle and a racing seat which raised my body position by about three-quarters of an inch. Both have made a difference to the handling of the bike. Spent around £1500 on the above work. Fitted Michelin Pilot Sports 2CTs and they’ve been great. Mike Moyse (2009 bike)





Ducati 999

Ducati 1098

“the standard suspension is fine for road use”

Michelin Pilot Power 2CT, Bridgestone BT016

Pirelli Diablo Corsa III, Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa Pro

popular tyres

popular tyres




Practical but still as sporty as anything:

the CBR600F

Racetrack inspired looks for the

CBR600RR

“You could do trackdaYs with it happilY”


Later models need to have thicker oil in forks to get control on oil flow. Earlier models need stiffer fork springs and

good fork oil. Look at the mileage on older bikes, as high milers will be in more urgent need of attention. FTR

The suspension on these is not too bad as standard – you could do trackdays with it happily. There’s scope to adjust

it, but if the bike has done some miles and it needs reconditioning, start with new oil and springs in th e forks to improve things. A new rear shock is the next step. FTR

“Owned my F from new in 03. I want more comfort, so I put suspension back to standard and then decreased the

pre-load on the rear to its lowest setting, but can’t tell if it makes a difference as I don’t understand the compression/rebound/ preload thing at all. Andy Lorenzini (03 bike) Adjusted preload one notch for pillion. Rob Jackson (04 bike) Hagon replacement shock as the original was knackered. Superb value and set up for my weight too, no adjustment needed. Dropped forks a little to aid turn-in, went back to 160 rear from a 180 and got Renthal bars. Maxxis Supermax tyres are great and just £125 a pair. Helen Lorentzen (02 bike)

Not touched the suspension as getting the feel for the bike. Previous owner has work done on the forks by K-TECH,

which was good. Yuri Fisher (2005 bike) Made the rear stiffer to get it to turn faster, but that made it a harsher ride, so I softened off the rebound and compression at the rear – better ride except on really bumpy roads. Looking to get the forks revalved as adjustment hasn’t improved them. Brian Tanner (2003 bike)





Honda CBR600F

Honda CBR600RR

Michelin Pilot Road 2, Dunlop RoadSmart

Avon Viper, Pirelli Diablo Corsa

popular tyres

popular tyres



Soft and friendly Hornet can be

improved – usually with new springs

Rider spares soft forks by keeping

them off the ground

The Hornet 600 is way too soft all round. This does not mean it gives a soft ride, though. Thicker oil and stiffer

springs will raise bike into a softer point of the suspension stroke, giving more control and comfort. MCT

For riders who weigh more than 85kg – and that’s when they’re in leathers – the Hornet will feel quite soft as

standard. Especially for ‘fast road’ riders. Using a thicker oil in the forks will help prevent excessive dive. FTR

I changed my suspension to improve handling and reduce ride-height slightly. I reduced rebound and dropped the

forks through the yokes a few mm. I may get a new shock and fork springs as I’m still not 100% happy. Sharon Claridge (1999 bike) My ex-race bike is now a track machine. Full Öhlins rear shock, BSD front springs, heavier 15W fork oil, 5mm air gap, dropped forks by 7mm. 17-inch front wheel from CBR600FX to stop the front tucking and aid tyre choice.Robert Smith (2002 bike) I replaced the shock with a base-model Öhlins and upgraded the forks with an Öhlins spring and oil kit. As my confidence grew, I was losing confidence in the front, hence the upgrades and the bike was ‘pitching’ during braking and acceleration. Jonathan Whiteman (2004 bike)

I’m 23 stone so after struggling with the rear shock going off (the bike has 20,000 miles on it) I took it to Steve

Jordan’s and he suggested a heavier spring (£70 fitted). Things were much better but then eight-months later the damping would decrease after a 20-minute ride. Now have a second-hand Hagon (£205) fitted and it works well. Steve Hodgson. (2002 bike) Put heavier fork oil in, rear shock on full preload but nothing can help cheap suspension short of a proper rebuild! Bob Irvine (2005 bike)





Honda CB900F Hornet

Honda CB600F Hornet


Michelin Pilot Road 2CT, Pirelli Angel ST

popular tyres

popular tyres



Staggering ability, but old Blades like this will need some TLC of the springs

The 1000cc Fireblades are hard to fault… unlike this rider’s line

With 2000–01 bikes, fit stiffer fork springs. Stiffer rings in forks help with feel and confidence. With the 2002–03 bike

try stiffer springs and less preload. It’s nose heavy and this should keep the front higher on brakes and into corners. The bike will then be much more nimble and balanced. MCT

The shock’s ok on the 2004–07 bike, but try longer fork springs to achieve some preload to use top end of stroke.

With the fork topped out, undo the cap then pull up on it to see gap appear between spring and preload tube. The 2008-10 bike needs stiffer fork springs to remove jarring effect from bumps and stay lower in stroke through corners helping line through and out of corners. Rear shock very good on right settings. MCT

Adjusted suspension as it is a 16-year-old bike, so pretty soft at the back. Had the shock tested to ensure there was

adequate damping and Maxton fitted a new spring. Now looking for modern rubber. Michael Taylor. (1994 model) Standard settings seem fine, but fitting a large tailpack made the bike weave, but an expandable tank bag doesn’t work with the standard screen. Dermot Carroll (1994-98 model) Put bike back to stock settings as I’m average size and the person before had left it all uneven. Öhlins steering damper saved me from two slappers (I think), steering feels better and I hate riding a bike without one now. Getting a girlfriend revealed that taking a pillion ruins the handling. Oli Banks (2001 model)

Perfect balance of firm feel but soft, forgiving ride. Darren Chance (04-05 model)

Had forks reworked by Maxton and an Öhlins shock fitted – stock suspension was fine for road but I found it a bit soft for track use. Garry O’Mahoney (04-05 model) This bike is so darned well set-up to begin with! From the test-ride on, it’s needed nothing.Felicity Russell. (08-on model) I’ve not touched it – it’s great for road or track as is. Dunlop Qualifier II is excellent, by the way. John Biggs (08-on model). Bit soft for me, so more preload and I’ll do a Bike Safe course! Phillip Rawlings (08-on model)

After 25K the original suspension was getting saggy. Mine now has a Nitron road shock with remote preload and I had an MCT service and repair, including a re-spring of the forks. The bike is now transformed and that’s not just psychological. Cost was £750 for both ends. Mike Greaves (2003 model)





Honda CBR900RR FireBlade

Honda CBR1000RR FirebladeMichelin Pilot Power 2CT, Bridgestone BT016

Pirelli Diablo Rosso, Bridgestone BT-016

popular tyres

popular tyres



Can be firm, but is there too much sag in your SP1 as well?

In the right hands, the FireStorm’s unbeatable

Fit a travel tie on forks, bounce them, then allow them to settle and pull up and top out – on some bikes you can find

as much as 50mm of sag! Fitting longer, stiffer springs will get use of the upper end of stroke. MCT

Not a bike our suspension experts see very often. As standard it was always reasonably softly sprung and the

chances of the suspension being in tip-top condition after the bike’s racked up some miles are fairly slim. Our suggestion, if setting the sag and adjusting it doesn’t work, would be to get an expert to look at it. RiDE

“Too firm on our crap roads, but then settings I found on the web were too soft. I’m still tweaking but at the moment

settings are standard apart from one less click of rebound on the front and one less turn of rebound on the rear. Jerry Riches (2002 model)

Progressive fork springs fitted, but my suspension isn’t great and the forks are pitting too. Michelin Pilot Sport

front and Pilot Road rear suit the bike well. Chris Thompson (02 bike) Full pre-load for me as I carry pillions from time-to-time and I ride fast and need a bike to steer quickly. Also got a 5mm rear shock spacer to make this even more pronounced. Sometimes I turn the adjuster back 1.5 turns from all the way in for when I ride solo . Rob Hughes (04 bike)





Honda VTR1000F FireStorm

Honda VTR1000 SP-1

Metzeller Sportec M1, Avon Viper

Michelin Pilot Road 2, Avon Storm

popular tyres

popular tyres

Sporty, but if set-up doesn’t suit you it’s tricky to get perfect

Generally harder for the average owner to set up than other 600s. They seem to bounce back and forth with

suspension that’s way too hard or way too soft. Seek professional advice for each model. MCT

I set the sag and adjusted the compression and rebound but it didn’t seem to make big difference, so I got the forks

and shocks revalved and set-up by K-Tech and now it works. Higher bars make the bike comfy, but more twitchy. Ian Cleland (99 bike) Shock was sent to K-Tech at 8000 miles. That helped the bike turn better and gave a better ride. Bike runs brilliantly on Dunlop D207RRs and also on RR front and 208RR rear – not so good on track though. Mick Blakeley (2000 bike) The bike felt far too soft for me, so I took one click off the rebound and put one click on the preload on the front. I decreased rear preload as it was steering quite slowly. Before this, I’d increased the preload – making the bike turn slower and then I couldn’t touch the ground anymore… Brett Russell (2002 bike) My settings are Front: preload standard, compression three clicks in from standard, rebound three clicks in from standard. Rear: preload 12mm of thread showing, rear compression quarter turn out from fully in, rear rebound quarter of a turn out from

full in. I do reckon that I need a softer spring for Britain’s roads. I have lowered the footpegs by 40mm for better comfort and put on mirror-arm extenders to see behind me. Had Bridgestone BT014 front and sports-touring BT021 rear for good dry/wet grip and durability. Genuine Kawasaki bubble screen, improves wind deflection and higher bars make bike more comfy for me. Phil Miflin (2004 bike) I had the shock reworked and a softer spring fitted. No complaints with forks, though I did soften compression and rebound. Dave Moore (2008 bike)



Kawasaki ZX-6R

“Generally harder to set up than other sports 600s”

Dunlop Qualifier II, Pirelli Diablo

popular tyres





It’s hard – and harder to set-up effectively without

rebuilding bits. Sorry

Another bike not often treated to the professional set-up help it really

needs. Go on, you know it deserves it

Dunlop Qualifier II, Avon Storm ST

Pirelli Diablo Corsa, Metzeler Sportec M1

popular tyres

popular tyres

It’s a tricky bike to set-up, fairly firm and with adjusters that don’t do much. In 2008 RiDE and Maxton tried to fix it,

with shorter tie-bars on the rear shock linkage, a lighter rear spring, slightly lighter fork springs , 15w oil and a bigger air gap – it helped, but it’s expert work, not easily done at home. RiDE

Another bike our experts rarely see. Like the 750, consensus is that it’s hard and hard to set up RiDE

I’ve tried everything and nothing makes much difference to the suspension. Dropping tyre pressures 2psi at the front

and 4psi at the back gives more grip,” Tim North (2005 bike) “Stock shock was just that – a shock. It had to go. Maxton unit is much better. Forks still a bit on the rubbish side but can’t afford to fix them yet,” Gerry Kenyon (2006 bike)

Standard suspension is cheap rubbish and doesn’t work. Now have Öhlins rear shock and front forks from a ZX636.

A pro-suspension guy raised the rear ride-height. Bridgestone’s BT-021 are good for commuting and play-time. Leon Skevington (2003 bike)





Kawasaki Z750

Kawasaki Z1000



Some bikes, frankly, don’t have great suspension. For reasons often related to saving a few pennies on the production line, factories fit cheap units that are barely up to the task of supporting the

mass of the bike and letting the rider apply its power smoothly to the road. Even bikes that were produced with half-decent suspension can feel tired after they’ve been round the block a few thousand times. Very few shocks or forks will be in peak condition by the time they’ve covered 30,000 miles...

So what can you do? Unless you plan to replace the bike, you need to repair or replace the tired suspension. Thankfully, Darren Wnukoski of MCT reveals that almost all suspension can be reconditioned. “Unless it’s absolutely rotted to bits, we can usually bring a shock back to life,” he explains. “There’s often very little wear and the drop in performance is usually down to degraded oil.” Don’t be tempted to try and dismantle the rear shock yourself. It’s possible to change the spring yourself, but working on the internals requires specialist equipment to cope with the highly pressurised systems.

Forks are easier, up to a point. “If the chrome’s scored or discoloured, it’s probably because a bush is worn,” says Darren. “If the chrome starts to look slightly gold, it’s because the hard chrome surface has worn away.” Wear in the fork bushes can also sometimes be felt as a clunking over small bumps and under braking on rough surfaces.

But the primary cause of front end woes is simpler: “The biggest problem, as with the rear shocks, is old, degraded or poor quality oil,” says Darren. At least changing the oil in the forks is a relatively easy home fix. Take the forks out, get the tops off, drain out the old oil and refill with new stuff of the right quality, leaving the appropriate air gap. You’ll need access to your bike’s workshop manual to get the spec for this.

However, if you don’t fancy the DIY, or if it’s the rear shock that needs work, it’s best to get an expert to recondition or repair the unit. So, Darren, what’s the damage if we come to MCT? “A basic shock service is £85 plus vat. That’s to strip it, clean it, make sure it’s okay and reassemble with new gas and oil. It makes a big difference.”

The next step up is a revalve and re-spring job – basically altering the spec of the suspension to improve not only its condition but also its capabilities. If it’s done at the same time as a service, a revalve could be as little as £20, plus the cost of the new spring (which will vary). “We can also upgrade some

“Unless it’s absolUtely

rotted to bits, we can

UsUally bring a rear

shock back to life”

shocks to take Öhlins pistons,” adds Darren. “We do a lot of Ducati shocks like that – makes a massive difference and for most people it’s as good as an aftermarket unit.”

That’s the third option – to replace the offending fork or shock with a completely new aftermarket item of suspension. You could spend anywhere from £400 to £2000 on a new shock, depending on whether you want something basic or a shock that approaches World Superbike spec. However, when repair or reconditioning options are so good and so affordable, we’d always investigate those first. Most suspension specialists offer a mail order service but many, like MCT, prefer you to bring your bike along for a proper setup session. That way you can discuss exactly what you want from your setup and you can see the work being done.

When your shock’s seen better days and your front end’s forked, how can you breathe new life into tired suspension?

Age takes its toll on

shocks. So is this one dead?

Probably not, but it could

do with reconditioning

repair, recondition… or replace?

Unusually, it’s a sportsbike that our experts don’t see very often. Do check the mileage - bikes will be at least

six years old and suspension may be tired. RiDE

A good thing to do with the 2004-2005 ZX-10R is lengthen standard chain by a link, winding out the

adjusters to lengthen the swingarm. This moves the engine further forward in wheelbase and so reduces any tendency to wheelie or tank-slap. Doing this also lengthens the level in rear shock, effectively softening it off a little and this improves comfort. MCT

I wanted better turn-in and the bike to be less wallowy, so changed compression and rebound to fully stiff front

and back. Then wound front preload down so four rings of five are visible. Paul Eadington (2000 model) Returned settings to standard then increased rebound to stop it bouncing midcorner. New tyres and lower pressures help. Matthew Allen (2000 model)

“ friend gave me some settings from a magazine once, but I was disappointed – you would run over a gnat’s whisker

and you’d feel it and it would try and throw me off the bike. Not what I wanted. Too firm for me. Kenny Plyer (2005 bike) Increased preload to suit my weight. It’s very firm as stock, so I tried softening it off. While this did improve the ride quality, especially on bumpy roads, I felt it compromised turn-in so returned to standard damping settings. Al McGregor (2009 bike)





Kawasaki Ninja ZX-9R

“it’s very firm as stock but softening it off

compromised turn-in”

Avon Viper, Bridgestone BT016

Michelin Pilot Power 2CT, Pirelli Diablo Corsa

popular tyres

popular tyres

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R

Sporty handling. Is that why experts don’t see it?





Newer GSX-Rs have massively adjustable

suspension

Variobars or Öhlins? Owners

adjust in all manner of ways

With K-series GSX-Rs, get the wheels laser-aligned, as the ones we see are way out on chain adjuster marks

– always one mark further forward on brake side. MCT

With such a long-lived model as the GSX-R750, it’s almost impossible to give one top tip. Older models (SRAD or

earlier) will likely have tired suspension needing reconditioning, probably with firmer springs. Early K series bikes should be good if set-up to suit rider weight. Later K series bikes should have wheel alignment checked (as above) but the standard suspension seems to be fairly well regarded. RiDE

I had no confidence in the bike when I bought it, so took it to Road & Race Suspension in Newbury. The settings are

Front: preload 8.5 turns from fully open, rebound 0.25 turn open, compression 1 turn open. Rear: static sag 12mm, rider sag 35mm. high-speed compression 2.5 turns open, low-speed compression 2.5 turns open, rebound 0.5 turn open. I’ve since done a trackday at Brands and the suspension tuner there helped hone this, my fast road set-up. Rich Vines (07 bike) Replaced standard unit with Nitron rear shock – improved the back end. Billy Keane (2001 bike)

Forks fitted with Öhlins cartridges and springs, junked standard rubbish steering damper for an across-the-tank

adjustable one. Lost weight with race bodywork and full Yoshimura system. Tune-up of suspension by 100% at their trackday helped feel and feedback. David Ackroyd (2004 bike) The previous owner had replaced the forks and shocks with Öhlins – that’s why I bought the bike. I haven’t adjusted anything yet, but it rides better than my old SRAD 750. Iain Greene (2002 bike) Adjusted sag to suit my weight, fitted a bigger screen and Variobars to improve road comfort. T Hynes (1999 bike)





Suzuki GSX-R600

Suzuki GSX-R750 Dunlop Qualifier II, Bridgestone BT-015

Pirelli Diablo Rosso, Avon Viper Sport

popular tyres

popular tyres



SV1000S has all the adjustment you’ll ever

need to set it up

Works well as standard. Handy… it’s hard to change

Another bike experts don’t often see. There’s only limited adjustment available, unless aftermarket parts are

fitted, but the stock kit does work for many riders. RiDE

As with the other big street bikes, the SV isn’t a machine regularly taken to set-up experts. It is fully adjustable and

our test riders have found that raising the rear ride height and stiffening the suspension helps it turn faster. RiDE

Hagon fork springs, 15W oil and a GSX-R rear shock because I’m not a two-stone Jap test pilot. Handling is appalling as

standard. Rob Bridge (2004 bike). Matris fork internals and Nitron rear shock, both designed for the bike and have transformed it. The stock shock was finished at 20K and dangerous by 25K. You can service the Nitron for just £55 every 20,000 miles. The Matris forks were very firm as standard so I backed off preload all the way and then wound it in by two rings. Shock was suggested for my weight (16 stone) and hasn’t needed tinkering with.Ceri Charlton (2007 bike)





Suzuki SV1000S

Suzuki SV650S

Dunlop Qualifier II, Avon Storm ST

Michelin Pilot Road 2, Pirelli Angel ST

popular tyres

popular tyres

The OE pegs felt strange for me, so when I’d found a good position (15mm upwards and 45mm rearwards of OE) I

made up some plates myself. The result is comfier and improves handling. Double bubble screen helps. Mark Pierce (2004 bike)

When carrying passengers I wind all the damping and front preload to max, while MX-style bars replace the clip-ons and help handling further. Dylan (2003 bike) Standard settings are arse-about-face so I went for… Front: preload 4th groove from top, compression 1 .5 turns out from stiff-est, rebound 1 turn out from stiffest. Rear: preload 210mm fitted length, compression 2 turns out from stiffest, rebound 5 1/4 turns out from stiffest. Kris Dwornik (2004 bike)

Every model has good suspension – if it’s set up to suit you

The standard suspension on all models is very good - as long as it’s in good condition, it just needs to be

set up properly to suit the rider. MCT

Öhlins rear shock, front springs and replaced the oil. The original stuff was too soft for my 6ft 5in frame. I then

stiffened the rear-end and decreased the rebound. Gary Dixon (2006 model) I stiffened the rear up as I take a pillion often and then I leave it that hard for when I’m on track. I made the front harder by adding 3 clicks from standard. Then on the rear added 2 clicks. Stuart Gunn (2004 model) Forks and shock reworked at 23,000 miles – now it’s better than when it was new. John Davies (2002 model)



Suzuki GSX-R1000

Pirellia Diablo Super Corsa, Michelin Pilot Pure

popular tyres





Triumph’s underrated Daytona 600

Springs may be soft but the Speed Triple still handles

Sweet-handling when fresh, but soft spings hamper track riding and units may not age well – check mileage and

consider reconditioning or replacing if the adjusters don’t seem to be doing anything. RiDE

With all models, new or old, the springs are on the soft side so replacing those with firmer units is the first thing to

consider. Factory damping settings are pretty good, but aim to set 30mm of front sag for solo riding or 25mm if you do a lot of pillion riding, with 14-16mm of sag at the rear. FTR

Handling’s superb as standard. Don’t need to change anything Ian Devers (2004 bike)

Increased preload but otherwise left it alone. Best thing I’ve done was fit Avon Vipers Geoff Green (2003 bike)

All front and rear settings needed to go on the hardest available as, being an old bike, the suspension is old and

softer than when new. New fork oil has helped turn-in and stability, but the ride is harsher. Ralph Purves (1998 bike) Left it alone until last year – by when it had done 28,000 miles in all weathers – and I had the forks overhauled. I’m getting the shock done this summer, with a stiffer spring fitted. Dean Bradley (2005 bike) The bike was heavy turning into corners and needed throttle to steer. Steering was poor on bumpy roads. I set the ride height, but it needs stronger front springs and a softer rear. I stripped, cleaned and greased the rear suspension links. Bristol Greens (2009 bike)





Triumph Daytona 600/650

Triumph Speed Triple

Avon Storm ST, Bridgestone BT-023

popular tyres

Dunlop Qualifier, Bridgestone BT021

popular tyres



Xxxx ashchg iuscgiusagc iusgacug

sacusacgu

Wet or dry, the big Daytona can hold its own if it’s in good nick

Getting the sag right is crucial: aim for 25-30mm at the front and 14-16mm at the rear. For most riders we’d put half

a turn more on the compression and rebound adjusters, front and rear. FTR

Never touched it. Should probably get something done about the rear shock, because it’s started to waddle. Bigger

screen makes a huge difference. Derek Rowntree (2002 bike) Firmed everything up, which worked okay until 18,000 miles. Then got the shock serviced, which made a big difference Alan Tisdale (2004 bike)

Set suspension to soft road setting in the manual as I found it too stiff for my 11 stone. I had it set up on a trackday

by a professional as it seemed to want to ‘let go’ on every turn. It increased my confidence and speed massively: best £50 I’ve every spent! I fitted Pirelli Supercorsa SC1 front and SC2 rear, race scrubbs from a British Supersport team. Mega track tyre. Michael Igoe (2006 bike)




Check the condition of the shock and forks. Older bikes are likely to be past their best now. Thicker oil or stiffer

springs can restore performance. RiDE


Triumph Daytona 675

Triumph Daytona 955i

Dunlop Roadsmart, Bridgestone BT021


popular tyres

popular tyres

A lot of R6s tend to sit very high at the back. You can cure this by fitting a rear ride height reducer at the top

shock mounting, to drop the back down by 3mm. This will improve steering and balance. MCT

year. But I’ve improved the handling of my bike by getting fitter and watching Valentino Rossi! Chris Kent (2009 bike) I fitted stiffer front fork springs, which helped stop me bottoming things out at the end of a straight. I have had preload, rebound and compression adjusted to suit my weight by a pro, as I didn’t trust myself. Col Harris (2000 model) It handled badly when I got it because the tyres weren’t aligned correctly. Got those replaced, my husband set the static sag and it’s been ace ever since. Mary Scott (2004 model)



Yamaha YZF-R6

“I’ve Improved the handlIng of my bIke by

gettIng fItter”

Dunlop Qualifier II, Avon Viper

popular tyresI haven’t made any adjustments yet as I’ve only just got it and haven’t ridden it enough to know what I want to

adjust! Will ask for specialist help at the first trackday I do this





Plenty of power, but is the big Fazer to soft to make the most of it?

Limited adjustment, but if you can firm the Fazer

up it works pretty well

Early models reduce fork preload tubes by 8mm to achieve 30mm of sag. This will transform the bike on exit of corners

and reduce fork movement into corners. Standard oil is too thin: use quality 7.5w oil on the standard air gap. MCT

Standard suspension has only preload adjustment and forks and shock are pretty soft. Heavier riders may find it

difficult to get a decent setting, though on higher mile, older bikes replaceing tired stock suspension with something that has adjustments may make sense. RiDE

In stock trim the rear suspension isn’t very good, so Maxton have altered mine. Peter Dimblad (2002 bike)

Mine has 24,000 on the clock and the rear shock is tired. My bike is bouncy over rough surfaces, so I want a new shock or I’ll get K-Tech to recondition mine when I can afford it. I stiffened up front and rear preload, but advanced riding taught me more about handling than anything else. Jim McPhail (2003 bike) My 2001 bike was very soft as standard – especially the rear. I was told the spring is suited for someone under 10 stone so changed the rear spring for a heavier one, which worked well. Then I fitted a used Öhlins shock (£350) with a spring set for my weight (16st) but I still had to sort the front, which Maxton did with re-spring/re-valve for £400. It’s done wonders. Jim Graham (2001 bike)

Early model Fazer, so only the preload is adjustable and the rear is quite soft. New oil in forks and new shock when

I can afford it. Mark Spiers (1999 bike) I’m a big bloke, so set rear preload to one-notch short of maximum and front preload up to one ring short of maximum. Decent tyres made the biggest difference: Avon Storms for me. Simon Weir (2003 bike)

Increased preload to take pillion, fitted taller screen and got rid of the OE tyres – a set of Dunlop Roadsmarts improved the handling more than me playing with spanners ever will. Barry Allinson (2007 bike)

Avon Storm ST, Dunlop Roadsmart

popular tyres





Yamaha Fazer 1000

Yamaha Fazer 600

Dunlop Roadsmart, Pirelli Diablo

popular tyres



Is your rear too soft? More gas pressure is

the answer, apparently

With some of the earlier bikes – the 2000-02

model particularly – the rear spring too soft and this makes getting a good set up difficult. It’s better to fit an 85-90Nm shock spring and 10 w oil as long as it’s good oil (we use MOTUL Factory line). Also increase shock gas pressure to 10 Bar, but using nitrogen – not oxygen. MCT

I put the bike back to handbook standard settings as I only weigh nine stone. Fitted Avon Viper front tyre and Avon

Storm ST rear. Gene May (1999 bike) I have Öhlins forks and shock, ISR six-pots brakes, PVM wheels and Maxxis Supersport tyres. I’m happy with them for £139 a pair. There’s a recession, you know! Andy Themistocleous (2005 bike) I put my suspension back to standard as the clown who had the bike before more had listened to too much pub talk. A double- bubble screen is a must for taller riders. John Hughes (2005 bike) In stock trim it was too harsh for me – bumps kicked me out of the saddle. I wanted good turn-in, but good ride quality, so I changed it from standard settings by adding one click to the front rebound damping and two clicks to the rear rebound damping, but taking off two clicks of high-speed compression damping at the rear. Also got a 190/55 profile rear tyre to increase rear ride height and a higher screen. Pirelli Supercorsas suit the bike, but can overheat with extreme use. James Howard (2008 bike)Michelin Pilot Pure, Bridgestone BT-016

popular tyres

“what the experts say” “what the owners say”

Yamaha YZF-R1



Model Front preload Front rebound Font compression (high/low speed if possible).

Rear preload Rear rebound Rear compression (high/low speed if possible)

ApriliA

Tuono 3 lines showing 1.75 turns out from fully in 1.25 turns out 18mm 26 clicks out 7 clicks out

Tuono r/Factory 4 lines showing 1.5 turns in from max out 1 turn in from max out 17mm thread showing 20 turnsin from max 1.75 turns out from max

rSV1000 Mille four lines showing 1.5 turns from fully in 1 turn out from fully in 26mm 16 clicks from full in 14 clicks from full in

rSV-r/Factory 8 turns out from full in 12 clicks out from full in 12 clicks out from full in 8mm 16 clicks out from full in 14 clicks out from full in

DucATi

999S 2003-06 10mm showing 12 clicks out 10 clicks out 14mm 14 clicks 14 clicks

999 2003-04 20mm showing 8 clicks 8 clicks 11.5mm 1.5 click back 1 click back

999 2005-06 20mm showing 10 clicks 7 clicks 11.5mm 1.5 clicks 1 turn

1098 2007-08, 1198 2009-10

18mm showing 12 clicks 0.75 turns 28mm 2 turns 2 turns

1098S 2007-09, 1198S 2009-10

8 turns 10 clicks 8 clicks 23mm 10 clicks 10 clicks

HonDA

cBr1000rr 2010 6 turns out 2.25 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from full in Position 4 2.25 turns out from fully in 2.5 turns out from fully in

cBr1000rr 2008-09 6 turns out 2.25 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from full in Position 4 2 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from max

cBr1000rr 2006-07 7 turns from minimum 2.25 turns out from fully in 1.75 turns out from full in Position 4 2.25 turns out from fully in 17 clicks out from full in

cBr1000rr 2004-05 7 turns from minimum 2 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from fully in Position 4 2.5 turns out from fully in 9 clicks out from fully in

cBr900rr 2002-03 7 turns out minimum 2 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from fully in Position 4 2 turns out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in

cBr900rr 2001 18mm showing 1 turn out from fully in 1.5 turns out from fully in Position 3 2 turns out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in

cBr900rr 1998-99 12mm showing 1 turn out from fully in 1.5 turns out from fully in Position 3 1 turn out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in

cBr600rr 2005-06 5 turns out from fully in 2.5 turns out from fully in 2.5 turns out from fully in Position 4 2.5 turns out fully in 12 clicks out from fully in

cBr600rr 2003-04 4 rings visible 2.5 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from fully in Position 3 1.75 turns out fully in 7 clicks out from maximum

cBr600F 2001-06 4 rings visible 1.75 turns out from fully in 1.25 turns out from fully in Position 3 1.5 turns out fully in 1.5 turns out from fully in

cBr600F 1999-00 3 rings visible 1 turn out from fully in 1.5 turns out from fully in Position 2 1 turn out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in

cBr600F 1997-98 3 rings visible 1 turn out from fully in N/A Position 3 1 turn out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in

KAwASAKi

ZX-10r 2008-10 14mm showing 10 clicks out from fully in 10 clicks out from fully in 179mm spring showing 2 turns out from fully in 2.75 turns out from fully in / 2.25 turns out from fully in

ZX-10r 2006-07 17mm showing 10 clicks out from fully in 10 clicks out from fully in 179mm spring showing 2 turns out from fully in 4 turns out from fully in

ZX-10r 2004-05 14mm showing 9 clicks out from fully in 7 clcks out from fully in 178mm spring showing 1.75 turns out from fully in 3 turns out from fully in

ZX-9r 2002-04 5 rings showing 11 clicks from full in 11 clicks from full in 178mm thread showing 2.25 turns out from full in 3 turns out from full in

ZX-9r 2000-02 4 lines showing 10 clicks out from full in 8 clciks out from full in 178.5mm spring length 8 clciks out from full in 8 clicks out from full in

ZX-9r 1997-1999 2 lines on adjuster 4 clicks out from max 3 clicks out from max 5mm (static sag) 4 clicks out from max 2 clicks out from max

Z1000 7mm of thread showing 1 turn out from full in N/A 19mm showing on leg 1 turn out from fully in N/A

ZX-6r 2009-10 4 turns in from fully out 4 turns out from fully in 5.5 turns out from fully in 179mm spring showing 15 clicks out from fully in 3 turns out from fully in / 3 turns out from fully in)

ZX-6r 2007-08 5 turns in from fully out 1.5 turns out from fully in 1.5 turns out from fully in 180mm spring showing 19 clicks out from fully in 2.5 turns out from fully in / 2 turns out from fully in

ZX-6r 2004-06 17mm showing 1.75 turns out from fully in 0.75 turns out from fully in 182.7mm spring shownig 9th click out from fully in 0.75 turns out from fully in

If you’re not sure where to start with suspension adjustment – especially with a second-hand bike that the previous owner may have adjusted – your best starting point is to put the damping back to the factory settings. You should really set the static sag but, again, if in doubt you can start from the stock settings. We asked the various manufacturers to send us the stock settings for the bikes featured in this supplement, but if yours isn’t here then check the manual for your bike as the standard settings will be in there.

Stock settings



Model Front preload Front rebound Font compression (high/low speed if possible).

Rear preload Rear rebound Rear compression (high/low speed if possible)

ZX-6r 2003 (B2H) 14mm showing 8 clicks out from fully in 8 clicks out from fully in 180mm spring showing 2 turns out from fully in 2.5 turns out from fully in

ZX-6 r 2003 (B1H) 14mm showing 8 clicks out from fully in 8 clicks out from fully in 180mm spring showing 4.25 turns out from fully in 3.5 turns out from fully in

ZX-6r 2002 14mm showing 1.5 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from fully in 180mm spring showing 2.5 turns out from fully in 2.5 turns out from fully in

ZX-6r 2000-01 14mm showing 7 clicks out from full in 9 clicks out from full in 180mm spring showing 10 clicks out from full in 10 clicks out from full in

SuZuKi

GSXr1000 2009-10 4 turns from soft 4 turns out from stiff 5 turns from stiff 184.3mm 2.75 turns from stiff 2.25 turns out from stiff / 3 turns out from stiff

GSX-r1000 2007-08 3.5 grooves 6 clicks from stiff 3 turns from stiff / 14 clicks form stiff

161.00mm 11 clicks from stiff 3 turns from stiff / 14 clicks from stiff

GSX-r1000 2005-06 4 grooves 11 clicks out from stiff 16 clicks out from stiff 177.6mm 12 clicks out from stiff 14 clicks out from stiff.

GSX-r1000 2004 4.5 grooves 6 clicks out from stiff 11 clicks out from stiff 179.6mm 8 clicks out from stiff 8 clicks out from stiff.

GSX-r1000 2003 20mm of thread showing 2 turns out from full in 2 turns out from full in 4 lines showing 1.5 turns out from full in 2 turns out from full in

GSX-r1000 2002 4 grooves 1.25 turns out from full in 2.5 turns out from full in 21mm 1.5 turns out from full in 1.25 turns out from full in

Suzuki SV1000 2004-2007 6 grooves 0.75 turn out from stiff 1 turn out from stiff 199.5mm 0.75 turn out from stiff 2.25 turn out from stiff

GSX-r750 2008-10 7 turns from stiff 1.75 turns out from stiff 2 turns from stiff / 2.5 turns form stiff

182.3mm 1.75 turns out form stiff 2 turns out from stiff / 3 turns out from stiff.

GSX-r750 2006-07 7 turns in from soft 1.5 out from stiff 1.75 turns out from stiff 181.4mm 1.5 turns out from stiff 1.75 turns out from stiff / 3 turns out from stiff .

GSX-r750 2004-05 4th groove 1-1/2 turns out from stiff 1-1/2 turns out from stiff 195.3mm 1-3/4 turns out from stiff 1 turn out from stiff

GSX-r750 2001-03 four lines showing 1.25 turns out from full in 1 turn out from full in 10mm of thread above top locking nut

1.25 turns out from full in 1 turn out from full in

Suzuki SV650 2004-10 3 grooves N/A N/A position 4 on adj ring. N/A N/A

Suzuki GSX-r600 2008-10 7 turns from stiff 1.75 turns out from stiff 1.75 turns out from fully in 181.4mm 2 turns out from stiff 1.75 turns out from stiff / 3 turns out from stiff.

GSX-r600 2006-07 7 turns in from soft 1.75 turns out from stiff 1.75 turns out from fully in 181.4mm 1.75 turns out from stiff 1.75 turns out from stiff / 3 turns out from stiff.

GSX-r600 2004-05 4th groove 1-3/4 turns out from stiff 1-3/4 turns out from fully in 195.9 mm 2 turns out from stiff 1.75 turns out from stiff

GSX-r600 2001-03 3 rings showing 1.25 turns out from full in 1 turn out from fully in 10mm thread showing 1.5 turns out from full in 1.25 turns out from full in

GSX-r600 1997-99 4 lines showing 1.125 turns out from full in 1 turn out 195.4 overall spring length 1 turn out from full in 1.3 turns out

TriuMpH

Speed Triple 1050 2005-10

3 turns from fully in 2 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from fully in 2 turns out from fully in

Speed Triple 955i 1997-2005

5 turns out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in 1.5 clicks out from fully in 1.5 turns out from fully in

Triumph Daytona 955i 2002-06 5 turns out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in 5mm of thread 1 turn out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in

Triumph Daytona 955i 1998-2001 5 lines showing 1 turn out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in 12mm of thread 1.5 turns out from fully in 1.25 turns out from fully in

Triumph T595 Daytona 1997-98 28mm static sag 1 turn out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in 5mm of thread 1.25 turns out from fully in 1 turn out from fully in

Triumph Daytona 675 2006-10 7.5 turns from full in 9 clicks out from fully in 9 (low-speed) 3 (high speed) 9 clicks out from fully in 9 (low speed) 3 (high speed)

Triumph Daytona 600 & Daytona650 2003-05

6 turns out from fully in 6 turns out from fully in 6 turns out from fully in 6 turns out from fully in 6 turns out from fully in

YAMAHA

Yamaha r1 2009-10 Setting 2 12 clicks out 20 clicks out 8 turns 15 clicks out 3 (fast) 9 (slow) clicks out

Yamaha r1 2007-08 Setting 5 10 clicks out 10 clicks out Setting 5 12 clicks out 3 (fast) 12 (slow) clicks out

Yamaha r1 2004-06 Setting 4.5 10 clicks out 10 clicks out Setting 4 17 clicks out 12 clicks out

Yamaha r1 2002-03 Setting 6 13 clicks our 13 clicks out Setting 4 15 clicks out 15 clicks out

Yamaha r1 2000-01 Setting 6 5 clicks out 5 clicks out Setting 4 7 clicks out 9 clicks out

Yamaha FZ1/Fazer 2007-09 Setting 5 18 clicks out 5 clicks out Setting 3 8 clicks out N/A

Yamaha FZ1/Fazer 2006 Setting 5 15 clcks out 5 clicks out Setting 3 6 clicks out N/A

Yamaha FZS1000 Fazer 2001-06 Setting 2 7 clicks out 6 clicks out Setting 6 10 clicks out 7 clicks out

Yamaha r6 2008-10 Setting 2 20 clicks out 2 turns out from fully in / 15 clicks out from fully in

Setting 4 16 clicks out 3 turns out from fully in / 16 clicks out from fully in

Yamaha r6 2006-07 Setting 1 15 clicks out 10 turns out from fully in / 10 clicks out from fully in

Setting 4 10 clicks out 7 clicks out from fully in / 15 clicks out from fully in

Yamaha r6 2005 Setting 7 6 clicks out 6 clicks out Setting 4 6 clicks out 5 clicks out



Yamaha FZS600 (-04) 5 clicks out N/A N/A 4 clicks out N/A N/A

The righT rubberThe right tyres can transform your bike – the wrong ones can ruin it. So make sure you fir the best ones for the job

“sporTy Track-focused Tyres don’T make greaT road Tyres”

Use Avon Bridgestone Continental Dunlop Maxxis Metzeler Michelin Pirelli

Touring: Storm 2 Ultra, Cobra

BT-023, BT45 Road Attack, Road Attack 2

RoadSmart Supermaxx Roadtec Z8 Interact

Pilot Road 2 Sport Demon, Angel ST

Commuting: Storm 2 Ultra, Roadrider

BT-023, BT45 Motion, Road Attack

RoadSmart, SportSmart

Supermaxx Lasertec, Roadtec Z6

Pilot Road 2 Sport Demon, Angel ST

Gentleweekendrides:

Storm 2 Ultra, VP2 Sport

BT-023, BT45 Road Attack, Road Attack 2

RoadSmart, SportSmart

Supermaxx, Supermaxx Sport

Roadtec Z8 Interact, Sportec M5

Pilot Road 2 Angel ST

Sportyweekendrides:

Storm 2 Ultra, VP2 Sport

BT-016, BT-023 Road Attack 2, Sport Attack

SportSmart, Qualifier II

Supermaxx, Supermaxx Sport

Sportec M5 Interact

Pilot Power 2CT, Power Pure

Diablo Rosso Corsa

Fastweekendrides&occasionaltrackdays:

VP2 Sport, VP2 Supersport

BT-016, BT-023 Road Attack 2, Sport Attack

SportSmart, Qualifier II

Supermaxx Sport Sportec M5, Racetec K3 Interact

Pilot Power 2CT, Power Pure

Diablo Supercorsa BSB, Diablo Rosso Corsa

Trackdays&occasionalfastroadrides:

VP2 Xtreme, VP2 Supersport

BT-016, BT-003RS Race Attack Street SportSmart Supermaxx Sport Racetec K3 Interact

Power One Track Diablo Supercorsa BSB

Dualsport/adventuresport:

Distanzia, Gripster Battle Wings Trail Attack, Road Attack

Trailmax TR91, Detour Tourance, Tourance EXP

Anakee 2 Scorpion Trial

Tyre chooser grid

These are Dunlop’s new Sportsmart tyres. Will

they suit how you ride? Find out below



There’s an old tyre-fitters’ saying: look after your tyres and your tyres will look after you. Decent tyres, on correctly aligned wheels, with the right pressure and a nicely rounded profile will make the bike

handle sweetly and safely. If they’re unevenly worn, squared off, underinflated (never mind overinflated) or the rear wheel’s out of line… well, any single factor could ruin how a bike handles.

As well as having decent tyres, it’s important to have the right ones for your bike. And what’s “right” depends on how you ride and what you want from the tyre. If you’re commuting and want the tyre to last a long time, fit a tough one – but it may not give a very sporty performance. If you’re doing plenty of trackdays, a tyre built for maximum grip and feel is good – but the tyre won’t last as long as a tougher sports touring tyre.

The important thing is to be honest about how you ride. There’s some machismo attached to tyre choice, with sporty rubber being seen as a statement of intent (not to say ability). The reality is that the sportiest track-focused tyres don’t make great road tyres, while the latest sports touring tyres now have more grip than the all-out sports tyres of a few years ago.

So what should you fit? Here’s the manufacturers’ guide to their own ranges. Note that some tyres may not be available in all sizes or profiles, but these recommendations cover all bikes with 17in wheels.

TESTING

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