Suspension settings

[paddy_nc29]

Hi all, come to set up my rear shock.

It's a 1998 CBR 600 F3 rear shock with remote reservior.

Interested to hear the setups of the rear suspension for people with this shock. I.E their weight, compression turns, preload, what number on adjuster...

Be a massive help. I'm 11 stone 2 pounds, 5'11 tall so want to dial in the suspension so i can TEAR up the road come summer!

[Bertie]

the preload on mine is on 6 and is a tad too stiff but i cant seem to move it without getting the shock out, and i cant be arsed with that! (im about 15 stone geared up btw, so you definately dont want the preload that far in!

[tanuki]

your preload is set up but setting up the static sag and has little to do with the riders weight.
Every shock will be different so while its all well and good asking what other peoples are set at its likely to have zero bearing on your shock.

Do a trackday and pay the £40 for someone like %100 suspension to set up your suspension.

[Pleiades]

tanuki is right, other peoples settings are pretty much irrelevant to you and your bike. If your CBR 600 F3 shock has been rebuilt by one guy, and mine by another, who knows what shimming one or the other used, they are probably completely different internally. And your weight, front end settings, tyres, etc are all going to have an effect on the rear, and at least some of these will be different on another bike. Asking a vague "what have you got" is a bit like a CBR rider asking for gearing settings from a ZXR rider - pointless.

A few years ago I did what tanuki suggests, I paid a bloke $60 at a Phillip Island ride day to set up my suspension. Felt like a totally different bike after that. Bear in mind that they will most likely try to sell you stuff, but the initial set up will get you started, and maybe get you interested enough to read something like the Race Tech Suspension Bible, probably the best motorcycle book I've purchased.

[Davez29]

Follow this guide from Keith Code,it works for me..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CArBc2FJ ... re=related

[cajun]

tanuki is right, other peoples settings are pretty much irrelevant to you and your bike. If your CBR 600 F3 shock has been rebuilt by one guy, and mine by another, who knows what shimming one or the other used, they are probably completely different internally. And your weight, front end settings, tyres, etc are all going to have an effect on the rear, and at least some of these will be different on another bike. Asking a vague "what have you got" is a bit like a CBR rider asking for gearing settings from a ZXR rider - pointless.

A few years ago I did what tanuki suggests, I paid a bloke $60 at a Phillip Island ride day to set up my suspension. Felt like a totally different bike after that. Bear in mind that they will most likely try to sell you stuff, but the initial set up will get you started, and maybe get you interested enough to read something like the Race Tech Suspension Bible, probably the best motorcycle book I've purchased.

Exactly. What David said.

Have it refreshed along with the forks and go from there.

[paddy_nc29]

That video helped, thanks a bunch!

[yeurman]

This video is fine as a reference, if the rider knows what sag he likes, but what if he doesnt? Where do you start? I have always, for road racing started with the following and then depending on the circuit made some small adjustments.. i,e for the Manx GP, with 50% fuel load (8 litres) on bike: Static SAG (no rider, just bike weight): Front 25mm and rear 10mm static sag. But depending on spring rates front and rear and linkages this is variable, as is your weight (with full race gear), riding style, braking and throttle control. So its all a bit of a black art and what works for one person will (most likley not) always work for another. So best to work this out for yourself and take others setting as reference not the answer to all your handling problems. Then you can start on compression and rebound damping (high and low) wheel length and tyre pressures.... :)
Cheers
Col

[Davez29]

This video is fine as a reference,

Hi Col, yes, you are of course right but as a newbie to this It did help me a lot and gave me a good baseline to work from. Once set following the video I found only my rebound front and back had to be wound up a notch or two over the basic settings and most importantly this helped me level the bikes suspension, without too much error, thats where it scores for the average rider who knows nothing of this black art.