All 650's Suspension

[Remek]

Has anyone adjusted their pre load on the rear shock? I think the front is not adjustable...

I ride mostly with a passenger and wondering if I should make it stiffer. Do I really need to? Will it make it a less comfortable ride?

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[Duncan]

do it.
static sag is a thing and should be about 25% of the travel of the suspension so a firmer rear is a must.

I am 120kg and have mine 3rd from the max. step. which is a touch firm but is also indicative of a two up setting.

 

[miweber929]

Yes, crank the preload up to the max or a few away from max and the bike will be much more stable and handle better with a passenger. You do need to do this for the bike to work properly.

What are your weights? It'll be easier to tell you how far to adjust knowing that. I'm 240lbs or so, the wife is around 140 so we went to max when we carry luggage, one notch down when we don't.

Stock your bike doesn't have preload capability but for an hours time and $65 you can add it. Search on my bike build thread for what I originally did before I went full Ohlins.

 

[Remek]

Thanks. I'm about 170 and she is 120. We usually have a bit of luggage too, maybe 20-30 lbs.

Will this make it a harder ride?

Yes, crank the preload up to the max or a few away from max and the bike will be much more stable and handle better with a passenger. You do need to do this for the bike to work properly.

What are your weights? It'll be easier to tell you how far to adjust knowing that. I'm 240lbs or so, the wife is around 140 so we went to max when we carry luggage, one notch down when we don't.

Stock your bike doesn't have preload capability but for an hours time and $65 you can add it. Search on my bike build thread for what I originally did before I went full Ohlins.[/QUOT

Yes, crank the preload up to the max or a few away from max and the bike will be much more stable and handle better with a passenger. You do need to do this for the bike to work properly.

What are your weights? It'll be easier to tell you how far to adjust knowing that. I'm 240lbs or so, the wife is around 140 so we went to max when we carry luggage, one notch down when we don't.

Stock your bike doesn't have preload capability but for an hours time and $65 you can add it. Search on my bike build thread for what I originally did before I went full Ohlins.

 

[Duncan]

it's a balance, so to speak. if your passenger can sit as close to you as is comfortable without fatiguing you to centralise weigth, it can help.
basicaly you get less weight on the front so it's a bit less responsive and the higher rearward mass makes the bike roll a bit slower.
Doesn't take long to get used to, the tricky bit is when you look for the sports bike and only find a tourer.

 

[miweber929]

Thanks. I'm about 170 and she is 120. We usually have a bit of luggage too, maybe 20-30 lbs.

Will this make it a harder ride?

Yes and no. It should ride farther up on the suspension travel so it would be more "controlled" but based on your weights and if you haven't moved the suspension from stock it was probably sift in the initial travel but bottomed out which would make it harsh. Adjusting it should stop that from happening.

I'd say move your preload collar from where it is to 2 notches from full stiff or the highest one, ride it and see how you like it. Then maybe go one higher to settle at one from the highest setting if it still seems soft or if you like the way it now handles.

You should be able to strike a balance by moving the preload higher when it's the both of you and lower when it's only you.

 

[GPJake]

Good thread. I'm ride with a passenger but am solo the vast majority of the time.

I'm about 190lbs/86kg. What would you folks recommend for solo riding at that weight?

 

[Duncan]

see my static sag setup comment. this is true for all setups.
once static sag is set, we can only do the "poor mans" dampening adjustment by adding or removing preload from the spring.

making is stiffer will have the bike feel firmer until the bumps get harsher, like they do at speed (more abrupt). as well as having less rear squat during acceleration for better drive. the offset is that it can be less happy when the bumps get larger or closer together.

 

[miweber929]

Good thread. I'm ride with a passenger but am solo the vast majority of the time.

I'm about 190lbs/86kg. What would you folks recommend for solo riding at that weight?

I'd go up maybe two notches from where you are and try that. Might be a bit stiff but it might feel more " precise".

Like @Duncan said, sag measurements is how you should set it up but most of the time I simply go by feel. Try it and see how it works; feel is as important as the numbers that you "should" be setting it up to are. I usually run a bit less sag than most tuners suggest because I like a bit stiffer ride.

Ymmv

 

[GoaCBR]

Probably a dumbo question but, how do you adjust the preload? I can see the collar that needs to be turned - it looks like it's set on 2 - but what do you use to turn it?

 

[Duncan]

there should be a giant spanner thing in the tool kit.
looks alot like this. you turn the base to get the wavey bit to "step up" and apply a little pre load.


At 120kg, I have mine set to about 2nd from the top. not just for preload, but to also make the back a little stiffer to reduce squat out of corners. I could get away with a step or 2 less for a more push ride.
this would also be about right if you were 2up or touring with a similar load.

 

[Road Hog]

The bikes in thailand from factory were set at pre-load 3 and this was ok for my
weight but the roads were so bad with pot holes every where,so i set it to pre-load 5
to get less shock going into the pot holes.Now that the roads are fixed i set it to
pre-load2 and its good.I weight about 83kg.

 

[GoaCBR]

Thanks for that @Duncan pictures are always informative. Turns out it wasn't such a dumbo question as that tool / spanner is not in my tool kit. I'm getting one from Honda tomorrow (for a CBR250RA) which I have been assured should be the same.
I'll get them to check that and adjust it at the same time.
My problem is the bike bottoming out on speed bumps amd to a certain extent pot holes. This is most noticeable with a pillion on board. I'm hoping increasing the preload will help.
I weigh about 70kg and the pillion about 45kg.

 

[Brammers]

Setting 3 or 4 should be good for that weight

 

[Daniel]

Been doing a little digging on what the most appropriate rear shock replacement is. Appreciate their are other manufacturers but I will use Ohlins as a reference for discussion since there is a lot of information out there on their shock absorber variations. I have a few questions which I'm puzzled by.

As far as I can tell, Part number HO 428 is their recommended replacement, which is type code S46DR1. As per the attached descriptor this indicates the shock is:
Single tube design
46mm piston diameter
D internal reservoir
R1 Adjustable rebound damping

The second image is a typical google search image result but I can find no 'official' recommendation for this shock type for our bikes, a similar one exists for the CB too and has a few differences.
EDIT: Have now found the source, it's from Ohlinsasia.com, part number: HO 713
https://ohlinsasia.com/product-item/12191/

Single tube design
46mm piston diameter
H external reservoir
R1 Adjustable rebound damping
C1 Adjustable compression damping

Q1) Why buy a replacement shock if the stock unit functions exactly the same way as S46DR1?

S46HR1C1 has an external reservoir and adjustable compression damping.
Q2) I believe the external reservoir is necessary because of the ability to adjust compression damping?
Q3) How much difference will the ability to adjust compression damping make?
Q4) What's to stop us buying a shock such as S46DR1LS which has the adjustable length and hose mounted hydraulic spring preload adjuster?

I may have thought about this too much but was curious about the above.

 

[User2]

I’m finding the rear shock only works below about 60 mph. After that speed the ride becomes harsh and some bumps in the road cause the rear of my bike to kick up. It’s not a mild feeling of kick up. It is an alarming feels like the bike is out of control situation. It happens at least once almost every time I ride my bike.

I have 20k miles on the odometer and I can’t decide if the rear shock is just worn out or if it is a bad design.

Without knowing the cause it is hard to decide what to do.

I weigh about 200lb and the preload is set about in the middle of the range.

 

[jerzy_bondov]

Jetflo - my bike is on 2k miles and set in the middle as it came from the factory, and I’ve never felt anything like that (I’m probably 180lb in kit). Might be worth dropping into a local bike dealer and getting a static comparison done with a new bike? Equally I’m sure any bike mechanic could tell you if the rear shock is cooked without having to ride it.

 

[Brammers]

Are your tyre pressures OK? Sounds very odd.

I'm about the same weight with shock on #4 and get nothing but good response from the rear.

Yours definitely sounds wrong.

J

 

[User2]

Thanks for the tips. My tire pressures are good, 36 front and 42psi rear. They are pilot road 4s that have about 500 miles on them.

I wish the shock was serviceable. I plan on having the fork serviced but I hesitate to buy a used shock. A new shock is the same price as ohlins as far as I can tell.

So I am considering the ohlins shock and doing the ohlins spring upgrade/fork service at the same time.

That’s $1000 of work. I am struggling with the decision.

 

[Brammers]

Doing the fork springs was one of my better choices of mod.

Rear shock isn't something I need right now, but sounds like it should be next on your list.

J