If you are an avid fan of the Sydney Motorcycle Show, you have probably seen different kinds of cool dirt bikes. Back in 2019, it was one of the biggest shows the event has ever held. And what made the event even cooler was that the show had the Supercross alongside the Sydney Motorcycle Show, which was a fascinating and interesting event.
Many of the performance bikes you saw had all sorts of expensive parts. One part of the bike you should closely look at is the suspensions. If you are still new to taking an interest in motorcycles, you should know that suspensions are some of the most critical parts of a motorcycle. The impact it gives on the overall performance is excellent, but only when you set it up correctly.
When you plan to buy a motorcycle suspension and replace it with your factory suspensions, you should already have ample knowledge on how to set it up correctly. And if you have trouble finding a quality product, you don’t have to worry as there are many reliable vendors you can contact to buy a motorcycle suspension in Sydney. Afterwards, setting it up to your specifications is vital to ensure a comfortable ride and top-notch performance. You can follow a few tips to get it right the first time.
1. Taking Down Notes
A good tip to not completely mess up your suspension settings is to initially write down the stock settings. This allows you to adjust it back to its previous setting whenever you are confused or lost track of the adjustments. You can also check the manual that came with your new suspensions. Mostly, you have the compression and rebound figures to take note of since every bike has a different way to adjust it.
2. Adjust Front Fork Sag
A sag is how much your fork dips into its travel by applying your full body weight on it. A good tip for forks with a 120mm travel is to give it at least 40mm of sag. You can do this by holding the front brakes or placing your front tires in front of a sturdy wall and putting your weight on it. Once the fork is compressed, let it settle and drive your cable-tie up the dust seal. After that, let the fork extend back to its full, normal length.
3. Alter Front Fork Preload
As mentioned, you need to reach 40mm of sage when your fork has a 120mm travel. You can find the preload adjuster on the top of the fork leg, and you can usually find one or two adjusters, depending on the type of fork. You can wind the adjuster in to increase the ride height or do the opposite to decrease it.
4. Adjust Front Compression Damping
Adjusting the front compression damping helps control the rate of how the front suspension compresses over rough roads and bumps. If you notice that the fork dips too quickly, you must increase the compression rate. However, reducing the compression rate can also improve bike rides on smooth roads in Sydney.
5. Alter Fork Rebound
An excellent tip to adjust the fork is to try to make the fork bounce and see if it settles right away. But if it does not, you should give both fork legs more rebound.
6. Adjust Rear Suspension Sag
Make sure you adjust the sag of your rear shocks to at least 30 to 35mm. Try measuring it by applying your whole upper body weight and without weight. Slowly adjust the preloads until you get the perfect figures.
7. Adjust Rear Rebound and Compression
The rear rebound and compression rates for the rear shocks work the same for the front shocks. If you’re riding on bumpy roads, decrease the rebound and the high-speed compression damping. Most modern bikes will have both low and high-speed compression damping. And for riding on smoother roads, increase the rebound and the low-speed compression damping.
Make sure to look for a reliable vendor to buy motorcycle suspension in Sydney, if you want to make adjustments with your suspensions. The quality of suspension really matters, and it significantly affects your bike riding experience.
