Shocks
#3
11-16-2006 | 07:16 AM
Member
1st Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 68
From:
RE: Shocks
yep..get a screw driver and a hammer. Basically, looking at the rear shock from the side the fuel switch is on, you can see the ring the spring is up against, on the top side of the spring. On top of that is a metal, toothed lock ring. I'm sure there is a "proper" tool for this, but you can take the flat head and put it on these teeth, and then tap with the screwdriver. You want to loosen the retainer ring. Normal threads. Once that is loose, then you rotate the main, spring seat ring either the same way, or potentially by hand. To stiffen up the rear end, you can tighten the ring down on the spring. There is also the air canister that hangs right there. I've played with these a lot on mountain bikes, never a motorcycle - I assume the same concepts though. Some sort of pump could be used to put more or less air in the canister, which would likely control damping, as well as rate of compression. Just changing the position of the retainer ring, basically compressing more or less the spring if tighten or loosen will change how stiff things feel. Give it a whirl...takes a few minutes to make a change.
#4
11-16-2006 | 10:47 AM
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,482
From:
1st Gear Member
RE: Shocks
ORIGINAL: UTRoss
yep..get a screw driver and a hammer. Basically, looking at the rear shock from the side the fuel switch is on, you can see the ring the spring is up against, on the top side of the spring. On top of that is a metal, toothed lock ring. I'm sure there is a "proper" tool for this, but you can take the flat head and put it on these teeth, and then tap with the screwdriver. You want to loosen the retainer ring. Normal threads. Once that is loose, then you rotate the main, spring seat ring either the same way, or potentially by hand. To stiffen up the rear end, you can tighten the ring down on the spring. There is also the air canister that hangs right there. I've played with these a lot on mountain bikes, never a motorcycle - I assume the same concepts though. Some sort of pump could be used to put more or less air in the canister, which would likely control damping, as well as rate of compression. Just changing the position of the retainer ring, basically compressing more or less the spring if tighten or loosen will change how stiff things feel. Give it a whirl...takes a few minutes to make a change.
yep..get a screw driver and a hammer. Basically, looking at the rear shock from the side the fuel switch is on, you can see the ring the spring is up against, on the top side of the spring. On top of that is a metal, toothed lock ring. I'm sure there is a "proper" tool for this, but you can take the flat head and put it on these teeth, and then tap with the screwdriver. You want to loosen the retainer ring. Normal threads. Once that is loose, then you rotate the main, spring seat ring either the same way, or potentially by hand. To stiffen up the rear end, you can tighten the ring down on the spring. There is also the air canister that hangs right there. I've played with these a lot on mountain bikes, never a motorcycle - I assume the same concepts though. Some sort of pump could be used to put more or less air in the canister, which would likely control damping, as well as rate of compression. Just changing the position of the retainer ring, basically compressing more or less the spring if tighten or loosen will change how stiff things feel. Give it a whirl...takes a few minutes to make a change.
#7
11-16-2006 | 02:41 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,106
From: Misawa Japan
1st Gear Member
RE: Shocks
Check on how to set the sag. Basically the bike should compress by 1/3 of the total travel when you sit on it. Check out the procedure in one of the adjustment threads.
ORIGINAL: M_O_Z
Any1 know how to make adjustments to the back shock??
Any1 know how to make adjustments to the back shock??
#8
11-18-2006 | 06:14 AM
Senior Member
1st Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 563
From:
RE: Shocks
So which dampens the bike rebound/compression more (ie better cushioning for landings) more turns out (counter clockwise) / higher clickes out from fully seated screw
OR
less turns out / closer to being fully seated (clockwise till seated)??
OR
less turns out / closer to being fully seated (clockwise till seated)??
#9
11-19-2006 | 12:11 AM
Senior Member
1st Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 563
From:
RE: Shocks
The reason I ask is that I'm pretty certian that less clicks out from seating means incresed dampening.
with the factory settings, which are way too soft IMHO, at 12 clicks out for rebound and 16 clicks out for compresion, I wonder why in this posting:
https://www.kawasakiforums.com/m_29594/tm.htm
Seth, who was jumping his bike, went with what appears to be LESS dampening on his rebound adjustment with a rebound setting of 14 or two more clicks (less dampening) then the factory setting.
I have my rebound dampening set at 7 (vs the factory setting of 12) and my compression dampening at 8 (vs the factory setting of 16) so that it lands jumps better. (I also have my front fork dampening set to 4 clicks (vs the factory setting of 8) and I'm 190LBS w/gear.
Thoughts??
with the factory settings, which are way too soft IMHO, at 12 clicks out for rebound and 16 clicks out for compresion, I wonder why in this posting:
https://www.kawasakiforums.com/m_29594/tm.htm
Seth, who was jumping his bike, went with what appears to be LESS dampening on his rebound adjustment with a rebound setting of 14 or two more clicks (less dampening) then the factory setting.
I have my rebound dampening set at 7 (vs the factory setting of 12) and my compression dampening at 8 (vs the factory setting of 16) so that it lands jumps better. (I also have my front fork dampening set to 4 clicks (vs the factory setting of 8) and I'm 190LBS w/gear.
Thoughts??
