I read in my owner's manual that the 2007 Ninja ZX6R suspension settings are for a typical rider weighing 150lbs. without any gear. Those settings just aren't getting it for me.

I'm a 220lb. rider, and I usually carry some cargo (10 lbs. max usually). I ride primarily on the freeway with an occasional mountain road thrown in. The stock suspension settings on my bike makes my bike not want to turn very good. I find moderate to sharp turns somewhat difficult to do. U-turns run way wide (this happens on moderate to sharp turns as well), and the bike feels heavy or unresponsive when turning. The only way to get the bike to corner is to slow waaaaayyyyy down in order to get it to turn on the correct radius and not want to run wide.

I've tried messing with the settings and have found limited success. I've basically found what the range is for all settings and have set all in the middle of the range. This made the bike turn good, but the front end feels like it's going to wash out from under mewhen I lean the bike in a turn. I've tried to adjust the rear rebound settings (moving towards a softer setting) and this compounds the feeling of instability up front. Tightening up the setting makes the bike not want to turn at all. I've made little adjustments here and there trying to figure out the suspension and what/what doesn't work. I'm not making any progress on finding a happy medium.

Can anyone point me in the right direction so I can enjoy riding the bike againand make turns without fearing for my safety? Any and all tips much appreciated!

 

You probably need to change the springs in the front. I'm guessing you are likely bottoming out your front end without realizing it and when the forks return from bottoming out you end up going wide. Try putting a zip tie around the fork tube to determine the travel and take a picture after riding.

 

Nice tip. Maybe all the adjustments now are out of wack. Start from the middle of your clickers and start adjusting again. Might not want to spend the money on new springs just yet. Only as a last resort. There's another guy here....what's his name...hmm? who will have better advice from track expirience.

 

first question, before you messed with the comporession and rebound settings, did you set the sag ?

if not, you need to go back to the middle and do this, once the sag is properly set for your weight, you can dial in a better adjustment to your liking without making the bike feel like is is improperly adjusted.

 

Like mentioned earlier you will need a spring for over 200 pounds...give me a day and I will send you info on how to set up your suspension...static sag...free sag... ...you'll need at least 3 people including yourself...

 

This is straight out of instruction guide that we use to teach our sportbike classes...if you have any questions just let me know...
Static Sag -- The First Step to a Good Setup. Static sag is the amount the springs compress between fully topped out and fully loaded with the rider on board. For street purposes, front sag should generally be between 30 and 35mm, and rear sag between 25 and 30mm. Do not vary from these numbers; no matter how much you weigh, these number should be the same. An easy way to check if your shock spring rate is in the ballpark is to measure the rear "free" sag (the sag without your weight on the bike). This number should be between 0 and 5mm-- with the bike off its stand and on its own, you should be able to lift the rear end just slightly and top out the suspension. If your bike is topped out at rest, you will need a stiffer spring. Because you will have to dial in a lot of preload to correct the static sag which is not the proper way of correcting problem, and could be dangerous. On the other hand, if your bike has a lot of free sag, you can lift the rear a bunch before it tops out, you will need a softer spring (not common problem because most bikes come with a soft spring for a rider under 200 lbs). To measure your static sag you will need a couple of helpers. One to hold the bike while you sit on it with your feet on the pegs. The other person will measure the sag. For the front forks you can use a nylon zip tie wrapped around the part of the fork tube that slides into the slider tube (leave this on once you are done it will come in handy for compression setting). Slide the zip tie against the slider tube where the outer fork seal wiper is. Get on your bike and put your feet on the pegs. Make sure your friend is holding the bike from falling over but not putting any downward or upward force on the bike. Get off the bike and measure the distance the zip tie traveled from the slider tube. Remember the front sag should be from 30-35 mm. The zip tie method will not work on the rear shock because there is no place to secure and measure the travel of the zip tie. Instead you will need to measure the bike from a fixed point without the rider then with the rider. This is where the third person comes into play. A good point to measure is the rear pegs. You can use any point as long as it is above the un-sprung weight of the bike. This generally is above the swing arm. Static sag on the rear should be 25-30 mm. To adjust the sag on the front and rear. You will use the preload adjustment. Consult your owner’s manual to see where your adjustment points are on your specific bike. Once you have completed your static sag. Return the zip tie up to the top position of the slider tube. Now go for a ride to feel out your suspension, before making adjustments to rebound and compression.

 

At 220, you need springs. Period. There is no way you are going to get proper sag set up without them.

 

I agree;at your weight, you need your forks & shocks re-sprung. There are a lot of places that will re-valve & re-spring your stockers with remarkable improvements. Race-Tech, Traxxion Dynamics, Lindeman Engineering among others. I'd definitely recomment it or buy upgraded suspension like Ohlins, Penske etc.