Suspension is an important component for motorized vehicles. They have a crucial role in providing comfort and good handling when driving. By properly adjusting the suspension, riders can improve their comfort experience on a variety of terrains. Since this setup requires basic understanding and experimentation, let’s review some suspension tuning tips.
Suspension Tuning Tips that are Important for You to Know
Driving comfort is the main thing that must be considered. To achieve this, of course there are many things that can influence comfort. One of them is the condition of the vehicle’s suspension.
The suspension itself is a system that functions to reduce vibrations and shocks that arise when the motorbike crosses uneven surfaces. Continuous use of this motorcycle component certainly reduces its performance. That is the reason why we need to re-adjust the suspension.
In addition, there are a number of other factors that make regular adjustments necessary. For example, the rider’s weight and additional load will affect suspension performance. Additionally, aggressive or more relaxed riders require different suspension settings. Here are suspension tuning tips that you can follow.
1. Get to Know the Motorbike and Determine the Purpose
Basically, the process of adjusting the suspension is almost the same for all types of vehicles. However, some models can have their own characteristics. Therefore, make sure to study it first to find out the correct initial settings. Not only that, try to understand the purpose of the suspension settings. Do you want to improve comfort, handling or a combination of both. So that the work process is more optimal.
2. Adjust the Slack in the Fork
Next is to adjust the slack on the front and rear forks. You can adjust the size according to your needs or based on your ideal size. Make sure the damping is on the lightest and most open setting.
After that, turn the compression adjuster on the top side of the fork counterclockwise until it stops. Stand next to the motorbike and push the handlebar down. Pay attention to how the wheels bounce off the ground. For forks, 15–20% slack is ideal.
3. Adjusting Preload
The next suspension tuning tip is to adjust the preload. The preload section is the initial setting standard which determines how tight or hard the suspension spring will withstand the load. The adjustment is simply by turning the ring or bolt located at the top and bottom of the suspension. By rotating it, the tension in the suspension spring immediately changes. The tighter you turn it, the stiffer the suspension.
4. Repair Compression Parts
Compression refers to the speed or level of resistance at which the suspension is compressed. Simply put, this is how quickly the suspension will absorb shock when the wheels hit the road surface. The compression setting will determine how quickly the suspension will absorb the force.
Usually, the manufacturer has set the compression at the optimal position. You can start there and make adjustments little by little.
Adjustment simply involves turning the screw at the top or bottom of the suspension tube. The direction of rotation to increase or decrease compression will vary depending on the make and model of the motorbike.
High compression makes the suspension harder to respond to shocks. This provides better control at super speeds or when cornering. Meanwhile, low compression makes the suspension tend to be soft in responding to shocks. This provides comfort on rough roads.
5. Rebound Settings
The final step in suspension tuning tips is to adjust the rebound. Simply put, rebound is how quickly the suspension bounces back after absorbing a shock. If the motorcycle feels loose when braking, it means it needs a lot of rebound. So, make sure the amount you need is right so you can be more comfortable when driving.
Those are some suspension tuning tips to improve your driving experience. If you want to significantly upgrade your suspension performance, you can consider replacing the components with aftermarket products. If you have difficulty or are unsure about adjusting yourself, consult an experienced mechanic.
