HantsV11LeMans

Thanks Docc and Footgoose and to all those who replied earlier. I’ve decided to go with the recommended sae 10 since I don’t know what was put in or how much if they ever touched the forks. It may be 15 years old. I have almost enough sag up front and I’m using plenty of travel so I won’t deviate from recommended until I know I have the correct weight (10)at the right quantity(.870) Start with 400 per side as you said and look at air gap. I’ll let you know exactly how much oil goes in and how much air gap and how it rides afterwards. You all have been incredibly helpful. Glad I joined. Now I’m going to search topics for rear sets or lower pegs. I have long legs and love this bike for the first hour or two. Like it until the 4th hour, but I rode from UK to Mandello del Lario last month and the long days on motorways killed my knees. Seat height is too close to peg height for my legs. I’ll look on this forum for suggestions. cheers guys

I’ve done more measurements since I backed out the preload on both forks all the way. The rebound is mostly backed out on each fork too. The rear has 34mm rider sag (most of that is from (27mm) rider getting on and only maybe 7mm if that was static sag from weight of bike standing. but the front is the other way around. It only drops another 7mm when I sit on it in full gear but when I get off and lift almost all the weight off the wheel to check for static sag it rises about 26mm. So the static is 26mm and the rider ads only 7mm to make the rider sag 33mm. I was told to aim for 30-35mm in the rear for preload sag and 35-40mm In the front. So ideally a little bit more sag up front but I’m relieved to see that the static sag was so large considering the minimal movement when I sat on it. The rear is the opposite. But both add up to the same. I put cable ties on the front forks and with normal riding on twisty roads I used all but the last 25-30mm of travel. When I did a harsh stop to test if it bottomed out it still had about 15mm left. I think I can live with these settings. Tomorrow my mechanic is going to change the Old sae 10 fork oil with sae 5 oil to see if that helps soften the ride at all. If it does too much I have all the preload yet to add as now it’s backed almost completely out (same with rebound). And I can always go back to sae 10 or 7. Anyone try lighter fork oils than the 10 in the manual? Thanks guys

Thanks Footgoose, did that Newer manual say how much oil the forks take? My older manual says 0.84 litres for Marzocchi (sae 10) shock absorbers

Thanks, my manual doesn’t mention the Corsa model on the cover. Must be an older manual. The preload is backed all the way out counter clockwise yet the front end only sags 7mm when I sit on it in gear. I’m hoping a lighter fork oil may help. My Old Manual (but now that may be wrong) says sae 10. Does the new manual say 10 for the Le Mans (non Corsa/ohlins)? Has anyone tried sae 5 or 7? Thanks

Thanks, They look like mine (at least at the top) it’s dark now in the UK so I’ll compare the rest in the light. It’s going to my local mechanic Thursday for a new fuel filter, I’ll show him all of this helpful detective work. We’ll count click on detents and revolutions on the smaller hex nut. He may change the standard sae 10 fork oil to sae 5 to see if that helps with sag if there is no adjustment aside from spacers. thanks to you all, really. I’ll keep checking for info and advice. I’ll update Thursday too. Maybe I should just wear a heavy backpack to beef myself up.

It’s just odd that with the preload backed out all the way counter(anti) clockwise on both forks the forks only sag another 5mm when I put my weight (160lb) (11s6lb) plus gear on the bike. I thought rider sag was closer to 35mm.

The manual says the left fork has a C for compression and the right has an R for rebound. I’m beginning to think perhaps they simply installed the wrong (R) cap on the left fork. I’ll adjust the left first and see if that effects compression or rebound. I had kept them the same because they both said rebound. But I’ll try adjusting individually.

Thanks, As far as I know they are stock. Not the gold Ohlins like on the Corsa models. 2 owners before me. First added a power commander. Next changed nothing. maybe the left cap is wrong cap but it adjusts compression. sorry my pictures are poor. It won’t let me upload over 200k

Thanks Jason. Maybe they changed manufacture by 2005 but didn’t update the manual.

Hi all, I’m confused. Recently bought a 2005 V11 Le Mans and found the front suspension rider sag only about 5mm when I sit on the bike in gear. The preload bolts are backed all the way out. The manual doesn’t cover these preload adjustments. Only compression and rebound. Could it be that you are meant to tighten the bolts down as in clockwise to lessen preload? Also the manual says the left fork adjusts the compression with a C on it and the right fork adjusts the rebound with an R on it BUT on my bike both fork heads have an R on them. Does anyone know which is correct? Is the manual correct and the left R on the bike should actually say C? Or is the manual wrong and I can only adjust Rebound turning both screw heads? Many thanks for any guidance