Advice from my Mechanic

[docc]

I ran into this same mystery on 'what shock.' I always thought mine was wp. One day I was lying next to the bike on the floor and, looking up, I could see the 'Sachs-Boge' ( hey, who said,' sux-big?' ) on the bottom of the remote rservoir. Nemo, have a look there. We're all still on a search for any V11 with a WP.

 

Lex has always made a good strong argument for the correct (heavier) springs and easing the high speed damping of the stock units. No question this would help compliance. I used to think 'compliance' meant 'soft.' But I understand now (after a traction failure) that compliance keeps the rubber on the road. Much better than that "insecure feeling" of leather on the road.

[Guest captain nemo]

Ok, I freely admit I know nothing. When you say 'damping' do you mean 'compression?' By my natural instinct to reduce 'compression' while keeping 'rebound' high, did I increase 'compliance?' Did I not retain the tire's firm contact with the tarmac while at the same time making life in the saddle a bit more pleasant?

 

~nemo

[docc]

~nemo, don't let me pretend to be an expert here. The great thing about this forum is we all learn from one another. Let me try to summarize some that I've learned from reading the more knowledgable:

 

Both compression and rebound can be damped. In general, compliance is better maintained by increasing rebound damping ( or decreasing compression damping).

 

The adjustments only affect 'low speed' (slow acting) damping. The high speed damping is fixed within the units.

 

Lighter oil eases the overdamping.

 

Guzzis, like many stock set ups, are softly sprung then the fixed, high speed valving is overdamped to compensate (in both compression and rebound). This gives aplush ride until the bike is pushed hard when compliance (traction) degrades and the suspension is prone to bottoming (especially the rear).

 

The Guzzi has a lot of weight on the rear. There are lots of remedies for this to keep from washing out the front end while cornering hard , especially on a rough road: Increased rear preload, raising forks in the clamps, softer font tire, heavier front springs, moderate front tire pressure.

 

The V11 Sport is such a great bike to make changes and ride always moving it closer to how you want it to feel.

 

"Be back in a couple hours, Honey. Gotta check the suspension on the Guzzi"

[dlaing]

It sounds like Captain Nemo is on the right track.

The only things I can add to the great advice is:

 

1) measure the sag and adjust what you can.

2) Get the front and rear in equilibrium. ie. push down on the front and then push down on the rear. Adjust them to compress and rebound with roughly equal force.

3) try backing off the rebound a few clicks, go for a ride, tighten the rebound one click, go for a ride, tighten the rebound one click, go for a ride, etc.

4)repeat step 2

5)repeat step 3

etc.

Now isn't that more fun than paying your dealer lotsa money?

Note that there is a tendency to buy into the idea of turning up the rebound damping and turning down the compression damping. In general this makes sense, but in the real world it is easy to add too much rebound damping, and not enough compression damping. High rebound and low compression will make the spring compress under repeating bumps which can ruin compliance, comfort and cause easy bottoming. So the well meaning plan can backfire, especially if your springs are under sprung.

Also too much rebound will not allow the tire to stay with the ground.

[docc]

Also too much rebound will not allow the tire to stay with the ground.

I'm afraid this haunting phenomenon cotributed to my lowside about a month ago. I was running compression 50% and rebound 75% front and rear with increased preload front and rear, forks raised 10mm, hard compound tires (Pilot Road) and too high tire pressure.

 

Just proof that you can get your set up screwed up before getting it right.

 

 

(I figure the tire-suspension set up contributed 5 or 6% to the crash. Blowing the entry : 94-95%.) But, gosh, I sure could've used that 5% edge!

[gthyni]

This is my procedure:

 

1. check sag, adjust if possible,

back end has adjustable preloading, the Marzocchi don't.

2. set all C and R very soft 1st or 2nd click, test ride and adjust

R until it stop rocking

3. adjust C until the front feels stable but not hard. We wan't to catch

bumps and such but just that, no excessive movement

4. set C very soft on the back, test ride again and and adjust as 3

until the bike feels balanced.

 

Usually I wind up with softer than stock since I ride on some

bumby roads, but too hard settings does worsen the handling much

more than too soft ones.

 

C = compression, R = rebound

[Guest dkgross]

welcome aboard, Nemo. Jason and Micha discussed my bikes suspension a lot as well (Jason did my bar risers). Micha just adjusted the back suspension a bit, and the bike feels MUCH better to me now. I'm 165 lbs as well.

 

now if only my Mistrals would come in...

 

[Guest captain nemo]

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

 

Ok bros. Thanks. I softened up the rebound a click or two front and back and the bike just feels f1