Hard suspension

I know, I know - posing questions about suspension tends to open up a can of worms ... however I have to ask.

The lovely new yellow S3 finally arrived so I took it for a bit of run down the freeway to get some run-in miles on it. No problems. Then I rode back on the goat tracks that pass for roads near my home.

Bloody hell. I felt as though someone had beaten me around the kidneys with a lump of timber.

The stock suspension on this thing is hard. Now, I'm not a big bloke, but not tiny either, just kind of average - and I tend to like my suspension a bit hard anyhow. (On the old TT600 I wound it right up).

However I suspect the factory settings on the new S3 are a bit too harsh. Anyone else out there notice this on the new model - and if so what did you guys do with the suspension settings?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Now I'm just going to go off and massage my bruised kidneys .....

[buzlin]

smithers,

I too noticed how stiff the suspension was when I first got my 06 S3. I have about 2.5K miles on mine now, and it's softened up considerably. So perhaps give it some time to break in. Also, initially the front end preload was set really soft, this enhanced the stiff/unbalanced feeling in the rear. Stiffening up the front actually made the bike feel "softer".

Just for comparison, I weigh 180 lbs.

Good luck, check your settings, and give her some time to break in.

tom

Tom

thanks man - that makes some sense as it was the back end that felt harsh as opposed to the front.

I intended to start with the rear settings to soften the ride, but perhaps I'll try your suggestion first re: stiffening up the front to balance things then putting some more miles on it.

(I dont know what 180lbs works out to - we tend to mix metric, emperical, and whatever else works down here - but I'm about 90kg give or take.)

Thanks

Smithers

[miker]

Hey Smithers, congrats on finally getting the new bike!

For your info there are 2.2 pounds in a kilo, so if you weigh 90 kilos, you weigh 198 pounds.

You may want to check the workshop manual to make sure your bike was set up on factory standard settings. I've heard from owners of other manufacturers equipment that their suspension was never set up to standard at the factory, or pre-delivery. Worth a check.

Mick

Hey Mick

thanks for the conversion - 198lbs hey, who would have thunk it. I may go get some scales now and weigh myself - 198 whatevers sounds like a hell of a lot...

I was reading the manual earlier which tends to suggest that the preload etc. on the rear, (not the front strangely enough), is set from the factory to quite hard settings. (If they do set it at all of course). This would explain things.

I guess I just have to balance things up a bit.

I'm actually just glad the bikes here finally and not on the dock anymore.

Cheers

Smithers

[Curmudgeon]

I think you can improve the ride quality of the stock suspension, by taking it to a suspension expert and having it set up for you, but I think these bikes just don't have compliant suspension.

I got my '06 three weeks ago and I weigh about 170, with gear. After the first ride, I took it to a suspension guru who set it up as follows:

Front:
Rider Sag: 1-3/8" (this was a reduction in preload from the factory setting)
Rebound: 1-1/2 turns from full stiff
Compression: 1 turn from full stiff

Rear:
Rider Sag: 1" (this was an increase in preload from the factory setting)
Rebound: 1-1/2 turns from full stiff
Compression: 1/4 turn from full stiff

I went for a ride yesterday and did a lot of bumpy roads. I still find it too harsh, despite his setup and additional reductions in compression daming. I'm shopping for something aftermarket. I'm leaning toward Penske at the rear and some sort of re-valving--and perhaps re-springing--at the front.

[ This message was edited by: Curmudgeon on 2006-02-06 13:05 ]

[brettmess24]

Add some preload for sure.

I weigh 197 with gear and the stock setting on the rear gave me about 50mm of sag. I added some preload to get it to 35mm.

It was about 1 full turn on the collars and there a bear to break loose. use a big :hammer:

[ This message was edited by: brettmess24 on 2006-02-06 13:50 ]

[amberale]

Hi guys

Try using a big set of needle nose pliers to split the shock rings rather than a hammer and a driver. It does less damage to the rings. Buy a cheap pair and grind them to suit.

You have to take the weight off the rear end first. If you haven't got a frame jack, get a mate to lift the back end.

It might not work on the triple, but it's worked on all my other bikes.

My BLACK triple arrives in two weeks. Yeeehaaa.

[brettmess24]

theres no way a needle nose pliers is going to split those collars.

you should know better owning a ducati...lol

I used the hammer and long screwdriver just to break em loose then used my ohlins wrench for the rest....

shock collars are meant to be beat on IMO

[Curmudgeon]

shock collars are meant to be beat on IMO

Yep, a few mangled collar teeth gives the rider some cred!