>> Multiple Reply <<
NEON <> Thank you. I dialed in two more rotations of fork preload & 2 clicks of compression damping. It's improved my street feedback, but as I'll explain below, it's still off.
EVALL <> Long time no talk. If you equate “weren’t having a problem [before they were rebuilt]” to not bottoming out the forks, they were not… before. They were OEM springs that required massive preload on the rear spring & max preload on the forks. I definitely buried the forks on the street & track, as was, as the zip tie always bottomed out, but I never experienced a hard bottoming out like this. I mean this experience was a "THUD". Before, all my settings (compression/rebound/preload) were pretty much maxed out as I’m 250#, but I was experiencing comfortable results on my first & only track day (when I was 270#). Tire wear at Homestead-Miami Speedway was really good, but overall suspension performance was definitely “tired”. I know from the previous owner that the oil/fluid/springs were 2004 OEM. I was able to set rear sag before HMS @38mm (if my memory serves me correctly), and I maxed the fork preload w/o measuring sag as I knew I needed all OEM could offer.
As for the base settings from the mechanic whom rebuilt the suspension, I know he set the shock preload @10mm & the forks @8mm at their minimum preload settings. Where he set the compression/rebound I really don’t know as I have yet to back everything out or turn everything in to see where it is. I, originally, sent him the hardware via mail, and he mailed everything back for me to have installed locally which, 9 months later, I was just able to afford… thus the impetus to this thread.
I just edited the OP as I gaffed by stating they were RaceTech springs; in fact, they were K-Tech, and specifically, the shock spring is a 105nm. I also know he worked on the shock piston for stronger valving to control the stronger spring. Furthermore, he told me he, “modified the bottom out cups so as to use the full stroke of the fork”.
DDIPAUL <> Been awhile! Nice to talk with you again, and thank you for the video referral. I’ve been an online student of Dave Moss since I bought this Gen 1, about 2 years ago, and my only pause in personally adjusting my preload has been my not having two gear-head friends that can help me in concert. As far as I’ve learned, setting preload requires 2 extra set of hands unless I can afford laser measuring equipment… which I can’t.. yet. I know of a local wrench that tunes suspension, but I just can’t afford him, yet.
BOTTOMS-UP <> I’m mildly confused by your line of questioning as you know your questions can not be currently answered, as I explained in the OP, “I have yet to tune them [forks/shock] or even set sag”.
I’ll gladly add, the [fork] oil level is set @130mm with Motul fluid (weight unknown). The wrench (Steven Breckenridge of Fluidolgy Inc.) is a well respected tuner that I am entirely comfortable entrusting my life to, and I trust his judgement within his craft.
As for crashing, sorry to disappoint, but I have kept the rubber side down, thus far. I have yet been able to generate enough capital to make it to my next track day, but on the street, I have definitely experienced enough over the last 4-6 weeks to know, w/o question, that my shock/fork:rebound/compression balance is off… way off. I have experienced a lot of front to back movement, almost "po-go"-esque in bumpy exits. My F-150, my typical transportation, is currently out of commission which has left me with my Gen-1 as my sole mode of transportation… rain & shine (S. FL). This last 5 weeks has taught me a lot, and one of which is as explained above. IMH[umble]O, I push my bike… on the street. Yes, I know it’s only the street, but I, embarrassingly & apologetically, do not obey street laws. ‘I can not drive 55’, and I push the bike on the street, against my common sense, as it’s my only outlet. My current existence, at least the last 51 weeks, leaves my ride to work & back to home as my only R&R. Intrastate/interstate highway entrance/exit ramps are my only outlet… so I employ them.