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Old 16-May-2003, 09:33
Lowside Lowside is offline
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How many rings showing?

I have had my front and rear suspension "sorted" - except they did not make a note on just how many rings are showing through the top yoke.
I am at Mallory on Tuesday (if the rain clears up) and feel there may be less showing than before.
Having more rings will improve the turn-in - potentially at the expense of high speed stability, (so will changing the head angle but I'll play with that another day), and thus I am keen to hear how many rings are showing on a stock bike and if anyone has played with these settings.

LS
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Old 16-May-2003, 10:34
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the phantom pieman the phantom pieman is offline
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Old 16-May-2003, 11:45
Bianchi Bianchi is offline
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Rings showing

This is a good question - One suspension expert claims you should start reading rings from the shoulder, ie shoulder = first ring, another expert claims you should read first ring as the first visible after the shoulder - so where is the correct reference point?

Less rings mean more preload onto the Front springs, dosn't it?
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Old 16-May-2003, 12:24
Totto Totto is offline
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You add/less rings to get the correct amout off sag !
So it the sag you should really be looking at , but if your bike is the same as others then the amount of rings showing should be the same !!
I cant compare the rings on my 998 with any one else as i have slightly lighter springs in the forks !
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Old 16-May-2003, 12:37
Felix Felix is offline
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Totto is right about the sag being the correct measure for initial pre-load setting. Starting with the correct pre-load setting, you then modify it for different conditions. For instance, when braking hard into corners on the track, it tended to "sit up", i.e. didn't want to turn in. Another two turns of pre-load cured the problems almost entirely. Obviously, this will affect the static sag, that's why it is only a starting point.
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Old 16-May-2003, 13:42
clarkmeister clarkmeister is offline
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When I bought my 748 from a track day junkie it had all the rings showing and then some! In fact, it was so low the front wheel had been contacting the cylinder head! When Keefyboy came round to have a nose (after he had stopped pi55ing himself) he offered to sort it. Book says three rings showing and now bike is just uncomfortable instead of unrideable!
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Old 16-May-2003, 14:32
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nelly nelly is offline
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Are you talking about rings on the preload or rings on the fork legs showing thru' the yokes??
The preload will depend on your weight, springs etc.
The rings on the fork legs that show thru' the yokes will affect the front geometry.
The standard position of the forks in the yokes depends on model year. It's either measured from the axle to the bottom of the lower yoke or from the top of the fork to the top of the lower yoke.
It usually results in about 3 rings showing on the fork when viewed at the inside of the top yoke. Because it's tapered away to the outer edges, there's just over 4 showing on the outer edges.
You'd be better off raising the rear ride height to get it turning quicker. Dropping the forks will reduce ground clearence a little.
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Old 16-May-2003, 14:32
Lowside Lowside is offline
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This really is a black art.

What I'll do is chat with the guys who did the mods and see what they recommend I do should if I find the turn-in affected and needing too much effort.
There seems to be a ying and yang to the whole suspension thing, where you adjust one element and another is affected.
That in its self is not a problem, it's a case of "slowly, slowly, catch the monkey", so a 1/2 turn here and a half turn there.

I will make notes as to what I have done and let you know here, all assuming the weather is conducive to actually going out on the track in the first place.

LS
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Old 16-May-2003, 14:56
Lowside Lowside is offline
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Just popped out and counted 1.5 rings showing in the center / middle of the forks showing through the top yoke - ie if I were to put pen marks on these 2 said points they would therefore be facing each other.
Sounds like it should be 3 rings.
Spoke with UK Suspension and they recommended I leave it as is, do a 20 min session and then drop them to 3 rings and try it as such for the next 20 mins session.
Then call them and if I have any more adjustments, make them after each phone call and all we need then is a rain free day.
Pigs mighht fly!

LS
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Old 16-May-2003, 16:06
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andyb andyb is offline
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Call me mr picky, but you start your thread by saying "ive just had my suspension sorted." If its been sorted, why do you want to alter it again?

This is a very technical area that is, to say the least very confusing to the uneducated, including myself! I have to say that reading most of the threads on suspension just add to the confusion, although it is a relief to read an addition from some one like Nelly who clearly has a better understanding. Any adjustment made by ourselves is just guess work. Why dont we just leave it to the professionals, of which there are numerous reputable ones, its not that expensive either all things considered.
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