Suspension & Piano Playing

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Grip Fast
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Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby Grip Fast » Sat Sep 16, 2017 3:28 pm

There was a Tom & Jerry cartoon, where Tom learns to play the piano. He has a book with one note to play on each of the first 6 or 7 pages. He plays each note, then turns to a page full of music, which he is now able to play perfectly.

Its a bit like that with suspension setup, I find. There are plenty videos and documentation claiming to show you how to set up your suspension, but all they do is show the individual adjustments and "turn the rebound damping clockwise to increase it, and anti-clockwise to decrease", for example. "I know all that", I shout at the screen. It then expects that you now know how to tune your suspension to meet your own requirements. That's the single note to full two-handed playing leap that I struggle with.

Last time on the R1200S, with the local group (so pressing on a bit), I was finding it a bit of a nervous handful at times, and the back end felt like it skipped out a couple of times. On the Tiger 800, I've not noticed any real problem keeping up; it's pretty good on most surfaces.

I have fiddled with the adjustments over the years to try to get a more compliant ride, but suspect (know for certain, really) that all I've done is cocked it up. So today, I got the owner's manual out and put the settings back to factory recommend (it's the 'sport' Ohlins I have), which is for an 85kg rider (I'm about 76kg with wet hair, but with riding gear and a pocket full of loose change, I can't be far off 85).

So just been for a long run on A and B roads, and I now think there wasn't much wrong with the factory settings. The bike seemed more relaxed, and I was certainly more relaxed - maybe we fed off each other. It's a firmer ride than the Tiger 800, but then it is a sports-leaning bike, so it should be firmer.

But I'd still like to understand how to translate a feel while riding into a fine-tune of the suspension to improve that feel. That's where the artistry takes over from the simple mechanical knowledge (the music from combining the individual notes).

JamesL
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Re: Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby JamesL » Sun Sep 17, 2017 8:44 am

I suspect you have to do an awful lot to get it right, like tuning carbs or plastering - the latter not really having factory settings :D

Humbug
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Re: Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby Humbug » Sun Sep 17, 2017 9:36 am

Had mine set up yesterday by Ian at Etto Motorcycles near Bingham in Nottinghamshire. Its a bit of a dark art but Ian explained clearly what he was doing and why and made suggestions on future tweaks depending on what I felt when riding.
Best £50 I have spent for a long time, bike felt immediately more stable and planted on a 'spirited' ride home from the set up.
The comment here by Built magazine led me to believe he knows his stuff https://www.facebook.com/pg/ettomotorcycles/about/
Some exquisite aluminium welded tanks in the workshop as well!
10 KTM RC8

Grip Fast
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 6:15 pm
Location: North Bucks

Re: Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby Grip Fast » Sun Sep 17, 2017 10:23 am

Humbug wrote:Had mine set up yesterday by Ian at Etto Motorcycles near Bingham in Nottinghamshire. Its a bit of a dark art but Ian explained clearly what he was doing and why and made suggestions on future tweaks depending on what I felt when riding.
Best £50 I have spent for a long time, bike felt immediately more stable and planted on a 'spirited' ride home from the set up.
The comment here by Built magazine led me to believe he knows his stuff https://www.facebook.com/pg/ettomotorcycles/about/
Some exquisite aluminium welded tanks in the workshop as well!


Yes, that would be worth £50. Much happier after yesterday's run, but could do a trip up to Binham. Not been ther for hundreds of years, but missus is a Nottingham lass, so know it quite well.

Cheers.

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Steve1966
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Location: Edinburgh

Re: Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby Steve1966 » Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:13 pm

Does anyone have info on the factory settings for front and back? Picked up the R1100S recently with no owners manual, would like to go back to factory set-up and then tweak from there.
(If any one has a copy of the Owners Manual I could photocopy and return it would be greatly appreciated!)

Cheers,
Steve
'99 R1100S

Humbug
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Re: Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby Humbug » Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:17 pm

Not for the 11S i'm afraid, only for stock and ohlins on 12S in my book
10 KTM RC8

Humbug
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Location: Nottinghamshire

Re: Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby Humbug » Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:20 pm

Grip Fast wrote:
Humbug wrote:Had mine set up yesterday by Ian at Etto Motorcycles near Bingham in Nottinghamshire. Its a bit of a dark art but Ian explained clearly what he was doing and why and made suggestions on future tweaks depending on what I felt when riding.
Best £50 I have spent for a long time, bike felt immediately more stable and planted on a 'spirited' ride home from the set up.
The comment here by Built magazine led me to believe he knows his stuff https://www.facebook.com/pg/ettomotorcycles/about/
Some exquisite aluminium welded tanks in the workshop as well!


Yes, that would be worth £50. Much happier after yesterday's run, but could do a trip up to Binham. Not been ther for hundreds of years, but missus is a Nottingham lass, so know it quite well.

Cheers.


Let me know if you come over and I'll get the kettle on. Also have Dan Hegarty (IOM racer) here at RTR Motorcycles with a new dyno and a wealth of race set up experience. Not bad for a small town.
10 KTM RC8

Mitch1100
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Re: Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby Mitch1100 » Sun Sep 17, 2017 10:48 pm

[/ImageIMG_0003_NEW1391914335 by Phil Mitchell, on Flickr][/ImageIMG_NEW1391913648 by Phil Mitchell, on Flickr]
Steve1966 wrote:Does anyone have info on the factory settings for front and back? Picked up the R1100S recently with no owners manual, would like to go back to factory set-up and then tweak from there.
(If any one has a copy of the Owners Manual I could photocopy and return it would be greatly appreciated!)

Cheers,
2009 HP2 Sport...sold
2006 R1200s with yellow rim tape
2008 Ducati Monster S4RS Tricolore..sold
2004 R1100s BoxerCup Replika..sold
2006 Subaru WRX STI S204 #318/600

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Steve1966
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Location: Edinburgh

Re: Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby Steve1966 » Mon Sep 18, 2017 12:59 pm

cheers Mitch - much appreciated.......
Steve
'99 R1100S

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Hay Ewe^
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Re: Suspension & Piano Playing

Postby Hay Ewe^ » Mon Sep 18, 2017 8:12 pm

Steve1966 wrote:Does anyone have info on the factory settings for front and back? Picked up the R1100S recently with no owners manual, would like to go back to factory set-up and then tweak from there.
(If any one has a copy of the Owners Manual I could photocopy and return it would be greatly appreciated!)

Cheers,


I am away till this time next week. If you still need / like one i can pdf it to you. Let me know.


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