well had my first proper run on my 2000 rsvr with new tyres fitted corsa 3 and to tell the truth I am not impressed with the bikes handling I have set the sag and loaded figures front and rear, throttle response does not help my, trx 850 was way better on slow corners the mille tips in fast enough but tends to run wide, so far its not the big trx I hoped it would be I wont give up at that I will play with ride hight I need a stronger rear spring and have a power comander to fit hopfully after this it will feel more compliant, plus points it pulls real hard out of turns and is the only bike I have scrubbed a new pair of tyres in to the edge in one day rear one that is
The throttle responce should be brilliant on these bikes. Is you bike running the standard gearing? Change to either 16/44 or 15/42 with the standard length chain. It will transform your bike as they are way over geared as standard which makes these bike very unresponsive especially in the lower rev range.
As far as handling goes, i'm sure a little tweaking will sort out your concerns
As far as handling goes, i'm sure a little tweaking will sort out your concerns
Mine pushed the front wide on corners (I run Single compound Diablos'), I am also 17 stone's light. I dropped the clamps down another ring (So that 4 rings now show) and that seemed to cure the exit corner push (I need to play with comp and rebound a bit more but thats more fine tuning).
The later bikes have a 50/50 weight distribution and need the front loaded more to get it too handle.
The pre 04 bike are 51/49 so will behave slightly differently but rsv's in general like front load.
If your running wide and your sag is correct try adding a little rebound to the front to stop it unloading so quickly. go 1 click at a time and try.
Try and dial out any free play in your throttle as well otherwise the dead zone while you take up the slack will upset your throttle control unbalancing the bike.
forget what the manual says of 3 - 4 mm of play. You want 0 play or as little as poss without the revs rising when you turn the bars.
The pre 04 bike are 51/49 so will behave slightly differently but rsv's in general like front load.
If your running wide and your sag is correct try adding a little rebound to the front to stop it unloading so quickly. go 1 click at a time and try.
Try and dial out any free play in your throttle as well otherwise the dead zone while you take up the slack will upset your throttle control unbalancing the bike.
forget what the manual says of 3 - 4 mm of play. You want 0 play or as little as poss without the revs rising when you turn the bars.
I adjusted the throttle when I came home for 0 play and oiled it it was a little sticky, spoke to plr suspension today gonna fit a heavier rear spring for now, I will lift the rear ride hight, its got to be better I just got to work at it at the moment its barely better than an xjr 1300 I had I am already running a 16t front sprocket gearing was,nt the problem on tight bends it was more trying to get a neutral throttle a bit like a light switch sometimes then ok others I have a power comander to fit which should help as it is my trx would of stamped all over it around kirkistown thanks for your help I will keep you posted
new rear spring fitted today 150nm, oe is 140nm lifted the rear a little, by the looks of things my springs in the front are a bit too heavy I will test it as is and if I think they are still to heavy they will be swapped over during the winter loaded sag is now just below 38-39mm now as opossed to 46-47 static is 11-12 doubt I will get a test run as I go on holiday next week and I,am to busy at work
got a test run and it has much improved the bike set the forks back to standard settings also better strange that the forks have heavier springs and the rear did,nt is it possible some monkey has filled the forks up with too much oil and that is now not allowing them full travel
Possibly one of the previous owners may have been a little on the large side and to compensate for too much front end dive the forks were "beefed" to offset this ?.
Being an incrediably lightweight 17 stone I tend to have the front set harder than normal, also suits my riding style as I like strong feedback from the frontend.
Being an incrediably lightweight 17 stone I tend to have the front set harder than normal, also suits my riding style as I like strong feedback from the frontend.
well left the forks into local ohlins dealer Clarance bell from pro-link racing has done a few things for me in the past, he took the springs out checked them the forks had been fitted with 11kg springs so he put standard 9.5kg ones in I pick them up tomorrow hope we get some decent weather to test them out hope he has,nt dropped them to much as I weigh 105kg with my gear on about 95kg with out just under 16 stone, what I dont understand is why fit such heavy fork springs and leave the rear standard
Hold up fella. You sure about the numbers. The standard springs front and rear are matched.
A stock rear spring on an Ohlins shod rsv is 95nm. which is a 9.6 kg/mm spring much the same as a standard front spring
If you have a 150 nm spring (not sure they do one) then here is the maths
Nm divided by 9.8 = kg/mm (105 divided by 9.8 = 15.3)
kg/mm x 56 = lb/in (15.3 x 56 = 856.7)
That means you are running a 857 lb, 389Kgs spring which i have my doubts.
Ohlins spring go up is 5 nm stages. Big jump from 95 to 150. More like 105 which is 2 stiffer than oe.
A stock rear spring on an Ohlins shod rsv is 95nm. which is a 9.6 kg/mm spring much the same as a standard front spring
If you have a 150 nm spring (not sure they do one) then here is the maths
Nm divided by 9.8 = kg/mm (105 divided by 9.8 = 15.3)
kg/mm x 56 = lb/in (15.3 x 56 = 856.7)
That means you are running a 857 lb, 389Kgs spring which i have my doubts.
Ohlins spring go up is 5 nm stages. Big jump from 95 to 150. More like 105 which is 2 stiffer than oe.
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Sorry to jump in after a technical post on this topic.
I've only had mine 3 weeks and I'm getting the same problem, with the front pushing wide, but only at lower speed corners, say between 20 and 50mph.
Unless I am fully committed and transferring body weight or hanging a leg off the bike a bit, it doesn't seem willing to turn in. It's even worse on anything other than a perfectly smooth road.
I've not been able to get anyone to help set the sag, I was thinking it needs more weight over the front end. The front looks to be standard settings and the tyre is OK. Being 15.5 / 16 stone, should I just try some more preload before fiddling too much?
Also, what tyre pressures for the road? I'm running Diablo rear & Diablo Corsa front.
I've only had mine 3 weeks and I'm getting the same problem, with the front pushing wide, but only at lower speed corners, say between 20 and 50mph.
Unless I am fully committed and transferring body weight or hanging a leg off the bike a bit, it doesn't seem willing to turn in. It's even worse on anything other than a perfectly smooth road.
I've not been able to get anyone to help set the sag, I was thinking it needs more weight over the front end. The front looks to be standard settings and the tyre is OK. Being 15.5 / 16 stone, should I just try some more preload before fiddling too much?
Also, what tyre pressures for the road? I'm running Diablo rear & Diablo Corsa front.
At 16 stone i presume not in riding gear you are almost certainly not gonna have proper rear sag on the standard spring.
Have a measure of your weight in riding gear and i can tell you approx what your spring should be. Setting the sag is the only sure way of knowing but a bike running wide would suggest a slack rake which is common in an undersprung back end.
Even with a new spring it's critical you get the sag set both ends or it will never handle correctly. Maybe another member nearby can help.
Have a measure of your weight in riding gear and i can tell you approx what your spring should be. Setting the sag is the only sure way of knowing but a bike running wide would suggest a slack rake which is common in an undersprung back end.
Even with a new spring it's critical you get the sag set both ends or it will never handle correctly. Maybe another member nearby can help.
OK, cheers. I'll hop on the scales next time I get ready, the scales might not appreciate it.
I had the same problem on my Blade - but with 27k on it the shock was buggered, preload helped but the damping wasn't able to control it.
The RSV with just gone 10k is much tauter generally so I am confident I can adjust this trait out..
Where can I find an *****'s guide to setting suspeniosn & sag? I can't find the site I bookmarked when I had the Blade.
I had the same problem on my Blade - but with 27k on it the shock was buggered, preload helped but the damping wasn't able to control it.
The RSV with just gone 10k is much tauter generally so I am confident I can adjust this trait out..
Where can I find an *****'s guide to setting suspeniosn & sag? I can't find the site I bookmarked when I had the Blade.
There are 2 type of sag. Static and rider, both of which are important.
The rider sag (you on bike in riding gear) is usually a percentage of total travel. Usually about 25 -30 % but it's not gospel
The front forks have 120mm of travel so you are looking at about 35- 40mm rider sag or thereabouts. Ohlins themselsves spec between 35 -50mm but i would think 50mm is a bit much myself.
On the rear go with 25- 30mm
Once you have set the rider sag measure the static sag. without you on the bike. If the static sag is very low. ie: less than about 10mm/ rear or 20mm front then you have had to use too much preload to achieve your rider sag and your are undersprung.
Make sure you damping settings are back to standard after setting your sag then go out and test it.
The rider sag (you on bike in riding gear) is usually a percentage of total travel. Usually about 25 -30 % but it's not gospel
The front forks have 120mm of travel so you are looking at about 35- 40mm rider sag or thereabouts. Ohlins themselsves spec between 35 -50mm but i would think 50mm is a bit much myself.
On the rear go with 25- 30mm
Once you have set the rider sag measure the static sag. without you on the bike. If the static sag is very low. ie: less than about 10mm/ rear or 20mm front then you have had to use too much preload to achieve your rider sag and your are undersprung.
Make sure you damping settings are back to standard after setting your sag then go out and test it.
I wondered if the front had been upped on the preload but it still seems to dive a lot on the brakes as it is, and I think i'm right in saying upping the front preload would make this worse?
It does feel like the there is more weight on the back, but she doesn't really compress much when I get on, either end.
It does feel like the there is more weight on the back, but she doesn't really compress much when I get on, either end.
ok but don't confuse the purpose of the preload.
It's there to set your natural riding height of the front and back of your bike. It should keep the bike at the designers intended height with your load evenly spread front and rear.
You want to use all of the travel in your suspension when the road calls for it but in a controlled way. Don't make the mistake of controlling your moving weight transfer with preload. That's not what it's for.
If you have excessive front dive then you either have too little compression damping in the front or not enough rebound in the rear, or a combination of the 2. Dive is desirable on the brakes as it loads the front and increases grip at a critical stage in a turn. It's how quickly it dives that matters assuming your sag was correct to start with.
The idea is too make the bike as plush as possible but still have it go where you want and when you want as unflustered as possible. Until you have correct springing and sag though your on a loser. You can't induce a second wrong to correct the first. It just doesn't work.
Setup is always a compromise on the road because no 2 roads are the same and weather changes. A decent setup will pay big dividends especially if you ride in the wet which will show up an over stiff setup big time.
It's there to set your natural riding height of the front and back of your bike. It should keep the bike at the designers intended height with your load evenly spread front and rear.
You want to use all of the travel in your suspension when the road calls for it but in a controlled way. Don't make the mistake of controlling your moving weight transfer with preload. That's not what it's for.
If you have excessive front dive then you either have too little compression damping in the front or not enough rebound in the rear, or a combination of the 2. Dive is desirable on the brakes as it loads the front and increases grip at a critical stage in a turn. It's how quickly it dives that matters assuming your sag was correct to start with.
The idea is too make the bike as plush as possible but still have it go where you want and when you want as unflustered as possible. Until you have correct springing and sag though your on a loser. You can't induce a second wrong to correct the first. It just doesn't work.
Setup is always a compromise on the road because no 2 roads are the same and weather changes. A decent setup will pay big dividends especially if you ride in the wet which will show up an over stiff setup big time.
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Thanks mate, you've cleared a couple of things up there in my mind.
I can say it does feel plush and firm at the same time and it doesn't to the floor when I sit on it like a DT50 would! :biggrin
But it's just this drifting front end I need to clear up.
I will have to try and get help sorting the sag before I start fiddling too much and making things worse!
Thanks again,. :thumbup
I can say it does feel plush and firm at the same time and it doesn't to the floor when I sit on it like a DT50 would! :biggrin
But it's just this drifting front end I need to clear up.
I will have to try and get help sorting the sag before I start fiddling too much and making things worse!
Thanks again,. :thumbup
Joined Jun 2008
276 Posts | 0+
LINCOLNSHIRE
Race settings from the RSV manual with the forks dropped to 4 rings showing works the bee's knee's for me. and thats compared to my previous sorted GSXR600.
