Hard arse

Fogg · Mar 20, 2012

I may have just realised why, since buying my Mille in November last year, I have been struggling to get any feel. The previous owner, who shall remain nameless, obviously reads too many magazines written by partially knowledged track day "heroes", and or idiots. and believes that everything needs to be as stiff as possible, the forks were set up to replicate the damping characteristics of a spade, i.e. everything maxed out, and the rear spring was wound so tight it almost couldn't move, the manual states a preloaded spring length of 147mm (road) or 145mm (track), mine was at 140mm!!! no wonder i had no feel, and all this time i've been blaming the tyres. So, i've now gone round the whole bike and returned everything to stock settings ready for a blast up to Loomies tomorrow evening, Ill report back with my findings (if i'm not in a hedge).

P.S. Before I get a multitude of comments, I know that i should set the static sag and rider sag for my weight etc, but i figure the factory settings are the best place to start, and from what i've been told by people who know more than me, these bikes are supposed to be better than the average rider (me) straight out of the box, and i'm inclined to believe them!

So standard settings it is, and even though i haven't tried it yet, i'm already more confident, as if that makes any sense.

2TROKE · Mar 21, 2012

Fogg said:
I may have just realised why, since buying my Mille in November last year, I have been struggling to get any feel. The previous owner, who shall remain nameless, obviously reads too many magazines written by partially knowledged track day "heroes", and or idiots. and believes that everything needs to be as stiff as possible, the forks were set up to replicate the damping characteristics of a spade, i.e. everything maxed out, and the rear spring was wound so tight it almost couldn't move, the manual states a preloaded spring length of 147mm (road) or 145mm (track), mine was at 140mm!!! no wonder i had no feel, and all this time i've been blaming the tyres. So, i've now gone round the whole bike and returned everything to stock settings ready for a blast up to Loomies tomorrow evening, Ill report back with my findings (if i'm not in a hedge).

P.S. Before I get a multitude of comments, I know that i should set the static sag and rider sag for my weight etc, but i figure the factory settings are the best place to start, and from what i've been told by people who know more than me, these bikes are supposed to be better than the average rider (me) straight out of the box, and i'm inclined to believe them!

So standard settings it is, and even though i haven't tried it yet, i'm already more confident, as if that makes any sense.

Chances are m8 if settings had all been wound right up your forks may have been pushed through the yokes an exra ring to quicken the steering stock setting for those is 3 rings showing!!

Fogg · Mar 21, 2012

2TROKE said:
Chances are m8 if settings had all been wound right up your forks may have been pushed through the yokes an exra ring to quicken the steering stock setting for those is 3 rings showing!!

Yep, done that too.

v-twin luke · Mar 21, 2012

Just looked at mine and my rear is done to the max! Whats the stock setting?

And just to be clear the front forks need to show 3 rings for standard????

Fogg · Mar 21, 2012

v-twin luke said:
Just looked at mine and my rear is done to the max! Whats the stock setting?

And just to be clear the front forks need to show 3 rings for standard????

Yes mate, 3 rings showing is standard for the forks, For the rear on my 2002 the spring length should be 147mm with the wheel suspended, (road use). i'm not sure about the spring length for the 2001 but i'll check my Haynes manual when i get home and let you know.

CRAZY LEG5 · Mar 21, 2012

Mine was exactly the same till griff set up mine and what a difference I love the bike even more now

theruck · Mar 21, 2012

Fogg said:
I may have just realised why, since buying my Mille in November last year, I have been struggling to get any feel. The previous owner, who shall remain nameless, obviously reads too many magazines written by partially knowledged track day "heroes", and or idiots. and believes that everything needs to be as stiff as possible, the forks were set up to replicate the damping characteristics of a spade, i.e. everything maxed out, and the rear spring was wound so tight it almost couldn't move, the manual states a preloaded spring length of 147mm (road) or 145mm (track), mine was at 140mm!!! no wonder i had no feel, and all this time i've been blaming the tyres. So, i've now gone round the whole bike and returned everything to stock settings ready for a blast up to Loomies tomorrow evening, Ill report back with my findings (if i'm not in a hedge).

P.S. Before I get a multitude of comments, I know that i should set the static sag and rider sag for my weight etc, but i figure the factory settings are the best place to start, and from what i've been told by people who know more than me, these bikes are supposed to be better than the average rider (me) straight out of the box, and i'm inclined to believe them!

So standard settings it is, and even though i haven't tried it yet, i'm already more confident, as if that makes any sense.

if i max out the front forks (showa) it is still not optimal and the back sachs was the same stry untill i replaced it. it depends on the persons weight. also a friend of mine uses so stiff ducati that i cant believe how he can drive and corner so fast. he just feels it so...
the default settings are far away from how they meant to be after years of usage and also the default settings are meant for a 80kg driver not a 100kg pigass

Fogg · Mar 21, 2012

theruck said:
if i max out the front forks (showa) it is still not optimal and the back sachs was the same stry untill i replaced it. it depends on the persons weight. also a friend of mine uses so stiff ducati that i cant believe how he can drive and corner so fast. he just feels it so...
the default settings are far away from how they meant to be after years of usage and also the default settings are meant for a 80kg driver not a 100kg pigass

Firstly, my bike hasn't had "years of usage", secondly, I weigh 84kg, not 100, and my third point is that I said I was going to use the standard settings as a starting point, not the be all and end all, do riti!

theruck · Mar 21, 2012

ok i just wanted to let you know that if it feels sticky for you it might be ok for somebody else so the previous owner was not necessarilly stupid

Fogg · Mar 21, 2012

v-twin luke said:
Just looked at mine and my rear is done to the max! Whats the stock setting?

And just to be clear the front forks need to show 3 rings for standard????

Ok, according to Mr Haynes, 98-2000 models standard preloaded spring length is 130mm, 2001-2003 models is 147mm, hope this helps.

gazandjen · Mar 21, 2012

Fogg said:
Yes mate, 3 rings showing is standard for the forks, For the rear on my 2002 the spring length should be 147mm with the wheel suspended, (road use). i'm not sure about the spring length for the 2001 but i'll check my Haynes manual when i get home and let you know.

Crikey I have 5 rings on mine and a really stiff rear too.

Fogg · Mar 21, 2012

theruck said:
ok i just wanted to let you know that if it feels sticky for you it might be ok for somebody else so the previous owner was not necessarilly stupid

I never said he was, please re-read and try again.

Fogg · Mar 21, 2012

gazandjen said:
Crikey I have 5 rings on mine and a really stiff rear too.

Which rings are you referring to? The forks should protrude through the top yoke by 3 rings and adjustment will affect the speed it turns but not the stiffness, however the standard preload setting is 4-5 rings showing.

Spoonz · Mar 21, 2012

Makes you wonder why people think forks come with 150mm of travel these dayz when they set them up to use only 75mm. It's that old pitfall of thinking the more you feel the road through the bars, the more tyre feel they will have.

Try an out of the box Ducati, the back end is so stiff due to the preload they wind in, you need a kidney transplant after a ride

gazandjen · Mar 21, 2012

Fogg said:
Which rings are you referring to? The forks should protrude through the top yoke by 3 rings and adjustment will affect the speed it turns but not the stiffness, however the standard preload setting is 4-5 rings showing.

Oh ok I have 5 rings through top yoke but I meant the rear shock is very hard too.

Fogg · Mar 21, 2012

Spoonz said:
Makes you wonder why people think forks come with 150mm of travel these dayz when they set them up to use only 75mm. It's that old pitfall of thinking the more you feel the road through the bars, the more tyre feel they will have.

Try an out of the box Ducati, the back end is so stiff due to the preload they wind in, you need a kidney transplant after a ride

It just never ceases to astound me the amount of people who think harder equals better, or even hardest equals best, i like to feel grip, not bumps.

CRAZY LEG5 · Mar 21, 2012

i way 9st and mine was on rock hard and i had a inch of movement on the front but did not know any different kept meaning to get it set uop but just wanted to ride it griff set it up last week and fell in love with it even more only rode it twice this year the first was engine work which was good the second was sussy setup now i'm 90% better i will able to ride it more but now thinking its proberly why i have a bad back

CRAZY LEG5 · Mar 21, 2012

5 rings? does it not want to fall over all the time ?

Fogg · Mar 22, 2012

CRAZY LEG5 said:
5 rings? does it not want to fall over all the time ?

or disappear up it's own exhaust

stress · Mar 22, 2012

i've got 6 rings showing!

Hard arse

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