Check your fork settings

[toompine]

I have been not happy with the harshness of the front forks on bumps. Just felt too abrupt and have been meaning to fool with the rebound and compression damping screws and try some different settings.

I went out to the garage a minute ago to read up on the settings and set them a bit lighter. What I found was a suprise. ??? Compression set to full stiff and rebound only out one from full stiff.

Compression has a range of 13 clicks with 7 out from soft (6 from hard) the standard settting. Rebound is 10 clicks with 2 up from full soft (8 down from hard) as standard. Full hard is to the right, full soft is to the left.

Now I want to go reride my morning ride with these new settings but that will have to wait till next weekend.

 

[fredz43]

I have my compression and rebound set at full soft and sag at 60mm and still think they are too harsh on sharp bumps.

 

[Tremor38]

Hmmmmm! Sounds like you guys either came from an FJR' or one of those bikes with televagueness front suspender.

 

[johnnail]

When Yamaha dubbed this an ON/OFF road bike, they weren't kidding. It isn't just a rebadged road bike. The harshness makes rough gravel roads bearable. I goose mine 40/50 mph on our sorry Indiana gravel farm roads, and it eats it up 8)......me likey!

 

[fredz43]

Hmmmmm! Sounds like you guys either came from an FJR' or one of those bikes with televagueness front suspender.

Well I came from a ST1300, which is a different animal, but also from a 08 KLR with wonderful Ricor suspension front and back that transformed that bike and I still race vintage dirt bikes with quality aftermarket suspension. What I am looking for is something like those that are both controllable on decent pavement and at the same time able to soak up harsh bumps. I think the forks, especially, have too much high speed compression damping. It handles wonderfully on good twisty pavement or light gravel, but for me, I prefer something more compliant when the pavement gets knarly.

Even though our bikes have good suspension for OEM units, we have already had testimony from Wasp that the Ohlins shock is a big improvement in back and he has plans to have the front end worked on. I won't go as far as Bill and say that all OEM suspension is shite, but will agree that there are some great suspension companies and shops that can make big improvements. I had hoped to not have to do that with this bike, but it looks like I will because I love the bike that much that I think it is worth it and have experienced the difference that top quality suspension work can provide. For those that are satisfied, that is great.

 

[Firefight911]

Well stated Fred. I couldn't agree more.

Way too much high speed compression damping for sure. In addition, for me, the bike is under sprung. I weigh 215 lbs and that is before I get any of my gear on. I need more spring, new valving, and a couple hours to dial it in.

I am going to hold off and work with it until, hopefully, 20,000 miles. At that time, it's gonna be due for a going through anyway so I will have the whole thing done at that time by a quality suspension shop. I hope to take the stock shock and re-work it but will evaluate things in a few months as to what can be done, what is out there, and will talk to the usual suspects that I have grown to know and trust from my past years of professional road racing along with the experience of those in the know when it comes to dirt.

Like you said, this bike is worth it!

 

[tomatocity]

There is another thread with additional information.
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=1751.msg45110#msg45110

I agree with the harness and want to find something softer for road without loosing the kickass road handling the Super Tenere has. The Owners Manual, pages 4-25 to 4-28, has the stock settings for all points and explains how to adjust. I have yet to check my settings but will later today and will post the settings when I get them.

My question is what does Preload, Compression, and Rebound individually affect? I could adjust my Gen1 KLR but I only had preload, oil level, and oil weight to deal with.

 

[cbrunsw]

The Tenere on gravel tracked very good on a long weekend fire road trip with stock tires and factory shock settings. My friends DR650 with knobbies was not as good.

 

[tomatocity]

The Tenere on gravel tracked very good on a long weekend fire road trip with stock tires and factory shock settings. My friends DR650 with knobbies was not as good.

Good to know. Did you change tire pressures?

 

[~TABASCO~]

I stiffened my bike up the second day I had it.. We where off road this last weekend and the front end was really close to bottoming out all the time. On the trail stiffened the heck out of it and worked much better. Yesterday I road about 600 miles home with it set up in the same positions... Do you guys think all the bikes came the same way out of the factory ? I have my front and rear almost full blast stiff and I like it.. im about 185*... The guys with the stiff suspension, we should trade, Ill give you my soft.... I can see a full up grade to my front and rear in the future..

 

[fredz43]

TABASCO, when you say you stiffened it up,. are you talking about about preload or damping or both? If you stiffened up the preload, what is your sag set at?
I know that my rear suspension improved when I set the sag at 33% (60 mm), but it could still be better.

Thanks.

 

[toompine]

No doubt there are options out there, my post was just to let people know that they may want to go check their settings and see if they were set as stock. Mine were not and were contributing to my sense of too abrupt on bumps. Now that I have them set to stock I will be rechecking my impresssions.

Tomatocity, compression affects how quickly the forks move up on impact, rebound is how quickly they move back. Too much compression and they feel rigid when hitting a bump, too soft and they either bottom on a bump or on the road wallow and dive. The rebound needs to match the compression. Too much rebound and they spring back to full extension creating a kind of pogo stick feel. Too slow and they "pack up" never returning fully before the next bump is hit. Beyond the settings you can change the speed with oil weight (we used to play with that a lot in National Trials competition). Next step up is the professionals in that they can change valving which changes speed of oil tansfer.

Spring setting or preload, is about adjusting for deadweight and rider weight in "sag" The bike should not be setting at the top of the springs with weight applied. This allows for movement up when load is released, like over a rise. This allows the tires to stay in contact wit the road when weight is lifted. As I recall 30% of total tavel is about right for street riding and we used to be a bit stiffer, like maybe 27 % for racing. Spring weight also needs to be taken into account for lighter or heavier riders. Adjusting preload has limits outside of standard spring rates

 

[spasm]

factory settings should be in the middle ?, all my settings were bang on in the middle i dont take mine off road, but it rides on the road fantastic even with two up.
although i did a off road day on gravel and some very rough terrain on another st10 out the factory and found it was amazing off road ::022::

 

[~TABASCO~]

TABASCO, when you say you stiffened it up,. are you talking about about preload or damping or both? If you stiffened up the preload, what is your sag set at?
I know that my rear suspension improved when I set the sag at 33% (60 mm), but it could still be better.

Thanks.

Both the pre loads are just about as tight as you can crank them down. I need to play with the rebound a bit.. I could screw in the compression a bit more too...

 

[varacost]

toompine, I read your comments about what each adjustment of the fork is about and wanted to ask you for your recommendation: I weigh 200 pounds, ride solo, basically on roads with an occasional dirt road; on long trips I might carry let’s say about 50 pounds additional weight, what would each setting should be in your opinion. Thanks

 

[toompine]

toompine, I read your comments about what each adjustment of the fork is about and wanted to ask you for your recommendation: I weigh 200 pounds, ride solo, basically on roads with an occasional dirt road; on long trips I might carry let’s say about 50 pounds additional weight, what would each setting should be in your opinion. Thanks

This is heavy into the personal "how do you like it" but let me take a shot. At 250 lbs added weight I would add to the spring preload on both ends. Springs are already kind of stiff but take it up one full line (stiffer) on the rear shock and one line stiffer on the forks. Front forks stock is 5.5 lines from full in hard, try 4 or 4.5. Compression screw on the front try 4 out from full stiff. 6 out is stock. Rebound try 7 out from full hard, 8 is stock. On the rear shock there is a rebound adjuster (small knurled ring at the bottom ofthe shock). 10 out is stock. Leave it there for now beause your weight will slow it down a bit.

These are real easy changes to make, like 10 minutes with a small screwdriver. Ride it and if you don't like it stop and make a two click adjustment. If it feels better go back one and see if it feesl even better. If so stay there, if not back one. Really it is all feel and how you ride. Don't be afarid to make the changes and experiment a bit. You will know it when you get it way too far and then you can move back towards a base setting. Remember fast springy/bouncy is not good but stiff is not so good either unless you are going fast off road.

 

[varacost]

Thanks toompine. This is my first adventure touring bike and know very little about them, but I can tell you that after riding this thing for a few months, I will never go back to cruiser bikes. Going back to fork adjustments, I have mine on “standar” on all adjustments (according to the owner’s manual) and felt ok, except for the "nose dive" when hitting the front brake. To reduce this, do I stiffen the compression or the rebound or both? Thanks again

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I am fortunate that almost every motorcycle and ATV I've ever purchased has been perfectly setup for me right out of the box.
OR
I am such an ignorant neanderthal that I just ride whatever I have and it works fine for me.

I suspect I know which one of those statements is true. From riding motocross, to street riding as long as the bike doesn't bottom out, I've never been able to tell much of a difference between settings. Not sure if that's good or bad, but like they say...ignorance is bliss.

 

[colorider]

I am fortunate that almost every motorcycle and ATV I've ever purchased has been perfectly setup for me right out of the box.
OR
I am such an ignorant neanderthal that I just ride whatever I have and it works fine for me.

I suspect I know which one of those statements is true. From riding motocross, to street riding as long as the bike doesn't bottom out, I've never been able to tell much of a difference between settings. Not sure if that's good or bad, but like they say...ignorance is bliss.

Make that two of us! ::026::

 

[rem]

I remember Rick Hull, the Yamaha mechanic who also bought a Tenere, telling me he had set mine up to about medium. He did a lot of that stuff for us. Besides, I keep my fork right next to my recliner. I don't need to check where I set my fork. R ::008::