'96 Fork standard settings

G'day,

I've just picked up a '96 model in reasonably good condition. Could someone tell me what the standard pull-through in the triple clamps is, please? Mine is set to 2 or 3 rings showing and feels a bit over-sharp in the nose - but that could just be me as I haven't had a road bike for a few years. Also, what are the torque settings for the triples in case I have to adjust them?

So far I have found the front preload set to maximum, the rear preload set to about 3/4, the rear damping to minimum, the front tyre at 23psi, the rear tyre at 20 psi (badly scalloped tyres as a result) :crazy:.

Need to do some research on how to get the best from the standard suspension, but will save my pennies for an upgrade later.

TIA

 

Fork tubes usually have one reference ring cut in, only one, so yours seems weird ? (Preload adjusters have multiple rings.) The ring goes exactly above where the upper clamp sits when forks are at the standard position, i think.


Start with suspension setting in the middle range and experiment from there, or get a consensus here what most riders use and see if that works for you.

How many miles on her?

 

The rings are right at the top of the fork tubes, exposed above the bars. Usually a ready-reference for adjusting the pull-thru.

Got lotsa miles, just shy of 110,000 km. But the last 50 K were done by a fairly fastidious older rider who commuted on open roads, so nearly ideal running. It's damn near completely original, too.

Cheers,
Colin

 

Shouldn't be any rings on the fork legs on a 96....only on the preload adjustment. Fork leg should protrude 39mm above the top triple clamp..

 

Google setting sag on a motorcycle. This is the best place to start with suspension setup.

 

Air up the tires
36 front
42 rear

 

There are, and they look like the picture in the Owner's Manual. I've set it to be at the second ring which is my best guess looking at the book.

 

Yebbut I also want to get the chassis in the default configuration, too.

I'm completely familiar with the suspension tuning process, well beyond the basic settings. I've been having an esoteric discussion with my suspension guru about my 200EXC and whether to go ideal spring / ideal preload or heavy spring / light (or zero) preload, with damping profiles to suit. Yes, you can go either way, the theoretical ideal is just a starting point. He's telling me from my settings/feedback that I prefer the latter, and he can make it work as he uses that himself.

My plan is to get the stock suspension working as best I can while I learn the bike, and simultaneously save my pennies for an Ohlins and fork revalve.

 

First thing I did when I got it home. Although I only went to 35/40 as I've found in the past with similar bikes it works for me.