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Softer ride

C

Cole Harvey

Just got it firing!
Joined
Jan 31, 2018
Messages
9
Location
Hermosa Beach, CA
Hello again,

First off I have not read all the posts on the V9 Suspension thread. I am a big guy and I know the V9 suspension is not ideal. In the future I plan to upgrade the suspension. In the mean time, man the ride is harsh, to the point that the it seems like the tires are hopping off the road. Is there an easy/simple/inexpensive way to soften the compression?

BTW: I have not yest check the air pressure in the tires.

Thanks,
Cole
 
Cole Harvey said:
First off I have not read all the posts on the V9 Suspension thread. I am a big guy and I know the V9 suspension is not ideal. In the future I plan to upgrade the suspension. In the mean time, man the ride is harsh, to the point that the it seems like the tires are hopping off the road. Is there an easy/simple/inexpensive way to soften the compression?
BTW: I have not yest check the air pressure in the tires.
Click to expand...

It is all about sag and spring rate. Google setting motorcycle sag or we have a video below (skim forward past the install of shocks). Happy to be of help at my shop, click the SERVICE link at the top of the page.

 
How does this help? Are you saying I should lower the tire pressure to dangerous levels to get a softer ride. Thanks for the lazy post.
 
Cole Harvey said:
How does this help? Are you saying I should lower the tire pressure to dangerous levels to get a softer ride. Thanks for the lazy post.
Click to expand...

While I have always thought Steve -- "vagrant" -- perhaps ill-suited to work the North Korea desk at State :giggle:, I don't think his post was mean-spirited, inasmuch as your opening was "BTW: I have not yet check the air pressure in the tires."

Given that, suggesting that you check same WRT a softer ride seems not inappropriate. Dealers will deliver Guzzis (and other brands) in an astonishingly unready condition despite the often-hefty and shameful "dealer prep" charge.

Until you check pressures, you might not know if yours was delivered with some insanely high PSI.

Accordingly, Steve did not, I think, mean anything of the "should lower the tire pressure to dangerous levels to get a softer ride" sort.

Congrats on your Guzzi, btw.

Best,

Bill
 
Cole Harvey said:
My apologies to all. I had forgotten that wrote about having not checked the air pressure, and I have since checked it. It they were on the low side.
Click to expand...

No problem. Suppose you are back to watching Todd's vid.

But I'll join the "I'm sorry" parade, too. ;)

After I posted mine, I almost edited it to make it clearer that not all dealers short the prep process. I have been the victim of that and it still grates, but many take it seriously ... as they should.

Anyway, my wife doesn't know I erred so I guess I didn't. :rofl:

Bill
 
thanks Bill, I'm a man of few words. I'd bet 80% of the roughly 40 new bikes I've bought came with the wrong pressure. once I got a 90 Mille GT and the front had 9#! same holds true for clutch cable adjustments and cleaning the crap off brake rotors.
Most tires lose pressure naturally. then when the temperature drops from 90 to 50 there is a big change. Cold, in the garage out of the sun is where you set them. on the V7 I like 34F and 36 rear.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sykik-Ride...=183125602648b127fe063858449899e2f8edd865efa4
these are just an example of a great accessory to have. lots of similar choices and prices.
 
Tire pressures, unless extremely high or extremely low, should not affect ride quality by much. Proper tire pressure is a safety concern. Set them to whatever is nominal as a start. I don't know what the V9 pressures should be, nominally, but something in the 36 to 40 range is most likely. (I run 37/37 psi in my Racer with the Conti RA3 radial tires I have on it, running tubeless on the Kineo wheels. Feels good.)

If you're a big guy, the bike is most likely bottoming out, particularly at the rear, and you'll need more spring preload to accommodate your weight. With the stock springs on Racer, I had to crank them up to nearly the max recommended preload and it was still a bit harsh, but at least it wasn't bottoming any more. Then, when I did the wheels and tires update, I installed the next range up Öhlins rear springs and a full Matris fork kit with springs of appropriate weight to match. A little time spent setting the correct preload and the damping set to the defaults on both netted a much much better ride and much better road compliance and grip. Since then, just a couple of small adjustments to compression and rebound damping, both front and rear, have been needed as I rode on various surfaces and tuned the suspension to suit my druthers ... Now it's perfect. Nice plush ride, no bottoming, well controlled in all respects.

This was an expensive course of improvements (front suspension kit, rear springs, fancy wheels, radial tires, and installation/tuning) but incredibly worth while to get the bike dialed in to what I wanted. I wouldn't say it is *all* absolutely necessary ... however, it's done what I wanted. If finances are limited, for a big guy the rear suspension preload and ultimately better suspension units are the first point of attack to get the bike tuned to your weight and make the ride more comfortable.

G
 
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