Tuning the suspension is under rated

[Anonymous]

I just got done changing my fork seals and decided to tune the suspension. The rear shock was out of whack. The setting at the top of the shock was at 4 (this is supposed to be stiff) and the setting on the bottom was on 1 (this provides very little preload).

I increased the bottom setting to 3 and left the top one on 4 and put about 14 PSI in the front forks. (I know some of you say to run without air). The ride is fantastic. So smooth and holds the roads so tightly. Wow! It was a great ride before, but I never realized just how great the ride coudl be.

I highly reccomend following the suspension tuing guidelines in the clymer manual.

I have a 1980 GS 850 GL

[Detman101]

Wait wait wait....how....do you put air...in your front forks?
I don't see anywhere to hook up a bloody air line on mine and I looked for almost 20 minutes.


Dm of mD

[lhanscom]

Not sure on your particular model, but look for a nut, either on the fork leg(s) or possibly on top of the legs. Take the nut off, and it's really a schrader valve.

[Orbatos]

14psi? My gs1150 shop manual says not to exceed 4.5psi! Entirely different animal I guess...

[Anonymous]

14 psi

My manual says not to exceed 30 PSI. There is a table for tuning the suspension. The minimum is about 8 psi on the table.

On my 850 there are caps over the air valves on the top of the forks. I think the 850 introduced the air oil forks so that you could have a softer ride. The caps are at about a 45 degree angle to the tops of the forks.

[snowbeard]

just be careful not to over do it!!! I used a bicycle pump and didn't realize there's very little volume in there and even with one hand and a crappy pump I got WAY too much, luckily it didn't blow my seals... my manual says ~7psi GS650GT

[Anonymous]

I have a fully loaded 79 gs850G (vetter fairing with lowers, cycle sound with cd player, oil cooler, krauser side and top bags) and run with the rear shocks on #4, dampening on #4 and usually 20psi in the forks. Rides very smooth, soaks up the nasties. When I add all my gear into the bags, and a tank bag, I turn the rear to 5 on the spring, and run 24psi in the forks. Beauty, just a beauty.

Cheers

[Don Lobacz]

This is a good post and exactly what every newbie should see. I'll gladly bounce it back up to the top of the list.

[redliner1973]

I replaced (and modified the mounting) my air shocks on the 'GK with some from a Harley. Made a wonderous difference. But I still keep my front forks at 11 PSI. Air shocks at 35PSI. Seems to work good.

[Anonymous]

On the GS1100EX models, the forks have a Air Fitting on the left side of the forks, below the headlamp (see RED ARROW).

Then, the 2-Bolts you have to loosen (see YELLOW CIRCLES), one on each fork tube, loosen them about 1/3rd to 1/2 a turn counter clockwise, just enough to crack them open.
BE SURE to be careful tightening them backup or you can ruin the seal.

The tube in the middle (porportioning tube), will help balance the air when filling.

USE a HAND PUMP only, reccomended pressure to start with is 25psi (1.8kg/cm).
MAX Pressure to never be passed is 35 psi(2.5kg/cm), or risk blowing your fork seals.

see image, note this is NOT an "L" model, their air chucks are on top of the forks.



Now for the "L" models the MAXIMUM difference in Air Pressure BETWEEN Tubes is 1.4psi(0.1kg/cm).



Peace,
Ron

[Anonymous]

Tire pressure is just as important for anybody trying to get a bike to handle properly. After you're done all of the suspension fiddling it doesn't hurt to realigne the headlight either.

Cheer, Steve

[pano]

That is something I have never looked at in 20 years of owning my bike. My manual specs 7.11 psi

[KGB]

One thing to be careful of is using the air pump at a service station.
Compressed air ends up with water, H2), in it.
Thsi des not mix well with the oil in the forks, or rear air suspension.
Using a hand pump is advisable, this decreases the water content.

My 1100E has a label on the fork saying MAXIMUM of 30 psi air or nitrogen.

My 1000S in the manual says MAX of 15 psi.
The 1000, with new fork seals and 15 weight oil, no air.
Same with the 1100E. Both have Progressive rear shocks, non air.

The 1000S is stiff, the 1100E can be set to "plush"

[bwringer]

If you're this happy with just adjusting the junky stock suspension, you will probably achieve Nirvana once you replace the crappy original fork springs and shocks with pieces from Progressive.

With aftermarket fork springs, you add a preload spacer made out of PVC or metal tubing and you don't use air pressure in the forks. Air pressure has a sneaky habit of leaking past your fork seals at inconvenient times.

Progressive springs and shocks cost a few bucks, but they're worth every penny. Unless you weigh less than 120 pounds and never ride more than 10 mph, the stock suspension is dangerously undersprung and underdamped.