Quick preload question

[Anonymous]

Hi all,
I just wanna know if any one could give me advice on a preload setting. I am 240lbs and changed the preload up to 5, dont think I did it right cause it was hard as hell to turn, but thats another story. Bike feels a little better now but seems to turn more sharply. Do I need to adjust my front forks? Or should I move the preload to max? Any advice welcome

[300]

i stiffen damping and preload by one click on both front and rear

a lot easier to turn in. bike feels 30lb lighter

didnt like the flicking/harsh ride, either i'm too skinny (150lb) or kat's
preload/damping/suspension are just incompetent

i'm now riding on front damping at 2nd click, rear preload at 4th, rear
damping at 3

i think its better to adjust both front and rear, so they will both react
the same

[Anonymous]

Drop the forks about 5-7mm too, helped a bunch for me.

[WildKat]

I adjusted mine, and purposely adjusted to high just to see how it would feel, and I ran into the same problem, could hardly turn at all needless to say I dropped it back down a couple notches and I was fine, im 5'8" 220.

[The CyberPoet]

The right way to set the rear preload for a specific rider:

Put the bike up on the centerstand. Measure the total rear ride height.
Put the bike on it's wheels and compress the rear down all the way (will take a friend to help). Remeasure.

Now, with your body fully on the bike (someone else bracing it to support it), set the rear ride preload height to 70% of the difference between the spring all the way out and all the way in. This will have tuned the rear ride height and preload to the best setting the bike can have for your ride weight. Remember to wear your gear and anything else you typically ride with when doing the measurements.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[WildKat]

Great stuff as always poet!!

[stevnmd]

Bottom line... For a 240 lb rider you could really benefit from new springs.

Personally, I don't like RaceTech stuff. Their quality has gone WAY down over the past year and a half to two years. However, they're about the only "off the shelf" choice for cartridge emulators for your Katana's forks...

As far as springs, I would contact Hyperpro.

They make both fork and shock springs for the Katanas. I would recommend their springs over RaceTech's a hundred times over! They even sell "combo kits" giving you both fork AND shock springs in one package... Another nice thing is that you don't need to worry about spring weights! A LOT of EXCELLENT riders rave about their products...

[sadrik]

stevnmd: Does it make sense to get both the cartridge emulators from RaceTech but also get new springs from, say, Hyperpro? Or are the emulators not compatible with progressive springs?

[Spedee]

I would try what CyberPoet said first.

[stevnmd]

Yes, you can definitely benefit from RaceTech's emulators but the vendor of your choice's springs..

I think the RaceTech / HyperPro combo would be an excellent decision...

You can try what CP suggested, but you'll never get even CLOSE with the stock suspension components on a Kat. And, forget that 70% rule... Just set sag to 1.5" front and rear for street riding. About 1.25" for AGGRESSIVE street and/or track...

I can definitely help you do that. PM me. It won't be until at least tomorrow until I can write a decent amount. I just returned from being out of town all weekend.

[floxera]

Re: Quick preload question

Hi all,
I just wanna know if any one could give me advice on a preload setting. I am 240lbs and changed the preload up to 5, dont think I did it right cause it was hard as hell to turn, but thats another story. Bike feels a little better now but seems to turn more sharply. Do I need to adjust my front forks? Or should I move the preload to max? Any advice welcome

There is no adjustment for preload on the front forks only damping (soft to hard)so your stuck with what you got unless you change to the idea springs for your weight. You don't need the emulators to get the correct preload, but they will increase the performance of the front end. Ohlins also makes front springs for kats.

[rmick15]

Yes, you can definitely benefit from RaceTech's emulators but the vendor of your choice's springs..

I think the RaceTech / HyperPro combo would be an excellent decision...

You can try what CP suggested, but you'll never get even CLOSE with the stock suspension components on a Kat. And, forget that 70% rule... Just set sag to 1.5" front and rear for street riding. About 1.25" for AGGRESSIVE street and/or track...

I can definitely help you do that. PM me. It won't be until at least tomorrow until I can write a decent amount. I just returned from being out of town all weekend.

Base your setup on sag. I went to a track day and had racetech set my sag. They did it for free but I gave them $10

Mickey