As there are a lot of new members to the forum and the weather is getting colder, I thought I would re-post this to give them some guidence and maybe save someone from getting hurt.[/I]
Winterizing Suspension!
If you ride your motorcycle during the winter months, you probably haven't given your suspension a second thought... Well, as the weather gets colder, your suspension "slows down"!
Many of you may have already had some experience of this by way of an unexplained slide, or low side and even wheelspin, particuarly on corner exits particuarly when you were happy that your tires were warm! Tires and suspension go hand in hand, good suspension will help you get the best grip and handling that your tires have to offer!
Many of us run lower tire pressures during the winter months to increase the tires surface contact area and speed "tire warm-up", some of us even run a lighter grade oil so that the engine can run more efficiently and we all wrap up warm so that we don't get "cold and sluggish"...however, almost no one does anything about there suspension! Suspension is open to the elements and as such, gets very "cold and sluggish" in the winter! Even hard riding will not allow sufficient heat build up for it to function correctly!
To "winterize" your suspension so that you can get the best out of your motorcycle during the colder months, you will need to make some simple adjustments...This procedure is for motorcycles with adjustable suspension (Fixed suspension is usually softer in order to accomodate a wide variety of conditions). You will not need to make any pre-load adjustments, which is good news, especially as we seem to have a few carnivorous Hondas out there
Temperatures below 50F:
Take 2 clicks (1/2 turn) OFF the front and rear "rebound" adjuster (usually at the bottom of shock and top of forks) and 1 click (1/4 turn) OFF the front and rear "compression" damping ("High speed" where there is High and Low speed adjustment), this is usually found at the bottom of the forks and the top of the shock.
For temperatures above 50F, most people wouldn't notice any significant difference, however, if you notice your ride has become a bit harsh, take OFF 1 click (1/4 turn) of rebound front and rear.
These settings are very generic and are meant as a guide to improve your safety and riding experience during the colder conditions, however, some machine have a very course adjustment compared to others, so if you notice anything specific after making the adjustments, PM me and I'll talk you through it.
Please write down your current settings before making any adjustments. And if anyone is uncertain on making these adjustments, you can PM me also
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Originally Posted by The Englishman
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