This may be a dumb question but I have to ask. Is there a way to set up my suspension to help compensate for a bike that is undersprung? I have a 1998 Yamaha YZF600R that has 25,000 miles on it. It is well maintained and runs as smooth as it was new. However, I weigh 230 lbs and the bike is stock sprung for about 160 lbs. I assume that the springs are sagging as well because it doesn't lean on the kick stand like it used to. I dont have the money for new springs right now because I used all my funds for leather, boots, tires and such for my track day on June 4th. Any ideas? I'm not looking for miracles, just a better set up for the track... until I can get some suspension work done. Thanks!
I've looked into Race Tech fork springs which are $100 but I also need a shock spring which is another $100. Add the labor and am closer to $400. I dont really have the skill or time to take the forks apart. Dont forget the cost of buying fork oil and the special tool to install the fork springs. Like I said, money is short because of all the other gear I bought for the track day.
Forget the track day until you can make your bike safe. If the springs are so bad that it doesn't even sit right on the side stand, the bike shouldn't be on the road much less the race track. This sounds harsh but wallowing off into the boonies is worse.
The springs arent that bad. It sits on the side stand safely but doesn't lean over as far as it did when new. The suspension has always been on the soft side and provides a plush ride on the street. It also holds together quite well at speed. What I dont want to do is just crank up all the adjusters and call it "track ready".
Is there any preoad left in the forks ? How many lines are still showing ? Got time for a crash diet ? No punn intended :mrgreen:
I have to agree, fix the bike. Also, dialing up a ton of preload is not going to fix things. If the springs are set for a 160 pound rider and you dial in enough preload you will be topped out and have no droop left to track a dip. You say that it will cost you $400, That is really 1 and 1/2 track days. If you go down riding such a seriously undersprung bike it's going to cost a lot more than that to fix the bike AND you still have to do the springs. More importantly, you are a danger to everyone else on the track too. Safety, Safety, Safety!
As long as they dont bottom out , he may be able to get bye. I always have a wire tie on the fork leg to see how much travel im using .But at 230 pounds , they will probably bottom Other hand , Paying a little interest on a credit card hurts less then going down . Because of your weight some .95s and some valves would be a good thing . Get some springs ...it will be much more enjoyable to ride .
Just wanted to update you guys. I did some adjustments to the suspension and think I've found a good baseline setting for the track. I guess all I needed to do was firm up some of the settings to help the suspension gain control. It rides better that the stock settings and seems much more composed than before.
Yeah, I would have to agree. Better to hold off a track day or two and be safe. I want to be out there as much as you. I can't either. Better safe than sorry. Know what I mean. You did say you changed some settings though. I don't know much about that so I can't chime in on that one. Take care.
Now I feel so stupid. Apparently my owner's manual is incorrect. It seems that the rear preload adjustment is marked wrong in the manual. It states that setting 1 is hardest and 7 is softest. Upon further inspection and some checking with the manufacture, I confirmed that this is wrong and reversed! This is the second time that I have found a major "typo" in my manual. The first was the incorrect instructions for adjusting the chain. YZF600R owners should beware of using their factory owner's manual and should invest in an aftermarket shop manual. To say the least, my bike handles much better now with correct settings!