Adjusting sag and preload?
 

Hey guys,

Just a question you guys could help me with.

I'm trying to find a way of lowering my 06 F4i and I've come up with the idea that the bike doesn't sag almost at all when I sit on it due to my weight.

The bike is already quite big for me as it is and I'm thinking about shaving the foam off the seat and around the edges as it pushes my legs out too far.

But I was thinking that if the preload on the forks and rear suspension isn't right, it isn't going to help in lowering it unless I get the sag right...

So how do I go about changing it?

I've read about the process on how to do it by measuring etc, but what do I have to do to the bike i.e what do I have turn, wind, twist etc. to adjust these preload settings.

I weigh about 120 Lbs and the bike's suspension hardly moves when I sit on it, so what do I have to do?

Thanks guys.

turn the screw on the rear resivoir out or so that it says softer, i dont think the PO would have adjusted the spring attached to the swingarm. but if he did there is also a screw on the brake side with adjustment attached to the spring

Just disregard the last post, he is talking about compression and rebound. The preload setting on the forks is on the top of the forks, you'll need a 14mm wrench. You are actually a good weight for the stock front suspension as the fork springs are way soft. The rear preload requires a spanner wrench that comes in the bike's tool kit. At the base of the rear spring there are some notches that the spanner wrench fits in and you crank whichever way you need to.

However, I would recommend not lowering your bike. How tall are you?

yeah man sorry about that, i misread what he asked

http://sportbikewrench.com/howtovideos.aspx

watch the how to set sag video...of course its on a gixxer and not an f4i but its the same concept and should hopefully give you a better idea on how to go about doing that

Hey guys,

I did watch a video of a guy do it on an R6, but he had some weird things on the top of his forks on his yoke and mine are just regular bolt heads.

And I'm a slim quite skinny 5'3 and the bike is a little too tall to be comfortable on. So I am trying to get every extra Millimeter of my feet on the floor. My very tip toes only reach the floor when I put both feet down and on some uneven ground they dont even do that.

So are you still having trouble?

I rarely have 2 feet on the ground. Usually when I'm stopped I have one foot on the brake and the other on the ground. I understand you probably feel a little insecure though. Softening up the suspension and increasing the sag will do little to lower the bike with your size. The only way to net a few inches of drop is to replace the rear link with a larger one and raising the forks up through the triple. However, I would not recommend this if you intend to do any aggressive riding. When I bought my bike it was lowered and felt awful.

You might want to look into getting a lowering link fo the back?

Jeff, I think I've seen a lowering link for my bike but im not quite sure how it works or how it fits in/on. Shed any knowlege?

Oh and guys, would this make a difference or would I then need to shorten the front forks? http://motorcycle-parts-accessories....medium=organic

And also would I need to shorten the front forks with these too??
http://www.motorcycle-road-and-race....ucts_id=403000

The second product you showed lowers the rear. As far as I know, the only way to lower the front is to raise the fork tubes up through the triple tree.

For that spring, it does say it will lower the bike 30mm however I'm not sure how easy it is to replace just the spring on the rear shock.

If you really want to lower the bike just get a aftermarket wishbone link for the rear and lower the front like i said.

if i were you id set the forks preload to 4th line just showing, and the shock preload to 2, and see how that feels, it will also lower the bike slightly, maybe not enough though.

If its still not low enough try bringing the forks up like 6mm and see how that is, if still not enough then youll need a new link for the rear.

blue devil, I dont quite know what you mean by 4th line and shock preload to 2? I don't know where these markers are. Do you mean clicks from the left or right or something?

ok the preload (which is how much you pre loading the springs from its natural length) so your essentially compressing the spring slightly so when you sit on the bike it instead of compressing a lot it will only compress slightly an you will get a better ride.

So to adjust the preload on the forks, if you look on the top there will be a screw adjustment, this is rebound it has arrows with h and s, just leave it for now. Right under that is the preload adjustment, it is a circle missing two sides, a 14mm wrench will fit on it. Turn to the right to tighten, left to loosen. To know how much preload you have look on the side right above the big nut and as you loosen the preload more lines will appear.

For the shock look at the shock directly from the side and read what number is says, and from there use the wrench in the tool kit to turn it to 2.

here a pic of the fork pre load and you can see on this picture theres 2 lines showing on preload, for you i would go to 4 lines.

http://www.cbrworld.net/upload/images/img2744_1126.jpg

or you could lower it a bit....
 

Here is a post I made earlier, :icon_wink:


https://cbrforum.com/forum/showthrea...799#post991799

On top of my forks I dont have the sticking up part. (preload (circle with two flats, its just a big nut. No adjuster)

I gotta see this. Can you upload a picture? You have to have preload adjusters. Maybe they are tightened all the way down? I'm not sure if it's even possible to tighten them so far they become flush with the top of the fork tuble.

I'll take a picture when I get home from work and show you.

I seem to recall seeing the 2 of the 2006+ models in a shop in Manchester which had non adjustable Forks....:icon_shrug:

Well that sucks.. So how come the shock can be adjusted?

Doesn't this defeat the object of adjusting them both simultaneously?

Here is a close up of a pic I have of it. See what you think...

Sorry but they are non adjustable Forks.:icon_emm:

Thats just silly.

Yeah, That sucks. Any way how I could buy something which could safely lower my bike? Like this... - http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/5...uster-Kits/WRP Or this?
http://www.motorcycle-road-and-race....ucts_id=403000

And if so which would be better?

And another thing, why does it let me adjust the rear and not the front? Thats stupid as you are supposed to do them the same, unless i'm mistaken.

So what do you guys think about those two products? Any good? Wont work? Which out of the two?

Cheers guys.

:icon_doh:

Thats because the front weight does not alter as much as the rear depending on the ride weight, if you add a pillion or panniers then you should ajust the rear shock,

I bet you could get the normal fork internals and cap and drop it right into those fork tubes you have.

Is there an adjustment on the bottom of the forks?

Im not sure ill have to look.

I lowered my 06 today with a lowering link from Soupy's Performance.

It was a bit of a pain in the ass and the link doesn't allow it to be adjusted back up to stock. I used an engine hoist to take the load off of the suspension (lifted the bike by the subframe) and with the help of a buddy we were able to get it installed.

I lowered the bike about 1" and shaved foam out of the seat. It's WAY better now. We are going to lower the front a tiny bit by loosening the triple clamp but I'm waiting for my "new" (used on eBay) kickstand first. The bike is way too upright now so don't forget about a modified kickstand if you do decide to lower it. I bought a stock one and am going to cut/weld it when it arrives.