Wilbers Motorcyle Suspension HowTo

Motorcycle Suspension, How
They Work, Install and Set Up

Presenters: Klaus Huenecke and
Duane Kerzic of Wilbers USA
Time:
Place:
Audience: Beginner to Advanced
Street Riders who want to know
more about what suspension tuning
can do to improve their experience.
1
www.wilbersusa.com Copyright© 2006 by Klaus Huenecke and Duane Kerzic 7/28/06
This is a work in progress
We can’t tell you that this presentation will
ever be totally complete. Every time we
give it we will update and change it. When
we present it we learn more about what
people want to know about suspension and
will strive to meet those demands. Thanks
for understanding.
2
Thanks to all who attended
We wanted to thank all of you that came to
see us at the BMWMOA Rally 2006. We
enjoyed presenting to you and will
continue to do so in the future. We wanted
to also thank those of you that provided
feedback, it was most valuable. This was
the first time we gave the presentation so
thanks for bearing with some of our
mistakes and miscues. Hope to see you all
again in the coming years.
3
Agenda
Introduction, Overview & Agenda 3:00
Sag Adjustment 5:00
Low-Speed Damping Adjustment 4:00
High-Speed Damping Adjustment 4:00
Rebound Damping Adjustment 4:00
Ride Height 3:00
Summary 2:00
Q&A Session 4:00
Total Time 30:00
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Introduction
How can I tell whether my current shock is bad?
What type of shock should I select for the riding I do?
How does a shock operate, and what do certain adjustments result
in?
Adjustments for my personal set-up.
Custom Motorcycle Shocks are very adjustable.
– Increase performance.
– Improve handling and comfort.
Learn to adjust.
– Sag.
– High and Low Speed Compression Damping.
– Rebound Damping.
– Ride Height.
Troubleshooting / Explore when to adjust which setting.
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Overview
This is for street riders. Racers have different needs.

There is some transfer.
There are many adjustments on a modern shock. They all
work together.
We want to keep the tire in contact with the road surface
and have the least movement of the CG of the bike.
We are going to look at the order to adjust the settings,
cover them in order and what to do if you don’t like what
you end up with.
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How Can I Tell My Shock Is Bad?
The bike is lower to the ground then it was
previously. Several Causes.
You see leakage of fluid from the shock.
It’s making noises.
Pogo stick effect, no damping.
Lack of static sag.
Broken parts.
Changes in handling.
Number of miles not always an indicator.
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How do I Know Which Shock Is
For Me?
Have you adjusted your current shock? If you
have, then you are interested in a better ride.
Where and how do I ride?
Willing to spend time to fine tune?
Different loads?
What is your riding style?
Track days?
Canyon scrape?
Do you want to spend the extra money?
Bike condition, good swing arm bearings and
other suspension parts?
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Adjusting Your Shock Before You
Begin
Make Only One Adjustment At A Time. This is
important. If you change too much at one time
you won’t know which adjustment made the
change.
There are lots of settings. Take your time. If you
forgot what you wanted or it doesn’t feel right,
go back to where you started.
Take Notes. This will help you remember what
you’ve done and where you want to go.
If you can use a familiar loop 1-2 miles long
(like a track) for testing you’ll have an easier
time.
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Sag Adjustment 1
Static and Dynamic Sag. Static sag is the amount of
suspension compression when the motorcycle is on the
suspension without rider or gear. Dynamic sag is when
the motorcycle is loaded with rider and gear.
Sag is the first adjustment you make to your shock.
Repeated when loading is changed: Gear, Riding
Apparel, Passenger.
Sometimes called pre-load adjustment.
Why do we need to adjust sag? If too much sag
suspension will run out of compression (bottom-out) to
often, if too little sag will run out of rebound (top-out).
Want to be in the ‘middle’ of the spring travel.
Tools: Non-marking tape, tape measure and two buddies.
Need to know the suspension travel of your motorcycle
from manufacture Specs.
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Sag Adjustment 2
Pre-load adjuster. This is used to set spring pre-load. This
adjusts the sag by changing how much force is applied to
the spring.
Mechanical – Simple. Good if

you don’t change load often and
have no trim panels covering
shock. Need to have tool.
Hydraulic – Very easy to use.

Just turn the knob to change
setting. Great if you change load
often or have trim panels that
would need to be removed. No
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toolsand
www.wilbersusa.com Copyright© 2006 by Klaus Huenecke needed.
Duane Kerzic 7/28/06
Sag Adjustment 3
‘A’ is the maximum
extension of the
shock
‘B’ is with weight of
bike only.
‘C’ is with all load.
A-B = static sag.
A-C = dynamic sag.
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Sag Adjustment 4
To start, we have the
motorcycle wheel off the
ground and put tape with
marks on rear axle and
the frame or trim of the
bike. This is so we can
always measure to the
same place and repeat
our measurements.
This bike still has the
factory shock installed.
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Sag Adjustment 5
Now, measure the
distance between the
axle and the tape with
the suspension fully
extended. This is
measurement “A”.
A = 530.5mm
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Sag Adjustment 6
Next we measure the distance
between the marks with only
the weight of the motorcycle
on the rear wheel.
B = 517.5mm
The Static Sag is A – B and
should be between 15 and 20
mm for street bikes, 20 and 25
mm for dirt bikes = 530.5 –
517.5 = 13mm.
Wilbers shocks come pre-set
for the correct static and
dynamic sag based on the
load information you give us
when you place your order.
15
Sag Adjustment 7
We have the second buddy
hold the bike and the rider
mounts the bike with his
riding apparel on. We
measure the distance again.
This is measurement “C”.
C = 500 mm
The Dynamic Sag is A – C =
530.5 – 500 = 30.5mm
Total Travel is 150mm.
Dynamic sag should be
approximately 1/3 of the total
suspension travel or 50mm.
Wilbers shocks have spring
rates adjusted so you can get
the proper Static and
Dynamic Sag.
16
Sag Adjustment 8
If there is too little sag we decrease spring
pre-load.
If there is too much sag we increase spring
pre-load.
Questions on Sag adjustments?
17
Adjustable Compression Damping
All Wilbers shocks have internal
damping with shims and ports.
The number and size of shims is
custom to your shock based on
the questions we ask you when
you order it. These shims are
chosen to give you maximum
adjustability.
Wilbers offers two types of
Adjustable External Compression
Dampers; Hose Mounted and
Piggy Back.
Both reservoirs have a piston to
separate the Nitrogen from the
shock fluid so the shock only
pumps the fluid.
Blue adjuster is for Low-Speed
and Red is for High-Speed.
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Low-Speed Damping
Low Speed Compression Damping. This is the
amount the shock is damped when it is operating
at less than 20 inches per second (0.5 m/s) of
vertical wheel travel. This is the prevalent
damping when you are accelerating, corner turn-
in and applying the brakes.
– Effects how the bike sets up for corners.
– Controls weight transfer.
This adjustment isn’t for bumps or other road
hazards.
It’s for very slow movements of the suspension.
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High-Speed Damping
High-Speed Compression Damping. This is the
damping applied to the shock when it is
operating between 1 2/3 (20”) - 15 feet per
second (0.5 – 4.6 m/s) of vertical wheel travel.
This is the prevalent damping for road hazards.
– Effects how motorcycle reacts to defects in road
surface.
For example a pothole or bump where there is
rapid movement of the suspension.
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Compression Damping Circuits
Questions on
Compression Damping?
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Rebound Damping
Soft setting Hard setting
This is the damping applied when the shock is rebounding or

extending.
All Wilbers Shocks have adjustable Rebound Damping in addition to
the Internal Shims and Ports.
Primarily effects how fast the shock rebounds. The rebound adjuster
also effects Compression Damping on emulsion type shocks and to a
small degree on shocks with external reservoirs.
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Rebound Damping
Questions on Rebound
Damping?
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Ride Height
Adjusts seat height.
Changes caster angle and trail
of the front suspension. This
allows you to change from a
bike with fast turn-in (track)
to a bike that wants to go
straight (tour).
Ability to better flat-foot the
bike, if you feel the need.
About +-” adjustment on the
seat (total 10mm on the
shock) so it is really for fine
tuning.
Not for major inseam
considerations. We offer
other solutions.
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Ride Height Adjustment
Questions on Ride Height
Adjustment?
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Permanent Raising and Lowering
Wilbers can lower many bikes by up to 2”. Some bikes
can be raised, but by smaller amounts. Front and rear
need to be lowed together.
We change the spring rate and damping characteristics of
the shock to compensate for the difference in travel and
linkage position.
We maintain the ride and handling of your bike better
then other lowering solutions.
We offer advice and support on other changes that need
to be made when changing rear suspension travel. We
have TUV approval or pending approval on many of
these modifications unlike others offering these services.
We consider the total feel of the ride.
26
Troubleshooting
We are going to cover the following
symptoms:
– Harsh Over Bumps.
– Excessive Wheel Spin Exiting Corners.
– Wallowing Exiting Corner.
– Slow Turn-in.
– Mid Corner Push – Front.
27
Testing Suspension Travel
Us wire ties on the
shock or fork tubes to
show suspension
travel.
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Harsh Over Bumps
Go Softer with low speed compression, 2
to 3 clicks at a time.
Go softer with high speed compression, 1
to 2 clicks at a time.
Increase rear spring sag.
Note: Too soft on compression can bring
about a harsh feeling by allowing too much
shock travel. Riding on the bumper, short
of bottoming out.
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Excessive Wheel
Spin Exiting Corners
Rear wheel losing push into road.
Repeat steps for Harsh over bumps.
Rebound can be too fast, allowing the rear
to unload and spin the tire. Use caution
when changing rebound.
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Wallowing Exiting Corner
Fast yawing movement of bike.
Feels like bike has a hinge in the middle
and it swings back and forth like a door.
Stiffen high speed compression, 1 to 2
clicks at a time.
Stiffen low speed compression, 1 to 2
clicks at a time.
Decrease rear spring sag.
Slow down rebound, 1 to 2 clicks at a time.
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Slow Turn-in
Too much trail. Need to decrease trail at
turn entry.
Increase rear ride height.
Soften fork compression.
Increase front fork sag.
Speed-up rear rebound.
Raise fork legs in triple clamps. This
effectively decreases trail.
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Mid Corner Push - Front
Front feels like it’s pushing to outside of
corner.
Need to remove increase in trail as we
accelerate through the turn.
Stiffen rear low speed compression.
Increase front rebound damping.
33
Summary
We went over how to tell if your shock was bad.
Discussed the different features of a shock and
how to figure out what I want / need.
We learned the steps for setting up shocks that
have Sag, High, Low Speed and Rebound
Damping.
We covered how these adjustments effect the
ride you experience.
We learned about some handling deficiencies
that can be easily corrected by adjustment of
your suspension.
It’s time to try it on your bike.
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Where to Get More Information
Call us at 732.786.9777 for help with our
products.
Visit our Website, wilbersusa.com
35
Questions?
Anything we didn’t cover?
Contact us at info@wilbersusa.com.
Thanks for your time.
36
Shock Operation
37
Complete Shock
38
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Wilbers Motorcyle Suspension HowTo

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Motorcycle Suspension, How

They Work, Install and Set Up

This is for street riders. Racers have different needs.

Mechanical – Simple. Good if

Hydraulic – Very easy to use.

Soft setting Hard setting

This is the damping applied when the shock is rebounding or

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