Had a real result this weekend. The bike would weave slightly when dropped into a bend. It just didn’t feel planted. Also the angle of the seat made it uncomfortable, as we all know. Having read about the preload fork setting on the forum I put the advice into action over the winter. I wound out the preload on the right fork leg and sure enough it was something like a quarter turn from fully out. (Factory setting). Working on the basis of 15kg per turn I wound it back in for my weight and then backed it off half a turn. As it’s generally accepted it can be slightly too firm using exactly those maths. Only half a turn back out though. I’d had a go and was pleased but it wasn’t there. Not fully sorted. A couple of weeks ago I had a go on bro 6’s Aprillia Tuono and the handling was fantastic. The suspension was firm but absorbed bumps. It went round bends like it was on rails. I needed to set the my rear suspension. That made me remember this chart I’d found on the American Multistrada forum. For me, seeing the settings laid out visually suddenly made everything much clearer. 1 to 4 being; 1 Solo 2 Solo + luggage 3 Two up 4 Two up plus luggage. I could see that Solo Urban dropped the rear of the bike, making it easier to get on and off but Sport obviously raised the rear end. Not being one for half measures and wanting it to ride more like the Tuono I thought f’it let’s bang it in Sport mode and put it in two up with luggage mode. Not terribly scientific but ‘Mike the bike’ aka bro 6 doesn’t hang about and I wanted us to ride like we were joined with a piece of string. Whilst being socially and sensibly distanced of course. What a difference! Cut to this weekend. I’d had another go at having the seat reupholstered. Specifically raising the front and lowering the rear in order to make it more level. Making it more like one of those old fashioned tractor seats, a pan type thing. Put simply, redesigning it to stop the forward roll and make the seat feel level. Also, I had a gel pad put in. What a result. The seat is level, firm but comfy. Total happiness with it. In fact it reminded me of the seat on the GS which I found to be firm but all day comfortable. This revised seat also transformed the feel when on the bike. This thing went round bends like it was on rails. I felt glued to the road, when I’d set the bike for a bend there was no weave, no need for correction. It was a joy. I backed off the mode to 2 up and no luggage and dropped it into Touring mode. Softening it off slightly and it was still good. I swear it’s a combo of the suspension and the feedback from the revised seat. I was happy with the 2up and luggage mode but it’s all worth experimenting with. There’s one more thing I’ve done. I put an Akrapovic full system on. Now apparently they give you the grand total of 1 extra horsepower. Which I don’t care about. The sound is fantastic but I’m sure the engine breathes better. The bike is just far easier to ride. I can do 20 or 30mph easily which I just couldn’t before. So much so, now I might not bother changing the rear sprocket, which was the next planned mod/improvement. Strategically positioned bins. The mid range feels better and put simply it’s all round more enjoyable to ride. Possibly the loss of 15lbs of weight in the system is helping handling as well. I could feel the slight weight difference the first time I rode it with the Akra on but you pretty soon become accustomed/immune to it. It’s a totally different machine. It’s a lot more sporty, it doesn’t feel as lumbering, I’m delighted with the mods. Next up I need to get that M9RR on the rear and give it a clean.
Thanks for the report of the transformation as well as that reference chart Sam Timely post as suspension tinkering was on the cards for today.
Altering preload doesn’t make the suspension stiffer, it just alters the height, however raising the rear by increasing rear preload will alter the front trail angle and make the bike turn quicker. It’s all relative, dial in less less preload at front will do the same thing.
Makes me laugh how dealers seem to still say ‘leave as factory’ on front preload: why have it is it’s not to be adjusted? And everyone I know has improved the bike enormously by adding preload to the front. If someone buys a multi (my13-17 - suspect same later too) with skyhook first thing they should do is this.
Now look here. We all know that the only thing that makes a bike handle better is an Akra exhaust. None of the other tinkering makes any difference at all. So there!
I’ve set my front preload already and it’s much better than it was with the 1/2 turn or so they sold me the bike with, but still a little “hinged” and wallowy when cranked over, even in sport mode. This looks promising. Then again, razz could be on to something... Also, that seat looks awesome! I think I’m going to find a local upholstery shop and bring that pic above to do some economy stimulating.
I found on my dvt I couldn’t really get rid of that entirely, but my my13 skyhook (same as Sam’s) I could
Hopefully my ‘20 1260S will respond - it’s not terrible and I also have a little bike that’s scalpel-sharp for short trips with more lean angle, but some improvement on the big bike at lean would be welcome. The BST’s I’m about to install (once Braketech finally sends rotors) should help.
Suspension fiddled with. The settings were pretty well as per the chart but the front right leg didn't have anywhere enough pre-load, less than one turn. Winding back out and then almost three turns in (15kg per half turn as I understand it, I weigh around 85kg). Seems much better. Set damping to harder in touring will have to experiment. Had a short ride to Homebase for some Hammerite Smooth for the centre stand, job for another day, and then on to the supermarket. Engine management light is on. Sounds like there's the usual issue with the exhaust valve. The servo seems to cycle but then there's some quite high pitched, almost inaudible, noise, then a click followed by nothing coming from the right side of the bike...
Any ideas where I can find the instructions for my ‘20 1260 GT. Would need to be step by step, as I’m a mechanical disaster!
Skyhook? You’re manual will have how to set up the suspension. And I expect the front preload, only manual adjustment, is same as Sam’s. Spanner rhs leg, all the way out half a turn for each 15kg of body weight
This debate seems to have been going for a few years now, from previous threads my understanding is, it's 1 full turn per 15kg, as also mentioned in Sam's post. If not, then both my 1200S DVT and current 1260S have been set up wrong anyway seems to work for me so I'll leave well alone
I think tomorrow I'm gonna create a tasty spreadsheet for us all to input our settings on to compare. I winged mine after test riding it a bunch of times and still haven't had the chance to get it properly setup by a professional. I ride in touring mode solo rider 90% of the time with urban thrown in when I'm hooning it around the small bumpy streets of Amsterdam.
As I understand it, it’s a full turn per 15kg. For clarity. Front right fork leg. I wound it out anti-clockwise before it locked 1/4-1/2 a turn. I’m 81kg so I wound it in 5.4 turns. I allowed a little more for the weight of my riding gear, to 5.5 turns clockwise. Then I backed it off anti-clockwise 1/2 a turn because, well because I was recommended to. Apparently, it’s generally accepted that it can be too harsh so backing off half a turn makes it a bit more supple and comfortable. I might experiment more with this but I found it goes round fast bends with no weave once I’d done this plus adjusting the electronic settings. Without adjusting/firming up the electronic settings it wasn’t as good. This is touch of the button stuff, to either sport or touring and two up, with or without luggage, electronically. There was no actual passenger or luggage. I get the feeling when genuinely riding two up with luggage it needs a firmer spring. I will check next weekend but I think I’ve bumped up my settings within the menu to ‘Harder’ both front and rear in Sport and Touring. That is from the factory standard settings. I have to say I don’t like getting my teeth rattled out but the factory settings were just soggy and wallowy. However, when on tour two up with luggage the Mrs complained it was far too harsh a ride when I put it in Sport mode + 2 up & luggage setting. She said she ached all over when it was set to that. Another thing I’ve previously done is drop the fork yokes down the forks. (I’ve posted about this before). There are 3 lines engraved on the top of the forks that will show themselves as they protrude. I dropped mine to the third line. Solo at speed I get no weave but faster turn in and more nimble handling. I don’t go that fast with the Mrs on the back so can’t say if weave appears two up fast with luggage. I like to lean forward a bit. If I could fit flat bars I would but they’ll foul the fairing.= MOT fail. I realise many folk prefer sit up n beg but each to their own. I found this fractional drop of the forks through the yoke and the seat risers helped my sitting position and don’t give me back ache between the shoulder blades like sit up n beg does. Also for faster turn in, I run a Metzeler M9RR on the front now. I love it, much more nimble to turn, feels lighter, more sporty, more fun.
