899 riders and people in the know, has anyone found the optimum set up for the road? I changed the suspension set up as per the manual but it seams to have made little difference. I'm 12.5 stone without gear. Any advice appreciated, I hit a gnarly double bump on Sunday and nearly got bucked out of the saddle!
If u have a standard rear shock u need to get MCT to rebuild it to fix the very well known issue with the shock 'locking out' over fast bumps, it's £180 and a no brainer! I have mine on standard settings and it's about right but I'm a bit heavier than u, the rear shock now though when I adjust it I can actually feel a difference and it's firm but plush. Forks wise I removed some rebound damping but it made it pretty horrid so went back to standard, all I change is the compression and have experimented but always end up back at stock.
Went out Sunday afternoon on my 899 for the first time since I had the ohlins forks fitted, all I can say is I thought the Showa forks were good but the ohlins set up is sublime,I cannot rate it highly enough,as comparison I jumped on the 1199 straight after, non ohlins and it was shocking no pun intended, the 899 has been set up and sprung for me and the 1199 has not so may be a little unfair, my 899 is noticeably lighter and more nimble than the 1199.
I am unsure if I have ever experienced this rear shock locking out.... What should I expect...? I find the front end on the Pani pretty good actually especially on track. I do need to get the suspension set up for my weight though because I'm pretty heavy at 15 stone. Keeping meaning to get down to Perry at HM Racing to have a look at her for me. Tore my rear tyre to pieces at Brands.
The rear tyre wear could be due to the rear shock, because honestly I don't seem to be wearing the rear tyre as much since it was done. Tbh I did come from Ohlins on my Triumph which I really rated, but the rear end of the 899 just felt vague all the time, could never quite feel the grip and almost as if u were riding on a road that had been dusted with sand. I know it sounds very literal but now it feels like I have the palm of my hand next to the rear tyre on the road. Also u can feel it move through the stroke if that makes sense, so u come out of a tight corner and u can feel it sit down at the rear ever so slightly but remains the same 'stiffness' where as before if u hit a bump as u were accelerating it didn't seem to be able to take it. I know this sounds very fussy, I did lots of searching about it and when I spoke to the editor of fast bikes when he borrowed it from me he agreed that the 899 as standard does feel like that. Also I phoned MCT and they just said 'I know what you are going to say, vague and unpredictable'
MCT turned mine around in 3 days and if u are in Swindon (can't remember where u said u were) u can borrow my abba stand if u need it to support the bike.
Check that your shock is not set at the race or track setting for preload. Mine came from factory like this and was not right for road use. Changed the preload to STD setting of 17 mm and felt better. I settled for STD preload settings front and back and put in the comfort settings for damping as per the book. This allows me to ride the bumps OK and still handles fine on road. Tyre pressure make a difference as well. 36psi front and back is a bit harsh for my taste. I have experimented with tyre pressures over the years and find for me 32 psi front and rear gives me the best comfort,feeling and handling when riding solo. There is also a good article by Dave Moss ( ace suspension guru) testing the 899. Check it out try Dave Moss 899.
