| Author | Message | ||
     Wolfridgerider |
The bike is pushing thru the turns and the tires look like shredded wheat. I was told to drop the forks in the triple clamp (raise the front) and that would add more trail and fix my problem..... Any thoughts?? | ||
| Sd26 |
Pushing as it it's wanting to follow a line wider than you want? Sounds like too much trail. Initially, I'd add preload to the rear to reduce trail. What track? What tires? What kind of corner? Pushing going in, in the middle, or exiting? | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Mid Ohio & Nelson Ledges Pirelli medium compound DOT's Starts pushing mid turn ending with a wide exit..... OR one big OH $hit moment sliding thru the grass with bike rolling and soiled underwear. | ||
| Sd26 |
Mid corner to exit...well, yeah, add preload at the rear. What springs? | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Buell race | ||
| Sd26 |
How much do you weigh? (What is your favorite color? What is the air speed...LOL!) | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
LOL.... 215 + or - by the time I put on all the gear its around 240 to 245 and I have blond hair and blue eyes..... | ||
| Slaughter |
Walks on the beach? Puppies? Sunsets?? OK - when you're there at the track, work directly with the tire vendors. They can do WONDERS for helping you get your suspension set up properly and diagnose issues by getting your feedback and looking at changes that you've made. Have them look at the tires each time you pull off the track. The track-side tire sellers are an awesome, underutilized resource. | ||
| Sd26 |
215+ to my understanding would leave you undersprung for the Buell race spring at the back, and probably the front too for race track duty. Spring rate is day one of my race bike builds. Until you have that in the right range, even the geometry gets all screwed up under various loads. Would probably leave you letting off the gas in places that you really would expect yourself to feel like you should be WFO, but you can't as the geometry gets all whacky. | ||
| Slaughter |
A handy usable chart for spring rates and bike/rider/gear weights:  | ||
| Sd26 |
That's a fork spring chart that I've seen. Given a 450# Buell and a 240 rider, looks like you'd need a heavier front spring...I believe the Buell race is a .95 spring. I think the spring I have on my Penske shock is a 425# spring, and I think that the rate on the Buell race spring would be adequate for my weight...175#. Adding the extra rider weight would really require something with more support. Would bump one up two "sizes" to a 475# from the Penske chart, for example. http://www.penskeshocks.com/penskeracing/motorcycl e.html | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
I went to the WERA races in Vegas and ran into one of, if not the guy from Race Tech. I told him my problem and changing the trail was his answer. Being that I'm kinda "NEW" to racing I do alot to brain picking when I can. What he said sounded like it would work and I will give almost anything a shot for a few laps. I'm going to change the fork oil because I wasn't careful with the amount that was in the forks when I changed the springs. I assumed that I got all the old oil out and just put in the recommended amount without checking the level with a ruler. Next year I'm going to run Bridgestones or Avon tires just because I can't pay $386 for a set of Pirelli's every race weekend. But getting the suspension in working order is my main concern. Any thoughts on sending my forks and shock to Race Tech or MPH to get revalved? | ||
| Sd26 |
If I were going to recommend anything, call Henry and find out the rate of the springs. Springs are the basis of support. If you've ever done jetting on a motorcycle, you know that you need to get the main jet correct first. You can change everything else and make a difference, but it will never be right until the correct main it selected. Suspension is the same way in that the correct spring needs to be selected for your weight and use. Fork oil is dampening, height would have something to do with preload, basically. I'm still actually running the stock internals on my forks. Yes, I did change the oil to something heavier, but I'm not to the point of complaining about that yet. I am considering going to a heavier rear spring though, just for further thoughts out there. |
