Suspension setup recommendations | GTAMotorcycle.com

Suspension setup recommendations

Some people here and myself included have used Accelerated Technologies out in Buckhorn. Last summer I rode out there and spent the day there (working remotely w/ my laptop) while they completely reworked my front forks and set the bike up for me and my riding style. I already had a high quality aftermarket rear shock on there, so for my bike it was just a matter of getting the forks done and having the whole suspension suited to me.

At first I didn’t like it how it felt, probably because I was so used to mediocrity, but as time has gone on, I do like it more and more. I could adjust it for different types of riding I do, but I find what they did good enough to just leave it as is.

I’ve also heard good things about Pro6, who are local in west end Toronto.
 
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Definitely Accelerated Technologies, as @shanekingsley says. John Sharrard worked on the CSBK RC51's back in the day, so he knows the bike well. Not close, but worth either the drive or removing the bits and shipping them...
 
TokyoRider said:
Thanks! Accelerated were also previously recommended. Might have to try to get out there. Some nice riding roads in the way there and back as a bonus!
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Another "Accelerated" satisfied customer. Stock suspension replaced by Ohlins, tuned for my "dimensions" and riding style.
The other two places that deal in suspension tuning are Pro6 (Etobicoke) and TwoWheel Motorsports (Guelph)
 
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Used Accelerated Tech as well for my CBR600rr. Mike did some good work and the price was good. From what I understand he use to work for a Yamaha race team.
 
Another +1 for Accelerated Tech 👍
John ordered me a custom Hyperpro rear shock and reworked my front forks on my NC27
Totally transformed the bike!
I hung around the shop and chatted with John and his assistant as they worked and I got to pick their brains
I also rode up there early in the morning and rode it home afterwards
 
John at accelerated is always busy, better set something up. I'm sure they will be working on lots of sleds there soon.
 
TokyoRider said:
Thanks! Accelerated were also previously recommended. Might have to try to get out there. Some nice riding roads in the way there and back as a bonus!
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I remember after they had set the bike up, John told me to go for a ride to see how it felt. So I went up and down Northey's Bay Road a few times with it's excellent pavement and nice corners. It is partially a country residential road, so just be mindful in those spots.
 
All for pro setup, but why do you want to do this? Street? Race? Height?

For almost all but the race level stuff, you can do it yourself over an afternoon depending on the bike and your spatial reasoning abilities. Don't be afraid to play with it, plenty of vids out there.
 
Not a complaint, but I did find that John sets up the suspension on the stiff side by default. I've heard this from a few others as well, so if you do get him to do yours and prefer it more on the softer side, make sure you mention it.
 
Wingboy said:
I'm all for sending work to Sharrard, but doesn't anybody set their own sag anymore?
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The way I see it, unless you understand what the suspension IS and what it DOES, taking it to someone to "set up" is a crap shoot.
What exactly does "set up" mean?
"service" no problem, he can do that: restore to factory spec
I would never take my bike to someone to "set up" the suspension. You're going to get a bike set up for the guy doing the setup.
Tell the guy you have problems with high speed harshness: he can deal with that.
Tell the guy you have too much/little spring: he can deal with that
Tell the guy the bike oscillates dropping into a corner: he can deal with that
Tell the guy to "set up" your suspension: WTF does that mean? Return to factory spec and set the sag? You SHOULD already have that.

I am all for using a suspension guy to help you solve your suspension issues, but YOU have to know what the issues are so you can articulate them to your guy.
RaceTech has a suspension textbook "The Motorcycle Suspension Bible" for sale on their website (or look for a free PDF online) that should be required reading BEFORE you do anything to a bikes suspension... if for nothing else read it to get the nomenclature so you can explain to your suspension guy how you screwed up your bike
To pick on @Relax in particular: When you say "John sets up the suspension on the stiff side by default" do you mean too much spring or too hard damping?... and do you know the difference?
IF @Relax set his sag himself and was comfortable doing it, he could easily take a 14mm wrench and take some spring out of it to test if it was spring or damping

Other than some basics, suspension is mostly subjective. what I want is probably different from what you want, so really, you're on your own, so if you want good suspension you have to figure out what good suspension is... and good suspension is like good sex, you don't know what it is till you've had some.
... and from experience: it's cheaper and easier to take off lap time with suspension than motor... and it all starts at setting the sag.
 
bitzz said:
The way I see it, unless you understand what the suspension IS and what it DOES, taking it to someone to "set up" is a crap shoot.
What exactly does "set up" mean?
"service" no problem, he can do that: restore to factory spec
I would never take my bike to someone to "set up" the suspension. You're going to get a bike set up for the guy doing the setup.
Tell the guy you have problems with high speed harshness: he can deal with that.
Tell the guy you have too much/little spring: he can deal with that
Tell the guy the bike oscillates dropping into a corner: he can deal with that
Tell the guy to "set up" your suspension: WTF does that mean? Return to factory spec and set the sag? You SHOULD already have that.

I am all for using a suspension guy to help you solve your suspension issues, but YOU have to know what the issues are so you can articulate them to your guy.
RaceTech has a suspension textbook "The Motorcycle Suspension Bible" for sale on their website (or look for a free PDF online) that should be required reading BEFORE you do anything to a bikes suspension... if for nothing else read it to get the nomenclature so you can explain to your suspension guy how you screwed up your bike
To pick on @Relax in particular: When you say "John sets up the suspension on the stiff side by default" do you mean too much spring or too hard damping?... and do you know the difference?
IF @Relax set his sag himself and was comfortable doing it, he could easily take a 14mm wrench and take some spring out of it to test if it was spring or damping

Other than some basics, suspension is mostly subjective. what I want is probably different from what you want, so really, you're on your own, so if you want good suspension you have to figure out what good suspension is... and good suspension is like good sex, you don't know what it is till you've had some.
... and from experience: it's cheaper and easier to take off lap time with suspension than motor... and it all starts at setting the sag.
Click to expand...
Given that the OP has a 20+ year old bike with an unknown service history, starting with freshly serviced suspension is probably worthwhile if he cares. Chasing suspension settings with what could be clapped out equipment is an exercise in futility. I agree "setup" is not as simple as it seems but service/refresh/return to baseline settings gives a rider a good place to start.
 
Suspension tuning is like a bicycle fitting - there are 101 ways to do it wrong.
Someone who does it all the time can figure out pretty quickly (if they don't know already) where the factory settings are lacking and go from there.
You can get lost really easily - that's why you pay someone to get you closer, faster.
 
bitzz said:
The way I see it, unless you understand what the suspension IS and what it DOES, taking it to someone to "set up" is a crap shoot.
What exactly does "set up" mean?
"service" no problem, he can do that: restore to factory spec
I would never take my bike to someone to "set up" the suspension. You're going to get a bike set up for the guy doing the setup.
Tell the guy you have problems with high speed harshness: he can deal with that.
Tell the guy you have too much/little spring: he can deal with that
Tell the guy the bike oscillates dropping into a corner: he can deal with that
Tell the guy to "set up" your suspension: WTF does that mean? Return to factory spec and set the sag? You SHOULD already have that.

I am all for using a suspension guy to help you solve your suspension issues, but YOU have to know what the issues are so you can articulate them to your guy.
RaceTech has a suspension textbook "The Motorcycle Suspension Bible" for sale on their website (or look for a free PDF online) that should be required reading BEFORE you do anything to a bikes suspension... if for nothing else read it to get the nomenclature so you can explain to your suspension guy how you screwed up your bike
To pick on @Relax in particular: When you say "John sets up the suspension on the stiff side by default" do you mean too much spring or too hard damping?... and do you know the difference?
IF @Relax set his sag himself and was comfortable doing it, he could easily take a 14mm wrench and take some spring out of it to test if it was spring or damping

Other than some basics, suspension is mostly subjective. what I want is probably different from what you want, so really, you're on your own, so if you want good suspension you have to figure out what good suspension is... and good suspension is like good sex, you don't know what it is till you've had some.
... and from experience: it's cheaper and easier to take off lap time with suspension than motor... and it all starts at setting the sag.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with everything you've said, and my feedback is based on just letting him do whatever he wanted back when I knew even less than I know now.
 
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