Why adjust the shock absorber of the motorcycle?

The shock absorber supports most of the functions of the motorcycle - mainly to reduce vibration during driving. If you can set the shock absorber perfectly, then you won't feel bumpy during cycling, otherwise you will always feel uncomfortable and unable to handle it easily.

It is important to be able to adjust the weight and height of the shock absorber. Although motorcycle manufacturers have their factory default settings, they know that it does not match the habits of every rider riding a motorcycle. Adjusting the shock absorbers according to the needs of riders will help them form their own riding style and improve the motorcycle's load-bearing capacity. In addition, the shock absorbers of second-hand motorcycles are more suitable for previous owners compared to current owners.

Improvement of Motorcycle Shock Absorber Based on Rider Weight

How should you adjust the shock absorber of a motorcycle?

For old motorcycles, when adjusting the motorcycle shock absorber, it is necessary to remove a portion of the components from the vehicle and install some improved parts, as well as handle the viscosity through other methods. Today, most modern motorcycles have shock absorbers and screws that can be adjusted to achieve an ideal setting.

Ballast and depression

The term 'ballast' shares similarities and differences with the term 'depression', meaning how much the motorcycle sinks when the rider is sitting on the bike. The ballast capacity is the size of a motorcycle that needs to be adjusted according to the weight of the rider. Ballast adjustment is unavoidable, but you will want it to remain within a specific range of optimal motorcycle performance. When determining the ballast value, you need to calculate the total duration of extended shock absorption, that is, the duration between the shock absorber being stationary and working, plus the total length of time for other appropriate gear parts to operate. There are many methods to calculate the ballast value to determine if this is correct. We can use the percentage method to divide the total rear shock absorption value by the dent value after the rider sits on the motorcycle, and the ideal result is close to one-third or about 30%.

Adjusting rebound

Although calculating the correct ballast value can be guided by some measurement methods, the rebound after adjustment will be a problem that varies from person to person. The best choice is to write down the current settings and record the initial status at the beginning, as adjustments have a significant impact on motorcycle maintenance, and we want to carefully maintain our own car. After recording the current settings, it's time to determine how many "clicks" there will be on the adjustment knob. Firstly, naturally rotate the knob clockwise, then switch counterclockwise to the other end when fully rotated, and calculate the number of clicks during the process.

Adjusting the shock absorption effect

Not every impact has shock absorption adjustment, however, for those impacts that do have shock absorption adjustment, you can create some changes that can affect the motorcycle's handling of braking and bumps. Just like in the previous stage, first calculate the total click through of a knob and use it as a base for some cycling tests.

Adjusting the vehicle height

If everything is ready, we should set the final riding height. This setting will affect the entire steering system and handling of the vehicle, as well as certain aspects of comfort level. You achieve this result by adjusting the rear wheels of the vehicle.

The best practice for adjusting motorcycle shock absorption

You cannot measure the shock absorber alone without the help of friends. You need them to help you find tricky angles under and on the bike, and they will take notes when calculating payload and other information while you are sitting on the motorcycle. In order to achieve ideal cycling results, accurate measurements are essential, and support for this is invaluable.

Don't ignore notes

Although it is rare, it can be found that once you have the most ideal shock absorption setting, you are unwilling to make any further adjustments. You can decide to change gear settings in different environments, or understand the impact of some minor adjustments on overall performance. Keeping notes is important as it can help us understand the current state of cycling while not ignoring other changes in the past.