T7 On-Road OEM suspension setup

[Osprio]

This has been mentioned in various topics on this forum but i thought a dedicated topic on the subject might help those who don't yet wish to part with money on after market hardware. Hope it helps 

Having done 7k miles over the last 4 months, around 95% on A, B and Motorway roads, i am of the opininon that the bike is really good and very steady in all conditions in it's factory set up but with a bit of adjustment it is simply great.

The front in it's original state did feel a bit light and not as planted as i would have liked for higher speed cornering and the back a bit on the soft side leaving you with a wollowing feeling when you are on the throttle exiting a corner.

I spend 4 hours  with a suspension set up specialist and £90 later, after a number of measurements, tweeks and track trials, i am pleasantly surprised with the difference it has made, without any need for buying aftermarket hardware (a note on this at the end of this reply).

 

This is a detailed list of the final settings for my weight:

T7 Suspension settings for road use

 

Fully clothed / 95 kilo

 

Turn everything all the way anti-clockwise

 

Forks

 

raise both forks up 4mm (lowers front by 4mm)

 

Compression (bottom of forks)

 

11 clicks clockwise 

 

Rebound (Top of forks)

 

11 clicks clockwise 

 

Rear Shock

 

Preload 

 

Full / all the way  clockwise 

 

Static sag 20mm (perfect)

 

Sag 58-62 mm  (perfect)

 

Compression (top of spring)

 

18 clicks clockwise 

 

Rebound (bottom of spring)

 

14 clicks clockwise 

 

Tyres 

 

Front

 

Continental KTC 70

 

90/90 21 M/C 54H TL M+S

 

Pressure 30 PSI

 

Rear

 

Continental KTC 70

 

150/70 R18 M/C 70H TL M+S

 

Pressure 34 PSI

 

Note: the preload is no doubt on the limit for my weight and for touring there is a need to change to an 80nm rear shock. Costs around £80-90 and £50 for fitting.

[365moto.eu]

About "raise both forks up 4mm (lowers front by 4mm)"

could you put some photo ?

Thanks

[Spuzvica]

2 minutes ago, 365moto.eu said:

About "raise both forks up 4mm (lowers front by 4mm)"

could you put some photo ?

Thanks

Additionally, is this a "trick" to improve on-road handling only? I guess it somehow affects off-road?

[MikeCMP]

Is that just your weight with gear? I am  98 kg (about 215 pounds) without gear. Preload maxed out was barely sufficient on the back. Ride was harsh b/c the shock was part way through the stroke already. I was going to re-spring but found someone selling their Rally raid kit they had bought before their T7 showed up, the heavier spring made a big difference. Valving in the newer shock is much better too. 

 

On my super tenere I re-sprung the front, and got a new shock for the back, the stock valving in the front was still not great in hard off road. Valving was holding it back.

 

I think for a lot of folks the stock suspension is fine. If you are heavier you'll need to respring. If you push the bike you'll prolly need to upgrade components. 

 

Oh and thanks for posting your settings, that will help a lot of folks. Getting your sag right is like the most important thing. Until your sag is right playing with clickers is a waste of time.

 

Mike

[Murska]

My weight is 90/100kg,  drive alone and rarely has a 10-15 bag in the back, no passenger, ever. Driving is a mixed road, fast gravel and fast offroad.

Now I have a K-Tech 75N spring which is harder than standard but comfortable. Rear flexes easily and the spring doesn’t feel too soft like oem. A 10-20kg bag with a couple of clicks preaload adds and works just fine. For my driving, the 75N spring is a much better option than the 85N spring.  A passenger or heavy bag / luggage with a stiffer spring is a better choice.
 

This setup is ok also with a standard spring.
Comfort setup
Rear:
Preaload 12
Rebound 9
Compress 14

 

Front setup
5mm preload shim
Rebound 10
Compress 12
 

If I drive a lot of hard bumpy offroad, I adjust the damping a little stiffer.

Rear:
Rebound 8
Compress 10

Front
Rebound 9
Compress 9

 

Rear shock needs revalving, slightly stiffer spring and a fork RR open cartridge kit.

Edited November 19, 2020 by Murska

[Osprio]

Raising the forks brings a bit more weight to the front wheel and changes the geometry  (reach and rake) which i suppose it's ok if you know what you are doing ( I don't, the specialist who did does ). The setting up was for my weight with gear,  including a small bag with around 5 kilos i have attached on the pillion seat.

What i found is that the front and back seem to work in harmony and the ride is comfier even though everything has been stiffened up. Seems to be more 'leveled'. It somehow works for me.

I would also agree with the comment above, you need to change the shock if your weight is higher than mine, to a 75, maybe 80nm. i was told that the 80 should be the max i should go for as any higher would make it too hard and unpleasant.

Too happy at the moment to make any change and spend money on what, after all, is a budget bike.

 

[MikeCMP]

20 minutes ago, Osprio said:

.......ride is comfier even though everything has been stiffened up. Seems to be more 'leveled'. It somehow works for me.......

 

 

 

The reason it feels better even though it is "stiffer" if because with sag set properly, you are up at the proper part of the stroke for the shock. The linkage is progressive, it goes from softer to harder. If you have too much sag, you are down in the stroke of the shock, and since its progressive, you are in the stiffer part of the travel. so when you hit a bump instead of the nice cushy response you would get you get the harder part of the bottom of the stroke. 

 

That is a bit of an oversimplification but the point is that you need the sag set right, then you can adjust everything else. Setting proper sag will probably make the bike ride much better just by itself.

 

Mike

[Romiec]

11 hours ago, Osprio said:

This has been mentioned in various topics on this forum but i thought a dedicated topic on the subject might help those who don't yet wish to part with money on after market hardware. Hope it helps 

Having done 7k miles over the last 4 months, around 95% on A, B and Motorway roads, i am of the opininon that the bike is really good and very steady in all conditions in it's factory set up but with a bit of adjustment it is simply great.

The front in it's original state did feel a bit light and not as planted as i would have liked for higher speed cornering and the back a bit on the soft side leaving you with a wollowing feeling when you are on the throttle exiting a corner.

I spend 4 hours  with a suspension set up specialist and £90 later, after a number of measurements, tweeks and track trials, i am pleasantly surprised with the difference it has made, without any need for buying aftermarket hardware (a note on this at the end of this reply).

 

This is a detailed list of the final settings for my weight:

T7 Suspension settings for road use

 

Fully clothed / 95 kilo

 

Turn everything all the way anti-clockwise

 

Forks

 

raise both forks up 4mm (lowers front by 4mm)

 

Compression (bottom of forks)

 

11 clicks clockwise 

 

Rebound (Top of forks)

 

11 clicks clockwise 

 

Rear Shock

 

Preload 

 

Full / all the way  clockwise 

 

Static sag 20mm (perfect)

 

Sag 58-62 mm  (perfect)

 

Compression (top of spring)

 

18 clicks clockwise 

 

Rebound (bottom of spring)

 

14 clicks clockwise 

 

Tyres 

 

Front

 

Continental KTC 70

 

90/90 21 M/C 54H TL M+S

 

Pressure 30 PSI

 

Rear

 

Continental KTC 70

 

150/70 R18 M/C 70H TL M+S

 

Pressure 34 PSI

 

Note: the preload is no doubt on the limit for my weight and for touring there is a need to change to an 80nm rear shock. Costs around £80-90 and £50 for fitting.

Thanks a lot for sharing! 

[NeilW]

This is a bump. Hope it helps a lot of new members.

[Tenerider]

31 minutes ago, NeilW said:

This is a bump. Hope it helps a lot of new members.

It does, Neil! Much appreciated.

[Eran_mo]

looking for a recommended setup for stock suspension, for 95%  on-road riding.

I'm ~74kg with gear, always ride alone (no pillion)

thanks

Eran

[Lewie]

That’s pretty much my weight and I don’t carry a pillion so I might replicate this set up 

I’m pretty much riding it as it came from the shop but for d the ride quite hard 

I’ve put 3 clockwise clicks on the preload and it seemed better (does this sound correct)

im road riding only

question - does Turing the preload clockwise drop the seat heigh?- probably a silly question 

Edited May 17, 2022 by Lewie

[Tenerider]

28 minutes ago, Lewie said:

That’s pretty much my weight and I don’t carry a pillion so I might replicate this set up 

I’m pretty much riding it as it came from the shop but for d the ride quite hard 

I’ve put 3 clockwise clicks on the preload and it seemed better (does this sound correct)

im road riding only

question - does Turing the preload clockwise drop the seat heigh?- probably a silly question 

Clockwise adds preload, hardening the spring. So, you get less sag, and effectively more seat height.

 

I weigh 85 kg fully dressed, added 10 clicks clockwise.

 

P.S.: Adding preload means the spring is being compressed more, so its rebound force is higher. Rebound force (hope it's the correct term) pushes the rear back up, acting "against gravity" (which causes the rear to drop).

Its not like adding "preload" by adding weight to the rear, which would lower the seat height.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Tenerider

[Yamajoh]

OP said to turn all adjusters anti-clockwise to start off, but doesn't that put you at risk of overturning the adjusters?

 

Also, he mentioned the front being a bit too light for higher speed cornering. He then recommends setting the rebound 11 clicks out. Which means you end up at 20 clicks from full hard. Which is less damping than the stock setting of 17 (from full hard). Am I reading the suggestions wrong?