Damper setting

renagade · Post by **renagade** » Sun May 20, 2007 4:12 pm

Hi Guy's
I am a tall guy at 225 lbs. I was wondering what settings you have your front and rear dampers set at.????????

2002 1150r

Trapper · Post by **Trapper** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:51 am

Hey Up Renagade

As you know I was seriously thinking about changing my shocks, until I came across this link.

http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_str ... tings/#bmw

These are "suggested" suspension settings for our bikes. They're intended as a starting point, from which you can then tweak if needed to get the bike how you like it.

The settings are given in full turns out - ie anti-clockwise - from the fully closed position. From what I can see they're not a lot different to what has been suggested in these forum pages.

I tried these settings and the bike was instantly better than it had been - so much so that an Ã‚Â£800 set of Ohlins suddenly didn't seem that necessary any more.

So far I've tweaked a bit - but haven't changed the settings much at all.
The only thing I found was that a slightly softer front end, ie 1.25 turns out, helped eliminate some of the twitchiness that I had thought was coming from the back end.

As long as you only tweak by small amounts, and only one setting at a time you should get to where you need to be.

For them as don't know me, I'm not so tall (5'10"), and only about 170 lbs fully dressed, without luggage. Riding style - spirited

If you want to meet up at the Cat & Fiddle you can have a go with mine and see how it feels. Just don't get your picture taken.

Cheers

Sunbeemer · Post by **Sunbeemer** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:31 pm

Mine are set according to the manual's recommendations, 2 turns back from full hard. I'm the same weight as you at about 6'1" tall. Run my tires at 38/40psi front/rear, too. Seems ok to me.

Hopz · Post by **Hopz** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:56 pm

Interesting article, and attached data.

Can you please brief me on the procedure for adjusting our shocks?

triggerfish · Post by **triggerfish** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:17 pm

Sunbeemer wrote:Mine are set according to the manual's recommendations, 2 turns back from full hard. I'm the same weight as you at about 6'1" tall. Run my tires at 38/40psi front/rear, too. Seems ok to me.

Hi Sunbeemer, I remember reading (was it the manual?) that you need to inflate the front and rear tires to 35 and 38 psi, respectively if you have someone riding with you, or 41 for the rear if you hook on your hard cases. You use 38 and 40 psi riding solo? Maybe I read wrong.

Post by **Robert_winter_1000** » Tue May 22, 2007 8:24 pm

Triggerfish,

In the manual of the R1150R mentioned:

Solo front wheel 2.2 bar
Solo rear wheel 2.5 bar
Duo front wheel 2.5 bar
Duo rear wheel 2.7 bar
Duo with passenger + luggage front wheel 2.5 bar
Duo with passenger + luggage rear wheel 2.9 bar

Sorry I can not tell you the values in PSIÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s.

Regards

Robert

Post by **gregor** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:55 am

Damper adjusting procedure is in the owners handbook IIRC.
The first stage was to set to the regular/normal position as per book.
I then adjusted towards the harder position in half turn increments, both front and rear. Checked comfort on bumpy roads with long undulations (not difficult to find in rural Derbyshire). As long as I stayed in the seat and the tyres on the road I was happy. Eventually I started to leave the seat as things got too hard.
Backed adjustments off into the comfort zone.

triggerfish · Post by **triggerfish** » Wed May 23, 2007 7:17 am

1 bar is 14.5 psi.

Thanks for the info Robert. Warm (literally) regards from Manila.

Sunbeemer · Post by **Sunbeemer** » Wed May 23, 2007 1:52 pm

Hey Triggerfish: I run the tire pressures a little higher than the manual recommends to prevent bent rims on rough roads and hopefully get a little more life from the tires... I learnt that from an old Beemer rider...I might reduce them to the recommended pressures if we ever get any rain...

Post by **OU812** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:57 pm

I just went to set my shocks to the standard as previewed, and mine were way out. Maybe 6 turns on both ends. Needless to say I bottomed out the front end this weekend.

I will have to ride it with the full load on to see how it compares. It felt fine, except for the one SLAP.Thanks for the info Trapper!

Hopz · Post by **Hopz** » Wed May 23, 2007 8:38 pm

gregor wrote:Damper adjusting procedure is in the owners handbook IIRC.

I promise that if I had an owners book I would refer to it.

Perhaps a hint as to the procedures would be helpful.

Post by **gregor** » Thu May 24, 2007 2:09 pm

Shock Absorber Adjustment
Basic Setting (solo)

Turn adjusting screw 1 (front) or 2 (rear) in direction indicated by arrow H (clockwise) as far as it will go.

Turn adjusting screw 1 or 2 two turns in the direction indicated by arrow S (counter- clockwise)

Hard Setting Ã¢â‚¬Å“HÃ¢â‚¬Â
Fully tighten adjusting screw 1 or 2
Soft setting Ã¢â‚¬Å“SÃ¢â‚¬Â
Fully back off adjusting screw 1 or 2

I started with the basic setting then adjusted gradually as above. I weigh 95kg.

Hopz · Post by **Hopz** » Thu May 24, 2007 2:21 pm

Gregor- I do really appreciate your post, but perhaps you could mention where the screw is located?

there is a screw very near the base of the rear shock, but I do not see any letters or markings.

The front shock has none that I can see either. Maybe I am not looking in the right place.

Post by **awagnon** » Thu May 24, 2007 3:16 pm

Hello, Hopz,

I don't know about the location of the adjusting screw on the R1100R, but on the R1150R it is on the lower end of the front and back shocks on the left side of the bike (left side if sitting in seat). Mine has S<-->H or a clockwise arrow with an H and a counterclockwise arrow with an S. May be the same screw you are talking about, but without the markings.

Post by **awagnon** » Thu May 24, 2007 3:17 pm

By the way, Hopz, do I know you? Where "near Park City" do you live. You can PM me with the answer if you like.

Post by **gregor** » Fri May 25, 2007 4:19 am

Was replying to renagade. The screw positions on my 2002 R1150R as as described above and are clearly visible on the exposed cylindrical part of the dampers, LHS of the bike (as sat on). If no H to R markings visible then you are out of luck in the USA.

RiftonRoadster · Post by **RiftonRoadster** » Fri May 25, 2007 6:53 pm

Hey Hopz - you're the Zumo dude, right ?
Small world and all. I've been reading a lot over there.
Good stuff. Not hijack or anything but if I have any 'R'
specific zumo questions I'm comin' to you

Peter