Handling woes

[Protein Filled]

They have to know what they are doing, sdivers/junge bike being an examle.
BUT, if my bike doesn't handle like sdiver's, after I get them back again....NEVER AGAIN! >:(

It all depends on who actually does your work. Some guys there are real good, others only go to their class and feel like they are suspension experts with no other previous knowledge of suspension. I am sure that if Max did your forks, they would be well setup, but if Billy Bob this weeks new tech guy got a hold of them and learned how to setup forks by playing with yours...then who knows what is in there!

 ;)

[Sunny]

When you said matching Mark's set-up, do you have the same tires and bike geometry as well?   ???

Anyway, just call up Max and tell him the issues that you are experiencing, I am pretty sure he would be more than happy to sort them out for you.

I too am in for at least $2,000 for my suspension need from Traxxion (forks and Penske shock).  Due to the fact that I had a rare bike, it's basically a trial and error thing I need to go through with Max to sort my suspension out the way we hoped.  That took a long time as I don't live close to Max, and maybe decided to ride as is so I don't lose any seat time.  However, Max had always been helpful and eager to sort the issues I had for me although he had basically no data on my bike (being an import, greybike if you will).  We did meet out at VIR early which help a lot as he gets to feel the suspension while mounted on my bike.  

Anyway, call/email Max and tell him your issues, and send the suspension back for him!

[Speedballer347]

When you said matching Mark's set-up, do you have the same tires and bike geometry as well?   ???

Yes

[OmniGLH]

Eric - just call Thermosman.  Trust me.  He will get your sh*t right.  Since DanO and I both switched over to Thermosman, I couldn't imagine using anyone else.

[Speedballer347]

Hi Jim! 8)
I tried calling him several times, but he never returned my calls...so I sent my chit to traxxion.
I hear good things about mike (thermo) ....if traxxion doesn't square my stuff up to satisfactory, that is where I will go next time around 4 sure.

[BRG]

send your stuff back to Max, he will make it right.

As for using the same setting as someone else, that maybe half the problem.

Mark's riding style is in the 1%. The setup that works for him "will not" work for the other 99%.

It is very unlikely that any 2 setups will be exactly the same. This is why Factory riders have an A bike and a B bike. There are a million things that can be different even with the same equipment.

Good luck and feel free to email me if I can help at all.

Brian Baker
Baker Race Gear/Midwest Axxion Center
brgracing1@cs.com

[Speedballer347]

As for using the same setting as someone else, that maybe half the problem.
Mark's riding style is in the 1%. The setup that works for him "will not" work for the other 99%.

Thanks Brian.
Actually, the Junge bike handled PERFECT 8) I had no idea how a bike was supposed to handle until I rode it.  It was unreal!
It asborbed every bump at Gateway, and the tires stuck like glue at max-lean.  
Suspension was controlable even when sliding the tires....felt like you could do anything on that bike and get away w/ it.
Couldn't feel any of the bumps on the entrance to T8...whereas my bike scarily bounces/hops through there.

After riding sdivers Junge bike, I feel like supsension set-up is 90% of going fast.  Not just mentally either.
The Junge bike could go through bumps w/out bouncing or losing traxxion, and could lean over further before the tires slid, and even when they did slide, it was much more controlable.

We had to adjust my suspension so far out of whack (30mm free sag front) just to get it to stop 'skipping' on the smotth stuff, that it was locking up and bouncing/chattering the rear under braking.
Max will (does) say that is rider error, but I was locking-up chattering (using vesrahs) w/ my bike...but was braking MUCH harder w/ sdivers Junge bike (also w/ vesrahs) w/out a hint of bounce/chatter....soi I disagree w/ that altogether.

I agree that Mark is a 1% rider, but I think a correctly setup bike is a correctly setup bike.
A bike that absorbs bumps and sticks is going to benefit any rider.  I agree that fine-tuning will be required per rider, but every body that rode sdivers bike agreed that it handled great.  Everyone that rode my bike said it sucked.
Same bike, same supension/brakes/tires....but such different results.
I am unhappy w/ my product.

It is very unlikely that any 2 setups will be exactly the same. This is why Factory riders have an A bike and a B bike. There are a million things that can be different even with the same equipment.

I agree, but no one was able to get my bike to handle.
Travis King said it was way to stiff and couldn't figure it out. Oldham looked at it and said the same.
sdiver rode it and said it was stiff/chattering and we had to back the compression all of the way out to get it to even start to somewat absorb bumps.  That can't be correct.
We wound up going w/ 30mmm of free sag in the fron, just so we could dial some compression back into it.

I am going to send it back to Max, and hopefully this time it will come back to me working correctly.

Thanks for your advice Brian.

[Chuck]

I'm sorry I thought this topic was Handling Hoes. :-X  I'll mind my own biz cause I have a hard time with my own suspension.

[motomadness]

There might be too much fluid in the forks.  Or I have to ask this, did you change the fluid in the forks?  If so, are you sure you reassembled them correctly.  It's very easy to tell if your suspension is going to move properly just by pushing on the front of the bike.  If it is stiff in the pits, it will be stiff on the track.

What kind of bike is it?  RSU or USD forks? If you did change the fork oil, how did you set the fork oil level - forks full compressed with the spring and spacers removed? Did you set the compression and rebound screws to full hard before reassembly?

[Speedballer347]

There might be too much fluid in the forks.  Or I have to ask this, did you change the fluid in the forks?  If so, are you sure you reassembled them correctly.  It's very easy to tell if your suspension is going to move properly just by pushing on the front of the bike.  If it is stiff in the pits, it will be stiff on the track.

What kind of bike is it?  RSU or USD forks? If you did change the fork oil, how did you set the fork oil level - forks full compressed with the spring and spacers removed? Did you set the compression and rebound screws to full hard before reassembly?

01/gsxr600
Forks are at traxxion specs...have not been touched.  Recieved from traxxion, installedon bike, then a day of pulling out my hair trying to get the bike to handle half way decent to no avail.  Rear shock is too stiff too.

[lil_thorny]

Speed,
from my experience with Max and Brian, they set me up just fine, but, they both know me(size/ riding style) the .90/.95 spring rate seems to be soft for you. That is what I run and I am 165# with all my gear.  When I experience chatter, it is usually a loaded front-end due to geometry/old oil/ tire carcas issues.  Start with geometry. what tires are you running. Tires will dictate your geometry to some degree.  The bike may be plumetting immediately on turn in giving you the chatter. With a blown shock, the rear end may have been flattening the chassis enough to compensate for the geometric variance.  Sag will only base-line you for pre-load, but the forces acting upon the bike won't reflect that of correct pre-load, if the geometry is off.  So once again, now that you have fresh components to work with, start fresh and open a new log book.  Also, be sure that the guys at traxxion install the correct needle in the shock. No "bull-nose", the OEM penske
is what you want.  

30.

[motomadness]

lil_thorny, you sound like Super Dave