mt10atl
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Posts: 3
Registered: Jun 2, 2021 15:30:01 GMT -7
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Post by mt10atl on Jun 2, 2021 15:36:11 GMT -7
I have experience riding for a few years but it has been a while. I took the plunge bought '21 MT-10.
I wanted an ECU tune so I can improve MPG. Should I also get K&N Air filter or just keep OEM filter?
I called a few places but they are saying in addition to ECU, cat delete and other things, they say I need new shocks front and rear.
I am a big guy 6'1 270#
so do I need to get new shocks because the bikes are tailored for around 180 - 200 weight, is this true?
IF this is true then what kind of shocks (make and model please) should I be looking at?
I want the best for my bike handling.. I love riding it not interested in racing or taking it to track just want to cruise and blow past slow people on highway on occasion.
Any advice or tips are welcome thanks.
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Post by sdshawn on Jun 2, 2021 17:20:59 GMT -7
IMO these bikes just have amazing power so suspension would have been my first big purchase to start if I could do over again along with brakes , pads and lines mostly . There is alot of info on here about that just search for it.
As far as ecu and pipes that can wait until suspension seat brakes then power inthat order but thats just my opinion. The ecu flash will kill your mpg by 10 mpg so if you want good gas mileage keep it stock until your ready to unleash the beast but again just my opinion I'm sure others may disagree just my 5 cents .
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redlinez
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Post by redlinez on Jun 3, 2021 3:27:46 GMT -7
Mine has an Akrapovic cat delete pipe (crazy money IMO), AIS block offs, and 2WDW tune and I'm averaging 30mpg with mostly "spirited" back road riding.
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mt10atl
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Registered: Jun 2, 2021 15:30:01 GMT -7
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Post by mt10atl on Jun 3, 2021 6:02:47 GMT -7
I also think that 800+ dollars for cat delete is ridiculous.. but I am following advice to dyno tune the Motorcycle.
30 MPG is about what I am getting as well. So maybe I don't need a tune after all..
I was just trying to make sure this motorcycle has proper attention. I have it had for less than 3 weeks it is not even past the break in period yet..
Planning for future. Honestly I test drove it, loved it and I don't have problems cornering, braking, take off nothing.. I bought it because it felt 'perfect'.
But then speaking with other riders they have me thinking that this is all necessary stuff, Dyno, suspension, tweaks, upgrades.. it's a never ending cycle (no pun intended)
Same happens with computers, always needs something.
I think I am just going to let the bike settle for now.. maybe later if I have problems which I do not anticipate I might revisit trying to make the bike meet proper specs.
I bought a yamaha because I know they are experts at what they do.. maybe not all bikes are perfect from the factory but this bike really feels good as is.
Only thing I need is a comfort saddle which I purchased and expect to receive next week.
Other than that, 'if it aint broke don't fix it'
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Deleted
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Registered: Apr 24, 2024 21:37:20 GMT -7
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2021 6:19:58 GMT -7
Dont buy suspension, that would be ridiculous.
Go pay to have someone setup and adjust the suspension for your weight.
As for the cat delete, it will get you a very noticeable gain in power.
Paying big $$$ for a 2 foot piece of pipe is a waste IMO. I bought a Dan Moto mid pipe for $125.
I did the 2WDW tune before and after the cat delete.
Before the cat delete not much of a difference.
After the cat delete HUGE DIFFERENCE.
As for brakes, replacing the lines is very expensive and will not get you any major benefits until other things are done first.
First thing is IF you dont like the brake feel, buy new sintered pads. That is 100% the most immediate and beneficial thing you can do.
Second would be a new master cylinder.
Then, and really only then, if the brakes are not up to your liking; you should replace the lines with steel braided.
This bike is the "goldilocks" for me. I can say out of owning 8+ bikes I have never been as satisfied with one as I am my FZ-10.
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Post by RedAndBlack on Jun 3, 2021 8:48:28 GMT -7
I have experience riding for a few years but it has been a while. I took the plunge bought '21 MT-10.
I wanted an ECU tune so I can improve MPG. Should I also get K&N Air filter or just keep OEM filter - Generally, it is not my experience that ECU tunes greatly increase MPG. Air filter is up to you. You will generally see an increase in airflow and better performance but living in a dirty/dusty environment like a desert will introduce more particles into the engine with a less restrictive Air Filter.
I called a few places but they are saying in addition to ECU, cat delete and other things, they say I need new shocks front and rear.
I am a big guy 6'1 270#
so do I need to get new shocks because the bikes are tailored for around 180 - 200 weight, is this true? - Maybe. The advice my tuner would give to the everyday, non track rider/racer, is to attempt to get the stock suspension adjusted to meet your riding needs and weight. If he is unable to adjust the bike because it is going towards the end of the adjustment range, he would recommend upgrading springs/shocks at that point. This bike is wholly capable of riding aggressively when properly tuned. I ride this bike in the canyons and keep up with the supersports no problem. However, if youre main focus is aggressive riding and track riding, it may be worth your time and money to go with suspension upgrades. Seems to be a lot of riders see improvement on the rear shock when upgrading it to an aftermarket option.
IF this is true then what kind of shocks (make and model please) should I be looking at? - I would say this isn't as important as making sure you're having somebody familiar with whatever system install it. You also have to have an expert with the suspension company or whoever your mechanic is ordering the correct shocks/springs to complement your riding style and weight.
I want the best for my bike handling.. I love riding it not interested in racing or taking it to track just want to cruise and blow past slow people on highway on occasion. Then I would take the bike to a suspension tuner and for probably around $40 get the bike tuned to your weight and this style of riding. You may want to just consider a slip on exhaust. And usually an ECU flash is recommended to make the bike better perform and get rid of the deacceleration popping. These bikes are very restricted from the factory due to emissions and sound regulations. Most people see like 10-15 HP gain on replacing the exhaust and getting a flash. The Air filter I wouldn't worry about until it's time to go under the tank for a reason whether to replace it or do spark plugs. The tank is a bit of a pain in the ass to raise.
Any advice or tips are welcome thanks.
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your purchase!!! |
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redlinez
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Registered: Apr 17, 2021 19:54:28 GMT -7
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Post by redlinez on Jun 3, 2021 13:33:10 GMT -7
I wish I could fine someone to set up my suspension near Raleigh NC. The guy I was recommended never returned email or text. That is probably the best $50 or so one could spend. My bike had the Akra cat delete and other mods already done, I was pointing out it doesn't seem to kill mpgs but from what everyone says, really wakes it up. I may consider going to Chris Moore and getting a dyno tune and see if he can help the throttle "snatch" some. Every bike I looked at supposedly needed an upgraded rear shock. And of course all the "good" ones cost about $1000-1300. Some guys must be really pushing their bikes stupid hard on back roads to actually notice they need that. Now, if you're 240 plus, I guess I can see where you might really want to consider the K-tech or another rear shock, heck, I might notice the upgrade, but I just can't see $1300.
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Post by sdshawn on Jun 3, 2021 16:23:57 GMT -7
I agree that you should try and set up what you now stock suspension first before you spend the money. There's is a video on YouTube I used on both my 09 and 10 it helped get me in a good starting point 100% difference then when I bought I'm still tweeking but so much better .
I'm sure there's more vids on suspension that you can try your self it's pretty easy to get the basic down to hold you over until you can find pro to help you out.
I had a cat delete delkelvic mid pipe back that came with bike . It sounded cool but way to loud I had to put the stock system back on dud not notice any power difference at all just my right ear alot more comfortable.
Stock cat a flash trying different mufflers with huge power gains but huge mileage loss I've seen 23 ave running hard .
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vullnet
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Registered: Sept 23, 2020 17:59:45 GMT -7
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Post by vullnet on Jun 3, 2021 19:05:53 GMT -7
i've gotten fat since i got this bike, from 6'4 215 to 6'4 250. definitely have noticed a little difference in suspension, been wanting to get it tuned. Not too big of a deal since the bike is a monster.
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rsh
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Post by rsh on Jun 6, 2021 13:04:18 GMT -7
You should try setting the sag to your weight, it's fairly easy to do especially if you have a helper to do the measuring. For you you'll probably need the front preload set at 11 to 13 turns in from full soft (all preload removed). The rear shock you can start with at least 10mm of thread showing above the lock ring. Front rebound damping is slow at the standard setting, you can remove 1 or 2 clicks, leave the compression at sandard setting,the forks are better than the shock. Rear shock, add 3 clicks each to the rebound and compression damping. Bike should be compliant and not beat you up.
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gamark
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Registered: May 5, 2021 6:34:23 GMT -7
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Post by gamark on Jun 23, 2021 17:33:51 GMT -7
What I have found is that at 215 without gear and playing in the Mountains and the Track. I needed 10n in the front and 10n in the rear and handling is amazing.
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mclovin
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Post by mclovin on Jun 24, 2021 14:27:50 GMT -7
FYI - The MT10 is sprung for a 180 - 190 pound rider. If you're not in that weight range, you can't adjust a suspension for your weight if it doesn't have the right spring for your weight. It's impossible and that's not what preload is for. Again, it's impossible no matter how insistent some people are that you can do it and there are quite a few. Some even get angry but that doesn't make them right. There is a reason why they make a lot of different spring rates. There is a reason why K-Tech, Penske, Ohlins, Nitron and every other manufacturer asks for either your weight or what spring rate you want when you buy shocks and/ or cartridges. If you weigh 270 lbs and try and set the stock sag correctly, you'll just use up all of the adjustment. In other words it can't be set. In fact if you weigh 200 lbs that will probably happen. You don't have to take it from me, call any of the companies listed above and ask them.
Ok....now let's see how many people insist that this is not true.
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mclovin
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Post by mclovin on Jun 24, 2021 17:21:17 GMT -7
I wish I could fine someone to set up my suspension near Raleigh NC. The guy I was recommended never returned email or text. That is probably the best $50 or so one could spend. My bike had the Akra cat delete and other mods already done, I was pointing out it doesn't seem to kill mpgs but from what everyone says, really wakes it up. I may consider going to Chris Moore and getting a dyno tune and see if he can help the throttle "snatch" some. Every bike I looked at supposedly needed an upgraded rear shock. And of course all the "good" ones cost about $1000-1300. Some guys must be really pushing their bikes stupid hard on back roads to actually notice they need that. Now, if you're 240 plus, I guess I can see where you might really want to consider the K-tech or another rear shock, heck, I might notice the upgrade, but I just can't see $1300. Last year I did K-tech rear and just changed the front springs to match my weight which is 250 on a good day. I also changed the weight and amount of oil per K-techs recommendations for the forks. The bike was very good. A few months ago I upgraded the front to Ohlins cartridges. After 2 months on the Ohlins cartridges, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't necessary and that the stock forks when correctly sprung are pretty good. The rear shock was necessary. ( If it was a track bike, Ohlins would be a great addition) I too wondered if I did it, would I even notice it. I'm only an average rider but the difference is night and day. For example, stock, when I came of an exit on the highway that was torn up, rippled and potholed, I couldn't hold a predictable line. Never knew where my front end was going. After new suspension, the exact same situation was just an after thought. The bike just eats it up and doesn't beat me up like it did with the stock suspension. Don't forget, this bike is based on an MT 10 and will pay you back in fantastic handling with every suspension improvement you make.
The other thing that I found out by getting it wrong initially. All of the suspension guys think in terms of the track. My local suspension guy told me that a track suspension sucks on the road and he was right. I went with K-Techs initial recommendation of 10 springs and it handled but was harsh as hell. I dropped down to a 9.5 spring and it was the best of both worlds. Great handling but not harsh. Track are smooth and the suspension is working really hard. It does cost a lot of money to do this but if your going to keep your bike for a few years, it's so worth it. Listen to the experts and do an honest assessment of how you will really use your bike.
My previous bike was a 2017 FJ 09 and I did K-Tech on front and rear and it transformed the bike. |
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chmt
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Post by chmt on Jun 25, 2021 11:03:00 GMT -7
With your weight the bike is undersprung. Based on your description of your riding it should be fine, but installing at least the correct springs will provide a plusher ride.
Power is fine on the bike. I actually went full hog with cat delete, FTECU flash with activetune, etc and now I'm back to the stock cat with a slipon because it's just too loud with the cat delete. I didn't notice a difference in power but it does still have the flash and activetune.
I have an Ohlins TTX shock and NIX30 cartridges on my MT but I track it. If you plan to ride hard (very twisty roads or track, not straight line) I would do suspension and brake lines before any other mods. If you're a straight liner, go for power first.
Good luck and welcome
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goodman4
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Post by goodman4 on Jun 26, 2021 9:48:21 GMT -7
FYI - The MT10 is sprung for a 180 - 190 pound rider. If you're not in that weight range, you can't adjust a suspension for your weight if it doesn't have the right spring for your weight. It's impossible and that's not what preload is for. Again, it's impossible no matter how insistent some people are that you can do it and there are quite a few. Some even get angry but that doesn't make them right. There is a reason why they make a lot of different spring rates. There is a reason why K-Tech, Penske, Ohlins, Nitron and every other manufacturer asks for either your weight or what spring rate you want when you buy shocks and/ or cartridges. If you weigh 270 lbs and try and set the stock sag correctly, you'll just use up all of the adjustment. In other words it can't be set. In fact if you weigh 200 lbs that will probably happen. You don't have to take it from me, call any of the companies listed above and ask them. Ok....now let's see how many people insist that this is not true. If you are implying that preload is not for compensating for more or less weight then what is it for? You are very likely correct that the stock spring may not allow proper sag for a 270 lb rider, but in my experience you may not be as correct as you imply for a 200 lb rider. I want a new spring for mine because I am starting to do track days (still an old newbie I admit). I am 220ish now with gear and I have it set up "perfect" for my normal country twisty riding, but I would like it better for the track. I don't have any more room on the rear preload but I have some room on the front. Some of suspension adjustment is science and some is art/feel depending on what the person is needing. Preload / sag is all science. If you can get the shock in the middle of its performance range (travel), then the shock can perform correctly and it can be said to be "set up correctly". Different sites give different travel ranges depending on whether you are riding track or normal street. Normally I want a well performing bike, but will trade some performance for comfort. On the track I trade the comfort for tighter performance. I really need that rear wheel always on the ground instead of protecting my back and butt from a pothole or series of small potholes. Actually, I have heard the Japanese bike suspension default is for < 180 lbs due to smaller, healthier asian riders, maybe more like 150 lbs. It's like how European track suits have a tighter fit than American models. Western fit is a nice way to say we are all fat in America. I resemble that remark. Back to the core point - we are advising the OP on what he should do. He should try to get his preload adjusted to have sag and front return within recommended travel for street riding. If it is outside the travel recommendation, which I bet you are right that it will not be ok, then he will always be at risk for bottoming out or the shock won't even be doing it's intended job. But for the 200 lb rider that reads this and checks to see if adjusting the preload gets him within travel limits (which in my experience at 225 is yes), then he should be good to start tweaking the other finer adjustments. Yes, this will be worth his time to get a pro to do it, but it is also very rewarding to learn to do it yourself, just like maintenance and repairs. It takes too much time and you will feel like an idiot a lot but you can get there if you are committed and have good enough resources. I definitely won't say I am there yet, by the way, but I have some really good resources advising me. I'll bet if any 200 lb rider has a pro set their MT10 up, they will say "you would do better with a spring that matches your weight, but I got it adjusted to where you should be really happy with it for street riding." |
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mclovin
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Post by mclovin on Jun 26, 2021 18:35:32 GMT -7
FYI - The MT10 is sprung for a 180 - 190 pound rider. If you're not in that weight range, you can't adjust a suspension for your weight if it doesn't have the right spring for your weight. It's impossible and that's not what preload is for. Again, it's impossible no matter how insistent some people are that you can do it and there are quite a few. Some even get angry but that doesn't make them right. There is a reason why they make a lot of different spring rates. There is a reason why K-Tech, Penske, Ohlins, Nitron and every other manufacturer asks for either your weight or what spring rate you want when you buy shocks and/ or cartridges. If you weigh 270 lbs and try and set the stock sag correctly, you'll just use up all of the adjustment. In other words it can't be set. In fact if you weigh 200 lbs that will probably happen. You don't have to take it from me, call any of the companies listed above and ask them. Ok....now let's see how many people insist that this is not true. If you are implying that preload is not for compensating for more or less weight then what is it for? You are very likely correct that the stock spring may not allow proper sag for a 270 lb rider, but in my experience you may not be as correct as you imply for a 200 lb rider. I want a new spring for mine because I am starting to do track days (still an old newbie I admit). I am 220ish now with gear and I have it set up "perfect" for my normal country twisty riding, but I would like it better for the track. I don't have any more room on the rear preload but I have some room on the front. Some of suspension adjustment is science and some is art/feel depending on what the person is needing. Preload / sag is all science. If you can get the shock in the middle of its performance range (travel), then the shock can perform correctly and it can be said to be "set up correctly". Different sites give different travel ranges depending on whether you are riding track or normal street. Normally I want a well performing bike, but will trade some performance for comfort. On the track I trade the comfort for tighter performance. I really need that rear wheel always on the ground instead of protecting my back and butt from a pothole or series of small potholes. Actually, I have heard the Japanese bike suspension default is for < 180 lbs due to smaller, healthier asian riders, maybe more like 150 lbs. It's like how European track suits have a tighter fit than American models. Western fit is a nice way to say we are all fat in America. I resemble that remark. Back to the core point - we are advising the OP on what he should do. He should try to get his preload adjusted to have sag and front return within recommended travel for street riding. If it is outside the travel recommendation, which I bet you are right that it will not be ok, then he will always be at risk for bottoming out or the shock won't even be doing it's intended job. But for the 200 lb rider that reads this and checks to see if adjusting the preload gets him within travel limits (which in my experience at 225 is yes), then he should be good to start tweaking the other finer adjustments. Yes, this will be worth his time to get a pro to do it, but it is also very rewarding to learn to do it yourself, just like maintenance and repairs. It takes too much time and you will feel like an idiot a lot but you can get there if you are committed and have good enough resources. I definitely won't say I am there yet, by the way, but I have some really good resources advising me. I'll bet if any 200 lb rider has a pro set their MT10 up, they will say "you would do better with a spring that matches your weight, but I got it adjusted to where you should be really happy with it for street riding." I knew someone would argue that you can adjust preload to compensate for heavier riders. Simply not true. This isn't my opinion, it's a fact that people a lot smarter than me have figured out. Adjusting preload does not change the spring rate--you still have the same spring. So it does not make the spring itself stiffer.This is lifted right out of Cycle World May 19, 2009: Preload: This adjuster bears down on the shock or fork spring and shortens or extends the spring accordingly. Many people think that changing preload affects spring stiffness, and while you can compensate to a certain extent for a too-soft or too-stiff spring by using preload, the right move in that situation is to change the spring itself. Preload is used to adjust the shock or spring to the correct range of operation within the suspension's travel-more preload will raise the bike up on its suspension, keeping you near the top of its travel. With less preload, the bike sits lower and closer to the bottom of its suspension travel.Today I took apart my forks to change the springs from 10s which are a little too harsh for the street for my weight to 9.5. If I was to use this for a track day, than I think the 10s would be much better. As I have Ohlins cartridges, I was going through the literature and came upon this. Now if Ohlins is telling you that you should choose springs for weight and usage and you don't want to believe it.....good luck but probably be better if you didn't give people misinformation. ![]()  |
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goodman4
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Post by goodman4 on Jun 27, 2021 11:36:50 GMT -7
Dude, chill a bit and read your own article. I am not saying it stiffens the spring. I am saying exactly what the cycle world article says: "preload compensates for a certain amount of weight". This works only up to a point and I agree with you that it is <5% chance that it will work for over 250 lbs. All springs aren't equal so you have to check it to see. You are trying to throw me into the camp of people that think you can crank up the preload and be ok for any weight, that is not fair, because we agree that is not correct. But 200 lbs may be ok. 220 is barely ok for me according to my travel. In every case it depends on your particular spring and Yamamama seems to not be perfectly consistent on spring tension.
How do you find out? Adjust the sag and measure the travel. This is my point I was trying to make. Again, I agree 100% with the Cycle World article and you agree we should trust Ohlins more than me. I will call them on Monday and ask this question:
"If you can adjust your sag with preload to the point that travel is in range for your heavier weight, is the bike set up correctly or do you still need a stiffer spring?" If they tell me that this is not correct, I will be asking lots of questions and then try to explain what I have learned here. If that is not what I said in the above reply you jumped my case over, then I did not communicate correctly.
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goodman4
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Post by goodman4 on Jun 28, 2021 12:05:26 GMT -7
Dude, chill a bit and read your own article. I am not saying it stiffens the spring. I am saying exactly what the cycle world article says: "preload compensates for a certain amount of weight". This works only up to a point and I agree with you that it is <5% chance that it will work for over 250 lbs. All springs aren't equal so you have to check it to see. You are trying to throw me into the camp of people that think you can crank up the preload and be ok for any weight, that is not fair, because we agree that is not correct. But 200 lbs may be ok. 220 is barely ok for me according to my travel. In every case it depends on your particular spring and Yamamama seems to not be perfectly consistent on spring tension. How do you find out? Adjust the sag and measure the travel. This is my point I was trying to make. Again, I agree 100% with the Cycle World article and you agree we should trust Ohlins more than me. I will call them on Monday and ask this question: "If you can adjust your sag with preload to the point that travel is in range for your heavier weight, is the bike set up correctly or do you still need a stiffer spring?" If they tell me that this is not correct, I will be asking lots of questions and then try to explain what I have learned here. If that is not what I said in the above reply you jumped my case over, then I did not communicate correctly. The answer I got from K-tech suspension (my best American contact for Ohlins) was a bit confusing but still enlightening. The answer to the above question is really "it depends". I asked a lot of questions and tried to restate the question different ways, but I really couldn't fully pin him down all the way because the impact is dynamic and not static. He was mostly able to convince me that I was not "in spec" at my 225 lbs with the preload maxed out even though I have the recommended amount of travel. I admit I was wrong in that case per the experts as agreed. But I am still struggling now with explaining or understanding why. He did agree that within a range (I think he said 12?) rebound would be able to compensate for a heavier or lighter weight. But maxed out either way, does not get the desired results due to the dynamic nature of the shock and you can't think about it as static. I ordered a 100 N spring today and my expectation now is that I will have less dramatic impacts on bumps and road changes due to the ability to put the preload back in the middle of the adjustment. I meant to ask him about a 200 lb rider and didn't get there. If someone can help me understand more about the specifics, I still have some gaps in my understanding. |
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mclovin
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Post by mclovin on Jun 29, 2021 6:58:47 GMT -7
I ordered a 100 N spring today and my expectation now is that I will have less dramatic impacts on bumps and road changes due to the ability to put the preload back in the middle of the adjustment. I meant to ask him about a 200 lb rider and didn't get there. If someone can help me understand more about the specifics, I still have some gaps in my understanding. I used to own a garage door company. Garage doors are sprung in 10 lb increments. If you go up 10 lbs over it won't hold the door up, if you go 10 lbs under you can't get it to stay on the floor. Springs are much more precise than you'd ever imagine. The nature of them makes it seem like they'd work over a much larger range. The closer you get to matching your weight the better. A word of caution. Fast Bike Industries is the USA distributor for Ohlins, Andreani and Nitron. David knows his shit. Skip and Lenny are at K-Tech and they know their shit. The one problem is that these people are working with track performance primarily. They recommend springs that will kill on the track. Not so much on the street. My local performance shop guy knows me, my bike and that I'm strictly a street guy. I want handling but I don't want harshness which the track springs on the street will give you. He warned me that they recommend track springs and that they don't make for a particularly comfortable street bike. He was 100% correct. I weigh 250 - 260. Initially I went with a K-Tech 35 DDS lite rear shock with a 100 N spring and a K-Tech 100 N spring only (not cartridges). Got them installed and set up. The bike now handled but was harsh as hell. Local guy said I told you so. So then I ordered a 9.5 N spring for shock and forks. (it's easy to change shock springs). Got them changed and went on a ride to NYC and NJ from Massachusetts. Totally transformed the bike. I felt like the front end could be better but stock with the correct springs is pretty good on an MT 10. Now the bike handling was very precise and didn't make every bump a jolt which rattled my body. Never one to leave well enough alone, I saw Andreani cartridges on sale for $595 back in January. I bought them from Fast Bike. They came from Italy totally wrong. It wasn't Fast Bike's mistake. Having lost confidence with Andreani, I put the $595 towards a set of Ohlins cartridges. They insisted that for my size I need 100 N springs. I argued but they were adamant. I received them and installed them and didn't like them. No better than stock forks with 9.5 springs. 2 weeks ago I ordered a set of Ohlins 9.5N fork springs and installed them this past weekend. I've got almost 300 miles on them and they're substantially better. My takeaways from the experience. The rear shock is mediocre. I'd go aftermarket before doing an exhaust which sounds good but doesn't give you any additional performance really. The front forks are a lot better than I expected and unless you are a track rider, you can do well with changing just the springs and adjusting oil levels. The rear shock is not all that hard to replace. The front forks take a lot of study and require a shop manual. Not easy but for the more meticulous and adventurous types it;s doable. Hell, I've done them 3 times now. I'm an average rider that pounds it pretty hard most of the time on the street. Not a track guy. If you go the route of good aftermarket shock and cartridges and are a street rider that does some track days, these shocks and cartridges allow for a semi quick spring change and I could see doing that if I was looking to get on the track. The MT 10 is a very rigid frame and is very compliant to whatever you do, but also unforgiving if you don't hit it spot on. Even an average rider will enjoy upgraded suspension. It sneaks up on you and you start having a new confidence and start being able to ride smoother and faster and not get beat up. I felt like I became a much better rider. Having the confidence that you can ride through rough pavement and your bike will stay stable and you can keep it on a precise line and not feel like you're not sure where you're the front wheel is going to end up and your shoulders are going to be dislocated will do that. I am 250Lbs and a 100N spring was to stiff / harsh for the street even though 2 suspension gurus recommended that size. 9.5 works really well for me on this bike and my previous FJ 09. I had to learn everything the hard way. At 220 pounds, I think it would be a good track set up maybe. Setting the sag / preload sets the ride height, which in turn should put the suspension in pretty much of it's sweet spot with no wasted motion or energy if you have the correct spring weight.
Per my local guy Justin at Adrenaline Cycle, track setup on the street makes for a miserable ride. Tracks are smooth and predictable, streets are not. I didn't listen and it took me over a year to get it right. I'm far from an expert but I now can take a set of MT 10 forks off my bike, completely break them down change cartridges, seals, springs and oil, reinstall, set up and go riding in 1 afternoon. 4th time was a charm. Fortunately I love working on motorcycles almost as much as riding them.
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rsh
New Member
Posts: 9
Registered: Jul 11, 2020 11:31:58 GMT -7
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Post by rsh on Jun 29, 2021 21:18:46 GMT -7
More than likely mt10atl will need new springs front and rear, more so a new rear shock and spring.
In the mean time at least try setting the sag as best as possible, doesnt cost anything and will be a learning experience.
The bike as delivered from the factory typically has the rear preload set at the low end of the range. Depending on your weight the suspension will pivot about the steering head, the nose will be high and the rear low like a chopper.
Adjusting the sag should make the bike somewhat better, and may give some time to decide what path to take for addressing the suspension long term.
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