[Omoishiroi]

Thanks for that video! I've been playing with the rear suspension settings for a few weeks - really hard to find a sweet spot. In the video he softens the preload but tightens the rebound which would make the rebound slower if I understand correctly. What I ended up doing - forks I turned both preload and compression to full clockwise. I backed off each 1.5 turns from there. Rear shock rebound I tightened fully then backed off to 1.5 turns (supposedly factory setting but I think the previous owner had softened it beyond that). Rear shock preload I am not 100% certain where to measure from - factory is supposedly .71 inches or 18mm which I believe is from the start of the threads to the top of the spring. Mine is more like 1 inch or 24mm which gives me 27 mm of slack when I sit on the bike (205 lbs and a full tank). It's okay...if I add a bag of gear I know I need more preload on the rear just hard to know how much.
While I can improve the suspension with these tweaks I am still not 100% happy. If I soften it up it bottoms out too easily, if I stiffen it up it pogo sticks on rough roads and if I add my tour bag of 25 lbs I can't find the right settings. I am thinking a Nitron 2 is in my future and I look forward to any feedback on that upgrade.

 

[Omoishiroi]

Blues - so I am clear -- you weigh 175 lbs and you slacked off the rear shock pre load to almost nothing and sped up the rebound? You adjusted the front rebound but not the preload or compression?

I would expect this would be too soft - very interesting that you find it working so well! The suspension setting is frankly driving me crazy - I am trying to learn what I can.

 

[Omoishiroi]

I've been watching Robert Taylor's videos https://youtu.be/GfD3Y6T9GkU...in one he mentions that manufacturers should stop saying 'fully adjustable suspension' - as he says the suspension is only adjustable maybe 15 or 20 pounds in each direction - if the xDiavel has a spring for 175 lb person (but we don't really know? is that 385 lb per inch), those of us nearer to 200 lbs are dealing with a spring (or fork springs) at its max - leaving little room for adjustment. so it makes sense to me that a stock bike has a certain 'range' and beyond that we are playing at the extremes of preload and rebound which to my mind would make suspension adjustment more difficult. I will keep playing with mine and watching this topic.
I came from a Multi with the electronic suspension adjustment - pick one rider, one with bags, rider/pillion with or without bags...never had to think about it! Can't say I knew much at all about suspension until the XD came into my life. Thinking too - a Nitron 2 is in my near future.

 

[Omoishiroi]

Hi all,
I do realise that the suspension settings i've set don't make sense to some but genuinely, they work.
I actually had to buy a kidney belt as the jolts were really horrible (on british roads anyway) but it's really made that redundant.
It's only a c-spanner and 10 mins but please, try it.
As for the front, standard (except for the 3 turns on rebound) as i quite like late braking (EBC sintered pads. SOOOO much better than standard brembos) so it's fine for that.
Hey, if you don't get on with it, put it back to whatcha had!
Also, when the missus gets on the back, i will be stiffening it up as it's obviously more weight/leverage etc and it's going to be compensated.

Hey - I'm not saying what you are doing doesn't make sense - I'm trying to make sense of suspension settings and never had to do this before. Today I downloaded Race Tech's motorcycle suspension bible (very interesting - a little technical) and spent the day adjusting the rear shock. I now have 34 mm sag. Rebound I turned to the fastest/softest setting and backed it off 1/4 a turn. Thought it would be super fast but it's not. It's better - not perfect but now it's time to get the front a little softer because I am out of balance with only 17mm sag on the front.
One thing I noticed - the xDiavel Ohlins rear shock is progressive - bigger loops (firmer) at the wheel end and tighter/softer loops at the frame end. The Nitron is a straight shock -- does that make it more predictable? Also Nitron's shocks are sold in 5 kg increment - I am thinking IF I change to a Nitron I should first install new exhaust from Zard - it's 5.3 kg less than stock so that's one shock difference.....and on it goes!