[rucks22]

Based off Chris Ulrich from Road Racing World:


Showa BPF Fork:
Compression Damping = 1 turn out (from fully closed)
Rebound Damping = 3 turns out (from fully closed)
Spring Preload = 22-clicks (+4mm added to standard setting)


Sachs Rear Shock:
Compression Damping = 0.25-turn out (from fully closed)
Rebound Damping = 6 turns out (from fully closed)
Spring Preload = +3 mm added to standard setting


Final ECU Settings:
Power = Race Mode
Engine Braking Control (EBC) = Level 2
Traction Control (DTC) = 2
ABS = Level 1


Tire Pressure:
Front = 32psi
Rear = 26psi

 

[I<3twins]

I just switch the EBC to level 2 today. Didn't notice a big difference. I had a shop do the suspension, not sure how many clicks they did but it feels great for me now!
Do you really run the rear tire at 26 psi? That seems to low. I run my psi at 32 for both. But maybe I have been missing out.

 

[ASM]

Do you really run the rear tire at 26 psi? That seems to low. I run my psi at 32 for both. But maybe I have been missing out.

On the track - yes. On the street - no. His settings are from the track...

 

[dougo1199]

On the track - yes. On the street - no. His settings are from the track...

That's right, remember those are track settings for his weight / preference. If you're not familiar with setting up a bikes suspension I would have the dealer give you a base-line setup for your weight, then you can tweak it as you start to go faster on the bike. Suspension settings / tire pressures are extremely important!

 

[Panza]

Mind you Chris Ulrich is a 77kg rider ~170lbs.

 

[Kruz]

Chris Ulrich's suggested settings includes this for rear shock rebound:


Rebound Damping = 6 turns out (from fully closed)




The 959 Owner's Manual page 201, suggests for Race Setup for rear shock rebound:


Rebound Damping = 8 clicks out (from fully closed)


I am a bit confused, a click is a lot less than a full turn. Is it possible Chris meant 6 clicks out (from fully closed)?


On front and rear preload, he suggests +4 mm and +3mm respectively. I assume this means he stiffened preload at both ends by the indicated amount?

 

[Kruz]

Well I answered my own question, it's clicks, you can't turn the rear shock rebound adjuster 6 turns, about 1 1/2 turns is the full range or about 18 clicks.


I set it up exactly like Chris recommends and just bouncing it in the garage it is very stiff.


Will let you guys know how it works, the stock settings weren't terrible but I felt the bike was too loose when you pick up the pace, this should give much better feel in the turns.

 

[dougo1199]

I'm digging these settings -
Clicks from full in:
Fork: C- 4 R- 4.5
Shock: C- 2 R- 10

I'm using almost all of the fork travel under hard braking and still able to lift the rear.

 

[dougo1199]

Kruz - post your results here - http://www.959panigale.net/forum/959-panigale-suspension-brakes/4722-settings-feedback.html

 

[Kruz]

Well here's my feedback on the Ulrich settings as promised:


Don't do it!


Bike was incredibly stiff and rode like an old stagecoach on the bumps.


Unless you have super smooth roads or track surface to ride on it will beat you senseless.


Going back to standard settings for now.

 

[dougo1199]

Well here's my feedback on the Ulrich settings as promised:


Don't do it!


Bike was incredibly stiff and rode like an old stagecoach on the bumps.


Unless you have super smooth roads or track surface to ride on it will beat you senseless.


Going back to standard settings for now.

As I suspected... Thanks for posting!

 

[Kruz]

Hi Doug, what is your weight with gear?


I may try your settings and see if that works for me.


Interestingly my rear rebound was set at 10 clicks out from the factory, I reset it yesterday to the standard 12 clicks out, so I'm back to recommended baseline.

 

[Kruz]

Doug, you didn't mention preload adjustments, I'm thinking of taking a little preload out of the front to get a slightly lower ride height to improve initial turn in, then add a touch of compression and rebound.

 

[Kruz]

OK going to try these settings today and see how they work. I have not changed preload front and rear yet, thought I 'd try that later starting with taking one turn out of the front to get the nose down, feels high to me now like a chopper...lol!.


Front fork:
Compression 2.5 turns out from full hard
Rebound 3.75 turns out from full hard


Rear shock:
Compression 1.5 turns out from full hard
Rebound 10 clicks out from full hard

 

[dougo1199]

Hi Doug, what is your weight with gear?


I may try your settings and see if that works for me.


Interestingly my rear rebound was set at 10 clicks out from the factory, I reset it yesterday to the standard 12 clicks out, so I'm back to recommended baseline.

Hey Kruz. I'm 160 lbs w/o gear.

These are my current settings:
Clicks from full in:
Fork: C- 4 R- 4.5
Shock: C- 2 R- 10

Preload / Sag
Front: 8 from full out / 40mm
Rear: 8mm thread showing / 30mm

I started a thread for all this - http://www.959panigale.net/forum/959-panigale-suspension-brakes/4722-settings-feedback.html

 

[Kruz]

Hi Doug, I'm 215 lbs in street clothes so my setup is going to be stiffer.


Is you're setup for track or canyon carving? Also, your riding level?


I have the standard 4 turns out from full soft on the front preload and standard on the rear as well. Might try dropping the front forks 4 mm or so.

 

[Kruz]

Well I road this morning and it seemed a lot better. What I did was split the difference between the recommended standard settings and the race settings in the 959 manual.


I need to do a few more rides and see if I like it or need to make more changes, it is definitely stiffer than stock now.


I still would like to see better initial turn in, may soften up the preload on the front and see if that helps.

 

[dougo1199]

Hi Doug, I'm 215 lbs in street clothes so my setup is going to be stiffer.


Is you're setup for track or canyon carving? Also, your riding level?


I have the standard 4 turns out from full soft on the front preload and standard on the rear as well. Might try dropping the front forks 4 mm or so.

Yeah, you're a bit heavier then me so the stiffer settings make sense. My bike is setup for aggressive street riding (canyon carving except we don't have "canyons" in Ohio) I've been doing track days in the Advanced group since 2005, so whatever that equates to. lol! I could give you some lap times but they wouldn't mean anything to you being on the west coast. :wink2:

 

[dougo1199]

Well I road this morning and it seemed a lot better. What I did was split the difference between the recommended standard settings and the race settings in the 959 manual.


I need to do a few more rides and see if I like it or need to make more changes, it is definitely stiffer than stock now.


I still would like to see better initial turn in, may soften up the preload on the front and see if that helps.

I have that same feeling with the initial turn in, but I wanted to get some more seat time to see if it was just a rider adjustment. More than likely I may end up lowering the front a tad.

Another note: my wheel base is slightly longer than stock due to the 520 chain conversion, so that may be playing a part in it as well. I'm not to the point where I get my knee down, so theres probably some room to improve my corner speed. It's a little tricky on the street!

 

[Kruz]

Suspension setup is tricky, it's all about feel and what gives you confidence. What works for one rider won't necessarily work for another. I'm the last guy to tell you I'm a suspension setup guru, I just try different things, make small changes and see if it works.


We don't really have canyons here either lol, at least not in the part of Texas I live in and the roads can be quite bumpy favoring a softer setup.


What is crazy is that I can go consistently faster on my '06 ZX-14 with stone stock suspension than almost any of my other bikes, I've never even so much as touched a clicker. It is a very relaxed setup, compliant but well controlled is the only way I can describe it and when on fresh rubber it is an epic corner carver. My Ducati is moving around a lot more in the same bumpy turns which saps a bit of confidence and makes me back off. Get on a smooth race track and it would be different I'm sure but the roads around here are what they are.


The thought has crossed my mind, maybe I'm moving in the wrong direction with the 959 and need a softer ride to gain cornering confidence.