I'd like someone to explain to me HOW a set of forks can be designed for compression damping in one fork leg,and rebound damping in the other leg.This is the new Ohlins design...how can these two critical adjustments be done successfully in two moving fork legs and yet(apparently)affect both forks?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/5/2014 @ 10:15 AM *

Interesting. I thought that the upgrade was done in both forks. Settings on both front forks the same. Compression, rebound, and damping, as in heavier springs, different valveing, and maybe different weight oil in shocks. That's whats being done to all the forks and rear shocks with all the suspension guys I have talked to. All these guys do race suspension setups.

* Last updated by: Blkcasper on 3/5/2014 @ 11:51 PM *

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They both have preload adjustments at the top,and one has comp damping,while the other has rebound damping.I know the common link is the axle...just find it odd like you said that one adjustable leg could cause the other one to do like it's supposed to.I don't really see how it's actually possible...but apparently it's fine...it's their FGRT(with NIX 30mm internals) forks....backordered till April sometime...they're out of these forks right now....all across the country..so perhaps they really sell like crazy?I've never heard of forks being adjusted this way either...but they claim it's an Ohlins deal...and very good for street and racing.I'll post up a pic of the top of the fork tubes....

well...I looked around...no really clear pics of the top of the tubes.It is strange though...

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/6/2014 @ 12:22 AM *

Think in 3's to work things out. Mix and match = 3.

1. Axle
2. Fork
3. Stems

1. X = Axle locks both forks as one
2. Y = Stems lock the legs as one
3. Z = Forks act as one

Mix & Match

1. Springs
2. Oils
3. Needles

1. X = Springs now run in decimals, meaning a 10 spring goes down to a 9.5 spring. Springs act as one so this now can average out to 1/2 and 1/4 pound increments between 2 springs working as one. Math says a cut from 10/10 springs to 10/9.5 springs no longer are a hard 10, but a softer 10 + 9.5 = 19.5 / 2 = a 9.75 spring rate.

2. Y = Look at the same rate of flow as the spring's rate, but now there are two rates of flow that still act as one.

3. Z = If we call the fork a one unibody component, we still can mirror the needle as if they were at the bottom and top, but now we have one working the top, the other leg works the bottom, we still have compression and rebound as to one body being one (unit).

Why didn't I know this long ago is well, there you go... Think one unit and bingo, fine tune that puppy as one. But you don't have to go that whack with the oil. You can mess with the height of the oil too, but better you stay book and remain level no matter the weights or heights. Yes, you could keep one high level, one low and use the air compression between the oil's surface and top of fork, you compress those 2 variables and keep going, thinking as one. Got it?

Buy a wooden dowel small enough or use an aluminum welding rod, then hook it so it drops into the fork for oil leveling, measure that out and you are half way there. The rest is run soft and work your way up to hard. Once you feel hard/harsh body pounding, back it off. Something like that.

Write down all your settings and loops or you'll just guess at it and come back with the same combo and went nowhere. Make hard moves or soft moves. Depends on how much bump you want to take. Faster rebound the sooner the tire is back on the road. So run soft rebound. The trick is to make the bike compress and come back up as even in the front as in the rear.

Here is where you have a second set of eyes to mark for sag. The valves are open so the flow is fast. This settles the springs think. Even if you cranked the needles hard, they still bleed off and the spring sag will be the same. Get it? So balance springs and your a 1/4 way there if 1/2 is the oil level. The rest is how hard you want your neck to be pounded once you hit a good bump is the compression and then work the rebound so there is this evenness between the valving. Sounds simple, right?

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Your explanation makes perfect sense...I just didn't think the suspension could be arranged this way.Thanks Hub;)

The 'confusing' part comes from reading about the fork setups in the manual.How they say make them even OR an unsafe riding condition may result....you've read that I'm sure.Gives the impression that one leg or the other would react differently and kick the wheel off center under certain conditions...I guess that can't happen,right?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/6/2014 @ 1:56 AM *

I'd like someone to explain to me HOW a set of forks can be designed for compression damping in one fork leg,and rebound damping in the other leg.

you only have one wheel up front so what is the dif where compression and rebound come from? It all goes to the same axle and that is all that matters to achieve the aims of the suspension. It would even be possible to design a single fork front with one shock doing the rebound and compression both. Single sided swingarms work just fine, don't they? That is one shock/one wheel.

since it is structurally impractical to have one fork on a motorcycle, we have always had two. Both do the same job, actually kind of redundant. Ohlins split the rebound/compression job bewteen the two. I'm sure each shock performs better doing just one job than both doing compression and rebound. They work together at all times. Only problem I can see is if something goes wrong with one side.....there is no backup. You loose your left shock, you have no rebound. The shocks are going to ride on the springs ??? Oh well, who ever heard of someone having a shock suddenly fail out of the blue?

The asymetry is a bit disconcerting at first glance but this is nothing too new to Ohlins. I heard about this a year or more ago. They are doing it now so it must work. Don't sweat it, it's just technology.

they claim it's an Ohlins deal...and very good for street and racing.

The 'confusing' part comes from reading about the fork setups in the manual.How they say make them even OR an unsafe riding condition may result

What they probably mean is that the rebound and the compression need to be set so that the opposite forces work together to carry the load properly. Basically they are telling you make sure you set your sag properly. Nothing new there. Same old same old just now you have ONE stronger system up front instead of two lesser systems doing the same thing on each side.

* Last updated by: Rook on 3/6/2014 @ 6:13 AM *

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The warning part is if you had both comp/rebou adjustments off, but in this case, there is one rebound, one compression. So the only even thing now is oil level/spring wind/forks evenly lined up in the stems.

And you now measure the [one] fork height at the top stem the book calls for. The other fork, you take the axle, float the other fork so the axle spins/threads into the other leg without any effort at all. Once you install the wheel, the axle will fly into the other leg upon final assembly like a rear axle.

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Should be getting em in a week or thereabouts.Apparently there's STILL some in the US;)Got the rear shock a day ago...VERY NICE.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/7/2014 @ 12:38 AM *

show pics when you get them on

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Got the rear shock installed....wasn't so simple as the book implies...but I got er in there okay.Everything fit up nicely.NOW...the fronts;)

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

pics

?

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Not really much to show on the shock ya know...it's just...a shock...Fit up nicely though.I'll get some fork pics when they get here...

WHAT? You have the sexy yellow spring don't ya?

Did yu get a shock with remote adjust? Extra $$$ but so cool, I'd have to have that.

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Yup...sexy shock;)Remote adjust...yup.

"it's just...a shock"...okay...not exactly 'just'...fucker's machined sweet and definitely all businessLOL!!.AND...rides like a tub of butter...no shit...this thing is WAY smooth...and I thought it wouldn't make much difference...boy...was I wrongLOL!!!!Front forks on hold from Ohlins...STILL out of stock....APRIL they're saying.Shit,this is as bad as waiting for me new baby....and now a fork leak...ssheittttt!Weather's turning nicely rideable..... .

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 3/15/2014 @ 11:20 PM *