This page used to be a diary of mistakes and successes I had made in the quest to make the Falco handle well. It was interesting to me to keep track of what I had done, but it was getting quite long-winded. If you are interested in how I got to my present setup, you can still have a look at my suspension tuning diary. But the abbreviated version appears below.
Me | |
Weight | 145 lbs in street clothes |
Riding style | Intermediate on bumpy mostly 45-75 mph roads |
Preference | Softer suspension (more traction, more motion) |
Bike | |
Description | 2000.5 Falco with aftermarket slip-ons |
Weight | 450-475 lbs depending on fuel |
Fork Setup | ||
Specification | My setting | Stock setting |
Description | Stock Showas 43 mm USDs with steel cartridge | |
Installed height | 4 spaces showing (16 mm triple to anodized cap) | 3 spaces (12 mm) |
Valving | Stock | - |
Rebound screw setting | 0.75 turns out | 1.5 turns out |
Compression screw setting | 1.75 turns out | 1.5 turns out |
Oil viscosity | 5W (Showa/Honda Pro) | probably 5W or 7.5W ? |
Oil level | 150 mm (from top, collapsed, no spring) | 116-120 mm |
Spring rate | 0.95 kg/mm | 1.01 kg/mm |
Spring free length | 272 mm | 292 mm |
Preload spacer | 128 mm plus stock washers | 100 mm |
Preload cap | 6 lines (12 mm from anodized to taper) | 5 lines (10 mm) |
Sag (bike) | 22 mm | ? |
Sag (rider) | 35 mm | 25 mm |
Shock Setup | ||
Specification | My setting | Stock setting |
Description | Penske 8981 (8900 series deCarbon damper with 8100 reservoir) | Sachs emulsion-type damper |
Installed height | ~320 mm eye-to-eye ~ 1 thread showing on adjuster |
~312 mm non-adjustable |
Sag (bike) | ~5 mm | ? |
Sag (rider) | 32 mm | 41 mm |
Spring rate | 800 lb/in (6-inch spring) | - |
Oil viscosity | standard | - |
Valving | standard (track) | - |
Rebound screw setting | ? about midscale +2 to +4 more clicks | -16 clicks from full-in |
Compression knob setting | "1" of 6 (largest orifice) | non-adjustable |
Preload | 20 mm threads above lock ring | 41 mm threads above lock ring |
Tires | ||
Specification | My setting | Stock setting |
Type | Dunlop D207 | Metzeler MEZ3 |
Front size | 120/70 | 120/70 |
Rear size | 180/55 | 180/55 |
Tire pressure (F/R) | 32/34 psi ? | 35/36 psi |
Update: Some advice (July 2003)
People email me a lot asking for setup adice. Although its pretty much up to your tastes, I've done a lot of trial-and-error and can offer this:
Go back to the Falco home page.