RX4 Suspension Tuning - Page 3

Bob Kelly · 05-25-2022, 08:39 AM

I went for another ride today, about 45min worth is all and I topped off the gas tank ( this time with premium) and we'll see if the bike runs any better ( I doubt it but it's worth a try LOL)
I do NOT like the high seat height that the short stroke is forcing me to use
I lowered the pre-load as much as i dare any more and I'll be bottoming out the shock on big bumps... and the seat height is still 32" ! even with my boots on I am only touching the ground with the balls of my feet.... not by any means flat footed. I did have a very frustrating time of it though, after a pleasant ride I came to a stop sign and promptly fell over ! it's simply too darn tall !
a few things caused the fall over hitting the front brake while I was still moving causing the weight to shift to the right and my right foot still on the back brake
and I wasn't fast enough getting my foot down to stop it's descent to the ground
... aggravating, frustrating and embarrassing all at the same time and gas gushing out all over the place ! ....
I lifted that heavy beast back up but it was all I could do and I had to stand there holding the bike for a few minutes to catch my breath !
finally I put the kick stand down and then walked around and got on the other side.... a full tank of gas makes this bike very top heavy
and the gas cap will shut and lock WITHOUT being down all the way !
( lesson learned, the cap must be flush with the rest of it , not up 1/16")
so put on the gas cap lock it and all that and THEN PRESS DOWN TILL YOU HEAR A CLICK !!!! and the cap will stay at the flush position !
....
but as far as a top heavy too tall bike goes I am not very happy right now

it has got to be lower for me to Ride that heavy beast ! so I am gathering up the material I need to make a lowering link . I plan to replace the cast aluminum forward dog bone/ modified horseshoe link that connects to the frame behind the engine and it connects to the link that the shock does
making it longer will lower the bikes rear alot.... I am thinking of making it 1.5" longer than the stock one ...I don't know if that is too much or too little but I guess I will find out !
....
I am very glad the RX4 has those nice crash bars on the front as it has save me 2 times now from busted plastic ! ...
...
I did get the RX4 up to 80 mph on the freeway or so the Dash said so I leveled off at 75 I thought ! LOL but it was down hill...
temp was up to the last bar as usual ( stupid temp gauge !) but it did ride much better that previous rides.... even on the rough roads it wasn't near as bad as it had been....
I have 151 miles on the clock now and I'm probably not going to ride it again till I make it lower, I am through trying to ride a bike that is too tall for me.... too tall and too heavy is a bad combination !
it's no fun to have to worry about every stop !
....

later !
Bob.......

Working_ZS · 05-25-2022, 08:10 PM

I would highly recommend finding an empty parking lot somewhere that you can use to practice your low speed maneuvers. That way you can build up your one foot stopping skills without suffering the embarrassment and danger of dropping the bike on a public street. I almost always use my left foot to support the bike at a stop while holding it at rest with my right foot on the rear brake. I usually have to slide my ass over a bit to the left as I come to a stop, since I only have a 29-30" inseam. It also helps to turn the front wheel to the right a little as you are coming to a stop; this helps to force the bike to tilt to the left, onto your intended support foot. Also, be sure that you are finishing your stops with the rear brake and not the front, since the front can be harder to modulate smoothly, since it is so much more powerful than the rear brake.

With some practice, you may find that you do not need to fabricate a lowering link, being able to keep the bike at its stock height while still being able to control it at a stop.

And yes, the crash bars are handy - I put mine to the test the first time I rode it when I dropped it in a parking lot while practicing tight U-turns and figure eight slow speed maneuvers. There's no shame in dropping the bike - mine is 480 lbs in its single top case configuration; but I think with enough practice, you will gain the low speed skill and confidence to handle the bike comfortably.

Bob Kelly · 05-25-2022, 08:42 PM

Thanks for the tips ! I've ridden motorcycles all my life but I've never owned such a tall heavy bike before and it definately takes some getting used to ! I grew up with bikes like my 1977 Triumph 750 but never had one till now and even it is a challenge some times
My little Ninja 250R is the perfect height now after lowering it and much work but the riding position isn't very cumfortable for me .
I had the RX4 at near 28" seat height and rode it that way for 119 miles but the ride was impossably hard...come to find out the rear shock was bottomed out all the time.
so I raised it back up to get some suspension back.... but it is still too tall for me
so I am going to make it lower even if it kills me !
I've made a lowering link for a '86 XR650L and that worked great but this lower link is harder to make and will likely take every tool in the shop to make properly !
I do think I will make bushings and not use needle bearings in it to simplify the pivot point and I have been contemplating the length it should be if I go 1" longer with the 2.75:1 ratio of the other lower link on the shock, that should give me a bit more than 2" drop ...but it would be nice if it had a 28" seat height and not 32" so going with a 1.5" longer link should get it about as low as I can go without rubbing the tire on the inner fender on bumps ! it would be really nice if I could use turn buckles so that would be adjustable to what ever height I want !
..... it's not an easy project for this old man ! LOL
.....
yes practicing low speed maneuvers would be a real good idea for me ...I'll do that !
....
Bob......

Bob Kelly · 06-29-2022, 01:58 AM

Well, that worked out fairly good ! but the experiment failed
I got the springs from PYoungbl and made an extension adaptor so they would fit on the bike ...the weakest spring was just slightly too weak and the others way too stiff
so what I wound up doing was putting the spring I bought back on the shock and making a new lower link for the suspension, I found the maximum length the link can be extended to was a mear 5/8" longer ! I wound up making another one from scratch and put a bronze bushing in it and it is now on the bike
I had to raise the preload a bit...(lower the preload nuts on the shock to increase spring tension) to raise the rear slightly as the tire was rubbing as the new lower link really lowered things ! seat height is right at 30" now and with the harder spring on there the tire shouldn't rub anymore.... but I haven't ridden it sense. been too busy getting our well pump going again ( it gave up the ghost)
the bike squats slightly when I sit on it but only a small amount 1/2" or so I'ed guess
but it does compress now when I bounce on it.... so I think this is where the bike is going to stay at from now on.
although I may have to swap out the spring for the stock one if the one in there is too soft.... but I doubt it.
.......

Bob.......

05-25-2022, 08:39 AM	#31
Bob Kelly Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Weed, California. Posts: 271	I went for another ride today, about 45min worth is all and I topped off the gas tank ( this time with premium) and we'll see if the bike runs any better ( I doubt it but it's worth a try LOL) I do NOT like the high seat height that the short stroke is forcing me to use I lowered the pre-load as much as i dare any more and I'll be bottoming out the shock on big bumps... and the seat height is still 32" ! even with my boots on I am only touching the ground with the balls of my feet.... not by any means flat footed. I did have a very frustrating time of it though, after a pleasant ride I came to a stop sign and promptly fell over ! it's simply too darn tall ! a few things caused the fall over hitting the front brake while I was still moving causing the weight to shift to the right and my right foot still on the back brake and I wasn't fast enough getting my foot down to stop it's descent to the ground ... aggravating, frustrating and embarrassing all at the same time and gas gushing out all over the place ! .... I lifted that heavy beast back up but it was all I could do and I had to stand there holding the bike for a few minutes to catch my breath ! finally I put the kick stand down and then walked around and got on the other side.... a full tank of gas makes this bike very top heavy and the gas cap will shut and lock WITHOUT being down all the way ! ( lesson learned, the cap must be flush with the rest of it , not up 1/16") so put on the gas cap lock it and all that and THEN PRESS DOWN TILL YOU HEAR A CLICK !!!! and the cap will stay at the flush position ! .... but as far as a top heavy too tall bike goes I am not very happy right now it has got to be lower for me to Ride that heavy beast ! so I am gathering up the material I need to make a lowering link . I plan to replace the cast aluminum forward dog bone/ modified horseshoe link that connects to the frame behind the engine and it connects to the link that the shock does making it longer will lower the bikes rear alot.... I am thinking of making it 1.5" longer than the stock one ...I don't know if that is too much or too little but I guess I will find out ! .... I am very glad the RX4 has those nice crash bars on the front as it has save me 2 times now from busted plastic ! ... ... I did get the RX4 up to 80 mph on the freeway or so the Dash said so I leveled off at 75 I thought ! LOL but it was down hill... temp was up to the last bar as usual ( stupid temp gauge !) but it did ride much better that previous rides.... even on the rough roads it wasn't near as bad as it had been.... I have 151 miles on the clock now and I'm probably not going to ride it again till I make it lower, I am through trying to ride a bike that is too tall for me.... too tall and too heavy is a bad combination ! it's no fun to have to worry about every stop ! .... later ! Bob....... __________________ It's too late when you've gone too far !
	0

05-25-2022, 08:10 PM	#32
Working_ZS Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 365	You Just Need A Little Practice I would highly recommend finding an empty parking lot somewhere that you can use to practice your low speed maneuvers. That way you can build up your one foot stopping skills without suffering the embarrassment and danger of dropping the bike on a public street. I almost always use my left foot to support the bike at a stop while holding it at rest with my right foot on the rear brake. I usually have to slide my ass over a bit to the left as I come to a stop, since I only have a 29-30" inseam. It also helps to turn the front wheel to the right a little as you are coming to a stop; this helps to force the bike to tilt to the left, onto your intended support foot. Also, be sure that you are finishing your stops with the rear brake and not the front, since the front can be harder to modulate smoothly, since it is so much more powerful than the rear brake. With some practice, you may find that you do not need to fabricate a lowering link, being able to keep the bike at its stock height while still being able to control it at a stop. And yes, the crash bars are handy - I put mine to the test the first time I rode it when I dropped it in a parking lot while practicing tight U-turns and figure eight slow speed maneuvers. There's no shame in dropping the bike - mine is 480 lbs in its single top case configuration; but I think with enough practice, you will gain the low speed skill and confidence to handle the bike comfortably.
	0

05-25-2022, 08:42 PM	#33
Bob Kelly Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Weed, California. Posts: 271	Thanks for the tips ! I've ridden motorcycles all my life but I've never owned such a tall heavy bike before and it definately takes some getting used to ! I grew up with bikes like my 1977 Triumph 750 but never had one till now and even it is a challenge some times My little Ninja 250R is the perfect height now after lowering it and much work but the riding position isn't very cumfortable for me . I had the RX4 at near 28" seat height and rode it that way for 119 miles but the ride was impossably hard...come to find out the rear shock was bottomed out all the time. so I raised it back up to get some suspension back.... but it is still too tall for me so I am going to make it lower even if it kills me ! I've made a lowering link for a '86 XR650L and that worked great but this lower link is harder to make and will likely take every tool in the shop to make properly ! I do think I will make bushings and not use needle bearings in it to simplify the pivot point and I have been contemplating the length it should be if I go 1" longer with the 2.75:1 ratio of the other lower link on the shock, that should give me a bit more than 2" drop ...but it would be nice if it had a 28" seat height and not 32" so going with a 1.5" longer link should get it about as low as I can go without rubbing the tire on the inner fender on bumps ! it would be really nice if I could use turn buckles so that would be adjustable to what ever height I want ! ..... it's not an easy project for this old man ! LOL ..... yes practicing low speed maneuvers would be a real good idea for me ...I'll do that ! .... Bob...... __________________ It's too late when you've gone too far !
	0

06-29-2022, 01:58 AM	#34
Bob Kelly Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Weed, California. Posts: 271	Well, that worked out fairly good ! but the experiment failed I got the springs from PYoungbl and made an extension adaptor so they would fit on the bike ...the weakest spring was just slightly too weak and the others way too stiff so what I wound up doing was putting the spring I bought back on the shock and making a new lower link for the suspension, I found the maximum length the link can be extended to was a mear 5/8" longer ! I wound up making another one from scratch and put a bronze bushing in it and it is now on the bike I had to raise the preload a bit...(lower the preload nuts on the shock to increase spring tension) to raise the rear slightly as the tire was rubbing as the new lower link really lowered things ! seat height is right at 30" now and with the harder spring on there the tire shouldn't rub anymore.... but I haven't ridden it sense. been too busy getting our well pump going again ( it gave up the ghost) the bike squats slightly when I sit on it but only a small amount 1/2" or so I'ed guess but it does compress now when I bounce on it.... so I think this is where the bike is going to stay at from now on. although I may have to swap out the spring for the stock one if the one in there is too soft.... but I doubt it. ....... Bob....... __________________ It's too late when you've gone too far !
	0