Damping

[implovator]

Update: I put a much more detailed write-up on my blog. http://www.implovator.com/2013/03/suspension-setup-for-the-new-brammo-empulse-r/

I spent a little time this evening determining the Empulse R factory damping settings. Three of the four adjusters are non-clicking screws. Here's a quick breakdown of the range of each setting and the factory setting as a percentage closed (i.e. 0% is fully open and 100% is fully closed).

Front Rebound

• Screw at top of each fork leg
• 1260 degrees of adjustment
• 39.29% closed

Front Compression

• Screw at bottom of each for leg
• 1080 degrees of adjustment
• 33.33% closed

Rear Rebound

• Screw on bottom clevis
• 990 degrees of adjustment
• 45.45% closed

Rear Compression

• Black knob on remote reservoir
• 45 clicks of adjustment
• 62.22% closed

Hopefully I'll have some time over the next week or two to actually start street-evaluating some adjustments. I'm still a bit uncertain about the excessive static sag in the rear, but I'll give it my best shot to come up with some damping settings that I like. Chance are I'll dial it in and be perfectly happy. But if I do get a bug up my arse and get a new rear spring, then I'll have to run through the same set of experiments again.

[7racer]

Improvocator.   Thank you so much for these!  One of the reason I was so excited to get the R was the adjustability!  I just wish there was more info on how.   Thank you!

[protomech]

Can't wait for you to get the bike out on track and report back : )

Who will be the first customer Empulse racing in TTXGP? I know electric cowboy is planning to campaign a modified 2012 S ZF6 this year..

[implovator]

Who will be the first customer Empulse racing in TTXGP? I know electric cowboy is planning to campaign a modified 2012 S ZF6 this year..

I'm not brave enough to race wheel-to-wheel with Shelina. She's going to decimate the field...with a big smile on her face the whole time!

[Richard230]

Here are a few general comments about damping from my Zero's owner's manual:

Compression Damping -  Proper compression will
allow the tire to track the ground over consecutive
bumps. Compression that is set too slow will
pack-up (feel harsh over consecutive bumps)
while compression that is set too fast will cause
the fork to bottom out harshly. If the fork is
bottoming out, turn the adjuster one click at a
time until the bottom-out stops. Adjust each fork
leg evenly.

Rebound Damping -  This determines how quickly the fork returns to its
extended position after being compressed.
 

[implovator]

Awesome, thanks! The following is my favorite write-up on suspension setup so far.

http://www.gostar-racing.com/information/motorcycle_suspension_set-up.htm

It's rather track oriented, but I still think it is really relevant to spirited street riding. I really like how he correlates the damping adjustments into stages of the corner. It makes a lot of sense to make the adjustments in that same order too since each stage of the corner directly leads into the next. You have to nail the setup for earlier stages before you can even judge the later stages. Sounded kind of obvious when I read it, but it wasn't really obvious to me before then.