Suspension Modifications

Greetings all,

I'm a fairly new SD owner considering a total suspension overhaul.
I use the bike for aggressive back-road riding and might do a track day someday. I live in California and the bike seems to be really stiff and active, sometimes working frantically to keep the tyres, especially the rear, on the road. I love the overall performance and plan to keep it for a long time but i think the suspension is set up wrong. I called a trusted suspension guru local(ish) to me (http://www.feelthetrack.com/) and he said that the bike comes set up for European roads which are typicality much smoother and better cared for. He recommended a $1000 suspension overhaul including fork springs and changing some things (honestly i cant remember what) but not replacing the rear. I am willing to spend the thousand but as mods go is it worth it? It would be my first major mod. The bike is plenty powerful for me right now so i am putting the exhaust and filters on the back burner.

There seems to be very little information on the forum regarding suspension. Maybe I've just missed it. Can anyone make a recommendation or point me to some exiting threads that I have overlooked?

Thanks so much

A lot of people on this site rave about the WP suspension on the SD. I'm not one of em. The standard components are just average run of the milll suspenders.

I've had my forks and shock revalved and sprung by Race-Tech and noticed an imediate improvement over stock. I've been playing with the damping ove the last couple years and am getting it to where it really works well...the fork especially. I've got it to the point where feels really planted with lots of feedback approaching the limit. The shock is a different matter. Due to design limitaions (in my opinion) you can get it working on small stuff (little bumps/ripples) or big stuff (freeway expansion joints) but not both. Always seems to be a compromise. I believe this is due to the lack of a linkage which provides a progressive rate throught the shock stroke. The WP shock provides somewhat of a rising rate but not as well as a linkage assembly.

Anyway, you've just got to play with the various damping circuits until you reach a compromise you can live with. I'm still trying.

John

I would play with the settings for a while. I am one of the ones that find the suspension very well suited for me. I have never been on a bike that is suspended as well as the SD. You did not mention your weight, that may be a situation that could keep you from finding a happy spot with the stock equipment. Play around and turn some screws and knobs. Start with KTM's suggested settings in the manual. You may find a happy place. Put the extra dosh into making louder, and lighter, and faster.

Thanks for the replies DribbleDuke and Lowrance. I weigh about 180 LBS. I feel like the front is much more OK than the rear. I haven't had any issues with the front tyre loosing adhesion or bouncing around. The rear feels like its working really hard and like its bouncing around a lot though. maybe its just me. I am coming from a much heavier totally different bike. I will try tinkering and getting used to it before i go drop the big bucks.

thanks again