Chassis and Suspension For Beginners and Experts
27 Sep 2025
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Dial In Your Ride: The Ultimate Rider-Centric Chassis Setup Guide for Street and Track Warriors
The story goes like this, you're hyped up, it's time to cook up some Chassis and Suspension information online. You're swarmed with influencer hype, the video's are all starting to sound the same, your confusion sets in like cement. It's 11p.m. and you're in bed on a social media, your algorithm sends you to what looks like a GEM. There's this guy talking about cute fluffy symmetrical beach waves & clouds but sets bikes up like a dump truck. The only hot lap he can put together is on the way to bathroom and rides a Honda Grom to work. You're lost in the sauce and you realize there nothing helpful for you until you got here.
You have made it to the RIGHT PLACE We specialize in motorcycles, we build, race, and teach, This is our profession and we love it.
You have made it to the RIGHT PLACE We specialize in motorcycles, we build, race, and teach, This is our profession and we love it.
Chassis is more than your bike, you are the leverage on your chassis and we aim to add some PHD level knowledge to your game plan and your motorcycle.
THE GOAL:
The goal is to install and instill rider confidence so you can mentally calm down and enjoy your ride without guessing what is going on.
Mental comfort cannot be overlooked when riding. Also, mental fatigue......... We aim to reduce these aspects with balance and current rider ability.
So, here we go.
So, here we go.
So, lets start with the most basic things we can focus on.
#1 rider ability, Beginner, intermediate, expert, pro. You can mix match this. (e.g.) Beginner expert, intermediate beginner, and so on.
#2 chassis measurements.
#3, spring rates
#4 oil height on the front forks. <-- leave for now but do measure.
#1 rider ability, Beginner, intermediate, expert, pro. You can mix match this. (e.g.) Beginner expert, intermediate beginner, and so on.
#2 chassis measurements.
#3, spring rates
#4 oil height on the front forks. <-- leave for now but do measure.
Questions For You, Answer these as best you can.
GET A NOTE BOOK or Add the info to an excel sheet.
Phase 1: Rider Profile Setting up Sag and Chassis Balance
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Your height in inches:To help calculate leverage on chassis ergo's.
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Your inseam length in inches:
To determine you foot peg and seat fit for geometry. -
Your full riding gear weight in lbs:Weigh yourself in full gear - Then subtract your birthday suit weight "naked"Give me the full weight vs birthday suit weight.
Phase 2: Bike Measurements For Baseline Sag and Preload:
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Your current front sag (in mm), inches will not work:How to measure:
- Put the bike on a pin stand (front wheel off ground).(you can use 2 people to lift the bars (clipons) and lift bike off ground.
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Measure the fork tube length, "not fork travel" from triple clamp from the center of the axle "on center"
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Take the bike out of the stand, push down hard 2-3 times, I hold the front brake and smash down on the forks and then measure where it settles.
- Measure again (static sag).
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Last, sit on the bike in your neutral track riding position with feet on the pegs, sit against the tank. Measure a third time with the rider sag.Target for beginners: 25-30 mm rider sag.This will tells you/us if preload needs adjustment for your 185lb weight (guessing).
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Your current rear sag (in mm)?
How to measure: Basically repeat the same steps for front but a couple differences. -
Fully extended the rear by lifting the tail as high as you can and measure while the rear is fully extended. (you can put the bike in a front wheel chock). measure from a fixed point on the tail, I use a blue piece of tape on the tail section and the rear axle. Place the piece of tap ON Center on the rear axle so you can get a good read in Millimieters.
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Next measure the bikes static (bounce on the bike a few times to get it settled.
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Rider sag (you on bike).
Target for beginners: 30-35 mm rider sag. (subtract the difference from full lock out to you on the bike.The goal is to keep you in the middle area of your suspension stroke and keep the rear settled and stop the rear from bottoming out. -
Get Current preload settings:Front: Number of turns out from Current position. Count backwards from your current settings and make a note of how many turns you made to get to "0" We need to know where it has been set.Rear: Measure your preload position. Count backwards from your current settings and make a note of how many turns you made to get to "0"Then: Give me this info.
Phase 3: Fuel and Tires (we will call this fluid dynamics lol) Typical track day needs are 2 gallons for 20 minutes.
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Fuel tank full normal load in gallons for track use:The full tank adds forward splishy splashy bias weight under braking.
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What are your normal cold track tire pressures - front & rear.
Phase 4: Riding Goals:
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What is your primary use For the Suzucati GSRX-V4: It's track riding, I already know this. But....... Got to ask.
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Any current issues or goals?
Examples:
My bike feels light in the rear.
Running wide on corner exit
Feels unstable under heavy braking
When turning IN to a corner, it feels numb and light
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