I'm not an expert, but I've done a few things to my suspension.
Keep in mind that the spring lets the suspension bounce, and the damping system slows down that bouncing. If your spring is too soft, things will be moving too far/fast, and the damping system will be working harder to try to control that excess movement. If the spring is too stiff, it won't be moving enough, resulting in skipping. With the springs matched to the load they're supporting, the bike will be bouncing the proper amount to begin with.
I think this explanation does a good job of showing the basic science behind the shock/spring and how they perform two separate functions, even if they're assembled into one unit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sharky nrk
The right rate spring is a required foundation for proper suspension action. It is the primary source of taking your KE (mass of you and the bike moving in relationship to the mass of the earth); storing it as PE and releasing some of it as your KE state changes.
A damper transforms the unwanted KE/PE into thermal energy and spreads it to another media (air). A damper being adjusted up and down to transform more or less of that energy cannot correct a spring that does not have the capability of handling the energy input needed to be stored sufficiently. In the same token but on the opposite side, a spring that does not deflect because it stores and returns KE far to quickly will not allow the tire to track the surface of the road/track and no amount of increase/decrease in damper function is going to change that.
Spring first -> Dampen second
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My first suggestion is to change the fork springs. While the
NewGen's springs aren't as soft as those on the PreGen or 500, you're still looking at ~40% stiffer for your weight. This isn't a matter of you trying to tweak your spring rate up or down a notch to squeeze out a slightly faster lap, the stock springs are definitely sub-optimal for your weight. Going with 54% stiffer fork springs to match my weight, with absolutely no other changes, was the best thing I've done for my street bike.
The stock rear spring rate is actually pretty close for your weight according to
RaceTech's calculator. The shock is a simple, cheap unit but at least the spring is in the right neighborhood (unlike the fork springs). The '06 GSXR 600/750 springs are a closer match to your weight than any of the 1000 springs, so you'll probably want to swap the original spring back on it.
https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...02#post1023302 I'm actually using a stock NewGen shock in my 500 for the stiffer spring. Some day I'll get around to installing that Penske that's just been sitting here for nearly two years...
I have
Intiminators, and they do improve the damping. I feel they're a more advanced solution than Emulators, since they're actually replacing the fixed-orifice damping system with a shim stack like actual cartridge forks use. The inertia valve used on the "overflow" system is great on the street (since it opens when the wheel bumps up, but not when the chassis is pushing down). The Emulator's valve will open anytime the pressure in the fork exceeds the spring pressure, regardless of the source of that pressure. I sold my brand new Emulators to buy the Intiminators, so I don't have any firsthand experience to compare to the two. I see them like carbs vs. EFI. Carbs have been around for a long time and a lot of people have mastered the tricks for getting the results they want, whereas EFI offers a lot more potential for accuracy and precision, but not as many people know as much about working with it. But just to say it again, the fork springs were half the cost, easier to install, and helped more.
The fork springs are far enough off for your weight that I'd consider it fixing an incorrect part. Sure, the stock parts will function, but they're obviously not ideal. The other things I would consider tweaks to further improve the handling (and therefore not necessarily things that need to be done right away).