March 18th, 2018, 08:15 PM | #1 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: TC
Location: Hawaii
Join Date: Sep 2013 Motorcycle(s): A lot. Posts: A lot.
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Raising the front forks in the clamps?
Seeing as I switched to clip-ons, I suddenly had the option to raise the front forks in the triple clamps. I decided to do it, and found threads about how 24mm is the optimal height.
After riding for 100 miles or so, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, the bike feels a little easier to ride at slow speed and turn the bars lock-to-lock at parking lot speed. On the other hand, I really feel all of my weight located further forward on my wrists. It's a little uncomfortable. What's the deal with this adjustment? Raising the forks would increase the rake and make the forks closer to vertical. Why do people do this and what's the real benefit? Probably a stupid question but I'd like to learn. Thanks guys!
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Just batshit crazy. All his posts are endless diatribes. Some are actually entertaining but mostly batshit crazy. |
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March 19th, 2018, 04:54 AM | #2 |
CCS Amateur #501
Name: Dave
Location: Iowa
Join Date: Jun 2015 Motorcycle(s): '09 250 SE 'Booger' Posts: 406
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Its a way to adjust your bikes trail. Raising the tubes in the triple clamps reduces the amount of trail. This makes steering more responsive, makes the bike want to fall more into the corners, increases the tendency to headshake. I find myself making the opposite adjustment as my bike with me on it would otherwise tend to fall into corners. Im on the track though so hanging off and leaning more than the street.
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March 19th, 2018, 07:49 AM | #3 |
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Trail is self-centering action of front-end. It's like caster front wheels on shopping-cart, it'll automatically aim wheel in direction of travel. The more trail you have, the stronger the self-centering torque on steering.
By lowering front-end, you make fork-rake steeper and reduce trail. Stock 250 has about 84mm trail, which I think is very short and makes the bike responsive as is. I don't think making it even more responsive has measureable benefits. It won't get me faster lap-times at track, but makes causes stability issues as Dave pointed out. My CBR600RR has 95mm trail in comparison and doesn't feel as responsive at low-speeds. However, at 100mph, it's much more stable than Ninjette. |
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April 2nd, 2018, 02:15 PM | #4 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: bruce
Location: northern illinois
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Race bikes:08 Ninja 250,11 R6,16 ZX6,SV650.3 HD-1947,2-2003,2010. 1946 Indian and a lot of dirt bikes.2 Posts: 999
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This is just a FYI story.
I was coaching a rider, on a Ninja250, recently, he claimed he was at the limit of traction as far as the front end was concerned. I encouraged him to push harder and in doing so he lost the front end and low sided. He asked me to go over his suspension and set it up as mine was. I did this for him and in the next session he knocked 2 seconds off his lap time, this was the first time out after his crash on a track we had been running for 2 days. I set fork protrussion at 25mm measured at the gap in the tripple. |
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April 3rd, 2018, 01:45 PM | #5 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: AKA JacRyann
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Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot.
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So did you lower or raise fork-tubes in triple-clamps on his bike?
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April 5th, 2018, 10:47 AM | #6 | |
Board Member
Name: ...
Location: WI
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250R (street), 250R (dirt) Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
What is your shock length, eye-to-eye? Fork height: 25mm above triple Tires? Size? |
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April 5th, 2018, 11:19 AM | #7 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: bruce
Location: northern illinois
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Race bikes:08 Ninja 250,11 R6,16 ZX6,SV650.3 HD-1947,2-2003,2010. 1946 Indian and a lot of dirt bikes.2 Posts: 999
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April 5th, 2018, 11:21 AM | #8 | |
ninjette.org sage
Name: bruce
Location: northern illinois
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Race bikes:08 Ninja 250,11 R6,16 ZX6,SV650.3 HD-1947,2-2003,2010. 1946 Indian and a lot of dirt bikes.2 Posts: 999
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Quote:
110-140 Pirelli tires. |
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April 5th, 2018, 11:47 AM | #9 |
Board Member
Name: ...
Location: WI
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250R (street), 250R (dirt) Posts: A lot.
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I was given the below from Ed Sorbo (Lindemann Engineering):
Stock shock length: 320mm Recommended length: 324mm Stock fork height: 12mm above triple Recommended height: tube flush with triple Tires:Pirelli Diablo Rosso II Front: 110/70 Rear: 140/70 I currently have a 120 front and feel like their is not enough weight up front. I will be going back to a 110 front. |
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April 5th, 2018, 01:04 PM | #10 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: AKA JacRyann
Location: Mesa, AZ
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot.
MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17
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April 5th, 2018, 07:57 PM | #11 |
Track Clown
Name: Chris
Location: Kingman, AZ
Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R, 21 MV F3 800, Kawasaki 400 build Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Sep '15
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so are you saying you have 25mm tube showing?
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April 10th, 2018, 05:24 PM | #12 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: bruce
Location: northern illinois
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Race bikes:08 Ninja 250,11 R6,16 ZX6,SV650.3 HD-1947,2-2003,2010. 1946 Indian and a lot of dirt bikes.2 Posts: 999
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2 things, it reduces trail or as some call it, the chopper affect making it turn quicker, and it tilts more weight onto the front tire. Reducing the trail also makes it a little more twitchy in a straight line. @ seconds is huge with one small adjustment but it gave him the feel and feedback to increase his corner speed.
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April 10th, 2018, 05:24 PM | #13 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: bruce
Location: northern illinois
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Race bikes:08 Ninja 250,11 R6,16 ZX6,SV650.3 HD-1947,2-2003,2010. 1946 Indian and a lot of dirt bikes.2 Posts: 999
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April 12th, 2018, 02:55 PM | #14 | |
ninjette.org sage
Name: bruce
Location: northern illinois
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Race bikes:08 Ninja 250,11 R6,16 ZX6,SV650.3 HD-1947,2-2003,2010. 1946 Indian and a lot of dirt bikes.2 Posts: 999
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Quote:
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April 12th, 2018, 03:07 PM | #15 |
Board Member
Name: ...
Location: WI
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250R (street), 250R (dirt) Posts: A lot.
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So....stock length is 325mm On the 250? Is that what you you set yours too?
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April 12th, 2018, 03:30 PM | #16 |
Board Member
Name: ...
Location: WI
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250R (street), 250R (dirt) Posts: A lot.
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I found a variety of spots, including the below stating that the stock length is 320mm.
https://www.solomotoparts.com/Ohlins...ja-250R-09-11/ However, I then found this article that would suggest the length is only 315mm. https://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Instal...k_on_a_Classic I tossed my stock shock, otherwise I would have measured it. Does anyone have one they could measure? If Ed truly has me at 9mm longer than stock, I could see why my forks are so low... Last futzed with by mgentz; April 12th, 2018 at 06:19 PM. |
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April 15th, 2018, 08:26 PM | #17 | |
ninjette.org sage
Name: bruce
Location: northern illinois
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Race bikes:08 Ninja 250,11 R6,16 ZX6,SV650.3 HD-1947,2-2003,2010. 1946 Indian and a lot of dirt bikes.2 Posts: 999
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Quote:
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April 16th, 2018, 03:56 AM | #18 |
Board Member
Name: ...
Location: WI
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250R (street), 250R (dirt) Posts: A lot.
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Cool. Stock is 320mm. Had it confirmed by another member here. Thank you for all the help and information.
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April 20th, 2018, 10:36 AM | #19 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: bruce
Location: northern illinois
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Race bikes:08 Ninja 250,11 R6,16 ZX6,SV650.3 HD-1947,2-2003,2010. 1946 Indian and a lot of dirt bikes.2 Posts: 999
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as you can see the front is pretty low on the brakes. This is my son last weekend at CMP I coulndt catch him!
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1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
April 20th, 2018, 10:45 AM | #20 |
Board Member
Name: ...
Location: WI
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250R (street), 250R (dirt) Posts: A lot.
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crazy. I adjusted mine to 325mm rear and 12mm showing up front. I'll see how she feels and go from there. I will be switching to a 110 front as well.
Maybe I'll see you guys at Road America in a month! Still not sure how to introduce myself though.. "Hey I know you from the Internet" sounds stalker crazy. |
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