HOW TO ADJUST MOTORCYCLE SHOCKS - TAILOR THE SUSPENSION TO YOUR WEIGHT

Why adjust the suspension on a motorcycle?

A motorcycle’s suspension isn’t just about comfort; it plays a critical role in handling, stability, traction, braking, and safety. By helping the front forks and rear shock absorbers keep the tires in contact with the road, a well-adjusted suspension makes the bike easier to control when accelerating, braking, and cornering. If the suspension isn’t properly adjusted, the tires can lose grip over bumps or dips, making the ride less comfortable and potentially compromising your safety.

Motorcycles typically come with suspension settings designed for the “average” rider, but those settings may not suit everyone. By adjusting the suspension to match your weight, riding style, and load, you can improve performance and achieve a ride that feels anything but average.

Understanding your motorcycle's suspension

Before adjusting your motorcycle’s suspension, it helps to understand how it works. Knowing the basics will make it easier to fine-tune your setup with confidence. Let’s start with the essentials of suspension adjustment.

1. Sag refers to how much the suspension compresses when the bike is in use. In simple terms, it’s how much the bike “sinks” when you first mount it. There are two types of sag: Free sag is the amount the suspension compresses under the bike’s own weight, without a rider. Rider sag is the amount the suspension compresses when you sit on the bike, in full gear.
   • Free sag is the amount the suspension compresses under the bike’s own weight, without a rider.
   • Rider sag is the amount the suspension compresses when you sit on the bike, in full gear.

2. Preload concerns how much the suspension spring is squeezed or compressed when fully extended (without any extra weight on it). If you add more preload, the bike will sit higher, and it will take more force to push the spring down. Less preload will make the bike sit lower and closer to the bottom of its suspension travel. Preload helps us to adjust the sag and control how the bike handles.

3. Damping controls how the suspension moves as it compresses and rebounds. Imagine jumping on a trampoline—if you bounce too much, it can feel uncomfortable and unstable. The same principle applies to a motorcycle. Its damping system manages how quickly the suspension moves up and down, helping keep the ride controlled. There are two main types of damping:
   • Compression damping controls how quickly the suspension compresses when you hit a bump.
   • Rebound damping controls how fast the suspension extends after hitting a bump.

4. Spring rate is the stiffness of the suspension spring. It tells you how much force is needed to compress the spring by a certain amount. To achieve the best possible ride, the spring has to be stiff enough to avoid bottoming out (hitting the end of its travel), but soft enough to absorb bumps.

How to adjust motorcycle shocks and other suspension components

Now that you understand the basics of how your bike’s suspension works, let’s go through how to adjust the shocks and other components to suit your riding needs.

1. Check your motorcycle

Before making any adjustments, make sure your suspension components are in good condition. Check the seals for leaks and replace them if needed, ensure the bearings are properly lubricated, and change the fork oil if it’s been a while. It’s also worth checking your tires and steering bearings, as any issues here can affect your suspension setup. 

To set up your suspension, you’ll need:

• Your motorcycle

• A fully geared rider (you)

• Someone to help you take measurements

• A pen and paper

• A tape measure (preferably in metric)

• A preload adjustment tool, also known as a C-spanner

• Your bike’s manual

• Additional tools, such as spanners and Allen keys

If you have a wheel chock, you can do the adjustments anywhere. Otherwise, work next to a bench or wall to help you stay upright while taking measurements.

2. Adjust the front suspension for your weight

Adjusting the front suspension to suit your weight is the gateway to better handling and comfort. Here’s how to measure and calculate front sag:

1. Lift the front wheel: Use the side or center stand to lift the front of the bike off the ground. Measure the exposed part of the fork, which moves in and out, and write down the measurement as L1.

2. Measure with the rider on the bike: With the rider seated in full gear, push down on the front and let it rise slowly. Measure the exposed fork again and record this as L2.

3. Measure with the rider off the bike: Lift the front of the bike, then lower it back to the ground. Push down on the front, let it rise, and measure the exposed fork again. Record this as L3.

4. Calculate sag: Find the average of L2 and L3 using this formula: (L2 + L3) / 2. Then subtract that average from L1 to calculate the sag.

3. Adjust front fork preload

If your sag falls outside the ideal range, around 30-40 mm for sport riding, adjust the preload according to your bike’s manual. Increasing preload will make the bike sit higher, while reducing preload will make the bike sit lower. Repeat the measurement steps until you reach the correct sag.

4. Adjust the rear shock for your weight

1. Lift the rear wheel: Use the side or center stand to lift the rear of the bike off the ground. Measure the distance from the rear axle to a fixed point directly above it, such as the subframe. Record this as L1.

2. Measure with the rider on the bike: In full gear, have the rider sit on the bike and let it settle. Measure the distance again from the rear axle to the same fixed point. This is L2.

3. Measure with the rider off the bike: Lift the rear of the bike, then lower it back to the ground. Push down and let it rise before measuring again between the points used in Steps 1 and 2. Write this down as L3.

4. Calculate sag: As with the front suspension, subtract the average of L2 and L3 from L1 to find your rear sag.

Learn how to install shocks on your motorcycle

5. Adjust rear shock preload

Wondering how to adjust the preload on your motorcycle's rear shocks? If your rear sag is outside the ideal range (25-40 mm, depending on your riding style), adjust the preload on the rear shock. More preload means less sag, and less preload means more sag. Keep adjusting until you reach the right sag.

6. Adjust suspension damping

After setting the preload, it’s time to adjust the damping. This controls how quickly the suspension moves when hitting bumps.

1. Check your bike’s manual for instructions on how to adjust the damping. Typically, you'll find adjusters on the front forks or rear shock. On the front forks, damping adjusters are commonly found at the top or bottom of the fork legs, depending on whether they control compression or rebound. On the rear, damping is usually adjusted directly on the shock or with a remote dial, depending on the bike's design.

2. Turn the adjusters to change the damping. You’ll commonly feel “clicks” as you turn them, which makes it easier to track your settings. Turning the adjusters inward makes the suspension stiffer and slows its movement, while turning them outward makes it softer and allows it to move faster.

3. Test ride the bike and make notes about how it handles. Adjust the damping slightly and keep testing until you’re happy with how the bike feels.

Adjusting for a passenger

If you ride with a passenger, the extra weight changes how the suspension behaves. You’ll need to adjust both front and rear sag for the added weight.

1. Follow the same process for adjusting sag, but with both the rider and passenger fully geared up.

2. Adjust the preload on the front and rear until you get the correct sag for both the rider and passenger.

NOTE: Depending on how much extra weight you put on the bike, you may not be able to achieve the correct sag with the mounted spring. In that case, you’ll need to change to a different spring.

Once you’ve made these adjustments, take the bike for a test ride. If necessary, adjust the damping further for optimal ride and handling.

8 common pitfalls and misconceptions when adjusting suspension

It’s easy to make mistakes along the way, especially as a beginner. Below, we’ll cover some common pitfalls and misconceptions that many riders face when tuning their suspension.

1. Misunderstanding what preload does

A common mistake is thinking that adding preload makes the spring stiffer—it doesn't. Preload just changes how much force is needed to initiate compression. It also adjusts the ride height. Another mistake is using too much preload to make up for a spring that’s too soft for your weight, instead of getting the right spring for you. Our product specialists refer to this as the “preload trap.”

2. Ignoring sag

Not measuring or setting the sag correctly is a big oversight. If you skip this step, the suspension won’t work as it should, and your ride may feel “off.”

3. Incorrect damping adjustments

Sometimes riders try to fix problems like bottoming out (often caused by incorrect sag or soft springs) by cranking up the compression damping. This makes the ride harsher, without getting to the real root of the problem.

4. Making too many adjustments at once

Changing several settings at once without testing each one only leads to confusion and inconsistent results. It’s always better to make small, incremental changes and test them as you go.

5. “Over-damping”

Setting the compression or rebound damping too high (too stiff or slow) results in a rough ride, poor bump absorption, and reduced traction. It can also make the bike feel less responsive.

6. “Under-damping”

Setting the damping too low (too soft or fast) can cause a bouncy, uncontrolled ride, leading to instability and preventable bottom-outs.

7. Using generic settings

Relying on factory settings alone, without considering your weight, load, or riding style, can seriously stunt your bike’s performance.

8. Forgetting load changes

If you adjust your suspension for a passenger or heavy cargo, but often ride solo, the bike will feel too stiff and uncomfortable. Be sure to adjust your settings based on your current load.

Explore the advantages of premium suspension from Öhlins

Öhlins offers a range of suspension products, including shock absorbers, front forks, steering dampers, and cartridge kits, all designed to suit different riding styles and performance needs. Choosing the right Öhlins suspension for your bike means understanding your motorcycle type and your performance, handling, and comfort preferences.

Each Öhlins product undergoes extensive testing in both laboratory settings and real-world riding conditions. Explore our range of products for Motorcycle, Automotive, Bicycle and Powersports to see what we offer for your ride.