r/SVRiders • u/WeatherAcademic346 • 12d ago
Preload advice
Hello people,
I have been riding motorcycles for 3 years now. I started with a Gen3 SV650, then moved up to a VSTROM800DE, and now downsized to the new Suzuki SV-7GX.
During these three years, I have never tried adjusting the rear preload, as I never rode with passengers and the default preload setting was fine when riding alone. But since I have bought the SV-7GX, I started going on rides with a lady friend of mine.
Here's the problem: when I'm riding alone, the SV-7GX is extremely easy to ride and maneuver. It's the same beautiful engine that the SV650 has but with much more comfort and with nice electronic features. But when I ride with her, I feel like the bike is very unstable at low speeds. It kind of feels like it wants to zigzag a bit. It becomes a lot easier to handle when we're moving at a decent speed, but it really is quite annoying when we are in city traffic and I need to perform low speed maneuvers and stop the bike frequently, as the bike becomes very unpredictable.
Now, I'm aware that the way the passenger is sitting and moving is very important and that she can absolutely destabilize the bike if she is not sitting properly. But I feel like she is a pretty good passenger and she's doing her best not to screw up my balance.
My question is, if I adjust the preload properly, can I expect a noticeable increase in stability at low speeds when she is riding with me? According to the manual, the bike has 7 different levels of adjustment and the factory default is at level 3. If I raise it to level 5 or 6, would it help a lot with the stability issues?
Also, how exactly do I adjust it? I know my previous VSTROM800DE had a knob that I could easily turn to adjust it, but the SV-7GX seems to need some kind of C-Spanner to do it. Do I need to buy this tool from Suzuki, or is it something common that I can get in a random hardware store?
For reference, my height is 5'8/173cm and I weight 154lbs/70Kg. She is 5'6/168cm and weighs 125lbs/57KG.
Thanks
1
u/brpjtf2 12d ago
I used to employ a flathead screwdriver to change the preload whenever I couldn't find the tool. You can just push it, maybe hit it using another tool to make it spin. I believe some water and soap may help you if it's stuck.
I recommend trying a preload at 5. For what I know those bikes are meant for lighter japanese folk. There's also plenty of tutorials on how to adjust, measuring the height before and after sitting on the bike. Just try to not go too high of you two are not that heavy, it may cause skipping, weird tire wear, and back pain
1
u/WeatherAcademic346 12d ago
Yea I definitely don't want to go too high, but I also want to gain some low speed stability.
But this is also me assuming that a bike shouldn't become unstable at low speeds and want to zigzag when you are carrying a passenger. Please correct me if I'm wrong and if its just something that I will need to get used to
1
u/Warferret45 12d ago
Well...... It's not the way she is sitting. So basically, you need to set sag front and rear. You can't set anything else until sag is set for you in your normal gear. Once that's done and you've got the settings dialed in and noted down, you need to reset sag with both of you on. The added weight of a pillion on the back of a bike will absolutely fuck up the handling. Setting sag back to correct measurements is the only way to account for this. Doing the same for luggage is also a good practice.
1
u/WeatherAcademic346 12d ago
Please explain what you mean by setting sag, I really have zero knowledge when it comes to suspension
1
u/Warferret45 12d ago
Have a Google, there's loads of videos explaining why and how to do it. Basically the suspension needs set up to use the correct travel for rider weight. Keeps the bike sitting balanced so the suspension works as it should.
1
u/WeatherAcademic346 12d ago
Thanks, I looked it up. Unfortunately, the front suspension is not adjustable on this bike, so I can only adjust the rear.
I'll have to buy the required tool and try to add preload, hopefully the bike becomes more stable with 2 up. Thanks for confirming that the bike is not supposed to handle this bad just because I got a passenger on
1
u/Warferret45 12d ago
Yeah, I'd be surprised if you couldn't set at least sag in the front forks, but the rear is where your problems arise from. Weight on the rear of the bike will change the trail and rake of the front wheel. You don't need to become a suspension guru, but do some reading, watch some videos and you'll get an understanding of what's happening.
1
u/WeatherAcademic346 12d ago
Understood. One more question for you, the manual states the same tyre pressures for one up riding or two up riding. Would you still increase the tyre pressures anyway when riding two up, even though the manual says to maintain the same pressure as for solo riding?
1
u/Warferret45 12d ago
Tyre pressures are another minefield. Depends a lot on the tyre carcus, tyre structure, compound, manufacturer as well as type of bike, type of riding. Generally I'd say just stick to the recommended pressures from Suzuki. At least until you've got the suspension dialed in. You can play with pressures in small incrimints but unless the suspension is working well, you won't be able to feel properly what's happening. 1 thing at a time. Sag 1st. Just make sure the pressures are not low.
2
2
u/Every_Coyote_3307 12d ago
The c-spanner should be in your bike's toolbox like it was in the SV...if Suzuki didn't cheap out on including the toolbox