For those of you new to motorcycle ownership, you might be wondering why motorcycle sag adjustment is such an important topic. Sag is the amount the suspension compresses under the weight of a given rider and directly affects handling and suspension performance. This is a simple adjustment that anyone can make, simply grab a friend and a tape measure or get a purpose built sag tool like the Slacker Digital Suspension Tuner. To keep track of all your settings you can also use and app like Service Assistant so everything stays organized and safe.
When you set up motorcycle suspension, the smallest difference in sag will significantly affect your bikes handling. Having the right suspension settings ensures that your bike has the right posture, giving you a fun, fast and safe ride. The correct sag settings affect all aspects of motorcycle riding:
• Performance – The right sag settings will allow the bike to turn well, handle well in the choppy stuff, keep the power to the ground when exiting turns and give you an overall predictable response across a variety of conditions. When properly setup, the motorcycle suspension will settle properly in the turns, be more stable in the chop and give you positive, predictable performance in whoops, on jump faces, braking bumps etc. When properly setup the bike will calm down and become much more settled inspiring confidence in the rider.
• Safety – As mentioned previously, the correct sag settings ensure that your bike is setup specifically for you according to the manufacturers’ specifications. If the sag is off, the bikes handling will suffer dramatically and the bike will become unpredictable. You will also develop bad habits as you compensate for poor handling. With the correct sag settings, you’re able to handle the track with ease, allowing you not only better handling, but more control over your bike, better endurance and therefore more safety.
• Fun – Face it- from casual rider to pro we all ride to have fun! Proper suspension setup allows you to have more fun on your motorcycle. A properly setup bike will allow you to ride harder for longer since you don’t waste energy fighting the bike. When the bike is fun, you ride more and become a better rider. Half the game is mental so enjoying the experience is critical during practice, racing and training.
Setting your sag correctly is a critical part of setting up your bike for your weight and ability!
