Juan, I can understand your confusion. Let me see if I can convert the strategy above into a procedure. It might be more understandable that way. We'll see.
How to tune Super Tenere Suspension:
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[*]Adjust preload front and rear to set sag per other excellent articles on this forum. This will assure the best use of suspension travel. If you can't set the proper sag you will have to compromise or get different springs.
[*]Record current settings (so you can return to your current setup if this procedure doesn't work for you):
Tighten to the stops (hardest setting) all damping adjustment screws, record the number of clicks as you tighten each adjustment:
1 rebound damping adjustment dial on the bottom of the rear shock assembly
2 rebound damping adjustment screws, one on the top of each fork
2 compression damping adjustment screws, one near the bottom of each fork
Note: when you make these adjustments think of tightening a screw INTO the shock.
- As you tighten the screw you are hardening the damping.
- As you loosen the screw you are softening the damping.
[*]Back out all damping adjustments to the softest setting:
Unscrew the damping adjustments to the following values:
1 rear rebound damping dial - unscrew 20 clicks to softest setting
2 front rebound damping adjuster screw - unscrew 10 clicks to softest setting
2 front compression damping adjuster screw - unscrew 13 clicks to softest setting
[*]Take a ride. Take a screw diver along.
Go slow at first because your motorcycle will bounce, porpoise, and wallow.
Make adjustments as needed per steps 5 and 6 below.
Note:
- The number of clicks on the fork rebound damping adjustment screws should always be the same on the left and right.
- The number of clicks on the fork compression damping adjustment screws should always be the same on the left and right.
[*]Adjust rebound damping harder on front or rear as needed to stop bouncing, porpoising, and wallowing. Increase rebound hardness only one click at a time, and only on the front or the rear, then test. As the ride smooths out from adjustments increase your speed and find bumpier roads to test. The trick is to figure out which wheel (front or rear) is bouncing and needs adjusting.
[*]If you bottom out the front forks:
- Adjust front fork compression damping one click harder.
- Adjust front fork rebound damping two clicks softer.
- Then go back to step 5.
[*]When you have achieved the ride you want record all damping and preload settings.
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You will have to increase the rear preload and adjust the rear rebound damping harder as you add weight to the rear (pillion, luggage, or both). A good starting place is to adjust damping for the rider alone, set sag for the new load by adjusting preload on the rear, then go to step 5 above. I did not have to adjust the front preload and damping once they were set. But I don't add weight to the front (no tank bag or crash bar bags). Record all damping and preload settings for each situation you make adjustments for (for example: rider, rider and luggage, rider and pillion, rider and pillion and luggage).
Remember, you aren't adjusting just any old suspension. You are adjusting the suspension on your bike for you to ride. Your final adjustments are likely to be different than mine.
Once you get a good suspension setup I found that the ride is fantastic - the bike feels like it's almost floating over most roads/terrain.
Have fun experimenting with this...