Who has stiffened up there suspension?

[Twisties]

The front preload adjuster seem to work just as shown in the owner's manual. The rear preload adjusters seem to be different animals. The manual suggests 6 levels of adjustment and seems to show a scale like on the front. Mine has 41 clicks (detents) of adjustment each occurring after one half turn of the knob. 20-21 turns of adjustment. The knob does not appear to screw in or out as it is adjusted.

My fronts were set at about 4.5 and I measured 1 3/8" static sag with a touring load and myself, about 360 lbs total. I backed them out to 5.

Don't know where the rears were to start, but I had put 5 or 6 clicks onto them when I mounted the touring load. They came in at 2.5" sag, which is just about right for that load I think. I need to find my baseline setting for unloaded riding.

 

[Twisties]

::010:: ::010:: ::010:: ::010:: ::010::

Oh, there is the scale, up inside on the shock. 6 graduations marked.

 

[Bill310]

but this guy is way out on the ends of the range for stock springs.

But yeah, even though I have the full Ohlins set up on my R1's, I'm quite sure Ben Spies could smoke me on a racetrack on a stock 1999

Thank you for seeing the " bigger " issue. For those of us outside the 85th percentile the stock suspension will not perform as well as Yamaha intended the bike to handle.

Riders can be outside that percentile mark either by way of physical size, where they are going to ride or their riding skills and sometime it is a combination of all three.

I am pretty certain if Jason hops on my bike he is going to like the way it handles and a rider at 190 pounds is going to find it way too stiff.

 

[20valves]

I just got back from a little fully loaded practice run with the suspenders firmed up to handle the extra weight and the bike continues to impress. Still a manageable package for gravel and dirt roads and mild climbing and off road situations even with the extra weight. It's not the prettiest thing in the garage but its looks really telegraph its purpose and in that way, it's a great looking bike. I am really glad I got this thing. 8)