By finding the correct suspension set up for your motorcycle matching your individual riding style, lenght and weight, track/road conditions
your confidence level will improve. You will enjoy riding your motorcycle even more. Perhaps most importantly your confidence level and your motorcycle riding and handling skills
will simultaneously improve significantly. Todays motorcycles comes with advanced suspension systems. Unfortunately many riders do not
know how to set up the suspension correctly, and leave therefore the suspension settings on factory default values. While motorcycle
suspension systems are advanced on production bikes they do not offer all possible adjustments racing suspensions offer. Lust Racing produces
motorcycle suspension links that allows rising ("jack up kits" / "riser kits") or lowering of the the rear suspension ("lowering kits" or "drop kits"), with our
kits you get one important additional way to adjust your ride height and the handling characteristics of your motorcycle.
Bottoming
Bottoming happens when the front forks comes to the end of their travel when fully compressed. This might happen under heavy braking.
The front or rear suspension should not be allowed to "bottom" as the suspension movement comes to a sudden stop.
Compression dampning
The suspension dampening force preventing the rear shock absorber or front forks from compressing. This force is relative to the
velocity (speed) of the compression. A soft supension dampening setting will compress with a higher speed than a stiffer dampening setting.
Dampning, Dampning force
The dampning force of a suspension restricts the movement and is proportional to the velocity (speed) of the movement.
Dive
During heavy braking the front fork will compress due to the weight transfer. The term "dive" refers to the
horisontal movement of the bike. Typically when the front fork compresses the rear end rises up and the weight on the front wheel increases
while the weight on the rear wheel decreases.
Free sag
The free sag of a motorcycle suspension system refers to the compression of the suspension under the motorcycles own weight, without rider.
The free sag is the amount the suspension is compressed compared to the full length of the supension travel.
See also the related term "Sag" ("Rider sag")
Geometry
The term geometry refers here to a motorcycles overall geometry. A motorcycles geometry is a combination of rake, trail and ride-height that all
changes during suspension movements and interact with each other. See also "rake", "trail" and "ride height".
Packing
Packing is a term used to describe an undesired effect in suspension systems. Packing occures when a suspension system is set up with
excessive rebound dampning and thus prevents the front forks or rear shock absorber to extent to its full lenght.
When riding over a series of bumps the suspension "packs down" since the suspension does not extend fully between each bump.
A risk of suspension bottoming follows. To correct this issue, decrease rebound dampning.
Preload
The term preload describes the amount a spring is compressed from its free length when installed in a fork or shock absorber.
Preload is measured as the full free spring length before assembly reduced by the length of the compressed lenght of the spring when assembled.
Example: Free spring length 330 mm, Installed spring length 314 mm, Preload = 16 mm (330mm - 314mm). The preload can usually
both on the rear suspension and at the front forks.
Rake
The rake is the angle of the front steering head axis measured from a vertical axis. When a motorcycle manufacturer specifies
the rake of a specific model, it refers to the steering head axis angle measured from vertical of a stationary bike.
Note that the rake, trail and ride height alters during suspension movement.
Ride Height
The ride height is measured directly over the front or rear axle of a motorcycle. The term "ride height" when used without
specifying "front" or "rear" ride height, refers to the combination of these. The front ride height can easily be adjusted
by sliding the front fork tubes in the yokes (triple clamps), while the rear ride height can be changed by extending or reducing the length
of the rear suspension linkage. Lust Racing Ltd manufactures suspension links to allow adjustment of the rear ride height to improve
the geometry and handling characteristics of motorcycles, this allows riders to find their ideal motorcycle suspension set up.
Sag (or "Rider Sag")
Rider sag or just "sag" is the measurement of how much the suspension is compressed with the rider sitting on the motorcycle
in his/her normal riding position. The sag (rider sag) is the amount the suspension is compressed from fully extended with the rider
on the motorcycle. See also "free sag".
Spring rate
A motorcycle suspension springs stiffness, expressed in kg/mm, N/mm or lb/in.
Motorcycle springs can be replaced with stiffer springs. Replacing front springs requires dismantling of the front forks,
replacing rear springs requires dismantling of the rear shock absorber and special tools, and should only be conducted
by suspension specialists. Dismantling shock absorbers is dangerous without neccessary specialist tools.
Squat
Compression of the rear suspension as a reaction of weight transfer and/or chain pull. Squat occures especially usually under
rapid acceleration.
Topping
Topping is the he opposite of "bottoming". During topping the front fork or rear shock absorber extends fully.
Trail
Trail is the horisontal distance from the centre of the steering axis to the center of the front wheels/tyres contact point on the ground.
Weave
Instability of the rear of the motorcycle, a side ways movement of the rear end from one side to the other. Weaving is more gentle
than the related term "wobble" see below.
Wobble
Instability of the front end of the motorcycle, a very fast oscillation from side to side of the front end. The rider feels this in
the steering bars. Wobbling can be reduced by fitting a steering damper. If wobbling occures often it should be reduced
by reducing (lowering) the speed, untile the oscillating force reduces.
Motorcycle Ride height adjusters
Motorcycle Suspension
Motorcycle lowering kits
Motorcycle jack up kits
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