Front jumping up and down- what to adjust?
Discussion
Very badly out of balance? Try lifting front end and might have to take calipers off, but spin the wheeel, mark the bottom with chalk, spin again, mark bottom, do this a few times and see if its aways stopping at same point (or just take it to tyre-fitters and get them to check it). I would start there then set all suspension settings to middle of adjustment range and take it out and see if issue remains? Deffo start with wheel balance tho, and also check it on a variety of roads, just incase its that bit of road thats causing it. Good luck!
Hugo Stiglitz said:
Vstrom 1000/1050 and generally any speed. It can be a smooth motorway or urban 40
it does sound like there is something abit more amiss that adjustment, but try winding up the rebound, this may help. but if you are avarage weight and its set about middle then it shouldnt be doing it, but it also may be also to much preload to or bump on the damper, basicly set everything to middle and see what happens, if its no different then you have a problem with something, and then adjust one thing at a time and have a ride to learn what difference things it make, do the same for front and rear. either that or go to a suspension specialist.I think we need way more detail to be able to properly diagnose.
Is it more/less or consistent at different speeds?
How big are the "jumps"?
Are they a consistent frequency and amplitude or do they increase/decrease?
Does it happen on flat smooth tarmac or on bumpy roads? Or both?
Does it coincide with braking/acceleration?
"Jumping" is not a description I've ever heard in relation to a requirement for suspension adjustment. It could, however, be used for wheel balance or very shagged bearings.
Is it more/less or consistent at different speeds?
How big are the "jumps"?
Are they a consistent frequency and amplitude or do they increase/decrease?
Does it happen on flat smooth tarmac or on bumpy roads? Or both?
Does it coincide with braking/acceleration?
"Jumping" is not a description I've ever heard in relation to a requirement for suspension adjustment. It could, however, be used for wheel balance or very shagged bearings.
If its happnenning on smooth roads (as stated by Hugo), i would first be looking at wheel-balance/tyre pressures - there would be little to cause suspension to be doing this on a smooth road. Then set all suspension settings to mid-range and take it from there on the same roads that it has been occurring on.
Hugo Stiglitz said:
Front/rear 32/39 (I always run 33/36)
Left fork was 7 more clicks than right. I've set both 5 in from -.
It's night and day.
I'll also still get the balancing checked.
That wouldn't have helped Left fork was 7 more clicks than right. I've set both 5 in from -.
It's night and day.
I'll also still get the balancing checked.

It sound like the PO was the kind of random twiddler who shouldn't be allowed tools.
Set everything back to standard as per the handbook, the forks have preload, compression (at the bottom) and rebound (at the top), the shock has preload and rebound.
Tyres should be 36 & 42, the front rebound and compression is 8 clicks out from fully in, I can't remeber the preload or rear settings.
I've only had my vstrom for a few weeks and am still in the twiddle and untwiddle stage, although standard might actually be best for me.
I sold a lad a KTM with fully adjustable suspension a few weeks ago
He asked me if I'd set it up for him, I said I'd just set it to the factory settings that he should read the manual and have a play from there but I'd help if required
He bought it back and said he'd had a play with the forks and was much happier - on further discussion he'd only fiddled with the rebound and was unaware of the other two settings - he confessed he hadn't even opened the f****** manual

He asked me if I'd set it up for him, I said I'd just set it to the factory settings that he should read the manual and have a play from there but I'd help if required
He bought it back and said he'd had a play with the forks and was much happier - on further discussion he'd only fiddled with the rebound and was unaware of the other two settings - he confessed he hadn't even opened the f****** manual

KTMsm said:
I sold a lad a KTM with fully adjustable suspension a few weeks ago
He asked me if I'd set it up for him, I said I'd just set it to the factory settings that he should read the manual and have a play from there but I'd help if required
He bought it back and said he'd had a play with the forks and was much happier - on further discussion he'd only fiddled with the rebound and was unaware of the other two settings - he confessed he hadn't even opened the f****** manual

I can feel differences in tyre and psi but fork settings? Nope. Hence twiddle here twiddle there, get bored. Forget. Twiddle..He asked me if I'd set it up for him, I said I'd just set it to the factory settings that he should read the manual and have a play from there but I'd help if required
He bought it back and said he'd had a play with the forks and was much happier - on further discussion he'd only fiddled with the rebound and was unaware of the other two settings - he confessed he hadn't even opened the f****** manual

Im guessing the bike was OK, then this occurred suddenly?
What changes have been made that could cause this - im guessing that if the previous owner had mis-set the suspension, the issue would have been present the whole time, so something has changed during your ownership to cause this?
Simplest thing would be something like a balance-weight being knocked off whilst cleaning or something, causing wheel to be out-of-balance.
Like previous posters have said, if tyre pressure had been set way too high then that could contribute to being overly bouncy, but you have checked pressures and ruled that out.
I would think that adjusting the suspension settings might help, but deffo start with balance and work back from there.
Let us know how you get on.
What changes have been made that could cause this - im guessing that if the previous owner had mis-set the suspension, the issue would have been present the whole time, so something has changed during your ownership to cause this?
Simplest thing would be something like a balance-weight being knocked off whilst cleaning or something, causing wheel to be out-of-balance.
Like previous posters have said, if tyre pressure had been set way too high then that could contribute to being overly bouncy, but you have checked pressures and ruled that out.
I would think that adjusting the suspension settings might help, but deffo start with balance and work back from there.
Let us know how you get on.
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