How to adjust rear suspension on an F800

Japanese Showa on a German bike? Try Sachs.

Wow, this is shocking (no pun intended) that we're STILL talking about this.:huh:eek1

I know the effen manual explains it shitty. That's not the point. The point is that I've explained multiple times how it works, and somehow some way you guys are still not getting it.

Again, these drawing are correct, heed them and you will be hardening and softening damping correctly:






What the manual means (and I know that it does a crap job of explaining it) is to turn the screw in the direction that the arrow points to the H for HARDER damping, and to turn the screw in the direction that the arrow point to the S for SOFTER damping. Hence, CLOCKWISE for HARDER damping, and COUNTERCLOCKWISE for SOFTER damping. In other words, all the way OUT for softest damping, and all the way IN for hardest damping.

This is how it is. Period. This is why this Sachs shock has arrows below the screw pointing in the direction you should turn the screw in order to harden or soften damping. Yes, I know the arrows are below the screw, whooptie freakin' doo. If you heed the arrows, even though they are below the screw, you'll be adjusting damping correctly.

Shouldn't have said Showa. Knew it was Sachs!

In my defense, I pulled it from here without thinking about it:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/firstrides/122_0806_bmw_f800gs_first_ride/bmw_specs.html

"They" wrote Showa in their review, and I copied it without engaging the brain.

Firstly, you're hilarious.

Secondly, NO clockwise is not softer. clockwise is harder. What they're doing in the manual is making it ALL THE WAY hard by turn the screw in all the way clockwise, then BACKING IT OUT 1.5 turns, softening it up by 1.5 turns in order the match the spring preload setting for an 85kg rider.

Now who needs to "read carefully"?


All you need to do is follow the arrows, and the arrows ARE NOT on top of the screw. They are below it. Therefore, the arrows pointing out the direction you need to turn apply to the bottom side of the screw head. NOT the top side of the screw head.

PS, if you don't want to believe me ask ANY BMW tech, they'll tell you the same:

Clockwise is harder, counterclockwise is softer.

Also, on EVERY damping setting on every motorcycle I've owned or seen, whether it be compression or rebound damping, clockwise is harder and counterclockwise is softer. This is also true for the damping on this Sachs rear shock in the F800GS.

Seriously, can someone else help me out here?

I give up.

.......now can someone please explain this......... :?

Is it just me, or does any one else worry about how some people rely so much on the internet to solve simple problems?
In olden times, a person would just go out to the garage, crank it to the right and bounce it, crank to the left and do it again. The answer is obvious.

I know, right?!

Well, to try and help settle this, I've pulled out my trusty Racetech Suspension Bible:



The reason that the damping setting on suspension components are adjusted as CLOCKWISE for HARDER and COUNTERCLOCKWISE for SOFTER is how the components themselves are designed. Firstly, there are high speed compression and rebound damping piston stacks inside most mx/off road/dual sport forks and rear shocks. These high speed damping piston valve stacks are typically not externally adjustable. So if you want to make changes to them, usually it requires opening up the forks and doing a piston valve stack re-valve/re-shim. However, what the "clicker" adjuster screws ARE connected to are needle valve type low speed compression and rebound damping circuits. These adjustable needle valves aid in allowing riders to externally adjust how fast the suspension oil flows through the valve from one chamber to the other, giving us some adjustability.

My second observation of the generational difference. If I post an opinion, observation or advice and some one disagrees. I will not argue to my last breath, just to prove I am right. That person's opinion has no effect on me, in other words I don't care.

Is everyone clear on how to adjust the rear suspension now? Maybe it would be a lot easier if it was non-adjustable like the front!
I just wish I still weighed 85 kg.

That's cool, but I am a firm believer in making sure that correct information exists on this forum. Many people come to AdvRider and the bike specific sub-forums for helpful correct information. I aim to make sure that is the case.

When I first started coming to this bike-specific forum two and a half years ago, one of the more annoying things was how much BS and false opinion I had to wade through just find the factual answer about something very simple. ie "how do you adjust the damping setting on the rear shock of the F800GS?" Many people come here looking for help and fact. In fact, that is the main reason. I can only imagine that there are many many newbs that feel the same way that I felt, so hopefully people will appreciate what I'm trying to do in this bike-specific forum.

We can be done when people stop refuting the fact that clockwise makes damping harder and counterclockwise makes damping softer on this Sachs F800GS rear shock, regardless of how crappily the manual explains it.

Sorry, I just have not seen the improvement.

One can only do his best. David vs Goliath.

Maybe you are trying convince people with digital clocks!

Nope, definitely analog!

As I started it I can say that Griz convinced me on the fact that clockwise will harden the rebound and counter-clockwise will soften it.

Having said this, thefactremains that the manual does a crappy job at explaining this, which is why I asked. A curved arrow (like the ones Griz drew for us) or a clockwise/counter-clockwise indication (instead of right/left) would have been much better and avoided my question/doubt.

Looking at the English version of the manual: there is room for improvement in explaining things. (understatement)

I have the Dutch version of the manual, and it's all pretty clear there. So I guess our German friends got lost in translating things into English.

Anyway, bottomline is what the Germans meant to say has been perfectly explained by The Griz. No need to repeat that.

So just so I have this straight, is it clockwise to wind up Griz or counter clockwise? I feel your pain.