The subject of today’s dissection is the 2009 newly turned out Monster Yamaha Tech3 M1. Undoubtedly a state-of-the-art machine and the just slightly refined version (maybe the exact version) of the World Championship winning M1 ridden by Valentino Rossi in 2008. As Tech3 did their Livery rollout today at the GP Zero round in Valencia we though it might be cool take a look under the pretty new colors.

Front right wheel, not exactly like the one on your scooter! Fist you see the Ohlins GP front fork with Magnesium bottoms, fitted with the (god only knows what raw material) Brembo mono block radial caliper brakes and full carbon rotors. The forks are holding a ten spoke forged magnesium Marchesini wheel wrapped in a Bridgestone slick. Bolted on is a carbon fiber fender with some trick carbon brackets holding the front wheel speed sensor and the fork travel pot for the on board electronic telemetry. My focus here is on the really cool technology not the price but as we move back on the bike we move further into the real prototype bike, most of what we’re looking at here is actually acquirable (with some connections) and for sale to anyone with about $ 35 – $ 45,000.00 spare change. Why is there a wheel speed sensor on both sides of the front wheel? Can’t say for sure but it’s not likely that they’re both wheel speed sensors, it could be a rotor temp sensor or who knows what.

Front right lever and bar are somewhat anti climatic with the Brembo Radial (likely a 19 x 20) brake master with the trick flip-up lever and the roller bearing ¼ turn throttle (could be a 1/8 turn or a progressive rate depending on rider preference). The left side is quite a bit more interesting in my opinion because there are some recognizable things that are what you might call wolves in sheep’s clothing. The first thing is the radial (MotoGP seems to prefer straight) Ohlins Steering Damper. It may look like your grandma’s damper but it’s in fact a forged titanium body, high pressure nitrogen charged with a nitrite coated plunger rod, fully adjustable of course. You can also see the radial mount hydraulic clutch master cylinder and if you look real close just in front of it is the adjuster dial for the front break lever. To round it out you have the flip up lever and the steering deflection pot for the telemetry. Nice paint!

If we stick our heads into the countershaft area we find a virtual treasure trove of one off pieces. A simple but trick nine way adjustable rear set with a separate shifter mounted directly to the pivot on the lower engine case. I’m taking a bit of a guess here but I would bet that there are actually two shift rods coming off the shift lever, one that you can’t see running straight up to the shift shaft and the one that you can see going to the shifter control unit mounted on the frame. Hiding under there is an Ohlins TTX style rear Damper (shock) mounted to the lower linkage that includes an adjustable dog bone that you can just see right at the very bottom of the shot. Unlike their World Superbike cousins they don’t use active damping in MotoGP. Somehow I doubt they’re saving any money though. Another thing (as a suspension guy) I find interesting is that apparently the spring sits practically on the lower clevis on this shock. They have a very cool looking offset on the swingarm pivot and apparently like the pivot high. Generally speaking this position is used to increase the angle without raising the ride height in order to try to achieve more off corner grip. Those cables and the hose hanging around the countershaft sprocket are somewhat alarming. I’ll just assume it’s some kind of depth perception issue from the camera (but you might want to check that out).

The right side pivot area gives a better look at that adjustable swingarm pivot. I hate to be repetitive but that is very cool and very nicely done. The thing that jumps out at you though on this side is the dry clutch (slipper of course), familiar to our Ducati friends but never seen on production Japanese sport bikes. There are two primary advantages to the dry clutch, the first being that there is far less drag on the motor when the clutch isn’t dragging in the oil and the whole clutch assembly is lighter because it’s not wet. There are other advantages as well such as not putting all the waste created by the friction plates through the oil but on the down side if you smoke it ‘you smoke it,’ you’re done. It’s always good to make your rider as comfortable as possible and that couldn’t be demonstrated any better than in the heal kicker plate morphed into an all around MotoGP running board. Again this is a guess and I’m no metallurgist of course you can’t overlook that camera thing too but in my experience when you cut aluminum (referring to the whole for the sub-frame mount) it is dull, you see that high reflective finish when you work with magnesium. The only extraneous wire fond running around over here is likely the rear wheel speed sensor but it could be a rear break pressure sensor or even an engine speed sensor. It’s impossible to know without being able to see where it terminates.

When looking at the right side of the rear wheel there’s not much but I think it’s awesome that they nitrite the axle. I like the fact that the axle adjuster is basically the same piece as on our R6 and just FYI the adjuster isn’t bent; that’s the valve stem on the wheel, more of that camera voodoo. More forged magnesium wheels and a 520 chain wraps it up on this side but I would feel remiss not to point out the titanium stand. The right side brags on yet another cool and very small Brembo caliper, another wheel speed sensor and a multi piece full Titanium exhaust with an almost comically short ‘Shorty Can.’ In this case the carbon fiber hugger isn’t just for show nor is it to provide a place for the sponsor stickers but it is actually an integral part of the aerodynamics of the machine and helps to evacuate heat from the engine compartment.

That pretty much wraps up our tour of the M1 for today we hope you enjoyed it. As I’m amazed at all the amazing technology we covered keep in mind we didn’t say a word about the engine, what the electronics do and what they are capable of, or anything that you could consider in depth about chassis or geometry. It’s something to think about how many separately perfected components come together to create one truly state-of-the-art prototype race bike.

Wheelbase – What is it and why should I care?

The wheelbase on a Motorcycle is the measurement from the center of the front axle to the center of the rear axle. The length of the wheelbase affects how your motorcycle handles characteristics both in the corners as well as when your bike is straight up (or in a straight line.) The quick version is a longer wheelbase improves straight line high speed stability. This can be an advantage on bumpy tracks or on tracks with very high speed sections. It also has a positive effect on braking, especially when high speed hard breaking is required. The downside to the long wheelbase is that it can slow down the quick-turn-in or the ability to flick (change direction quickly) the bike from side to side. It can also have a negative effect on what I refer to as finishing a corner. By finishing I’m referring to the part of a corner after the apex when you are trying to get back on the gas, if your wheelbase is too long your bike will want to run wide. For example at a high speed track like Daytona the long wheelbase can be beneficial on the high banks but detrimental at the high speed chicanes on the back straight.

Adjusting the wheelbase can be done in several ways, some considerably easier than others. The easiest way is to use the rear wheel axle adjuster. This may entail carrying a couple different length chains but once you get the hang of it you’ll find it well worth the investment. Most contemporary sport bikes have anywhere from 15 to 25 mm of adjustment. It is also possible to change the wheelbase with the adjusters by changing the sprockets. Assuming you have a gear ratio chart for your bike you can manipulate the ratio between the front and rear sprockets to achieve the same final drive ratio while using a taller or shorter rear sprocket in order to achieve the desired result.

The second (or third depending on how you’re counting) option is to actually change the swingarm. This may sound crazy to some but it is a common practice at the professional level. The longer or shorter swingarm has a similar effect to moving the adjuster with one key difference. If you go to a longer swingarm you will experience greater stability when sliding the rear wheel of the bike. This is extremely advantageous when exiting corners hard on the gas in a high speed bumpy turn.

The thing is, you should try some different settings so that you can feel the difference for yourself because adjusting the wheelbase can change your handling significantly over an entire lap. All tracks will present the need for some compromise but the compromise that gets you from point A back to point A the quickest is the right one. Every 10th of a second counts when you’re running at the front!

Introduction

All of Total Racing Solutions (TRS) advanced suspension products are adapted to the brand and model of your motorcycle. This means that length, travel spring action and damping characteristics, are tested individually just for the motorcycle that you have decided to fit with TRS suspension.

Before installation

TRS and/or Öhlins Racing AB can not be held responsible for any damage whatsoever to shock absorber or vehicle, or injury to persons, if the instructions for fitting and maintenance are not followed exactly. Similarly, the warranty will become null and void if the instructions are not adhered to.

WARNING!

1. Installing a shock absorber, that is not approved by the vehicle manufacturer, may affect the stability of your vehicle. TRS and/or Öhlins Racing AB cannot be held responsible for any personal injury or damage whatsoever that may occur after fitting the shock absorber. Contact TRS or other qualified person for advice.

2. Please study and make certain that you fully understand all the mounting instructions and the owners manuals before handling this shock absorber kit. If you have any questions regarding proper installation procedures, contact TRS or other qualified person.

3. The vehicle service manual must be referred to when installing the shock absorber.

Tuning the Suspension

Motorcycle road holding qualities:

All motorcycles are designed with a suspension geometry that includes height and fork angle. The changing of components can affect this and it is therefore essential that both the rear and the front ends match each other.

Changing to TRS and/or Öhlins suspension gives optimum performance only when both the front fork and the rear suspension interact properly. It is of great importance that the front and rear loaded heights are within the specified values.

Design

All Öhlins shock absorbers are pressurised. The fluid is put under gas pressure and the gas and the fluid are kept apart by a separating piston. The separating piston is often fitted in a separate reservoir, connected by hose, or fixed directly on top of the shock absorber (piggyback).

There are also types of shock absorbers where everything is fitted inside the main cylinder tube (internal gas reservoir), and even a small number of emulsion shock absorbers that do not have a separating piston. Pressurisation of the fluid is made with nitrogen. The pressurisation prevents cavitation of the fluid and the shock absorbing action is therefore more even. The external reservoires also contribute to better cooling of the fluid, giving longer service life for both the fluid and components.

Öhlins shock absorbers have integrated temperature compensation. As the temperature increases and the fluid flows more easily, the flow is controlled accordingly. The shock absorbing effect is therefore independent of the temperature.

The more advanced models permit individual adjustment of compression damping and rebound damping, and also certain adjustment of the length of the shock absorber.

Öhlins shock absorbers provide the possibility for adjustment, making them adaptable to most motorcycles, riders and ranges of use. All of the shock absorbers have adjustable pre-loading of the spring action; either mechanically or hydraulically.

Function

Fluid is forced through needle valves at a low rate of flow and through a number of apertures in the piston at a high rate of flow. The flow through these apertures is regulated by shims (thin steel washers) that at high pressure are deflected to open for the fluid. On most models the needle valves can be set individually.

By altering the size of the shims stack (i.e. number, thickness, diameter) the characteristics of the damping action can be varied (this should only be done by TRS an Öhlins authorized service shop).

Compression damping

When movement of the motorcycle causes compression in the shock absorber, the fluid flows through the needle valve (combined compression and return valve) in the piston rod. If velocity of the piston is high, i.e. in the case of rapid compression, this will not be sufficient and consequently the shims underneath the piston will open to allow a greater rate of flow.

The fluid that is displaced by the volume of the piston rod is forced into the external fluid chamber via a separate compression valve. Even this valve is fitted with shims that open at high piston velocity. The separating piston is displaced, thus increasing the gas pressure.

Rebound damping

When the spring presses the shock absorber out again, the fluid flows back through the needle valve in the piston rod. The fluid flowing into the chamber is forced by the pressure of the gas back into the shock absorber via a separate non return valve.

If velocity of the piston is high, the shims on top of the piston will also open to allow the fluid to flow though.

Settings

Basic setting

Always ensure that the basic setting made by TRS and/or Öhlins is correct. It is adapted to the make and model (in its original state) and for a rider of average weight.

Spring pre-load

Pre-load on the spring/springs is very important because it affects the height of the motorcycle and the fork angle.

Everything must harmonize

In the recommendation table there are front fork springs that are specifically adapted to the shock absorbers recommended for your motorcycle.

If none is noted in the table, then “intact” original springs are the right choice. Incorrect spring action can produce a fork angle that is too steep or too flat. This in turn will give a tendency for oversteering or understeering, which could seriously affect the handling characteristics of the motorcycle.

Setting the Spring pre-load

Measuring – Proceed as follows (it will be much easier if done by two persons):

A) Place the motorcycle on a stand.

B) Raise the rear end of the vehicle so that the suspension is in a fully extended position.

C) Measure the distance, e.g. from the lower edge of the rear mud guard or from a point marked by a piece of tape, immediately above the rear wheel axle, to the wheel axle.

D) Make a similar measurement on the front axle, e.g. from the bottom of the upper fork crown to the front wheel axle. The fork must also be fully extended.

E) Allow the motorcycle (without rider) to apply load on the springs and repeat the measuring procedure.

F) Then take the same measurements with the rider and equipment on the motorcycle.

NOTE!

It is important that the rider has a correct riding posture, so that the weight is balanced on the front and rear wheel in the same way as when riding.

The measurements must not differ from the following sizes:

Without rider (static sag):

Rear: 10-20 mm
Front: 15-30 mm

With rider (ride height):

Rear: 25-40 mm
Front: 35-50 mm

NOTE!

Older gear shaft drive driven motorcycles (not para lever shaft drive) usually raise the rear end during acceleration. We recommend that the the static sag is extended to 15-20 mm and the ride height to 35–45 mm on these motorcycles.

Adjusting

Adjust the pre-load with the rings on the shock absorber or by hydraulic pre-loading. In the first case, hold the upper ring and adjust the lower one to the desired position. Then lock with the upper ring.

For hydraulic pre-loading, increase by turning clockwise and reduce by turning counter clockwise.

NOTE!

On shock absorbers that have mechanical type adjustment the position of the adjusting/pre-load rings can be adjusted. On a shock absorber that has hydraulic setting the basic position can be adjusted. Such changes should be attended to by an TRS and/or Öhlins authorized service shop.

The original setting of the shock absorber, when delivered from TRS, should always be a base when the settings are changed by use of the adjustment devices.

NOTE!

The spring pre-load affects the ride height, it does not affect the spring stiffness. Therefore, on models with a linkage to the shock absorber, the suspension may actually feel harder when you reduce the pre-load and the shock absorber gets into the harder range of the link system.

Front fork springs

To optimize the road holding qualities of a motorcycle the front fork must match the rear suspension. Springs are available for a large number of motorcycles. These, in combination with

TRS and Öhlins shock absorbers, contribute to superior road holding qualities. The original make of springs should be used if there are none of our springs in the recommendation table. However, they must be in good condition and not fatigued. Remember to change the fluid in the front fork at least once every year. We recommend Öhlins front fork oil.

NOTE!

It is important that the recommendation table is followed for new front springs. If there are no recommended front springs you must ensure that the existing springs are in good condition. Neglecting to check the front springs could seriously affect the handling qualities of the motorcycle.

Setting the Damping

The adjusting possibilities of Öhlins shock absorbers facilitate fine setting. You can optimize adjustments to suit your own weight and equipment, your individual way of riding and the condition of the road. To be able to improve the road holding qualities it is of the utmost importance that you fully understand the functioning of the shock absorbers. Then you can learn by trial and error how they affect the motorcycle.

Depending on the model there are adjustments for rebound damping, compression damping and adjustment of the length of the shock absorber. Damping is set with knobs and screws with a normal right-hand thread. By turning them clockwise the damping action is increased, and by turning them counter clockwise it is reduced. The knobs have definite positions with noticeable “clicks”, making it is easy to count to the right setting.

Rebound damping action affects the characteristics of the motorcycle most. The setting knob is located at the bottom on the piston rod. It can be adjusted in about 40 steps.

NOTE!

If no “click” is felt in the rebound adjuster, the shock absorber must be inspected by TRS. It could be due to low gas pressure or lack of oil.

The compression damping knob is located at the end of the external reservoir. This can be adjusted in about 25 steps.

Some models (PRX) have separate adjusters for high speed compression and low speed compression. The low speed compression is adjusted in 25 steps. Use a slotted head screw driver.

The high speed adjuster has a wide range within about 48 clicks. Use a 14 mm key.

NOTE!

When making new adjustments it is easiest to go back to fully closed, and then count forward to the new setting. The adjusting device should not be turned too hard.

CAUTION!

On Öhlins shock absorbers

The hexagon of a two way compression valve is naturally anodized aluminum. The high speed adjuster has a key width of 14 mm and a range of 48 steps (clicks). The low speed adjuster (slotted head screw) has a range of 25 steps.

The one way compression adjuster is gold anodized. The adjuster (slotted head screw) has a range of 25 steps. Do not turn the hexagon as this will allow for the oil to spurt out of the shock absorber.

NOTE!

High and low speed refers to the shaft velocity of the shock absorber. It is not necessarily related to the speed of the vehicle.

Setting your Motorcycle

NOTE!

Always begin with the basic settings recommended of TRS. Always make notes, adjust in small steps and make only one adjustment at a time. Adjustments should be made with two steps (clicks) at a time. Adjustments should not be more than four steps from the basic setting.

By utilizing the adjustment possibilities you can test by trial and error, and learn how they affect your motorcycle.

Always begin by test riding the motorcycle with all adjustments at their delivery setting. Choose ashort run of varying character, i.e. long and sharp bends, hard and soft bumps. Keep to the same run and adjust only one setting at a time.

Start with the rebound damping:

If the motorcycle feels unstable, loose and rather bouncy then the rebound damping should be increased. Begin by turning the adjusting knob 4 steps (clicks) clockwise. Test run again and adjust two steps back if it felt too hard and bumpy.

If the motorcycle is hard and bumpy, especially over a series of bumps, then the rebound damping should be reduced. Turn counter clockwise 4 steps, test run and make any necessary correction to 2 steps.

Compression damping:

The low speed compression adjuster affects ride height, smoothness over small bumps and grip. The high speed compression adjuster affects stability, firmness in depressions and fast corners.

If the motorcycle has a low riding position, the low speed compression should be increased. Turn clockwise four steps and test run again. If this was too much then turn back two steps (counter clockwise). If it feels unsmooth over small continuous bumps or has bad grip, the low speed compression should be decreased. Turn counter clockwise four steps. Test run and make any necessary correction in two steps at the time.

If the motorcycle feels unstable in fast corners and has a tendency to bottom easily in depressions and chicanes, the high speed compression should be increased. Turn clockwise six steps and test run again. If this was too much then turn back three steps (counter clockwise). If it feels harsh and too rigid or has a tendency to hop during braking, the high speed compression should be decreased. Turn counter clockwise six steps. Test run and make any necessary correction in three steps at the time.

When you have sufficient feel of the motorcycle you can make further fine adjustments. It is feeling and experience that counts.

NOTE!

Ensure that the springs are properly pre-loaded before attempting to make any adjustments. A simple rule is that increased pre-load of the spring should be followed by an increase of rebound damping by two steps.

When you feel that you have achieved an improvement, go back to where you started and check once more. Be observant of other relevant factors such as tires, temperature, etc. Test run to make sure whether further fine adjustment should be made.

Setting the shock absorber length

Sensitivity of the steering can be adjusted by altering the length of the shock absorber, without affecting other characteristics. The length is adjusted using two nuts down and the treaded clevis at the end of the piston rod. The shock absorber can be adjusted up to 12 mm.

Adjusting the shock absorber length

A long shock absorber results in steeper inclination of the front fork (steeper fork angle) and consequently sensitive, quicker steering. A short shock absorber gives a greater angle of the front fork (flat fork angle) and consequently slower and smoother steering. Each complete turn of the shock absorber gives one millimetre. The length may never be altered more than to where the groove that is cut in the thread becomes just visible under the lower nut of the level brachet. Make small steps and test run.

If you have any questions please call (810) 588-6729

The most recent example of this situation comes from a rider testing last weekend at Jennings.

We had just put a new Ohlins set-up on the bike. After listening to how the rider’s weekend went we got the impression that the forks were okay but the rear end of the motorcycle was not quite right. He indicated that he was having some difficulty finishing the corners and that under heavy breaking the back end was wandering. He also said that with the pre-load out of the spring on the shock it improved the grip out of the corner but made the entry worse.

When we did the shock originally at the rider’s request we built a softer or smoother set-up (a personal preference). According to his weight and experience we put a softer (compression side) valve set up and a spring on the heavier side for his weight, adjusters set up neutral. While he liked the handling overall, with the adjustments available he could only make the corner entry better by losing ground on the exit or vise-versa. He couldn’t seem to find the middle ground. This is where most people make the big mistake. They figure “that’s it” and start to ‘ride around’ the problem.

The correct thing to do is re-vale the shock and try another spring. We will put another valve stack in – one that tests with similar characteristics only stiffer, so we know exactly what it will change. At the same time we will drop him down on the spring. By reversing the damping condition he still should have a ‘softer ride’ however, the shock will become ‘slower.’ This should help by preventing the rear end of the bike from collapsing going into the corner (no more hopping). At the same time the softer spring should allow the tire to grip on exit without compromising the geometry, allowing it to finish the corner. Problem fixed!

Actually, if it was that easy the AMA Pro teams would send the suspension guys home after spring testing. The truth is the rider is going to have to go back out there and test it again. We have the data and the change will make it better, but then he gets faster, the tire company comes out with a new tire and we start all over again. This is where relationships come into play. Because we now know what works best for ‘him’ we will be able to keep the chassis moving in a manner he likes, even as everything around him changes.

We’ll follow up with a discussion about forks soon.

The good news is that Ohlins has finally released the new TTX36 shock. The bad news is you don’t have one yet. We have them available for purchase in the store but they are still trickling into the country and we are filling our customer orders on a first come first serve basis. For now the TTX shocks are only available for the 2007- Honda CBR 600/1000 RR, Kawasaki ZX6/10, Suzuki GSX-R 600/750/1000 and the Yamaha YZF R6/R1. Whether there will be any retro fit set-ups is yet to be determined.

So what’s so great about the TTX anyhow?

For starters you can pretty much take whatever you know about conventional damping and throw it out the window. TTX still has oil, valves, gas and a spring but internally the shock is completely different. It still performs the same basic duties, traction, handling and ride quality but better…a lot better. TTX is not actually brand new; MotoGP and some World Superbike teams have had it for a couple years. It’s new to the US though and so far practice times indicate it really is ‘all that’.

We’ll be doing some tech talk on them down the road, but for now let me give you the highlights: TTX is a twin tube design, with a solid 36mm piston, a solid 14mm shaft and a 52-57mm spring. Aside from being more rigid, that means it’s smaller and lighter. It has a wide range of external adjustment, which makes it ‘more powerful’. Compression and rebound adjusters are completely separate (that is to say that adjusting one no longer affects the other). This makes it easier to understand the working properties. The pressure balance is correct. In other words the damping at the top of the stroke is the same as at the bottom. The bottom line is more tire feedback and more traction under acceleration, and that’s no joke!