Stiffer is better than soft for sport riding. There's an art for setting a bike up perfect, and I'm not an expert by any means. I would stiffen up the preload and rebound front and rear.
Make one adjustment at a time, between rides. That way you know what you did to make it that way.
Probally more than you want to know:
http://www.gostar-racing.com/information/motorcycle_suspension_set-up.htm
Set sag (preload) first, then work on the rest.
And then there is this that was posted in another thread.
My previous owner left a copy of this in my manual and it works pretty darn well and its simple. I guessed it was for about 165 lbs and adjusted from there.
Mike
@rcannon409
Front..Preload with three rings showing. Rebound damping set at three clicks out from fully bottomed.
how many mm is this preload?
thanks for the help guys.
bob
can't remember right off hand, but I think thats around 7-8mm's.
my regular cruise preload is at 9-10mm (I'm 185lbs). when I hit the dragon I just crank them two to three full turns and puts me right where I like it and control is sharp and fast.
Thats about right. Sorry I missed this earlier. Its awkward to get my micrometer in there to measure, but 7-8mm is very close.
The stock suspension on the c14 is set up very soft for "sport riding" My favorite canyon settings, for now, are a s follows. I weigh 180 lbs in my mind (and bench press 345) , but the damn, lying scale says 205....weight and press.
Anyway, my last adventure was set up a \s follows.
Front..Preload with three rings showing. Rebound damping set at three clicks out from fully bottomed.
Rear....preload all the way in, then three clicks out. Reb damn 1/4 turn out from fully bottomed.
This is a drastic change from stock, but from here its easy to fine tune for your weight and conditions. Trying to adjust oen click at a time at each end is difficult, if not impossible. Sort of like dialing in a rifle scope for a 1000 yard shot. One click is hard to fee or notice, 10 not so tough.
These settings are stiff on a regular road, but control is amazing.
Here is where the aftermarket shocks have it all over oem. You can set these stiff and controlled, yet they remain much more compliant and controlled.