Sag - Measure front and back suspension preload

[HispanicSlammer]

I usually have a friend around, but I like to work on my bike when ever I get the notion. Which means an extra hand is not always around. It usually takes 2 or 3 people to measure sag, one to hold the bike, the rider to sit on it, and one to take measurements. Most folks skip the holder and have the rider stand on his tip toes while holding the bike up.

I decided to give it a try SOLO with some ingenuity I came up with a plan that WORKED! The front sag can be done with a zip tie solo. However the back is what presented the problem.

HERE IS MY SOLUTION REAR SAG

It consist of a conical shaped table leg, a long hard piece of wire (flexible to bend but not soft), and a zip tie.

I wrapped one end of the wire around my key, tight enough to not move too much, hardly at all, I took off the plastic cover on the wheel and stuck the conical wood piece in and marked a spot for the wire to go thru, then I drilled a 1/8 hole all the way thru it. I attached a zip tie to the wire and tightened it to stay but move then it was touched. The key in the helmet lock is a great place since it is directly above the center of the wheel (98-01) and it is far out enough to be a strait drop down to the piece of wood.

There was a slight amount of free play in the wire but only about a mm, it hardly moved at all.

With the bike on the rear stand I marked the point where it came to rest, (shock fully extended)

At this point I let the bike down to the kick stand, it sort of bounces, then I set the zip tie all the way down to the wood to recalibrate it, gently sat on the bike, and for a moment lifted up my legs to get full sag reading, gently sat it up and then back onto the center stand, this is the result.

I marked it with a pen and took off the wire to measure it.

43mm from point to point, give or take a mm for free play.

I added a click of preload and remeasured (39mm) then 2 click more preload (and now I am correct at 32mm) I have my rear preload 4 clicks from full soft now to get the recommended 32mm of rear sag. My half arsed tool worked great!

FRONT SAG

This is way easier to measure, this only requires a jack, a zip tie, and a ruler or something to measure. I have a sliding metal ruler with a stop on it that moves.

Begin by placing the bike on its kick stand, and place a zip tie around the fork like so. reach in and push the zip tie all the way down.

Now gently get on the bike and sit her up, you can see the zip tie thru the opening near the handle bars, if you accidentally bump it too much then just push it down from above, then sit down and let it come to a rest, gently get off. The zip tie should stay in place if you put it on tight enough.

Now I put the bike on the center stand and then jacked up the front wheel to get my sag measurment.

The distance from the oil seal to the bottom of the zip is the sag! Mine was at 43mm so I cranked the preload down 3 full turns till it came to 32mm.