The Vit 701 suspension thread

Max Kool said:
I know plenty people that dropped Andreani cartridges in the forks and or installed a different rear shock. Or experimented with different weight and level of fork oil.

They may respond in this thread with their experience.

The Vit/Svart community is a bit scattered between this forum, the old one, and facebook groups.
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Would you say the Andreani cartridges are the “hot setup” for the forks then? And what brand is most commonly used for the rear shock?
I’m not familiar with any other forum, except advrider, and I’m one of those fossils who refuse to use Facebook.
 
Andreani cartridges seems to be the hot setup yes, at least for track riders. I've been reading some about Andreanis being a bit too harsh for street riding though, but that was on other bikes. Never tried them myself. Where I ride the roads are bad, bad tarmac, cracks, ruts from trees, etc, so I like my high-speed damping a bit on the softer side.

For the rear, Nitron are well recommended. So are Hyperpro as far as I know and I bet there are a few more that offer shocks for the Vitpilen. If I recall correcty @nampus fitted a shock from a Duke 690 R with great results. I have a Nitron R3 rear shock and coudn't be more happier with it.
 
As Max said, I've a Duke 690R shock that's been reworked by a suspension shop. Forks have been resprung and revalved as well.

If you have a wp suspension expert local to you I'd start there.
Considering your size I'd say you need heavier springs and have the damping adjusted to those heavier springs.

As far as I'm concerned the standard rear shock is only suitable as a doorstop or a paperweight 😇
 
There's a shop "near" where I live (still a few hours away), that sells replacement cartridge pistons for the 701 Vit/Svart/SuMo, but they list them as a fit for all these three models, which doesn't inspire much confidence. The forks may be the same, I still expect they need a different setting...

I could be wrong though, they're a very reputable shop. (Lainer Suspension)
 
I took the bike to Suspension by Design (Darryl Reid) out in Newberg OR this morning. He tuned the stock suspension for me and it’s MUCH better now. I’m a happy camper.
A couple of notes.....
He said tuning the left fork leg does nothing. It’s the right leg that makes the difference. He softened that one up about 7 clicks from the oem spec. On the rear, he increased the preload a couple notches and adjusted the dampening as well.
Unfortunately I got a screw in my rear tire somewhere along the way today. Ugh!
 
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Hey guys
I just bought a new vitpilen 401. I know it's not a 701 but im a new motorcycle owner and i need your help and I think you can help me.
I just want to adjust the suspension and make it a little firmer. But im afraid to do it, because the manual is confusing me.
I got two questions:
If im turning the adjustment know clockwise, is there an "beginning" so i can start there and know how many clicks I turned on each side. I was told they have to be the same. But without an "beginning" i dont know where to start counting.
And my second question is about the manual. It say 8 clicks counterclockewise is sporty, 20 comfortabel. But then it say to sentences later that turning the knobs clovkwise is making the bike more "bouncy"? That the exact opposit isn't it?

Sorry for my english and I hope sombody can help me and I'am not in the worng place to ask this question.

Cheers Oliver
 
I am 6'8 280 with gear on and I am running the Andreani cartridges and running a 10w redline fork oil. On the street, it is a completely night and day difference. Its fantastic quite frankly. And these are on pretty rough roads. Having said that, I am still running the stock rear shock on max preload. its a little rough to say the least.
 
Oli said:
If im turning the adjustment know clockwise, is there an "beginning" so i can start there and know how many clicks I turned on each side. I was told they have to be the same. But without an "beginning" i dont know where to start counting.
And my second question is about the manual. It say 8 clicks counterclockewise is sporty, 20 comfortabel. But then it say to sentences later that turning the knobs clovkwise is making the bike more "bouncy"? That the exact opposit isn't it?
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Fully clockwise is all the way in, or the hardest setting for damping adjusters. Start counting clicks counter clockwise from there. You're literally opening a needle adjuster inside the damper cartridge.

Owners manuals are always very confusing and use weird langauge when it comes to setting up the suspension. Let alone whether turning the adjusters will actually make any real difference. Bouncy may be interpreted as stiff, so you feel more if the undulations of the road surface.
 
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Max Kool said:
Fully clockwise is all the way in, or the hardest setting for damping adjusters. Start counting clicks counter clockwise from there. You're literally opening a needle adjuster inside the damper cartridge.

Owners manuals are always very confusing and use weird langauge when it comes to setting up the suspension. Let alone whether turning the adjusters will actually make any real difference. Bouncy may be interpreted as stiff, so you feel more if the undulations of the road surface.
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Thank you for the quick answer! I will try to adjust it and hopefully see some resultshaha
 
Oli said:
Hey guys
I just bought a new vitpilen 401...im a new motorcycle owner...
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Congratulations!

If its new new, and you plan on going back to the dealer were you bought it (maybe for the first service?), then I would ask the dealership to give you a some tips or show you how it works, or, if their cool, they may help set it for you for a cup of coffee.

If I would recommend something to a new rider in a new bike it would be using the factory settings until you learn how that feels, and going slow enough that it doesnt make a difference until you get some feel for the bike.
Then you can get a better idea of what any changes "feel" like when you ride.
 
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BISavage said:
Congratulations!

If its new new, and you plan on going back to the dealer were you bought it (maybe for the first service?), then I would ask the dealership to give you a some tips or show you how it works, or, if their cool, they may help set it for you for a cup of coffee.

If I would recommend something to a new rider in a new bike it would be using the factory settings until you learn how that feels, and going slow enough that it doesnt make a difference until you get some feel for the bike.
Then you can get a better idea of what any changes "feel" like when you ride.
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Thank you!
Yes I bought it brand new :)
I dont think I will go back to my dealer. I just went to him because it was one of the last one here in switzerland. But he didnt really show me anything and I dont think hes the right fit for me. I went for a ride today. And I saw that you can change the angel of the gear lever. Is it also possibel for the foot break? Because I'm not to happy anymore and kind of have to lift my foot to reache thr break.
 
Ray R said:
He said tuning the left fork leg does nothing. It’s the right leg that makes the difference. He softened that one up about 7 clicks from the oem spec. On the rear, he increased the preload a couple notches and adjusted the dampening as well.
Click to expand...
The left fork leg controls comp damping - he's saying that there is no functionality there? My exp is that it doesn't do much, but I'm not ready to say "nothing" yet, but still working on it.

And he softened up the rebound quite a bit, if I recall the std specs of 12 accurately, so now it's around a 5. Is this correct?

In the rear, I imagine he increased the damping (comp and reb are tied together in this shock). This is what I have done as well, but wish they were independent.

Interesting.

Thanks.
 
DWB said:
The left fork leg controls comp damping - he's saying that there is no functionality there? My exp is that it doesn't do much, but I'm not ready to say "nothing" yet, but still working on it.

And he softened up the rebound quite a bit, if I recall the std specs of 12 accurately, so now it's around a 5. Is this correct?

In the rear, I imagine he increased the damping (comp and reb are tied together in this shock). This is what I have done as well, but wish they were independent.

Interesting.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
He didn’t say the left leg did nothing. He said that adjusting it wouldn’t make any real noticeable difference.
The rest of your assessment is accurate.
 
I've got a Duke 690R shock in mine. I'm not sure on the fork internals, I think the 690 fork is longer, but I'm not sure how that affects the internals.
 
Back to the forks.

(Little explanation, I ride canyons. Sometimes bumpy, and very twisty. I would call my pace mildly fast)

From day 1 I found my suspension shite, front and rear. My rear shock was too harsh and had way too much rebound damping. On top of that, opening the adjuster beyond 20 clicks made it leak. In the bin it went and a new Nitron R3 was installed. Much much better.

But the front never gave me confidence. Loads of dive, bottoming out, popping up when you release the brake lever and a floaty, wallowing feeling. Especially mid corner. And the bike wanted to stand up if you as much touched the front brake banked over. Rideable, yes. Confidence inspiring, no.

I already experimented with fork fluid height, and slighty heavier oil, with only marginal effect. Been on the verge of buying drop in cartridges, but odds are they may be too harsh for the street. Last week I was fed up with it and changed fork oil for significantly heavier Spectro SAE15 Fork Oil. I mean, what’s there to loose? Let the old oil out, measured what came out and poured the same amount in.

Woop woop, I should have done this two years ago! Took the bike to ride my favorite canyons. That wallowing feeling, gone. Brake dive, gone. The popping up of the forks when you release the brake, gone. And the adjusters finally do something. Way more confidence in fast mid corners (“Fast Mulholland”). The forks feel firmer, but are definitely not harsh. Still absorbs small bumps very good.

Very very happy, and I can honestly say, my bike never felt this good.
 
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