can you help me with compression damping?

I have an '06 R6 and just read the new article on the shoot-out for 600's. I would like to adjust my suspension settings to what is listed in the article and see how everything feels, but I have a few questions.
Maybe Im slow or stupid, who knows, but can you guys explain to me when they are referring to slow and fast speed compression damping what does that exactly means. Im using the bike for the street and travel the highway and side streets. There are times when I do get up on the highway and open the bike up so, are the damping settings for high speed track and low speed city riding? My average cruising speed on the highway is around 90mph. So could you help me out with this, before I adjust these and then hate the new settings.
Thanks,
Brian  

No, the damping settings are not for high speed track or low speed city.  When referring to dampers high speed and low speed has nothing to do with the bike or how fast it is going.  It refers to the actual velocity of the wheel and thus the stock itself.  High speed damping is something like running over a pot hole in the road or hitting a large bump.  This causes the wheel to move at a high rate of speed.  Low speed damping refers to damping at relatively low velocities.  An example of this would be how your front forks compress when you smoothly apply the front brake or it's like riding over a smoothly undulating road surface.  

These are the two damping characteristics.  The shock on your bike is only 2 way adjustable.  This means you can adjust only compression and rebound characteristics as a whole.  A 4 way adjustable shock allows you to adjust high speed and low speed damping on compression and rebound separately.  

So basically you want to end up setting up your bike so that you have the best combination of high and low speed damping for your kind of riding.  Perhaps, if you drive lots of harsh roads you will want to concentrate more on having the high speed damping characteristics to your liking at the sacrifice of low speed characteristics if need be.  

Did I help any??  

Shockguy, you are mistaken about one thing. The '06 R6 does in fact have both high and low speed compression damping adjustment.

As for advice on setup. I think waht SPortrider gives you is a great starting point but you have to fine tune it to you. Also, it is a setting suggested for the track.

BTW none of it means crap if you don't first set up your sag properly.  

Good info ShockGuy....  

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelspecs/8/0/specs.aspx

Not sure if the link will work, but from the looks of it the new 2006 R6 has both high and low speed compression and rebound damping for both the forks and shock.

Sirius9024, you can always change them back it you don't like them.  So my vote is to give them a try.    With a little practice, it only takes a few minutes to adjust them.  The manual for my ZX10 lists the "standard" settings should I wish to change them back....  I would guess that Yamaha also lists those.  Good luck and play around with it.  Unless you force something, you can't really do any damage to your forks/shocks.



Chris  

Compression damping has high- and low-speed adjusters for both the shock and fork on R6. Rebound is low-speed only.

AT  

Awesome!  You guys are right, sounds like the R6 does have independent high and low speed adjustments for compression damping.. Is this new for this year or am I behind?  I've always been an R1 and R6 fan but never been fortunate enough to own one.  I'm now very curious as to the shock they're using so I'm gonna do a little research.  Does anyone know the shock manufacturer??  

Realfastbill,
Can you tell me what this means? "first set up your sag properly". In all the years that I have rode or owned bikes I never really paid much attention to things like this, as I just rode the bikes. however with this bike and a few other factors Id like to try and get more out of it and to learn a few more things. I do appreciate all the help due to my ignorance.
Thanks,
Brian  

Cool, I found a close up photo of the rear shock on Yamaha's page in the R6 gallery.  Don't know the shock brand, but it's definately a twin tube with high and low speed compression damping adjustability.  I'm sure low speed is a needle style bleed valve and high speed is a poppet.  Still looking for a cutaway.  So is this same adjustability on current R1's?  In this month's liter bike shootout in SportRider they don't mention high and low speed separately with their suggested suspension settings for the R1.  

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Realfastbill,
Can you tell me what this means? "first set up your sag properly". In all the years that I have rode or owned bikes I never really paid much attention to things like this, as I just rode the bikes. however with this bike and a few other factors Id like to try and get more out of it and to learn a few more things. I do appreciate all the help due to my ignorance.
Thanks,
Brian

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Realfastbill,
Can you tell me what this means? "first set up your sag properly". In all the years that I have rode or owned bikes I never really paid much attention to things like this, as I just rode the bikes. however with this bike and a few other factors Id like to try and get more out of it and to learn a few more things. I do appreciate all the help due to my ignorance.
Thanks,
Brian

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Make sure you make it all the way to this page too..  http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_9508_tech/

The first link doesn't fully give you the idea of sag.  

Realfastbill,
Most suggestions for sag are less than the middle of the travel of the suspension.  Almost always it's a bit less sag than half of the suspension's travel.  However, sag is still personal preference and riding style and it's just most important that your sag isn't biased real bad from front to rear.

Sirius,
Just pick a suggested sag number using the link I just posted, set it, and get to riding!  

Quote:

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Make sure you make it all the way to this page too..  http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_9508_tech/

The first link doesn't fully give you the idea of sag.  

Realfastbill,
Most suggestions for sag are less than the middle of the travel of the suspension.  Almost always it's a bit less sag than half of the suspension's travel.  However, sag is still personal preference and riding style and it's just most important that your sag isn't biased real bad from front to rear.

Sirius,
Just pick a suggested sag number using the link I just posted, set it, and get to riding!

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I only meant it to give a rough understanding of the logic behind setting sag, not that it needs to "literally" be set in the middle. Sorry for not clarifying.

I only intended to paint a very basic mental picture for him.

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ah, so that's how high & low speed compression damping works, now i understand it a little better than reading through pages of techno savvy articles, this thread has explained this better.

i learn something new here every now & then.