If you have DDC, you should be all the way out on preload and that will most likely still be too stiff. Not sure what spring rates are installed in the conventional forks.

There have been some with issues on the rear preload adjuster not working properly. If you spin it CW you should see the collar move. If it doesn't, bring it in to dealer for warranty repair/replace.

 

If your preload is all the way out and you're not getting the sag you need, you need softer springs installed. This is true whether DDC is there or not.

It does sound like your rear adjuster might be not working right. I would have it looked at if you're not sure.

 

I'm ~186 geared. Set preload all the way out.

Flip the eccentric (2 washers on top of rear shock, loosen top bolt, flip washers on right and left, then tighten the bolt to 56nm). Bike will turn great, as least for me (both track and twisties).

DDC I set it to race mode. 0 rear rebound, -1 comp. -2 front dmp.
On the track I make it a bit stiffer if I'm pushing it.

I have had 3 different suspension guys set my bike's suspension. Above which I picked up from CSS school worked best. YYMV.

As far as not being able to adjust the preload. There was another thread where a member broke his rear shock by overturning the adjusting bolt to the left. Did you do the same? If yes, then your rear preload will stay at the right setting you need even when it's broke.

 

The actual spring rates are hidden in this forum somewhere, the front is about 10.25 which would be marginal for anyone under 170 unless they are super aggressive (track only) and the rear I think I read is 9.5 which again is on the stiff side for anyone under 170.
Definitely as others have said, turning the adjuster should result in the collar moving up (ccw) or down (cw). You know the bike has to be running to adjust rear preload, right?

 

According to the manual the key needs to be on, but does not need to be running, but yes the key was on.

I'll contact BMW and have the adjuster checked. There was no excessive force used to turn it, it turned easily right away just doesn't seem to change anything. I have another trackday on Labor Day so I'll bring it in after that.

 

2015 RR with DDC:

F 11 N/mm (right fork) 9.5N/mm (left fork)
R 95 N/mm

You need lighter springs.

 

Your rear adjuster is broken. Mine was, and it did exactly the same BMW New Zealand replaced the whole DDC shock under warranty.

 

Exactly. If the adjuster is just spinning then it is broken

 

Well actually the manual says

- Switch on the ignition
- Start the engine to avoid discharging the battery

But I was too lazy to type all that. So yes you are right, key on is the main thing to remember.

 

Its broken, pretty obvious
For street. Im 190lbs no gear
Front 30min from backout
Rear 45 min from backout
Ddc = 0 0 0<----yes 0 is indeed the best setup imo

 

The key has to be on so the internal valving for the rear DDC shock is open, allowing fluid flow inside the shock which would then allow the shock stroke to be a true value. Picture a needle and seat on a car or bike carburetor. If the key was off, no power to the shock and valve system, that orifice would be closed and the shock wouldn't have the same travel with the rider on board. But it has nothing to do with the adjuster, that is purely mechanical and raises and lowers a collar for spring height, or preload. I'm the guy that had the shop break my DDC preload adjuster. I have a post here somewhere it shows it separated from the shock. There are no electrical connections to the adjuster portion of the rear shock. The wire goes in to the shock on the bottom side. But yes, I think his is broken too. There are 23 full turns lock to lock and it raises and lowers the collar close to 10 mm if I remember. I played with mine before it was installed to count those turns and measure the distance it traveled.
There are used shocks on ebay, buy one of those and rob the adjuster off of it and put it on your bike and you'll be good as before.
Also, in the tool kit I had wondered what that small little plastic 13mm socket is. Turns out it's the special tool to turn the DDC adjuster. If using that and the adjuster hits the stop, but you keep on trying to crank it further, that plastic 13mm special tool socket would break pretty easily at that point. I learned that after the shop broke mine though. I do think it would break on normal use though, since it takes some force to still move that collar up and down it's 10mm of travel.

 

the 13mm plastic socket is used to set the front preload so metal tools dont scratch the preload bolt

 

I have the same problem the original poster, 2one8, had. I just got my 2016 S1K and found that it's seat height is much taller than my 2013 bike.

I talked with the service manager and found out that the bike I got is a 'track edition.' It has a plastic seat cover instead of a passenger seat and no passenger foot pegs. The spring preload seemed to be set at the maximum value, which is why the bike was so tall. It must have been at least 33'' seat height. With one foot flat the other toe was barely touching.

It has DDC so for the rear wheel there's knob that you turn to adjust spring preload. Turning counter-clockwise reduces preload. I found that the knob was turned all the way to the right, meaning that spring preload was set to maximum value. I started turning it counter-clockwise and kept turning it endlessly and it never seems to reach the end. According to the service manager it should stop somewhere in both directions so I would know the maximum and minimum settings and then I should be able to find a position I like. But it just turns and turns.

I felt that the ride height seems to have come down a bit but I need to figure out why the knob is turning without end.

 

It takes quite a few turns of the adjuster for the collar to move appreciably. Mark the location of the collar and determine if it is still moving up and down as you turn the adjuster clockwise and anticlockwise.

There have been a few instances where the adjuster is faulty/broken and only spins. If so, bring the bike it for a replacement.

 

Thanks Elk. I'll probably have to get it checked during my 600 mile service. The rear preload knob seems to be turning freely. Plus the front preload knob is different from the picture in the user manual and I don't want to mess with that. It's probably better that BMW technicians do it.

I've found that the bike hasn't come down at all and seems to be at 33 inch seat height. I would be a lot more comfortable at 32 inches. Hopefully reducing the preload will bring it down a bit.

I sat on a new S1000R (single R) and it seemed a lot lower even though the specified seat height for the R and RR are exactly the same.

My bike is a track edition and I certainly don't want to ride on the streets on a motorcycle with track settings.

 

There is no such thing as a track edition. Your bike came with the solo cowl and deleted passenger pegs, that is it. Nothing different in the "settings".

 

Just for the record. The picture below shows the diagram in the owner's manual and the actual picture of the front spring preload knob. What my bike has has no numbers and no notch for a screwdriver. I have no idea how many turns I need to make to adjust the preload. Since the rear one doesn't seem to be working I had better not mess with the front one.

 

The picture on the left is a standard non-DDC fork. The numbers listed are for rebound damping setting.

On your preload adjuster you start fully counterclockwise and adjust clockwise until you reach proper sag. Count the # of turns and write it down for future reference.

 

The suspension at maximum preload is more likely than a flipped eccentric.

In any event, I doubt anything is wrong and you will get it sorted out when you speak with the tech.

 

When you first mentioned 'flipping the eccentric' I thought that was some cool new term for 'pulling your leg,' as in, the was dealer flipping my eccentric. :laugh: But the second time you mentioned it I realized it's a technical term.

Searching 'flipped the eccentric' on Google leads me back to this forum and pages and pages of discussion. Hopefully I'll figure it out.

Thanks to this forum I now know what to tell the BMW tech: "Hey man, just reduce the spring preload and reverse-flip the eccentric."