It's probably best to keep suspension settings close to recommended. Here is a good how-to on that:
[instructions from Metrick Metal]
The rear suspension travel for the Bandit is 5.4 inches and most suspension manufacturers recommend using between 25 and 30 percent of the total suspension travel for rider sag on a street bike.
So to get an idea of where your at you need to first measure from the center of the axle to a referrance point directly above the axle with the bike on the center stand, so the shock is fully extended, then sit on the bike and have some measure from the center of the axle to the same referance point, and the differance between the two is your rider sag.
Use the dimensions below as a guide to see where your at, and remember increasing the preload does not increase the rate of the spring, it only increases the amount of force required to get the suspension moving.
25% of 5.4" = 1.35"
30% of 5.4" = 1.62"
What I made up for the Bandit so that I can check the amount of rider sag by myself is this plug that slips into the left end of the axle, and the slot allows me to hook the end of my tape measure into it which place the end of the tape measure directly in the center of the rear axle.
I then tape a piece of masking tape to the corner edge of the tailpiece directly above the rear axle and I put a felt pen line on it, then i have a small square mirror that I hang from the he back of my stool that I place next to the bike, than its easy for me to read the dimension of the tape measure against the felt pen line to see the amount of sag I have.
[end of instructions]
I haven't strayed too far from the settings Cogent provided for my calculated touring weight. If you're riding around lightly loaded, you can easily back off the preload at both ends: up front you just turn the screws on top of the forks out; in back the included spanner from Cogent works very well. It works even better if you remove the three socket head bolts for the left footpeg.
With my setup I just leave shock valving in one place, going with Dale's and Cogent's advice. It rides better loaded, in any event - could be called "plush" compared to stock. Or even better "controlled, unruffled".
t110
Thanks for the response! How would you rate the "plush" factor on the Cogent? I like to zing around on backroads some but also do some long rides on the 1250. My lower back wont take the kicking of the oem shock.