Blog - Motorcycle Suspension - Lindemann Engineering

Young and thin?

Oct 19, 2011 | Lindemann Engineering

Want to feel old and fat. Just try riding a small bike on a Kart track. This is me on one of Kenny’s bikes. The good news is that Kenny likes the geometry change I made after riding. There may still be some use for me as a test rider…
Photo by Race Dad, Eric.

Thanks Jim.

Oct 18, 2011 | Lindemann Engineering

I raced Streets of Willow backwards yesterday, another new track on my list. Bumpy, tight, point & shoot. Got down to 1.23.81 on my ‘87 CBR600F-1 with a Fox Shox that Jim put a Penske high and low speed adjustable reservoir on and F-2 damper rod forks modified to Jim’s spec. I had a blast, thanks Jim!

58 Tracks

Oct 18, 2011 | Lindemann Engineering

I raced at Streets of Willow Counter Clockwise on Sunday, AKA Steerts of Willow. That brings the total tracks I’ve ridden on to 58!

Tracks I have raced and ridden on in chronological order:

Hawaii Raceway Park, 7 configurations
Willow Springs
Seattle International Raceway
Portland International Raceway
Heartland Park Raceway
Memphis Raceway
Road Atlanta
Nelson Ledges
Suzuka
Ford Island, Pearl Harbor
Pomona AMA course
Streets of Willow
Phoenix Speedway
Daytona Int. Speedway
Laguna Seca
Sears Point Raceway
Infineon Raceway
Road America
Loudan
Indy
Button Willow
Button Willow Backwards
Las Vegas Speedway
Robling Road
Mosport International Raceway
Mid Ohio
Shannonville
Brainerd Int. Raceway
Shube
Pikes Peak
Virginia Int. Raceway
California Speedway, AMA Course
California Speedway, Interior Test Circuit
Mid America
Barber Motorsports Park
Miller Motorsports Park, AMA Course
Miller, Full Course
Talladega Grand Prix Raceway
Horse Thief Mile
Grange
Spring Mtn. Motorsports Ranch
Jennings
ICAR
New Jersey, Lightening Course
Mosport International Raceway’s Rider Development Track
Race City
Race City Mini Track
Chuckwalla Valley Raceway
Mosport Kart Track
Willow Springs Kart Track
Streets of Willow Counterclock
Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Backwards

58 Tracks so far.

Thinking of Jim

Oct 11, 2011 | Lindemann Engineering

I talked with Jim’s wife Debra today. Jim and Debra prefer a private service. Jim’s friends are spread around the world so getting together would be tough anyway.

With that in mind Debra and I propose that we all take a moment this Sunday at Noon to think of Jim. Tell a Jim story, ask your friend what rate springs he has, teach someone how to measure sag, drink a toast to Jim or whatever strikes your fancy.

I’ll be racing with WSMC and with luck will be on track at Noon putting the LE suspension on my bike to good use.

One of my best Jim stories: I pull into the pits and tell Jim I needed more front chatter and less grip on the rear, the look on his face was priceless.

RIP Jim Lindemann

Oct 9, 2011 | Lindemann Engineering

After battling brain cancer since ‘98 Jim passed on Friday evening, Oct 7^th. He was 56.

I met Jim in 1998, when I was racing the 250cc GP class in the AMA series. Jim was a guy who was willing to help out a broke rider trying to string it together and race Nationals. He got me thinking about suspension in the right way. We tried to focus on the big picture, the goal, and then try to make that happen. He would always be willing to listen to new ideas. You could always see the gears turning.

I’m sad that my friend is gone.

Eric and the Bearings

Oct 9, 2011 | Lindemann Engineering

Last we saw Race Dad, Eric working under his trailer. Here we see him with his spare trailer bearings. This guy learns well!

Note the Lindemann Engineering stickers on the forks of both Kenny’s race bikes.

What does a Sportbike rider do when he gets a Cruiser?

Oct 6, 2011 | Lindemann Engineering

In the case of Scott and his Suzuki Boulevard he sends the forks to Lindemann Engineering for a few changes.

First I replaced the stock non adjustable internals with cartridge assembles from another bike. Because adding compression adjusters to these forks would be near impossible I modified the cartridges to have the compression damping in the left fork and rebound damping in the right fork.

Spring rate and spring/spacer size took a bit of work but in the end, I was able to use a common spring size.

To make it all look cool we had the outer tubes, the feet and the new caps that fit inside stock cap anodized black. The compression adjuster is blue and the rebound adjuster is red.

Now Scott has the correct springs for his weight with pre-load adjusters. He also has custom valving with compression and rebound adjusters.

Forks that look good and feel good because Suspension is not, just a word.

Kenny and I

Oct 4, 2011 | Lindemann Engineering

are looking at you.

Eric & the Trailer

Sep 26, 2011 | Lindemann Engineering

All the bike prep in the world won’t do you any good if you don’t make it to the track. Race Dad, Eric knows this. When the bearings in one wheel failed after dark on the way to the last race of the season Eric removed the wheel and hub, moved the stuff in the trailer to the other side and made it to the track, slowly, on the three remaining wheels.

A few phone calls the next day and a trip into town, while his son Kenny and I played on the track, and Eric was ready to go to work.

Here Eric is removing the bolts that hold the backing plate in place. He has already cut the inner bearing race off the spindle. A positive attitude is essential for jobs like this because the race gas and lighter are never far away.