Hi fellow riders,
I know there are other threads about how to "best" set suspension pre-load, but that is not my question.

For the front, the manual states, "Position 5 provides the minimum pre-load and 0 provides the maximum preload." So for the rear, 0 is "stiffest" and 5 is "least stiff."

For the front, the manual states, "Position 0 provides the softest spring pre-load and position 5 provides the stiffest."

My goal is to set both front and rear to be "equal," so do you interpret this as rear 5 and front 0 being equal?

This morning I set them both to 3, since that's the middle for both.

Setting front and rear equally is not the goal. The goal is to set preload so the front and rear each use about 40mm of travel from full extension with the load to be carried, including rider, on the bike. Changing the load changes the rear suspension used significantly while making little change on the front unless a heavy tank bag is used.

Setting front and rear equal is just the wrong method.

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Pat- 2007 DL650A was ridden to all 48 contiguous states. 2012 DL650A is just getting started.
Nicknames for posting ease on my part, Vee = all DL1000s. Wee = 2004-2011 DL650s. Glee = 2012+ DL650s

You probably know what you meant, but for others reading your post, it should be pointed out that what you wrote in your post isn't what the owner's manual says.

Per the manual:
Front: "Position 5 provides the minimum pre-load and 0 provides the maximum pre-load."
Rear: "Position 0 provides the softest spring pre-load and position 5 provides the stiffest."

Another point: The manual's reference to preload as "stiffest" and "least stiff" is misleading. Changing the preload isn't going to make your suspension feel more or less stiff. It's just going to move the bike up or down a bit for a given load.

Ditto what Greywolf said.

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Blue 2007 DL650

The manual is simply counting the number of lines showing. The adjusters work in different ways.

Up front, the adjuster has a mechanism that pushes on the spring from the inside, so fewer lines = more preload. More lines showing = less preload.

Out back, there's a mechanism (basically a big hydraulic piston) that extends out from a housing to push on the spring. So more lines = more preload.

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2002 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom, Dark Metallic Space Blue
1983 Suzuki GS850G, Cosmic Blue
2005 KLR650, Aztec Red - Turd II, the ReTurdening