[AzizaVFR]

OGN, after looking at your picture from track day, it is in your best interest to reserve enough funds to procure the Ohlins front and rear susension, plus fork oil. If you can make the two specialized tools, or purchase/rent them from Hard Racing, the whole process will take you less than two hours. Hard Racing has the ideal instructional video for this procedure. On the track, I was going through all the suspension travel either with hard braking leading into the corner or the increased pressure as the lean angle increased. It will make the bike feel more rigid and in control as your confidence and speed increases.

Also, do not settle for good. Make that bike great!

 

[AzizaVFR]

In all honesty, the Grom is the least expensive bike to prepare track riding you will ever own. Even with all the modifications I have done to the Grom, it is still cheaper than the rear shock I had custom-made for my VFR800 to do two-up track days. The suspension is the most important customized equipment to your riding style contained within the bike. You want to get it tailored to you, in the same fashion as a good racing suit or running shoes. You really want to spend the time and money to get it fitted to you. At this point, your suspension does work, yet not at an optimal level.

Like yourself, I took my Grom for a run around the go-kart track in stock configuration. It was having more pitch and yaw to it than my KTM supermoto with its 10" of suspension travel front and rear. I did learn quite a bit on its handling characteristics and what can be done to make them better for my big-kid behavior on it. Changing over to the Ohlins allowed me to edge out the Vee Rubbers, with only the footpegs limiting the lean angle. If you are still using the Vee Rubber, bring the pressures down to 21psi front/20psi rear. It will get them to flex better into the surface and take the additional heat without feeling greasy.

Here is how far I was able to lean into my front Vee-rubber after my first session with the Ohlins suspension.






After that, a set of rearsets or the adjustable footpegs from ebay will be your next improvement.

 

[AzizaVFR]

So......at the risk of looking pretty naïve.......

Although I am still very new to riding my Grom (and it has been quite a few years prior since my last motorcycle), it is not yet obvious to me that the stock suspension is all that lacking. Maybe I am just not riding my Grom very fast or very hard (at least not yet)....? But obviously...I would have to buy new suspension in order to try new suspension (and thus see to what extent I can tell the difference).....I guess?

So I am curious if there is a more obvious way for me to recognize the limitations of the stock suspension -- such that I can better consider the virtues of up-grading one day?

Easy. All it requires is a little ripple in the road, keep the bike upright and then using the brake quite hard run over those bumps. The suspension will go to full compression, and the bumps will loft the front wheel, locking it in the air. I experienced this same problem on a Ninja 250 as well as the Grom prior to switching out the suspension.