Dirt Bike Modifications Forum

I have a 2003 YZ250F bone stock suspension adjustments have never been touched. Bike probably has 20 hours on it. I weigh about 190 lbs. My riding style is beginner mostly trails but wanting to start a little MX. Can anyone tell me some ball park suspension adjustments to get close to where I need to be? I know my sag is way off, I have read a little on how to set it but what about the other adjustments?  

Your talking about setting your suspension up for 2 totally different things.  First off though, your 250F is sprung for someone around the 160-170lbs weight range, so you should get stiffer springs.  I always recommend Race Tech, but thats my personal preference.  It doesn't sound like your need any valving so I wouldn't pay to get that done.  If your going between the two, the stock valving should be fine.  The difference in trail and track is mostly setting up your rebound and stiffness.  I'll try to explain it as best I can:

For trail you want your suspension on the softer side and your sag set around the 150mm area.  Most of your suspension is working on the upper to mid part of the stroke.  You always want your rebound faster then MX to make sure that your not going to always be in the mid and lower part of the stroke.  If you ride on the mid and lower part of the stroke, your going to get hammered when your riding, hence why you want your rebound on the faster side.

For track, you want your suspension on the stiffer side and your sag around 100mm.  Seeing as the bike is going to be making a lot more use of the suspension, you want your rebound on the slower side so you won't take as much of a hit when your down in the mid to lower part of the stroke.  Basically, your trying to take the springy feel out of it.  Having your rebound set too fast will cause the back end to hop up under heavy breaking, through whoops, and feel squirly coming out of turns (especially in G outs). 

As far as where to set it up, thats something that really only you can do.  Adjusting your sag will help a lot, but after you'll need to tune it in with your clicker adjustements.  A lot of people overlook they're rebound adjustments on the bottom of they're shock.  You should stick to adjusting the clickers on the upper part of your shock and forks first before you mess with the bottom adjustment first.  When I'm on a track, I usually only adjust my forks and shock 2 clicks at the most at a time, then tune it from there.  Once it feels like I have it in the right spot, I'll adjust the rear rebound one click at a time.  As far as trail goes, I would do the same thing.

Hope this helps.

Thanks allot for your very knowledgable info! I think what you said about the stiffer spring will help the most. When I go around corners the back end crouches, especially when I gas it, giving the feel that the bike is sliding. As I am a very inexperienced rider the "fine tuning" is something I am not too concerned with right now, I just need to get in the ballpark so to speak. And I think what you said about the new spring would help the most. Thanks again for your help.  

No prob man.  Make sure you adjust the sag in the rear for your weight, that will help take care of the crouching.  A little bit of crouching exiting a turn is ok, but too much will make your front end float and feel squirly.