Dirt Bike Modifications Forum

I haven't been posting much lately, but I've tried to help out with some people that have been asking about they're suspension because a mistake can not only cost money in repairs, but can effect your safety.

First, I would like to say that if you’re playing with suspension without having a shop manual, you’re asking for trouble.  Second, if you've never touched your sag or clicker adjustments before and you don't know what you’re doing, you’re asking for trouble.  Third, if you start messing with your rebound adjustments without knowing what you’re doing, your are REALLY asking for trouble.  Reading a small article in a magazine isn't enough to start messing with your settings.  Hopefully this helps you guys, but this is just some basic set ups for your 125/250F - 250/450F's:

First off, you need to know what weight your bike is set for from the factory, and where the clicker/rebound adjustments are set.  Most shop manuals will tell you, or they will tell you the spring’s #.  For example my fork springs from Race Tech are #'s -48, this is universal for all springs.  This # is always the same because there are only 2 places in the USA that makes springs, and Race Tech, Eibach, and Factory Connection all use the same one.  Most bikes are set up for someone that weighs 155-170lbs.     

Sag... If you weigh 220lbs and your trying to set the sag on your 2005 CRF250R, it's NOT going to happen no matter how much your try.  You’re not going to be able to set the sag for a spring made for someone 50lbs lighter then you, no matter how hard you try.  Even if you set the rear sag, it's impossible to set the front and your bike would have a major stink bug look and handle like crap.  You need to get springs set for your weight (and if you’re reading this, you should probably have them professionally installed).  With the right springs, setting your sag is simple.  Having something cool like the sag measurement tool from Race Tech is nice, but isn't needed.  If you have a measuring tape that measures in the millimeters (mm) that’s great, but centimeters (cm) will work also.  99% of the time you want your sag set for 100mm in the rear, which is also 10cm.  If you’re measuring with something that doesn't have a metric measurement, 4inches is pretty close to 100mm.  So, let’s set it:

All you need to do is have your bike on the ground (not on a stand) and measure from your bikes rear axle to a place straight above it (usually the fender).  Then, sit on center of your bike where you would normally sit and have someone measure the same distance.  If your sag is more then 100mm, then you need to tighten your spring.  If it's less then 100mm, then you need to lower it.  All you need to do is get a hammer and punch.  If you look at your rear shock you'll see two spanner nuts over the spring.  All you need to do is loosen the first spanner nut so that it will be out of the way, then either tighten or loosen the nut over the springs.  Tighter = less sag, Looser= more sag.  Don't tighten the last nut until you get your sag adjusted to where you need it.  Make sure you check it at least twice once you get it dialed in.  Once you’re happy, tighten the last bolt.

Clicker adjusting is pretty simple once you know what you’re doing.  Always try to get a baseline to where your bike is set.  Start off by turning your clicker’s ONE click at a time to the left and count the # of clicks.  Write the # down incase you forget.  Then click all the way to the right and count how many clicks until you max out.  For example, my forks are set at 14 out of 24.  Do this with each fork, and the rear shock.  Just incase you don't know, this will be at the top of the fork, and the top of the rear shock reservoir.  Most bikes will tell you which way to turn to make is softer or harder, but turning counter clockwise will soften the suspension, turning clockwise will stiffen it.  I usually only turn my clickers 2 at a time at the max to dial my suspension in.  A lot of people only turn them 1 click at a time.  I would recommend 1 click until you start figuring your bike out.  Make sure each forks is adjusted the same # of clicks

Rebound adjusting is just as simple as adjusting your clickers, but it will have the most effect on your bike and really mess up how your bike handles if you don't know what you’re doing.  Use the same method on your clickers to find out what your rebound is adjusted at.  The rebound clickers will be at the bottom of your shock, and the bottom of your fork tubes.  Neither will be as obvious as your clickers.  For rebound, I only adjust 1 click at a time.  Faster rebound will give your bike a springier feel, while a slower rebound will take the springiness away.  It doesn't sound like much, but it will really effect how your bike handles off jumps, cornering, braking, etc.  Just like your clickers, make sure the forks are adjusted to the same #.   

Hopefully I made this easy enough to follow.

isn't the rebound ajusters on the top of the forks by ur bars or thats wat it is on my 85?

compression on top, rebound on bottom.

My compression is on the bottom of my WP forks. Some might be different, but the easiest way to check is just to look in your owners manual.

Of course, its a KTM! Everythings bass akwards in Austria!

mayb but it says comp on the bottom of my forks and thats wat i adjust i think its differnt from full sized bikes  

Very nice secondstring!  Nice to see you posting every now and then.  Grizz  

Yes, it is very nice to see you on the boards. Hows the riding been going? E Street nice? Still havent been to a track. Hey Secondstring, did you hear that all my gear fell out of the back of our truck?

Very well written article Secondstring.

Secondstring, when you are talking about rebound, when your bike feels more spingier, how is the bike going to handle compared to if it wasnt? Do you want it not springy or what? Can you decribe some conditions?

When the rebound is faster (springy) it will bring the shock up to the top of it's stroke fast.  Usually in off road conditions, this is a good thing because the majority of the time your encounting smaller obsticles with bumpier conditions.  The down fall is it can make your bike hop and cause the front wheel to slide and the rear wheel to spin as the springs take weight off the wheels during rebound.

When the rebound is slower, it brings keeps the shock at the bottom-mid of the stroke longer.  On an MX track, you tend to blow the stroke more as your hitting whoops at speed and getting air.  If your bike is springy, it will corner squirly (especially in G outs), and cause a harsh landing as your bike springs up after a jump.

Oh, thanks for that info Secondstring. The last time that we went riding at Carnagie, you know how they have that little track there with the tabletops and stuff. Well, the track is all hardpack, and on the landings, my bike would bounce when I was landing, and the jumps are really that big. Every time I would land, the front would bounce back up and I would pull these stand up wheelies, lol. It was fun doing the wheelies but the landings weren't very fun. Do you think that the rebound is not set up right? By reading what you said, do you think that trying to make the rebound faster would help me out on those landings?