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2/24/2017
Location
Fenton, MI
US
I only have about a couple hours on my 2016 CRF250R. I setup the initial setup from MXAs recommended setting and its not bad so far, except the fork is INCREDIBLY HARSH on small bumps. Im talking 3-4 inch chatter bumps just from track prep with a tractor 3 pt disc make the front REALLY harsh and feels like the fork isn't doing anything at all.
What do I need to do? (Ive already been told buy a Yamaha, scrap the forks, grow a pair, etc..)
I just want to know what to adjust to make this a little better.
Thanks
What do I need to do? (Ive already been told buy a Yamaha, scrap the forks, grow a pair, etc..)
I just want to know what to adjust to make this a little better.
Thanks
Let me know and I'll see if I can point you in the right direction.
The Shop
#1. You won't get your best performance with the balance chamber and the inner chamber at the same pressure setting. I know that a lot of recommended settings out there and even the sff air app from Showa often recommend this but I never got really comfortable while doing it. I have run the balance chamber between 0-10 psi higher than the inner with my favorite and most consistent setting being 7 psi higher. So for your example of 149 inner psi try running 156 psi in the balance chamber.
#2. I've found that being on the low end of of suggested spring rates meaning (inner chamber) pressure is beneficial with these forks. I'm quite a bit heavier than you and have run between 154 to 162 inner chamber psi, my favorite set it and forget it rate is 156psi. This would be much lower than many experts would recommend for my weight but it works. The only time I've bottomed out was when I would have bottomed any fork out, OJ ing a big jump at the track. So in your example maybe try 146 inner chamber psi.
#3. Use the outer chamber for bottoming resistance when using a lower inner chamber psi. I've tried between 0-15 psi outer. This can greatly affect bottoming resistance with little effect elsewhere unless you start going over 15psi. I like 11-13psi depending on my inner psi. My favorite is 13. Just treat raising or lowering the psi in the outer chamber just like oil level.
* in recap start with a setting of 146 inner 13 outer and 153 balance chamber psi and let us know how that works. As far as clickers now start with mxa or pingree settings and slowly adjust for your taste (one click at a time).
I know that was long winded but I hope it helps.....took me some time to test, but now I honestly don't think about the forks anymore, I'm happy with them, and I'm picky too. Take it for what's it's worth. I may be crazy or just dumb. If you don't have time or patience do a RT spring conversion and live happily ever after. Have fun!
Seriously though if you need any more guidance let me know. At some point I'll count my clickers to see where I've gotten. But most importantly, after you try those settings report Back and let us know if they worked so more guys could find a good base setup. I'm hoping some of the starting points I learned can help guys out.
Ride fast and take chances!
What I dislike, and has me thinking about swapping to spring forks, is the constant changing and adjusting.
Yesterday I set up in the morning. A couple of hours later I noticed they felt stiff. I checked the pressures, and the inner was up 3psi and the balance was down 7psi.
You can't just set and forget these forks.
Pit Row
Im about 200 lbs right now, I have no idea why the forks were so stiff at 156 ish psi. They barely even moved in the garage holding the brake and rocking the bike. I dropped the pressures to 145 in inner and balance, and somehow the balance was waay low from when I set it up originally. Not even in the ballpark of 156 anymore. The outer was much higher than the 12 psi I left it at. So, they felt stiff as heck but none of the pressure were really where I left them anyway.
I have the fox digital and the works connection zero loss adapter. So far, after only a couple adjustments, this is not very consistent.
What would you guys suggest for a 200 lb 35+ rider. Intermediate rider.
If you want to try a bit more with the air setup first, here are a few things to look for:
1) Make sure the forks are aligned parallel. If not, they can create additional harshness and stiction. Here is a guide to ensure they are parallel.
2) Make sure you are filling the air chambers in the proper order. Also make sure you drain the balance chamber then pressurize inner, outer, balance in that order.
3) Here is the Race Tech recommended starting point for pressures:
Riding Type: Motocross
Age: 30-44 Years Old
Skill Level: Intermediate/B Class
Height: Standard Height
Gas Tank: Standard Gas Tank
Spring Conversion: No Spring Conversion
FRONT FORK SPRINGS
Recommended Fork Spring Rate: Inner 175.6 psi, Outer 16.1 psi, Balance 191.7 psi
A good rule of thumb is inner+outer=balance
As delonick said above, try and understand what dropping your pressures down will do. While it will make the air spring softer, it will cause you to go through the stroke faster reaching the harsher/stiffer part of the valving sooner. When tuning with air forks, often times guys are too reliant on messing with air pressures versus clickers. Treat your air spring similar to a coil spring. Once you put it to the recommended rate, you didn't tune with spring rate previously, so put where it is recommended and then play with clickers.
Ultimately, there are some characteristics of an air fork that you will either learn to deal with or hate. That will make the decision of whether or not to go with a spring conversion. The amount of times that we have had guys who thought they were okay with their air fork put on a Spring Conversion and then realize how much they were missing out on is astonishing.
Hopefully that helps lead you in the right direction.
My little practice track is mostly 2-3 gear with smaller jumps but has a few rough or flat landings included.
Ill bump them up to what you said and se where that gets me and then decide.
Thanks!
I'm not sure why you lost so much in the balance chamber, that seems unusual.
What I do know is, these forks need constant attention to keep them at the preferred psi.
Anyone have any additional info on this or a schematic of the internal chambers?
For anyone else reading as well, you can always find recommended pressures using the spring rate calculator on our website, select your Make/Model/Year on the Spring Rate Search page and at the top click the "Calculate Spring Rates and Display Available Springs" at the top of the page.
Modifiers:
Riding Type: Motocross
Age: Standard Age - Up to 29
Skill Level: Novice/C Class
Height: Standard Height
Gas Tank: Standard Gas Tank
Spring Conversion: No Spring Conversion
FRONT FORK SPRINGS
Recommended Fork Spring Rate: Inner 160.5 psi, Outer 12.4 psi, Balance 172.9 psi (use closest available)
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