Posts
1674
Joined
6/30/2023
Location
sebree, KY
US
Edited Date/Time
3/29/2025 6:06pm
This is not a bad mouth race tech thread. What RT did to my YZ250 was amazing. I mostly wanted to reach some of you guys and see what you thought and if you’ve had this experience with them. It feels like a freestyle setup.
This RM-Z450 is the choppiest and roughest machine I’ve ever been on. The braking bumps are knocking my hands off the bar starting at about 3 minutes into a moto.
Everything is setup right and installed correctly. Fitness is not even in the conversation. My hands are smoked before I get out of zone 2 (120-145). Technique is good also. No I didn’t lie on my DVS form lol.
Pic included because all threads need some good pictures.
Not the point of this thread but gorgeous zook, this thread def needed that pic
I installed the JGR engine mounts as well since I took that😁
Perhaps you’re not as fast as the suspension you asked for?
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Did they do the work or did you install the gold valves yourself?
Sounds like the setting may be off, it does happen. Pretty sure they will work with you to get the feel and comfort you are after
The forks sound perfect for me . I like a super stiff fork to jump into whoops & keep driving threw them . A sand corner with a big hump . I blip off a hump get sir & pitch bike left & bounce off the corner hump. Profeshenal cornering secrets. I like the shock plush with slow rebound. RT makes a cool gizmo part 4 older bikes shocks that helps with square chop & traction . I would ride the 450 & break the suspension in. Stopped at 4 ts in Tn. Only 1 out of 4 has laundry.
That’s definitely it thanks!
I did it. I did get the sign off from them on the floats and everything though via photos and phone discussion.
Yeah they’ll definitely make it right and I would just have called them too but it’s Saturday 🙃. I’ve been opening up the rebound and compression and it seems to be getting better. Another two clicks and I’ll try again. I just crushed my radiator though I think the mounts are made out of cardboard😑
I learned this the hard way, in my reasoning I was going to get faster with my new suspension so i lied about my ability, I also neglected to tell them I was old and didn't ride over the front of the bike as much younger riders do.
Eventually I told the truth and sent it back to them, they only altered the front and it was brilliant.
Lesson learnt
Probably too slow and not strong enough for the setup. Back out all the clippers and check the sag.
Who in the hell works on their own suspension and comes on a forum to blame Race Tech
I had everything Racetech in my 18 RMZ450 and that suspension was great, it was setup for a 175 lb Vet A rider. It worked well in loomy conditions as well as very rough/choppy intermediate dirt with only a couple turns on the clicker.
I would let the Racetech service center person or any suspension person in your region take it apart and put it back together for you.
Tougher than a $2 steak?
I was being sarcastic lol!
Did you read anything? They set it up. I didn’t blame them for anything and praised their past setups on the original post. What’s wrong with you?
Be sure the shims are the correct thickness… I only say this because I have made the mistake myself before I had a digital micrometer to actually see the difference. I have added the blue KYB shims in with my stack and they are not .10 they are .12 which is MUCH stiffer. also ensure the mid valve float is correct, you should be able to insert a feeler gauge so it is making contact with but not bending the shims … it can be difficult to get right sometimes and I certainly have messed them up many times as i learned to do the work myself, but, learning for me is most of the fun and to be honest I still mess them up 😂
I have a lot of equipment and I check every shim I install. Float is correct.
Are you able to try this, next time you ride and experience this, try coming into all the braking bumps with the clutch pulled in, if the bike feels much better its because of the zooks engine, it has a very old school tons of engine braking feel which loads up the forks which can make it feel very harsh. Another thing is I would put on a longer linkage and lower the back of the bike.
Also check the front axle alignment to make sure the forks arent binding, remove fork oil as this effects the end of stroke. Normally a soft shock will give you a harsh fork feeling.
Pit Row
Thank you. I’ll try the clutch thing next time I go out. I will add that the harshness is only excessive in off throttle situations so that’s a possibility. Would really like this not to be the case because that’s not so easy to tune out..
I’ve lowered the back of the bike about 10mm internally on the shock but next rebuild I may go with the link. Sag is 110 right now and feels WAY better than when I started at 103 (:
I did some funny stuff to my 1st bike, 87 cr125. I changed fork oil then the forks would not move. Drilled holes in the air box. I couldn’t figure out why it ran like crap All the plastic got stuck in the reeds. Wow I didn’t think I was going to find this scrap yard . Gps & google scrambled from a airport . I did 2 loops because I didn’t want to b on another narrow alley st . But that was it ,
44k + of aluminum.
Did you lower the forks at all?
Almost sounds like you are low in the stroke where the firmer damping is?
The RM’s looks are sooo underrated
Yeah that was what I was suspecting too - BUT.. I’m not using all the travel unless I OJ something. Given that, and that when I turn the compression in it gets worse, I feel like it’s an overdamped issue. I could be wrong but softer feels better.
The spec was 12 out and it was getting better until 18 out and then it just felt sloppy and dove on braking too much.
Forks are not lowered. I just used a 3mm spacer inside the shock to achieve a similar effect of a lowering link. Fork height is near flush.
Not sure what spring rate you're running but for my past experience Race Tech usually is one rate higher than what Factory Connection would set you up for! Paul is a smart guy I've had many conversations with him at mountain bike races down in Irvine but definitely stuck in his own ways LOL
The RMZ has a very stiff chassis from what I've heard from others. I had a 2013 RMZ so my experience wouldn't apply on that aspect. I can think of two immediate things.
A: your suspension is actually too soft for your riding ability. If its too soft itll ride low, and blow through the stroke making the ride extremely rough.
B: You're not riding fast enough for it or need to double check all your settings.
Personally if you've set up everything correctly and double checked it all. Id believe the first one of it being too soft. Alternatively if might need to be broken in more. My YZ450s suspension abused me when I first had it rebuilt but got better after sometime.
Unless there was something incorrectly assembled like a shim stack done backwards on accident. Which happens sometimes thats all I can really think of, I hope you find your answer.
I’ve always found the suggested RT stacks stiff and always drop the skill set.
You’re definitely not “blowing though” or packing from my experience and their settings
Axle alignment is critical on RMZ 450-good advice
I am at 0.54 on the forks and 5.9 on the shock. 213 pounds. I’m kinda flirting with sending my forks to Enzo (because I’m tired of working on bikes right now) but then I’d have mismatched stuff
When you say drop the skill what do you mean? As in - they overestimate my speed? Or I should set my speed as the next slowest class? But yes when I was building the stack I was a little apprehensive.
I ran out of time to go to the extremes on settings. I would like to know what going to 4-6 clicks out feels like.
How else would you recommend me find out which direction I need to go? Aside from the clickers.
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