Posts
782
Joined
8/21/2016
Location
Spring, TX
US
Edited Date/Time
4/28/2018 7:59pm
I've been on this KTM 350 for a couple of months now and I consistently struggle to keep the bike in a rut. It seems like the front end always wants to climb up and out of the rut. Sometimes I get it right and can hammer on the throttle, but most of the time not so.
I don't know if this is a setup issue or technique, but it's an issue I didn't really have on previous bikes. Suspension is all stock AER forks and shock. I changed the rear spring to get it right for my weight. Sag is at 100mm and I can't get it down to 105, seems I went just a touch too stiff on the spring. Forks are raised to the 2nd line.
That said, rear end 5mm high shouldn't cause it to climb up out of the ruts. I'd expect that to transfer more weight to the front wheel and keep it planted in the rut a little better.
I'm considering raising the forks a couple of mm in the clamps to see if that helps. Any other suggestions?
I don't know if this is a setup issue or technique, but it's an issue I didn't really have on previous bikes. Suspension is all stock AER forks and shock. I changed the rear spring to get it right for my weight. Sag is at 100mm and I can't get it down to 105, seems I went just a touch too stiff on the spring. Forks are raised to the 2nd line.
That said, rear end 5mm high shouldn't cause it to climb up out of the ruts. I'd expect that to transfer more weight to the front wheel and keep it planted in the rut a little better.
I'm considering raising the forks a couple of mm in the clamps to see if that helps. Any other suggestions?
5mm sag can certainly make a difference. I'm on a completely different bike (YZ250), but I find the magical 100mm to not work for me at all. 105 and even 108mm feels great in all corners, berms and ruts alike... And YZs aren't known for their cornering prowess. Yes, more sag seemingly makes no sense for the front end climbing out, but it worked for me!
Maybe it has something to do with the bike not settling well (in your case, too stiff a spring), I don't know. Suspension is voodoo magic to me, so I just try stuff one setting at a time, and continuously record my results.
Basically, if biasing the chassis setup to heavily weight the front wheel isn't working, try going against convention and see if you get results.
The Shop
Also it sounds like this isn't a problem you're having exiting corners, more on rutted up straights... ?
Pit Row
I'm running 156 psi in the forks and the shock spring is 5.2. I'm 215lbs and the suspension feels really good to me. A little harsh up front in a lot of chop, but that's just a trait of the AER forks from what I understand.
I have a race this weekend, so it will be difficult to go out and try different techniques but I'll see what I can get in during practice.
The relationship between the two figures is a good indication of spring suitability.
If you have little to no preload, or your static sag is more than 40mm your spring is too stiff.
Might not be what is causing the subject concern however.
I’m crap in ruts because I’m old, terrified and unskilled. (But my suspension is perfect, and sprocket bolts torqued.)
Paw Paw
For the forks, you can start going in/stiffer on the rebound until it feels like its actually knifing inward/inside the rut, then back it out a bit. Obviously this may screw with how your bike handles other obstacles and you'll have to find a happy medium, but it's something to try.
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