Posts
1183
Joined
3/1/2014
Location
Stuttgart
DE
Fantasy
3097th
Edited Date/Time
10/19/2018 2:01am
Well today was interesting, I was messing around with my setting a little bit and I never really touched the rear preload since I set the sag and replaced the spring. But I always felt like my kxf felt slow on the rear, hard to describe. So I made it much more 'harder' today and wow, it felt so much better. It feels like it brings the power now much better to the ground. Yeah especially in the jumps it pops me really out in the air instead before it felt like a really slow take off and that with much more effort. Also I feel like whips was easier to do so. Only my hands/fingers had more pain but thats because my front now needs a change, too.
Anyone else had this experience? I didnt messure it but no way the sag is correct now, so I was really surprised how well it turned out to be..
Anyone else had this experience? I didnt messure it but no way the sag is correct now, so I was really surprised how well it turned out to be..
Remember, for every action, there is a reaction.
You shifted a lot of weight from the back to the front, so you're forks probably felt soft, even harsh. Get proper fork springs, set your sag and she will feel like a new bike.
The Shop
Yeah I know, I replaced those 2015 showa sff forks with 2009 kyb USD forks, it was a good decision I can tell you that. But youre right, on those forks I still need the proper springs, already ordered tho. Although I still need to set them up correctly they are already better than the sff forks and there was everything set for me.
Its probably my riding style
But this usually lends itself to harshness on real acceleration bumps - the shock bumper comes into play much sooner than people realize....It always makes a bike hard to corner in good ruts - as the rear drops too much under load and rakes out the bike.
I had a similar experience on my kawis. MXA said get a link! I rode it 20 hours - got a link - and thought - wow that's a mistake after trying all manners to make it work - it just didn't work better.
I started with OEM rear spring (Oversprung for me) - went to "correct" rate, tested a ton of valving settings, then tried back to OEM and found I was flat out happier there - despite my free sag at 50mm
first and foremost - there is no "proper spring for my weight". Do a lot of research here if you like into spring mass theory - but the reality is as follows:
You can make a WIDE range of spring rates work with varied damping changes - and still achieve proper race sag numbers (the more important sag number of the 2 IMHO)
The stiffer the spring rate - the FASTER the frequency response your suspension can have - so the age old "spring for weight and valve for speed" isn't entirely true (although a good starting statement to get people away from thinking springs do all the important work)
softer rear springs will be have a STIFFER setting under heavy braking. AKA the rear will feel MORE stinkbug with a softer rear spring at a given race sag number. On the yzf - this was HELPFUL to get it to turn. We ran lighter than "suggested" spring rates on those to get LOW free sag numbers.
on bikes where you want a "lower feeling rear" under braking - you may be surprised what a stiffer spring does for you.
The faster you go - the more spring rate you will want to help get the suspension to recover quickly enough.
For G out loading situations - more spring rate will always help you - it's hard to use purely shock damping for this.
All in all - you do need to check your sag. If it's 80mm - maybe you should consider much firmer valving and back to a normal number
If it's 95mm - maybe you just prefer that...and it's fine for you. every rider is unique - and just because a "spec" is suggested - doesn't make it the golden rule.
Aftermarket springs aren't always accurate - and OFTEN times the end effects of the spring make the early parts of preload/spring rate much different. Often even through "free sag" numbers don't fall in correct - it's due to the way a spring is made - and the fact the rate isn't "linear" for the whole spring rate.
KYB forks are 10 mm longer than the Showa SFFs, you you raised the front of the bike up by 10mm and screwed the bike geometry up.
Set your sag back to standard, and raise the forks in the clamps 10 mm. You'll be much happier.
I've heard having less sag on the Kawis is the way to go
Never heard that before but I guess I found out myself.
Frick?!
Pit Row
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