suspension help

lawson_31
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lawson_31
Edited Date/Time 12/2/2015 4:35pm
hey everyone, i'm not the kind of guy who is super picky about their suspension so every bike i've had i pretty much just left it the way it came. recently, i bought a very slightly used 250sx. the suspension is set up for a 180 lb rider. since i'm not super picky about suspension i left it the way it was. the last few times i've been to the track, going through the breaking bumps and some chop the bike starts to swap and i have to fight it to stay in control. this is starting to scare me a little. every now and then our bikes do this but my bike is constantly doing it. i'm about 5'11" and 160 lbs. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. i'm guessing this is a suspension problem, but correct me if i'm wrong or think it's something else.
thanks!
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colintrax
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colintrax 12/1/2015 6:16pm
12/1/2015 6:16pm
Well first off, have you set the sag? If you're riding a PDS bike, they're extra sensitive to sag settings. One downside to linkageless
Paw Paw 271
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Paw Paw 271 12/1/2015 6:42pm
12/1/2015 6:42pm
You really need the correct springs for your weight and then the proper sag set or it will not work correctly.

Paw Paw
lawson_31
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lawson_31 12/1/2015 7:05pm
12/1/2015 7:05pm Edited Date/Time 12/2/2015 3:26am
I do not have my sag set. Sounds like it would be best if I brought my suspension to someone
Premix
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Premix 12/1/2015 7:07pm
12/1/2015 7:07pm
Set your sag. Play with the clickers. If that dosent work, get rid of that crap WP stuff and replace it with a new YZ250

The Shop

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mxb2
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mxb2 12/1/2015 9:13pm
12/1/2015 9:13pm
Paw Paw 271 wrote:
You really need the correct springs for your weight and then the proper sag set or it will not work correctly.

Paw Paw
X2
Riesenberg448
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Riesenberg448 12/2/2015 11:30am
12/2/2015 11:30am
If you generally just ride your bikes without issue, I'd definitely recommend doing the basics first before investing too much. Taking it to someone, many times they will try to convince you to re-valve the bike. While to get the most out of your suspension, that is a good idea - you can get a greatly improved setup just by doing a few things:

1) Ensure your forks are properly installed. If they aren't parallel they will be harsh, sticky, and cause increased damage to your wear parts. Here is a guide on proper installation.

2) Quality (and fresh) fluids! Your suspension damping is controlled by fluid flowing through. It is very common to hear of guys spending hundreds of dollars on a revalve to improve performance to cut corners and use a low quality oil. All fluids are not created equally and the difference is huge! Also, just like your engine oil, suspension fluids get hot and need changed. Race Tech has specialized fork and shock fluids that are developed to reduce stiction and stand up extremely well to heat. We recommend re-builds every 20-30 hours to ensure your fluid is not breaking down.

3) Set your sag/fork height. Getting the overall geometry of your bike "correct" will drastically affect handling. Based on your make/model/year, sag and fork height numbers will vary, but finding the correct one will make a huge difference.

4) Finally, you should look into proper rate springs. This again will help setup the overall balance of your bike. Springs are fairly easy to install and make a large impact on your setup. You can see what spring rates Race Tech recommends using the Spring Rate Calculator

Once you've exhausted all of those options, if you are still looking for better performance, then I would talk to your trusted suspension company about a revalve to setup the bike for you. Again, not all revalves are the same, and each company has a different theory, setup, and resources to provide you what you need.

If you need to order anything, whether it is seals, bushings, fluids, springs, or a full revalve, I'd love for you to choose Race Tech and as proud supporters of Vital MX we have a forum discount setup. Just shoot me an email to chris@racetech.com and I will get you setup.

Please don't hesitate to ask anymore questions or email me with any other inquiries.
lawson_31
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Chesterfield, MA US
lawson_31 12/2/2015 4:35pm
12/2/2015 4:35pm
Riesenberg448 wrote:
If you generally just ride your bikes without issue, I'd definitely recommend doing the basics first before investing too much. Taking it to someone, many times...
If you generally just ride your bikes without issue, I'd definitely recommend doing the basics first before investing too much. Taking it to someone, many times they will try to convince you to re-valve the bike. While to get the most out of your suspension, that is a good idea - you can get a greatly improved setup just by doing a few things:

1) Ensure your forks are properly installed. If they aren't parallel they will be harsh, sticky, and cause increased damage to your wear parts. Here is a guide on proper installation.

2) Quality (and fresh) fluids! Your suspension damping is controlled by fluid flowing through. It is very common to hear of guys spending hundreds of dollars on a revalve to improve performance to cut corners and use a low quality oil. All fluids are not created equally and the difference is huge! Also, just like your engine oil, suspension fluids get hot and need changed. Race Tech has specialized fork and shock fluids that are developed to reduce stiction and stand up extremely well to heat. We recommend re-builds every 20-30 hours to ensure your fluid is not breaking down.

3) Set your sag/fork height. Getting the overall geometry of your bike "correct" will drastically affect handling. Based on your make/model/year, sag and fork height numbers will vary, but finding the correct one will make a huge difference.

4) Finally, you should look into proper rate springs. This again will help setup the overall balance of your bike. Springs are fairly easy to install and make a large impact on your setup. You can see what spring rates Race Tech recommends using the Spring Rate Calculator

Once you've exhausted all of those options, if you are still looking for better performance, then I would talk to your trusted suspension company about a revalve to setup the bike for you. Again, not all revalves are the same, and each company has a different theory, setup, and resources to provide you what you need.

If you need to order anything, whether it is seals, bushings, fluids, springs, or a full revalve, I'd love for you to choose Race Tech and as proud supporters of Vital MX we have a forum discount setup. Just shoot me an email to chris@racetech.com and I will get you setup.

Please don't hesitate to ask anymore questions or email me with any other inquiries.
Awesome advice! Thank you very much!

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