Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

Suspension set-up theory

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Hillclimb#42:
Hi guys. Another easy one that should be interesting to pick your brains on. I have my own preferences, but in the pusuit of the best Kx500 in two states (at least) I would like a worldly education on your preferences and technique to the overall set-up for different conditions that we ride.
  I will go first, since i am basically already saying that I don't have it all figured out. I like my bikes set-up the same way. Stiff going down and slower coming up than going down. I really only got to that point by checking other bikes and it seemed everyone was set-up stiff and slow rebounds. Last year I raced a guy that races many harescrambles, and only hillclimbs occasionally. He beat evryone in my class by two seconds on a 600ft hill. He was set up as soft as his bike would go. Needless to say, I began wondering about my own set-up. That paticular hill was very rocky with turns and jumps. Most of the hills are straight 200ft or less hills with 1-2 "breakers" (big humps in the hill) and all dirt if not mud.
  So first real question is how do you like the bike to be set-up, and then the second is at what point would you change to the other end of the spectrum? Any do's and don'ts would be appreciated. I would like to develop a strategy from the collection of experts here. Thanks alot for the input ahead of time.

kaw rider:
softer, tire stays on ground longer,plus doesn't pull frontend up as fast.

dsrtrider:
what i have heard in general is that most bikes come with weak springs that are overpreloaded and stiff valving.  suspension companies reverse this and use heavier springs, lighter valving and reduced fork spring length to lessen preload.  this is what they did to mine years ago on my old 1990 kx500.  that was supposes to help with deflection, etc.  it seemed to work.  it wouldn't bottom on face of jumps anymore and gave me confidence over fast stuff.  it was alittle harsh over stutter bumps however.

when you go stiffer in springs the rebound moves faster so you need to slow it down a few clicks

Hillclimb#42:
I don't mean heavier or lighter springs or anything real deep like that. I mean let's say you're riding  harescrambles and normally are set-up soft, and maybe start stiffening up 5-6 clicks or 2-3 for a track that has jumps or creek crossings. Or maybe for a motocrosser stiffer on a smooth track vs. softer on a rocky rutted one. Whatever conditions that make you alter your original set-up and why. I am constantly set the same way, and am curious about what I might be overlooking.
  So then kaw ridr, wher would you be or what would you be doing that would make you change it stiffer about 5-6 clicks? and would you change them equally?

dsrtrider:
this is from an older MXA magazine article on suspension:

1) set your sag correctly (typically 100mm rider and 10 to 20mm free sag).  this can affect feel over stutter bumps.
2) go out on your test track/trail and ignore rebound for now and just concentrate on comrpession.  they say go in until it "lightly bottoms over big jumps and/or largest G-out then go in a few clicks.  or you can go harder until they feel harsh and then back out a few clicks.  They say its better to be on the slightly harsher side.
3) once compression is set then concentrate on rebound.  if you are pogoing through the woops or kicking out then go in a few clicks.  if you feel like rear is "hanging down" or packing through acceleration bumps then go out (softer on rebound).  optimum is the loosest you can get away with.

i don't think you can get the perfect setup for all situations.  if to soft you get great feel over soft stuff but harsh bottoming.  if stiff to not bottom then harsh over small stuff.  have to balance it.

i can make a coy and mail it to you.  ts a god guide to how to set you clickers for everything

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