Suspension setup for motocross?

Tuning and maintenance of forks, shocks, etc.

Re: Suspension setup for motocross?

Postby wwguy » Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:25 am

beta250rrowner wrote:Ah, my one is not the race edition. Any tips anyway? I felt like the suspension was soaking up too much especially over the whoops. My instincts are that the suspension needs to be stiffer so that I can skim over bumps more and I think I am a bit heavier than what the stock suspension is set up for anyway. I am 90kg (nearly 200lb) without gear. I am into bodybuilding so it's muscle not fat, if that makes a difference.

Sounds like you need to visit a capable suspension tuner for stiffer spring and valve tuning. Depending on age and condition of the current suspension it may be overdue for suspension service too.

Weight is weight. Doesn't matter if it's muscle, fat, riding gear, backpack, water, tools, extra fuel, or aftermarket accessories you've bolted onto the bike. Your bike needs to have proper springs to lift the bike into the optimum position to optimize available shock stroke, and proper valving to move the bike through that stroke efficiently according to your weight and riding style. The 5.4kg factory shock springs on the RR standard two-strokes were intended for a 185-199 lb rider, which is less than you weigh without any gear.

For example: I'm 210 lbs naked and 240 lbs in full riding gear with backpack full of tools and 3L water bladder. Aftermarket hand guards, radiator guards, pipe guard, skid plate, steering stabilizer, and chain saw combine to add an additional 25 lbs. So my bike is sprung with a 6.1kg shock spring and tuned for a 265 lb rider.
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Re: Suspension setup for motocross?

Postby beta250rrowner » Tue Oct 26, 2021 1:22 pm

wwguy wrote:
beta250rrowner wrote:Ah, my one is not the race edition. Any tips anyway? I felt like the suspension was soaking up too much especially over the whoops. My instincts are that the suspension needs to be stiffer so that I can skim over bumps more and I think I am a bit heavier than what the stock suspension is set up for anyway. I am 90kg (nearly 200lb) without gear. I am into bodybuilding so it's muscle not fat, if that makes a difference.

Sounds like you need to visit a capable suspension tuner for stiffer spring and valve tuning. Depending on age and condition of the current suspension it may be overdue for suspension service too.

Weight is weight. Doesn't matter if it's muscle, fat, riding gear, backpack, water, tools, extra fuel, or aftermarket accessories you've bolted onto the bike. Your bike needs to have proper springs to lift the bike into the optimum position to optimize available shock stroke, and proper valving to move the bike through that stroke efficiently according to your weight and riding style. The 5.4kg factory shock springs on the RR standard two-strokes were intended for a 185-199 lb rider, which is less than you weigh without any gear.

For example: I'm 210 lbs naked and 240 lbs in full riding gear with backpack full of tools and 3L water bladder. Aftermarket hand guards, radiator guards, pipe guard, skid plate, steering stabilizer, and chain saw combine to add an additional 25 lbs. So my bike is sprung with a 6.1kg shock spring and tuned for a 265 lb rider.


Thanks wwguy, you keep this place alive, man!

By the sounds on it, I can sneak into the upper limit of what the suspension is setup for. 90kg is 198.416, when I'm riding motocross it's just boots, helmet, body armour which probably weighs another 5kg (11lb), which puts me slightly over the limit but not enough for it to be problematic.

I'm not good enough for the suspension to make too much of a difference yet, so spending money on it isn't necessary.

I'm thinking more like stiffen up the compression and speed up the rebound?

I'll have to take a look at the manual and see which dials to turn.

I also seem to remember roughly setting up the static sag with another guy at the track a couple of years ago, I don't think it was too accurate though because there was no way to balance the bike whilst he measured it so I had to have my feet out dabbing the ground to steady it!

Edit: Actually, I made a thread about it!

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3646&p=28484&hilit=motocross#p28484

And by the looks of it, I didn't get it resolved in the end. Not to worry, it's time to ride some more!
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