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Dirt bike suspension tuning

( SAG)Dirt bike suspension tuningby Mike Hobbs and Rick Johnson (abridged)

Here's PART I of Too Tech's Suspension Tuning Tips.Dialing in your bike's suspension: 7 easy may be different

STEP 1: Measure suspension "RACE SAG" (Most important adjustment) :

All measurements are made between the rear fender and the rear axle. The first measuremen

The second measurement is made standing on the foot pegs with full equipment. The differenand Supercross, 3-7/8" Natural terrain moto-cross, 4" Gran Prix and desert.

STEP 2: TUNE RACE SAG (The other "most important adjustment"):

Adjust the forks to the standard height in the triple clamps before starting any adjustments.

Increasing the preload on your rear spring will decrease the Race sag.

This will raise the rear of your bike putting more weight on the front wheel and reduce the froyou tighten the spring too far it wil l make the bike twitchy and promote headshake.

Decreasing the preload on the rear spring will increase the Race sag. This will lower the rear olike a "chopper". This will reduce head shake, making the bike go straighter and be more secubike will be harder to turn.

To fine tune the spring preload (Race Sag), try tightening the rear spring adjusting nut 1/2" tinto a turn and hold the inside line. Continue this spring tightening until the bike becomes twihandlebars. Measure and record your Race Sag.

Then try loosening the rear preload 1/2 turn at a time and mentally note how the rear end "Sreach the point of excessive front-end lift (wheelies) and loss of steering, or you begin to havemuch Race Sag. Measure and compare these two extremes, then reach a compromise betwee

Tune the front-end ride height to match the rear end! If the Race Sag compromise you determheight adjustment in the triple clamps is probably about right. Raising the forks in the triple creduce high-speed stability. (Similar to increasing the rear preload.)

Lowering the forks in the triple clamps wil l raise the front end making the bike harder to turn,preload.)

NOTE: Once you have established the best overall ride height front and rear, record these set

track, I always push my forks down about 1/8" to 1/4". For Moto-Cross I pull them back up totrack, tighten the rear spring about 1 turn.

STEP 3: Break in the new suspension valves and oil.

Leave the settings as received for at least 1/2 hour. Put the bike on a center stand and releassag to insure this critical adjustment is still 4 inches. Ride once again concentrating on any grharshness.

STEP 4: Adjust compression damping for bottoming.

Rear shock: Increasing your compression damping (the screw on the shock reservoir), will slo

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you compression adjuster "in" (clockwise) to reduce bottoming. If you never bottom, try turndamping and use more travel.

Slight occasional bottoming is OK, but don't allow the bike to crash down when bottoming. Froof the forks) to slow the compression stroke and decrease front end bottoming. Turn your combottom, try turning the adjuster "out" to soften the compression damping and use more trave

NOTE: Softer, screw "out", settings provide a plush mushy feel which works well for cross cou

Stiffer, clicker "in", settings hold the suspension up and out of holes and provide more lift on jdirectly into the dirt instead of getting lost in a mush suspension.

STEP 5: Adjust compression damping front & rear.

NOTE: Bring a small screwdriver with you and make adjustments at your test track.

It is important to make all damping decisions with the suspension hot and to immediately test

Making damping decisions in the garage can lead to nasty surprises.

Letting your friends adjust your suspension is also a no - no.

If "bottoming" is noted at either end, the compression damping should be adjusted "in" (clockadjuster is the slotted screw at the bottom of the fork. The rear compression adjuster is the s

STEP 6: Adjust rebound damping front/rear. (Critical adjustment, change slowly)

If either front or rear tends to kick up, (rebound), more than the other after landing from a lathe rebound damper screw "in" or "clockwise" causes more damping, which causes the suspenbounces up after landing from a jump, turn the slotted screw at the top of the forks "in" 1 clicor kicks up side to side down high-speed straights, turn the slotted screw at the bottom of the

But remember, too slow a rebound setting causes "packing" because the suspension does notbump.

Rule Of Thumb: Run your rebound at both ends "faster" rather than "slower". When the bike just about right.

STEP 7: Balance front end and rear end static rideheight.

If the rear end squats under acceleration along with too much front-end lift and/or the bike do

3/4 inches. If the front end rides low, turns too sharp, and/or tends to Head Shake, try a comrear sag to 4 - 1/4 inches.

Here's PART II of Too Tech's Suspension Tuning Tips.

More 4 easy steps.

Let's pick up where we left in PART I: if "bottoming" is noted at either end, the compression dstroke. Generally, the front fork compression adjuster is the slotted screw at the bottom of threservoir.

Remember this! Making damping decisions in the garage can lead to nasty surprises.

Letting your friends adjust your suspension is also a no - no. Don't forget this!

From PART I, the bike spring rates were dialed in and the rebound and compression damping

Let's go further and fine tune the bike's suspension rebound and compression settings.

STEP 1: Adjust rebound damping front/rear. (Critical adjustment, change slowly)

If either front or rear tends to kick up, (rebound), more than the other after landing from a lathe rebound damper screw "in" or "clockwise" causes more damping. This causes the suspensbounces up after landing from a jump, turn the slotted screw at the top of the forks "in" 1 clicor kicks up side to side while riding down high-speed straights, turn the slotted screw at the b

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return.

But remember, too slow a rebound setting causes "packing" because the suspension does notbump. Rule Of Thumb: Run your rebound at both ends "faster" rather than "slower". When threbound is set just about right.

STEP 2:Adjust rebound damping and stability for jumping.

This adjustment is extremely important and must be fine tuned by the rider very carefully. Threturn to its original position after hitting a bump. In steps 1 & 2, (from PART I) you determinThe rebound damping must now be "tuned"

to return the suspension to its original ride height before contacting the next bump.

If the rebound is too fast, the bike will bounce up after landing from a large jump, or kick sidenot have enough time to return between bumps. This causes it to "pack down" becoming harsExperimentation is required to fine tune this adjustment. Stick a small screwdriver in your booon the highest speed and most aggressive portions of your test track.

Front Forks: Start by speeding up the front rebound by turning the screw at the top of your foturning the adjuster out until the bike kicks up after landings or bounces up for no reason. Re(clockwise) 2 clicks at a time until the front end begins to get stiff or your arms seem to be wsettings define your rebound working range. Personally, I prefer to run my rebound on the fas

Rear Shock: Start by speeding up the rear rebound by turning the screw at the bottom of you

Continue turning the adjuster out until the bike kicks up after landings or kicks side to side. R(clockwise) 2 clicks at a time until the rear end begins to pound and get stiff. If may feel like will probably get tired faster. These are signs of packing. Record the setting. These settings dpossible without it kicking up or sideways.

NOTE: "Faster rebound settings will help you clear double jumps and ride aggressively." "Slow

energy in deep sand and desert whoops."

STEP 3: Balance front end and rear end static ride height.

If the rear end squats under acceleration along with too much front-end lift, and/or the bike d3/4 inches. If the front end rides low, turns too sharp, and/or tends to Head Shake, try a comrear sag to 4 - 1/4 inches.

STEP 4: Balancing front and rear.

Regardless of personal preference on compression stiffness and rebound speed, both ends mu

Compression Balance: The front spring and compression setting must coordinate with the reathrough a whoop, but the rear end rides up over it, the bike will go into the "endo" position. Tover this bump to match the rear end. First, try a combination of turning the fork compressionsprings, and pulling the fork tubes down in the triple clamps. Also, try speeding up the front rthis bump. When you reach the limit on making the front stiffer, you should try

making the rear end softer. Try a combination of turning the shock compression setting "out"clicker "in" 1 click, to make the rear stay down after the bump. Reverse this logic if the fork is

Rebound Balance: The front and rear rebound settings must coordinate to throw the bike up labove must be made.) If the front end continuously jumps higher than the rear, try a combinrear rebound, clicker "out" 1 click.

GENERAL NOTE: Heavier riders, very aggressive riders, and desert riders will usually prefer h

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