KDXRIDER.NET

So I used to hate the front forks, but thought the rear was pretty good. In the whoops I'd just do what most Kawy riders do... stand it up and let it rip. Then I put the '03 KX forks on. Now the rear seems retarded. I'm not good at describing what's wrong with suspension, or diagnosing it. Basically it feels like the rear's about a 3/4 beat behind the front. Kinda like Al Gore trying to clap to gospel music.

Anyway, anybody got a good resource to read and learn how to tune the suspension?

It's probably your rebound settings.... kick it up 2 clicks and see if that's closer and go from there....

I'll try that. Just would like to have a vague clue of what I'm doing.

If the rebound is stiffened... it will respond faster by returning to the ground faster.

Make sense?

yeah, I feel better. but wouldn't you loosen it to make the spring return the swingarm faster?

Yep... your right DAMNIT!
I was thinking compression....

Here's the skinny...

Setting the rebound:

1.) Find a relatively fast trail with braking bumps, rocks and roots leading into the entrance of a corner. Reduce (Turn clicker out) the rebound damping until the rear end begins to hop or feel loose. Finally, increase (Turn clicker in) the rebound damping until the sensation goes away.

2.) Find a log or ledge that tends to bounce the motorcycle after hitting it. If the rear end bounces up uncontrollably, add rebound. (Turn clicker in)

3.) Find some large whoops. The motorcycle should track straight through the whoops with the rear wheel extending to the ground before the next impact. If it does not perform as described, as above, it is packing and the rebound dampening should be reduced! (Turn clicker out) (Please note the guide for sand set-up, as these rules don't apply for sand.)

4.) Find a corner with acceleration bumps, rocks, and roots on the exit. The rear of the motorcycle should follow the ground. If the rear end "breaks up", reduce the rebound. (Turn clicker out) (If this fails soften the compression two clicks.) (Turn clicker out)

cool. I'll print that and take it with me.

You could just send the shock to Richard Wilson @ House of Horsepower. Tell him to set your shock up like that guy down in the Medford area. Want his address? He's on the web.

What works real slick is to have someone that does have a clue WATCH you ride.

Last weekend I rode with a handful of quads in the sand. Pretty much every one of 'em was whacked..and it was easy as pie to know what to do just by watching them for a few seconds. It so happens that mostly their HSC was so far out of bounds that LSC adjustment didn't fix them..but things DID improve. Some adjusters were so stuck and gummed up they didn't do anything.

Wait a minute...I think I just inferred that I have a clue....

BTW...the compression clicker is on the top..rebound on the bottom.

This one time at band camp...
I had a shock loose a lot of the nitrogen. It was down to 30 lbs. It was whacked out. You can't really tell unless you do a pressure check. There was no amount of HSC that was going to compensate. It was whacked, definitely definitely whacked.

Could be..but these are pretty much brandy new LTZs.

A complete BTW...their LSC adjusters had no clicking..only a smushy feeling 2 1/2 turn screw. Pretty much a crock of poo.

Another BTW...don't make a habit of checking nitrogen pressure! One or two ppfffttts with a pressure guage (even if it CAN handle the pressure)..and yur done.

I actually knew where the adjusters were. honest.

I'm sure you did.


Well, before you were 'newly inebriated' anyway...........

Gospel? You have AG's new album, too! Cool!! ..something like, 'An Inconsequential 1/2 Truth!'?

Whew...it's gettin' hot in here.......

He's my hero. Cuz he invented the innernet don't you know.

What a co-inky-dink. He's my hero too!

He's solid as a post and smart as a rock!

And those are good things...right?

you ever hear about the time when he was VP, and he was bashing Quayle about something. He said "Well,, I guess the leopard has changed his stripes!"

Whoo-hee..<sniff> ..<wiping eyes>... I busted a gut on that one. Funny how it never really made it in the press too far. Not Like Quayle reading card that was handed to him with potatoe on it..

AG is a great great man! I'm serial!

It's all political strategery, 'ya know! (which GW never did say)