How To Set up Dirt Bike Suspension Compression and Rebound

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Suspension set up is often seen as a daunting task for many riders because it seems like there are so many different aspects and variables involved in a correctly set up suspension. In this video we go over the terms you'll hear in relation to suspension, and then we'll give you some tips on getting your bike adjusted and ready for anything you throw at it.
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[@rmatvmc]

Invest in the best and achieve outstanding results with our top-rated products and durable tools, all just a click away. www.rockymountainatvmc.com/?

[@behindbarstv4340]

If you never know what wrong feels like you'll never know what right feels like. I recommend starting with everything in the middle then do a short ride. Then turn your compression all the way out (soft) and do a short ride. Then turn your compression all the way in (hard) and do a short ride. Once you are done with compression, set it back in the middle and do the same with rebound. Now you'll start to have a better feel for what each adjustment does and what too stiff, too soft, too much rebound and too little rebound feels like. Now set everything back to the middle and use your new found understanding to make small corrections to tweak the suspension to your liking.

[@rmatvmc]

Thank you for the input!

[@kingcrumpet]

Nice I'm going to try this thanks.

[@GaryPiazza]

Do this every time. It's the best way.

[@doubleclutchinjammingears3391]

This is absolutely gold advice. Thanks man.

[@iandaniel4633]

Great idea

[@xcvsdxvsx]

"its actually really simple" proceeds to deliver a doctoral thesis...

[@Branden13]

Yeah, I need this explained to me like I am five years old. I am drowning in a sea of vocabulary and complex examples about what certain riders may or may not do.

[@scottloftin1730]

I think he did a great job.

[@youknowit6752]

Homosexual communist

[@jakebriscoe]

im crying laughing this is so true lmao

[@cane2253]

If anyone wants to learn about Jesus Christ reply

[@dannylenz3660]

A good way to test your rebound after your compression is where you like it. Find a section of trail or track with consecutive bumps think whoops or chop. Pay attention as you enter if the first two or three bumps. If the first couple feel great but by the third or fourth bump the suspension feels harsh and continues until your thought the section. Your suspension is packing or staying too low in the stroke. Speed up your rebound. If you go through and by the 2nd pr 3rd bump your bike is bucking sideways and or back and forth your rebound is too fast. I have found this test works best when your are tuning your suspension and you feel you just about have it where you want it. Rebound can be difficult at times to seprate from compression settings. I have found this test helpful to read what the rebound is doing.

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks for the pro tip, Danny!

[@brooksy2093]

Great tip, we do the same when setting up the buggy. Set up on different sections to find a good median for the course

[@Itsjustmelol..]

I’ve found especially in sand whoops you get a lot more bucking from having the rebound set too slow (hard) especially if compression is set too soft. I’ve found at least in sand having the Compression both high and low speed set as stiff as you can stand and the rebound very fast like 19-20 clicks out allows you to ride as fast as you dare without losing control especially in the whoops.

[@bikerdude6119]

I was actually looking up videos for this exact issue on big rollers

[@EarthSurferUSA]

@@Itsjustmelol.. I like using a heavier spring with very little spring preload, (especially for the forks), with light compression and heavier rebound to control the spring. I like it when the springs do more work than the compression damping, and I also love the sand whoops. :)

[@SenorDennis]

Suspension tuning is about 10x more confusing than an engine rebuild.

[@rmatvmc]

It can be! But start with the basics.

[@skynjaydensdaddy]

Building engines is simple

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Naw, just get stiffer springs with very little spring preload, light on the compression, (the heaver spring will hold the bike up), and heavy on the rebound, (to control the stiffer spring). That will make the suspension supple on the small bumps, and still be able to take hard hits.

[@nuthintoprove]

@@thepatternforms859 Damping slows the movement, it's velocity sensitive not position sensitive. Think of trying to run in waist high water or the damper on an air conditioner vent. Open is no damping, closed is full damping. Don't ever say dampening unless you are getting something wet. Every fork or shock without any damping would bottom out super easy even with the super stiff springs. True damping is the valve stack, the clickers are a small bypass that changes how much force it takes to open the valve stack initially. If your valving is way off, clickers will not help. Springs are position sensitive, damping is velocity sensitive and friction is bad. These are the basics but don't think suspension as some dark art where only a few know what's going on. The problem is misinformation is propagated by people that don't know what they are talking about, creating a bunch of myths. Like not enough rebound damping makes the bike kick. I hope that helps. You asked an honest question.

[@dadthelad]

@@thepatternforms859 When he says to soften or stiffen the compression or rebound, he means the compression damping or rebound damping. Suspension works by having a spring, and then an oil damping system to slow down how fast the spring compresses and rebounds, and to stop the spring just bouncing back and forth over and over. Minor suspension tuning is done by tweaking the damping rates (compression and rebound clickers), and the preload. Major suspension tuning is done by changing the actual spring (and valving to match).

[@marcissobadass]

This is the first time I have actually started to understand what and how the adjusters work. Thanks so much. You guys rock!

[@xterrential]

Thank-you for actually explaining how to properly set up your suspension. Most if not all other videos I have seen use jargon I don't understand. I am a newish rider and alot of this stuff is still over my head. I am debating on respringing my bike. This has helped. Thankyou

[@losttheplotcolin]

I have used your videos to check my sag, change out my springs and adjust my dampening. The changes have made a huge difference, it feels like a different bike, in a really good way. Thanks go to you and your colleagues. Cheers guys.

[@rmatvmc]

That's awesome! We love to hear stories like yours. Glad the tips have helped you out! - Chase

[@chalo212]

Last Saturday went awesome. I was having a lot of doubts about my bike and what to do in the future with it..... I fell in love with it once again because I went back to stock settings and started from there again. Turns out I was going the wrong way with some settings. Going back to basics made miracles for me.

[@rmatvmc]

That's awesome to hear! Thanks for sharing your feedback.

[@MotoMatt418]

Wow. Finally! A much needed video. Thank you for posting 👍🏻👍🏻

[@rmatvmc]

Glad you got something out of it. Thank you!

[@AntiPattern328]

Great explanation. We don't get enough of these videos. People in the lower classes or just starting out have no idea how to make their suspension work.

[@rmatvmc]

Glad you liked it! Suspension can seem confusing but it can be simplified and easy to understand. - Chase

[@wfodavid]

Very nice as always Chase. One thing we used to do when my son raced AX was we would take video (like we saw of you) and we would watch it at the track, make adjustments that both he andI could see. That YZF is a sweet ride!

[@rmatvmc]

That's a good idea. You forget what you heard or saw so quick sometimes. And yes, the YZ250f is a rad machine. Thanks for watching!-Chase

[@joaovitoralvesandrade5046]

Best video in the internet

[@jimmystevens9028]

Loving these videos, just got a 2017 KTM 450. Never adjusted the suspension in a bike before, had no clue about sag. Not my first bike, just never messed with it.

[@BR-kj3fp]

Great video. This is the first time I've heard anyone explain that if you go up a few sizes on spring rate, you'll need to revalve. I learned that the hard way, but it makes sense... a stiffer spring will make the wheel rebound a lot faster if you haven't changed the clickers. If you find your rebound is turned almost all the way in to counter that, you're not allowing the rebound stack to work because all the resistance is on the needle port inside the shock. Turning the rebound in all the way eventually affects the compression side too, and what you have is a dead feeling shock. I'm too cheap to send my suspension out so I learned how to revalve myself from online forums. It's been about 10 years; I've probably saved thousands by now.

[@rmatvmc]

That's awesome! I hope to one day be able to re-valve my own suspension as well. Glad you liked the video and thanks for watching! - Chase

[@rookiefmxrider]

Maybe this tip is more for valving but OIL WEIGHT is key for a better suspension feel. I just opened my Racing suspension shop and thanks to great people out there that trust in me my suspension it's working good on the track. Nice video ROCKY MOUNTAIN GUYS very complete and informative. Cheers from Baja Mexico

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks for bringing that point up! Congrats on the new shop!

[@hrbestalkinme3690]

So true. I use slightly thicker oil if the suspension is valved too soft when I first get it. Gets it close enough for me a lot of times

[@EarthSurferUSA]

For me, the lighter the oil the better like 5wt, (does not fade as much). Then I like a heavy spring with light compression damping and a small amount of spring preload, (forks). You will need stiffer rebound after that, but you should find it supple on small stuff and braking bumps, and still able to handle the big hits. With my way, the compression damping does not hold the front up higher, the stiffer spring does. I like the springs to do most of the compression work. Now it is your turn to tell me how to port a 2-stroke engine, because that is what I do for a living. :) Enjoy your business while we still can. Doug in Michigan.

[@rookiefmxrider]

@@EarthSurferUSA Porting a 2 stroke engine is an art. know the STA values is the first thing before make any kind of modification in the ports. Cheers bro! Keep up with your business!

[@Curiouscricket]

My racetech guy taught me to set it all in the middle, and then adjust one setting four clicks in one direction. If it feels better, do four more. If it feels worse back it up two clicks and of course go the other direction if it still feels worse at two. Then do the same for each. I just hate doing a lap or two and having to ride back to the truck to adjust. I need to get myself a stylin fanny pack I can put a flathead and some sockets in so I can just pull over on the track and do it there. Those clickers on the bottom of the forks are always fun to get to when adjusting on your own. All that being said, I'm getting back into riding and find that my comfort level and skill is changing faster than I can adjust my suspension, so I need to chill until I start to flatten out in a comfortable spot.

[@steveh100]

First video on compression and rebound etc I've seen that makes sense to me, it explained everything at the right level, I dont ride much off road but I'm wiser now, thank you, this and the sag video by your colleague are now my go to list if I ever need to play with any adjustments I might have with my new suspension 😀

[@rmatvmc]

That's awesome! I'm glad it helped you out! We actually just filmed a few more general suspension videos and plan to do more tech videos like this one! - Chase

[@big_motor_channel.]

I went from riding a 1986 kx125. too a 2019 yz450f. my old kx had some horrible old out dated suspension that I couldn’t do much with. after getting on my yzf the suspension feels amazing but have been told I still need to set it up it feels very hard / stiff this videos has helped me a lot I am nearly 16 stone so may need to do more then just setting but is a great video helped my a lot I thought it was good before but have it so much closers to my needs thanks

[@rmatvmc]

That's awesome to hear, Stephen. Glad we could help you out! Have fun out there and be sure to get signed up for Fantasy SX! - Chase

[@samtoshner8002]

Here's a really simple way to approach suspension that anyone can wrap their head around: find a track or section of trail that is representative of the type of riding you do the most. Record your base settings, go out for a short ride (5 min.) Then, try adjusting just one setting. Go a couple of clicks in the direction you think you need so you're sure to notice the difference. Now, go back out and ride that same section again. Better, or worse? If it's worse, try going in the other direction from your base setting. If it's better, try going further. Most importantly, take notes at each step (yes actually write them down). If you're a racer, get someone to time you, but be careful not to put too much weight into timing vs feel as there are other things that can affect your speed, like time of day and how long you've been riding. You'll start to really map out by feel what each setting is doing and one by one you'll be getting them dialed in. There are some more complex interactions that can occur, like when your compression and rebound are both slow and you start packing your suspension down with successive hits, so this method isn't foolproof but it's a heckuva lot better than doing nothing with your clickers because you don't feel like you know enough.

[@catmanflorida8545]

Thank you very much for this info. It explains alot of the mystery about suspension problems. This helps me understand why the bike doesn't feel right.

[@rmatvmc]

Glad it helped you out!

[@Fightthedevil.]

Nothing better than my Rm250 when had suspension dialed felt amazing!

[@austinbobcat3179]

Holy hell, I have never touched my suspension until this video, this showed me how to fix a couple problems with my suspension that I didn’t know how to deal with before. Thank you so much:)

[@rmatvmc]

Great to hear!

[@daltynbrewer3565]

Thank you so much!! I never knew what I had to change until now but new something wasn’t right.

[@rmatvmc]

Glad it helped you out. Thanks for watching!

[@707LAKE]

awesome description of comp being too soft!!! i love these vids!

[@Randy_Cox]

I understand how and why the clickers do to the oil flow to controls dampening. I just have a hard time knowing what changes to make to effect feel on bike. This video does pretty good to try and explain the on bike feel compared to clicks and how to tune things out that you dont want.

[@ken7u7tube]

Thank you very much...I ride a street bike and the info you have given is so helpful.

[@BigElly12]

I’m too dumb for this I’m just gonna keep everything stock and let my bike beat me up and deal with it

[@delinquense]

Probably not a bad approach ... at least for a few seasons, assuming you are of moderate weight for your bike. By then you'll know if you have any complaints/ issues. Also, by then I'd think you best change the fork oil and then compensate/adjust for any wear that will have naturally taken place over time and usage.

[@thethiefonthecross9092]

@@delinquense what would you suggest for someone who weighs 280 lb? My Raptor wants to kick me off with the rebound it seems like when I hit a bump hard the Springs compress and when it bounces back it wants to throw me off. I was thinking to make it softer somehow so the suspension doesn't bounce back and throw me off. I don't want my rear suspension to shoot me in the air I hurt my wrist real bad last time trying not to fly forward

[@delinquense]

@@thethiefonthecross9092 I'm no suspension genius and there is a lot to consider, your weight being very important ofmcourse-. It's one of those things I tend not to touch very often. I can tell you that when I got my new 2018 Beta 300RR Race, it didn't seem like it was absorbing on the impact. Problem was I hadn't owned a dirt bike for literally 3 decades so I thought that was normal for new suspension. It came with the upgraded Sachs forks. Then I got a 2021 Beta 390RR Race with KYBs and it seems so much better out of the box. All this to say ... I would recommend that you spend a few minutes to understand how your suspension works and then just start playing with it. Don't be afraid to adjust things ... you wont hurt anything. Make sure you write down all of your settings on the clickers. Eventually you will get the responsiveness, comfort and feel that you desire. It's a lot of trial and error. Don't take it in to the shop or you will be beholden to them whenever you have an issue.

[@jessehernandez3006]

😂😂😂😂

[@stevebaum]

Nice job on this video, covers most of the bases. Thank you.

[@rmatvmc]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@nickhamill6882]

Awesome explanation man, thanks for your help! 🤙

[@ravi3457]

Wish i had a dirt bike... but still i watch all of your videos ... “Chaze “ is my fav

[@Scythe_Voltage]

One day u will have one, took me a while to save up for one but once I got it, best thing ever

[@ravi3457]

@@Scythe_Voltage yeah sir.... im saving my best to get one 😇

[@xcvsdxvsx]

@@ravi3457 do you have a bike yet?

[@ravi3457]

@@xcvsdxvsx haha. Still no..gonna get one next year.. I'm saving 26 years old now

[@xcvsdxvsx]

@@ravi3457 Doooooo it. Get a cross country racer though like a yz450fx. Mountains and trails are so much better than a motocross track.

[@natereid4497]

Thanks for this video. Great job guys.

[@justinnn7608]

Chase with another great video as always your reviews and videos are my favorite and Rocky Mountain is the best motorcycle channel on youtube

[@rmatvmc]

We're glad you like the videos and the channel so much! Thanks for watching and supporting. Have fun out there-Chase

[@justinnn7608]

Rocky Mountain ATV MC welcome Chase you do your job well

[@MaxwellBenson80]

Another awesome video! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with us!!

[@rmatvmc]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sickofalldabscensorship721]

Thank you for this video. The way you explained things now make much more sense to me. Now I'm going out riding today and doing some testing. I know its going to take me all day but that's OK at least I'll be riding.

[@rmatvmc]

You've got nothing to lose! Make changes and see how it feels. Glad you liked the video and it helped you out. Have fun out there and watch out for that Covid-19! - Chase

[@sickofalldabscensorship721]

@@rmatvmc Hey thanks again for the video you made on suspension setup . Took my time throughout half the the day writing everything down each time I went out . Unfortunately I'm going to have to do it all over again. I'm going to have to buy a heavier spring for the rear. Another thing I tried messing with is something you you might want to make a video on is handlebar position / bar mounts flipping them around definitely makes a difference in how your body position and that in turn seemed to me to make a difference in how I wanted my suspension setup . Or maybe I'm completely wrong. Then again a video like that might make some peoples heads explode Cruz that just throws one more thing into the mix of already so many variables it could get more confusing . P.S. You got a kick ass job RM ATV MC hiring for any product testers? :-) :-)

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

Can you make a video about this topic but as applies to trails and single track?

[@redone8341]

I’m not a seasoned rider or anything, but just wondering. Wouldn’t the same principles apply for trails? Or does the slower pace make a large difference?

[@blaketerry8569]

@@redone8341 woods is different then motor cross. Usually in the woods you tend need softer set up

[@100GTAGUY]

@@redone8341 being that most of the dirt bike market is geared towards motocross most bikes come with springs and valving meant to help soak up hard hits and make it more controllable. Riding slower and on bumpy rocky less groomed terrain you won't get the full advantage of the suspension and it will more than likely feel rough. Dirtbikes targeted to trail riding like the dr, wr, or klx to name a few tend to be a bit softer. With how stiff I was running my suspension down in Florida doing enduro/hare scramble style riding on smoother faster terrain with some good bumps n jumps, it's way too stiff for the slower rocky terrain out here in Colorado and needs to be softened up a bit more as my springs alone are kicking the bike out on loose rocks, gravel, and silt on bedrock like crazy.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

According to Paul Thede's Race Tech Suspension Bible", (probably the best book about motorcycle suspension on the planet), rebound is very easy to set and can be done pretty well by just pushing on the seat and watching/feeling it rise. First you have to make sure the linkage is working well with no binding or added friction, or the test will not work. All you do is have the bike on the ground, front wheel straight, and push down on the seat and let it rise back up with you hand just feeling it. If it is too slow, it will rise and stop at the top. If it is too fast, it will rise past top, come back down a little and do that 2 or 3 ti8mes (oscillating at the top of it's stroke). it it is good, it will rise a tad past the top, and come back down only once and stop. Do that well with the correct spring rate, and all you have to worry about is compression.

[@toveyashby-crashbyproducti6366]

Thanks for this video! I felt I had some ok knowledge, but this was explained very well and thoroughly.

[@rmatvmc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thumpertorque_]

Very well made detailed video, though my situation is a little different. I'm learning this for street riding on my DRZ400SM. I'm planning on riding with a passenger and to compensate for the extra weight, should I stiffen up the high and low speed compression? Also should I just stiffen the rear or the front too? Thanks.

[@50STUNT]

Great video! I will be referring to it next moto to dial my suspension in for sure!

[@rmatvmc]

Glad you found it useful, Ryan. You'll have to let us know how it goes!-Chase

[@HORNET6]

Excellent explanation

[@Thumpermad]

I really like your riding style man you nailed some great berms looked great and fantastic advice cheers

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks Thumpermad. Glad you like the video and you liked the info. Have fun out there! - Chase

[@jamesmansfield4240]

If you’re sweating and exhausted, sliding around and not able to keep up when everyone else deems to be doing fine it’s your suspension setup and body position. Put everything to the middle and ride for 20 minutes, Dont make changes to the bike for at least that time. Put your bike on a center stand and stand on the pegs in a neutral position without holding the bars. Rest your hands on the bars with no pressure on your legs or hands. That’s your primary body position. If this takes ANY effort stand up a bit straighter and move your weight forward until you could stand there all day. That’s your basic position. Your thigh muscles are the largest in your body and use the most energy. Squatting on the bike screws up your balance, reaction time and exhausts you. Being relaxed improves balance, reaction time and gives you a basic position to return to for straights and recovery. Once you have this, suspension setup starts to make sense. When you ride for the first time in a day, Dont make changes for 30 minutes! The bike ALWAYS feels shit and wired until you’re warmed up and relaxed! Easy rules: Remember to BREATH. holding your breath starves your muscles and reduces concentration. RELAX - find that neutral riding position. When I’m tired and racing hard I have a mantra that I repeat over and over, “ RELAX….BREATH….RELAX…BREATH” Hey, man it works for me 👍

[@allenhuling598]

A much needed video...thanks!

[@rmatvmc]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!

[@redone8341]

Great insight for beginners like me. Thanks Jase!

[@rmatvmc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CHECKERD444]

Good all around info...Thank you !!

[@magnusengelmark]

Time! I have never planned to do suspension settings setup work instead of just riding. Like if I have half a day do be a dirt bike rider I’m going to ride like the weekend warrior I am. But I want nothing else than a perfectly tuned bike! Aah, help! 😂🤘🏻

[@ashrayhebbar5885]

Thanks for this video, this is golden!

[@mattbutts3586]

For some riders, adjusting suspension a few clicks at a time may not even be noticable. Jason from SGB Racing gave me a great tip on how to better understand compression and rebound if you're having a hard time feeling or understanding these changes. If you're not sure you have a good setting or if a few clicks in or out seems to make little or no difference, try going all the way in on one setting, such as shock compression for example. Then take a lap and see how it feels. After that lap, pull off and go all the way out on compression and immediately take another lap. Now you'll have a better understanding of how the compression works to begin fine tuning your shock compression. Then do the same thing for the rebound, then forks, and then hi-speed compression (but only one of these at a time). This will really help riders better understand what each component feels like and how to tune it to work best for you.

[@rmatvmc]

We appreciate the input, Matt! Thanks for watching!

[@JONSMITHYOUTUBE]

Thanks Chase, im in it to win it.

[@mikeeh20]

Great video track surface ie wet/dry soft/hard is also a massive player in set up i've always found that getting plenty of laps in and experimenting with settings you get a feel for what works best under different conditions :D

[@rmatvmc]

That's definitely a great point. Thanks for the input!

[@rmatvmc]

I totally agree. Like i mentioned, there are soooo many things/adjustments that can be made for suspension and so many variables. Hopefully this video just gives some good basic info to get people going in the right direction. Thanks for watching!-Chase

[@mk3vr611]

This helped me a lot!!! Thank you. Also I raced my first race at this exact track. Crashed and finished last but I finished the race it was 1994ish

[@EarthSurferUSA]

I did about 50-60 MX races around and before that time in 1994. I came close, but I never finished last. David Bailey finished last in his first race, so I like to say I used to be better than David Bailey. :)

[@ryderdell5117]

I have a 2019 yz 250f and I love it! Great video

I bet I just got the YZ450FX after owning a 2017 Honda 450RX which I also loved at the time, The New Yamaha beats it hands down,, Yamaha hit the ball out of the park this time, Have you played with the ignition settings, I down loaded the torque setting with an FMF Pipe amazing,,, The bottom end is off the chart

[@ryderdell5117]

I have not the bike is perfect stock😁

[@ichibangrom9735]

Very informative video!!! Thanks so much

[@rmatvmc]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@EarthSurferUSA]

If you are at a bumpy track where you can see the roost well, you can actually see who has a better rear shock set up. The more the roost is continuous, (on the gas over the bumps), the better the rear wheel is hooking up. The more the roost is "off and on", the more time the wheel is spinning in the air. Again, something I learned from Paul Thede's "suspension bible", from Race Tech.

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

Very informative. 👍

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks for watching!

[@eugeniomartinmartin7404]

Thank you guy. Really nice explanation

[@rmatvmc]

You bet! Glad you liked it and thanks for watching-Chase

[@masonmirante1538]

Great video

[@codylloyd9728]

This video helped me a lot👍🏼thanks!

[@rmatvmc]

Glad it helped you out, Cody! - Chase

[@tuxiboy4844]

Thanks for this video 😊

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks for the positive comment!

[@nikherren3254]

This was very helpful

[@BentTrails28]

Great video guys!!👍🏼 I hope the people watching this video realize it's a monster difference when you set your bike up for body size and riding ability. Great video for any novice rider who is afraid to touch their suspension and was nervous to go to a dealership or go to a suspension shop to talk suspension because they didn't know what to really ask or how to describe their riding ability or areas that they need help with on what the bike is doing. This video will help them feel more comfortable on understanding what their suspension is doing and how they can tune it on motocross tracks / woods single track. "The Ohio Gang"..Northwoods Concepts 🤙🏼

[@rmatvmc]

Glad you liked the video, stacy beach! Just like you said, this video was to help those that maybe don't understand the concepts and how to set their bike up all that well. Appreciate the feedback. Have fun out there!-Chase

[@rorym1980]

soooooo helpful thank you!

[@secondfield5963]

Being a novice rider I actually found that a softer spring rate vs my weight improved the handling of the bike and made it turn much more quickly and helped it get traction as opposed to a stiffer spring (that was more suited to my actual weight).

[@ericcaterino9960]

wait what?

[@100GTAGUY]

I suppose it also highly depends on the kind of riding you do, softer springs are more well suited for less extreme riding where as stiffer springs will feel better with harder impacts.

[@giotto510vf]

Nice video thank you 🤙🏻

[@christophermunzer2593]

Great info there. Thanks!!

[@danielcheng5070]

Awesome video! Helps a lot

[@rmatvmc]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!

[@mr.dawson8502]

U guys are great.

[@colinclarke9379]

i weigh about 165 and ride a 18 wr450f. this vid helped a lot i think im gonna go with softer spring rate and revalve bc i could never get it to feel right

[@EarthSurferUSA]

165 on a 450 is probably a tad light for stock springs. Measure the sag correctly and set it (typ 100-105mm for the rear with you in riding gear on the bike). Now the "bike sag" (just the bike weight), should be 25mm + or - 10mm. If you need a softer spring, you will have more bike sag and visa versa.

[@cahoonagirls3717]

Thank you.

[@powerwagon3731]

Great info., but the reason I’m posting is to commend your sales staff for their excellent customer service. There was a mix up on one of my orders and they made it disappear. RM has been our {2 sons and I) source of parts 95% of the time since your beginning. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@rmatvmc]

That's awesome to hear, Power Wagon. We really appreciate you and your son's business and thank you for taking the time to write that. We try our best to have the best customer service in the industry. Have a good week!-Chase

[@darrenarnold7361]

Love it 👍🏻

[@bagbrothers7787]

I have always just worked with how a bike is set up for my trail riding. I recently rebuilt& resprung my kx 250 for my weight and need to set sag which led me to want to have it all set up. After 30 years of trails and now living in the desert....

[@EarthSurferUSA]

I took 20 years off trail riding, (I used to race MX also), to find set up is different today, and I don't think very functional. The seat height is usually taller than in the 80's and 90's, and the bars are rotated forward like a 1999 Freestyle set up, with level levers. The rider position has gone forward a bit, and to compensate they use 105mm or more rear suspension sag. I hated the set up, lowered my suspension by .75", my seat by 1" (2019 YZ250 2-stroke, a very tall bike today), rotated my bars and levers back to 1988ish (when we thought better IMO), and set my rear sag at 98mm to start (100mm if I did not lower the suspension), and boom, all the sudden I can feel the corners again if there is no berm. I think we are entering an era of dysfunction, and MX is not alone. I think it is every industry. It is called "progress" in our schools today.

[@larrydavis5246]

Good information chase thanks

[@rmatvmc]

You bet! Glad you enjoyed the video.-Chase

[@HDSupermoto]

Really great video!! 🤘🏼

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks!!

[@EarthSurferUSA]

I love all the adjustment there is for suspension today, can be adjust to work for just about anybody. It is a lot more inclusive than the seat heights today, that pretty much exclude anybody under 5'11" tall from good cornering. :) Lower your bike. You will corner better than the guy fiddling with his suspension. :)

[@Hustler9g]

Finally touched my suspension for the first time after having a too stiff bike for years.

[@burnthepoliticians]

How’d you go mate? Need to stiffen mine and I’ve never touched it before

[@Hustler9g]

@@burnthepoliticians rode it last weekend and it made a world of difference. I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner

[@iphone3gsdivine]

Riley McKee damn I’m bout to try to loosen mines way too stiff

[@adamflynn7322]

yeah i might try to do mine aswell

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Hmmm, you might want to get the oil changed too. The shock body is usually plated or hard anodized, but if the inside of the forks are not hard anodized, the oil will be mud.

[@52foreman52]

This was really good guys. Thanks!

[@thanedavis1273]

Very nice video. I think we need a video that tells what suspension changes to make for bad bike behavior. Or which problems are caused by bad suspension setup. My bike maybe misbehaving and I think oh that is just my make and model of bike. But it actually maybe a suspension setup problem. Like the bike won't stay in a rut. Headshake. Wash outs. Oversteer. Understeer.

[@barbrapapa28]

nice to have it made simple( ish) to under stand thanks.

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks for the comment! Glad it helped!

[@gustavomello6667]

awesome video

[@charleswinters7129]

A little know fact. I was a suspension development ride back in the late 80s a d early 90s. We would work to get good working suspension on models a NS then the next year when the new bikes came out they didn’t feel the same. What we found out was the bike companies would use a different oil in the suspension then we used to get the settings. It was not the premium oil we used to set it up. Most manufacturers have their own suspension setup place in the USA. Call them. They will often sell you the good stuff they used in setting up the suspension in the first place. It can make a lot of difference. It can make certain forks feel so much better. Also a good fork seal lubricant like what Ohlins sells can make your fork eat little bumps much better. Simmons developed it years ago then Ohlins purchased the rights to it. Great stuff.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

The suspension fluid my 2019 2-stroke YZ250 uses is a 0 weight oil, and I would not want to use anything else for the factory valving, (OK, I am mixing some Maxima 3W with it (maybe 15% Maxima), to get more control of the shock rebound with a stiff spring in it, which I don't think will compromise compression or induce fading at all.). I don't think it was Ohlins who came out with that anti-stiction grease for fork and shock seals. I think it was Simmons and called "SF3 grease". Race Tech now sells it or something similar. I like to cut strip of open face foam to the correct length to fit under the fork wiper and completely around the upper chrome tube, (3.1416 "Pi" times the diameter of the tube, will get the exact length), spear that Simmons/Race tech grease on it, and stuff it between the fork wiper and the seal. I have never had a blown fork seal doing that, and the grease is always there to fight stiction.

[@sassafraswakeboyz4121]

Rocky Mountain is the best

[@rmatvmc]

Damn right!

[@WILLY52368]

Thanks, very descriptive and well explained

[@rmatvmc]

Thanks for watching!

[@WILLY52368]

@@rmatvmc I have a 2014 XR650l which was purchased around Nov.ish but only came a simple manual that does not give spring rate. My rides mainly is asphalt. Suspension definitely needs work, however my budget don't allow for purchasing of new products. So, what can you recommend for my suspension setup with my weight at 235, and where should I start keeping in my the simplest and cheapest way possible. Note that my bike is always out in the elements due to where I reside if that helps. Also there has been a little mod to the bike but just a simple advise to suspension setup for my weight and bike would make a big difference and will be greatly appreciated. I wait for response

[@jannievanniekerk6290]

Hi, would you know what the rider sag is for a Honda cr 125 96 model? Your video is very helpful, thank you.

[@bwhaskell]

My only comment is that rear end squat under acceleration, and compression on smaller landings and rollers are typically "low speed" shock shaft velocities that Low Speed Compression will resolve. High Speed Compression is typically for square edged bumps and hard landings. That said, adjustments made to LSC will effect HSC as well.

[@rcafmaintainer3723]

Excellent video

[@rmatvmc]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching-Chase

[@geiner11-7quesada]

THANKS just excelent...Muchas gracias...🇨🇷

[@goal7779]

Thanks

[@thetommantom]

My suspension was squishy. I tightened the compression to limit the stroke from bottoming out. It also bucked so I thought to open the rebound. I thought softer rebound, not as stiff, won't buck. That actually made it rebound faster because I opened it, letting it return faster. Now I'll probably tighten my rebound as well so it doesn't rebound as fast.

[@rmatvmc]

Yes, a good rule of thumb is that for every two clicks stiffer on compression, go 1 click slower (in) on rebound. A stiff fork or shock with a fast rebound may not settle well. Try it out and let us know how it goes.-Chase

[@ls1_cammeroh]

Good video

[@gmac9841]

Thanks been riding all my life now I'm 52 . After watching your explanation I'm going to have a play around with me suspension on my Wr 450 better late then never..

[@rmatvmc]

It's never too late to start!

[@gabrielkopp2036]

Great info..can you do video on dual sports on trails?

[@joshnixon1634]

What would you recommend if you hit a hole in a track and get Head shake, bike feels like it dives but doesn’t come back up so my guess was rebound but hasn’t changed much?

If your getting head shake at high speeds you can also tighten your steering stem nut a tad. Made a Hugh difference on my Yamaha, I can relax more at speed with out running a steering damper

[@rmatvmc]

Good advice. I just did that they other day on my Kawi haha. - Chase

[@brianrichard1768]

Good video to reference. I think a lot of us feel that setting suspension is like solving a rubik cube. You can get close but never seem to accomplish the whole puzzle.

[@rmatvmc]

But you can get very close! You have to commit to working on it for a whole day. I was at a sand track a few days ago and I must have changed my clicker settings 10-15 times til I found something I liked. Most riders just don't take the time and effort to really "test" and find a good setting.-Chase

[@twowheelflyercr]

On the shock,rebound has more to do with compression because of the free bleed bypassing the shim stack.If you get too slow on rebound the shock will feel very harsh.

[@TheBackpackingSailor]

9:00 my home track

[@snowairland]

Thumbs up for Ogden!

[@JakeMerritt1992]

Is there a way to adjust my rear brake? I just bought a 96 Husqvarna and the rear tire locks up super easy. I've only seen people say adjust the pedal but that doesn't change how quick it brakes.