Your bike can be perfect. This is how... | MiniTip Monday

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The perfect adventure bike set up doesn't exist. It's always a a compromise but with these steps every bike you have can handle a ton better than it currently does.
I'm a big fan of starting from a good consistent position and building from there is the best way to go. If you've set everything and measure it properly it's so much easier to get it working well.

[@davidfindlay5432]

I'll argue a little around tyre pressures. Here in OZ with a lot of soft sand/gravel and corrugations on our twin tracks running with that much pressure on the front doesn't work at all. I would run more like 15/20 psi as the base setting and fiddle slightly from there, especially the front tyre. You need the tyre to get up on top of the sand/gravel, not cut through it. I use "baggy" fronts a lot as well, another good way to help out with the steering.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I totally agree. The tyre pressure thing is very situational. The riding we have in Northern Europe tends to not involve a lot of sand unless it's Holland or Souther Spain/Portugal. :) Pinned the comment for a bit btw!

[@animegaming4613]

What are 'baggy' fronts ?

[@davidfindlay5432]

@@animegaming4613 100/90/21 tyres [ also known as Fatties ] I go between Golden Tyres and Shinko, there's a few other brands. Most excellent for softer surfaces IMHO, can slow the steering a smidge, but totally worth that small trade off.

[@ntek2709]

Yep I run about 20 here in AU. But that also makes a route that transitions from tarmac to offroad and back again often a bit sketchy, so like any situation, keep your wits about you. BTW I'm an older bloke, I talk kpa - it weirds me out when I hear young guys still using psi :D

[@mrkristianstad]

​@@ntek2709 20kpa is 0,2 bar... Thats extremly low! Drivning on rim??

[@zardportugal]

FINALLY someone goes to THE POINT that matters! Waiting for more. Congrats.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@luvnotvideos]

Love most of your points here. Just want to add: Risers aren't just for tall riders. Short riders such as myself find them incredibly valuable to bring the bars back to us while sitting, and provide better leverage while standing. It's counter-intuitive to your set-up, but as a 5' 4" (162.5cm) woman, that extra leverage makes up for my weaker upper body strength.

[@bjornhoffmann5927]

Setting your (or any) bike up is vital. I see people throwing heaps of money on ”upgrades” before even getting to know their bikes! Setting your bike up is much more effective (and economical) than goingnout and spending 1000 £/€/$ on after market suspension! Thanks for being on the team. People usually don’t have the patience to listen to me. 😂 /former test rider and bike journo

[@PaulBartontreegazer]

Superb, thanks. Just adjusted my front suspension for on and off-road a few weeks back. It was easier than I thought!

[@BigRockMoto]

Superb video. Thank you.

[@Theravadinbuto]

My last suspension check is to ride at slow speed and “jump up and down” (compress and decompress the suspension). I want the spring rate and damping to be such that there’s non fore and aft pitch at any time during the fork and shock stroke. It really makes a difference….

[@jace4817]

Just wanna say that I absolutely love Mini Tip Mondays. You are great at explaining the problem, and how to solve it. Absolute legend

[@BrakeMagazine]

Glad you like them! Thanks for the kind words 👌

[@TwoHawksHunting]

Thanks for providing so much useful information.

[@BrakeMagazine]

My pleasure

[@fabie.motion]

great job Llel!

[@richardsimpson3792]

Thanks for that: good explanations and really useful

[@k_plax]

Way too much sensible sound advice in this vid. Top notch 👌🏼. And agree with you on Riemann's silicone tyre tubes tip- that is gold. Looking forward to your DX review

[@BrakeMagazine]

Coming Monday! And thanks. Riemann is a legend!

[@BlockCylinder]

I love the humility in the writing on this channel. Really well done.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Thanks!

[@TubbyTrialTeam]

Awesome vid and advice. 👍🏻

[@fenner-g6088]

Love the way you explain stuff 👌

[@BrakeMagazine]

I appreciate that!

[@dankorolyk5917]

Brilliant video as always!

[@BrakeMagazine]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@actstuntcam]

Great vid :) I'm a bit lazy with this stuff these days. I still haven't got around to talking to the dealer about the issues I had with their Desert X. I was kind of working on the premise that if they wanted to sell the bike, they'd make sure it was right before I wheeled it out the door. I like your discussion about making the bike 'work-for-you'. Everyone has different bodies, different needs, ride for different purposes, or with varying amounts of off-road/on-road preferences. My levers aren't in the optimal position, but I'm very limited on choice with my Africa Twin - a tiny bit in any one direction quickly has me fowling cables, fairing, or other components. Thanks for the tip on risers - generally I'm not a fan - but I never realised you could get 5mm and 10mm ones. At the shops here they tend to come in either 25mm or 30mm. It is interesting what you said about certain bikes being finicky with their 'set-up'. I think I'm very sensitive about bikes that have this narrow window and tend to write them off immediately. I'm kind of the opinion that a finicky bike is evidence of poor design. Having had a bike that handled badly, (GSXR1000K2) I'm not really keen to do it again. I tried all the tricks I knew with that bike and it remained an ill-handling death-trap (literally unfortunately). For you, it is a little different. You can organise a long-term demo and have a play to see if you can 'dial it in'. There's no way I'll ever be able to gamble $30K on a bike with the possibility that I can't set it up how I want. This is also the reason I'll never buy a bike with ride-modes - It'd take 3mnths of riding every day to find a setting that I might like. - No dealer is going to give me a bike for that long. Wow, that degenerated into an almost rant... Apologies... LOL. Anyway, great vid. CHEERS, Your fan from NZ - CAM:)

[@BrakeMagazine]

I think it's a thing with ADV bikes being 'road' based. Moving stuff around isn't so easy. As for the point about finicky bikes. I don't disagree. It's always nicer to have a bike that works with less effort than more. Kinda why I quite like the bikes I like. For me Adventure bikes especially should be easy over anything else and part of that is changes not making it suddenly handle like a different bike.

[@ourspanishadventures]

Brilliant once again. Enjoy Spain we have some great roads on and off.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I really did. Video coming Monday next week!

[@estebanfallas]

short and spot on thanks for sharing 👍

[@dominichayes9808]

Once again, great tips. Many thanks.

[@BrakeMagazine]

My pleasure!

[@estebanfallas]

1:14 hilarious and totally true Adam is a legend

[@mikethomas5861]

Great vid as always

[@BrakeMagazine]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@thewiredfox2691]

A lot of people may not know how the suspension changes affect things. Setting the front into the middle may not be initially helpful to learn. It may be useful to go full up, ride it for feel, change it to full down (or halfway down, you get the idea), and ride it again for feel. Then set it in the middle after that and adjust up or down a little bit as needed.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Agreed!

[@jc7654]

the spike that comes out the bottom of verner calipers is for measuring depth and is useful for measuring the amount of fork tube sticking out of the clamps

[@BrakeMagazine]

Not as easy as the lip on the back of the head. I'd been using the spike until about three weeks before I made this video and have seen the light.

[@chriscleland7008]

This really is a great channel. Thanks, I just subscribed!

[@BrakeMagazine]

Welcome aboard!

[@martinbarabe4643]

I absolutely love my desert X. Wish i knew how to do all this stuff properly so i could optimize my bike even more!

[@christiangrendel9893]

Riders really should spend more time, over a longer period, adjusting things like suspension clickers and lever angles. Eventually you have a bike that fits like a glove and the effort definitely pays off. Btw very knowledgeable video, without sounding arrogant 👍.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Totally agree. Thanks for the kind word.

[@dnbanb]

Im to scared to mess something up so i dont touch any of it

[@BrakeMagazine]

@@dnbanb Don't be. Right it down somewhere and try. It'll be the most liberating thing you learn!

[@marcochavane3124]

I think a lot of people believe throwing money at their bike will fix their problems, then will often end up disappointed. Have to learn how to use what you got first. Always encourage new riders to leave it stock for the first 1,000 miles and by then they will know what they actually need.

[@krazed0451]

@@marcochavane3124 I'd encourage experienced riders to do the same with a new bike. 1000km of suspension adjustments and ergo setup is a great base to make decisions for potential upgrades :-)

[@Dan-pj6sj]

Great advice. My suggestion- the very 1st thing to do before touching your suspension. Watch a few Dave Moss tuning videos and understand how forks and the oil work together, how quickly it degrades and then you’ll want to change your fork oil! Just doing this massively changes the feel and handling performance of your bike and will mean less clicks and increase the duration between having to readjust than with old fork oil.

[@ChadWinters]

It helps to know how you want to ride. Everyone wants a bigger engine and more power and reviews are all about CC and HP. I know that I ride the speed limit on asphalt roads and I like comfort, enjoying the ride and seeing the sites. I don’t want to go 100 MPH or scrape my knee on the turns.

[@xibilfc21]

Interesting point of KTM vs Tenere sensitivity to set-up. I think that must be because of how top-heavy that motorcycle is. Great video, on point everywhere!

[@BrakeMagazine]

It could be. I also think the KTM chassis is pretty well designed.

[@ktkace]

YAMAHA wants you to spend more on the SP edition/ aftermarket suspension (all bikes , non SP sus is usually pure shit ; ex: mt07 all gens ) . Aaand then comes the 2 china juggernauts (CFMOTO / KOVE) that comes with very dialed for sport riding and big sweet spot suspension... (SR 450 etc )

[@Bovrinox]

Got to say, the Desert X is by far the best looking new adventure bike available, pity it is well beyond my financial capabilities! Need something to tide me over while i restore my XRV750 :D Will never replace my Honda, definitely my forever bike!

[@jaderides]

Rubber grease works great in inner tubes too 😉 great vid!

[@BrakeMagazine]

What a tip Jade!

[@jaderides]

Prevents rusting in the rims too, I even managed to change my first tyre the other day thanks to it 🎉🤣

[@BrakeMagazine]

Good going!

[@Angry-Lynx]

10:20 knobbies can have relatively high pressure like you said 2.2bar. but my very road bias 90/10 tires behave great both on and off road with 1.6front an 2.0 rear ; so i think thats the main factor

[@Angry-Lynx]

10:30 yup, that confirms it, more aggresive thread - higher pressure they like

[@woutervanteerling]

There is also setting sag in forks really, not just rear suspension

[@Jayda08]

The simple answer to have a perfect bike, is..... money and lots of it.👍

[@jeroenmoser3544]

if i adjust the sag, do i also change the preload of my forks to keep the bike leveled?

[@babar69110]

lube tubes ( red rubber grease is even beter than silicon) but do yourself a favor : put two rim locks on front. end of flat pitches. Tire rotates a bit on hard hit, and pick the tube, before going back on position..

[@maxflight777]

Such good advice ! If I ask around… no one bothers setting sag. Get the tools and listen to Lel ❤

[@BrakeMagazine]

Yes! Thank you!

[@VonKirda]

When I took delivery of my AT, I nearly crashed it in the first corner. The front tire pressure was 12 psi.

[@mrt4755]

i have a KLR 650 but am looking for an upgrade i find myself torn between Suzuki 800DE, T7, or KTM 890 and possibly a Honda transalp i just cant choose i want to do harder offroad stuff but i also commute 30mins to and from work on the freeway and like long road trips 🤔

[@mediocremichael]

Love this video - great work! Working on setting up my new T7 - I must ask, is there any downside to spraying the tubes with silicone spray for a "normal" intermediate rider? You and Riemann are another level. I ride hard offroad, but Im not pro-level. Ive always been a powder kid too. Thanks!

[@BrakeMagazine]

Hey, There could be but Reimann would be the expert here. Silicone Spray can get a lot dust stuck to it which could be messy. It's not the nicest stuff, but y'know, no punctures is also nice.

[@MotoDUDEabides]

I sent that silicone tube lube video to EVERYONE!! 😂😂

[@RealHooksy]

Adam Rieman is one of the best adventure bike KZbinrs going around. He knows his stuff, because he’s done it all.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Pretty much.

[@gasdive]

Some bikes are sensitive to changes, and some aren't, but.... Some riders are sensitive to changes and some aren't. I'm not. Hand me a bike with a great set up, and I'll go, "that's nice". Hand me a bike with a terrible setup, and I'll say "that's nice". I fool with the clickers and wind things up and down, and I can't tell. Seriously, I had a flat tyre last week and I only realised from the sound.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I have noticed this over the years too. Do you think you'll ride better on a better set up bike?

[@gasdive]

@@BrakeMagazine yes. I did have a mate ride my KTM 200 and he pronounced it "horrible". He fooled around with it, got me to sit on it, fooled around some more, and handed it back. The hill that I hadn't been able to get up (the reason he rode my bike) I could now get up... So it definitely improved my riding. It felt "different" but I couldn't say in what way it was different. I couldn't even tell you which way the clickers were turned. I was just able to keep up with the group where previously they had been waiting for me.

[@2wheels1guy25]

Show me how you check the air filter 🥸

[@johnbradley1599]

👍👍

[@EpicMotorcycleAdventures]

Great video. What if your bike doesn't have suspension clickers (1250GS)? What off road pressures would you suggest on a GS using Anakee Wilds? Thanks

[@BrakeMagazine]

Do you have ESA or not? If you don't still measure and set the sag. It's the most important. Awake wilds, I haven't used a ton so I'm super sure. I would suggest trying 32PSI, 25PSI and 21 PSI and seeing what 'feels' nice. It's a pretty easy test to perform :) I'm also a fan if the tyre works, of keeping them higher as you don't have mess around as much.

[@EpicMotorcycleAdventures]

@@BrakeMagazine thanks for getting back to me. It has ESA so I’m guessing you can’t change that? I’ll give those pressures a try.

[@BrakeMagazine]

@@EpicMotorcycleAdventures Correct. You can choose different preloaded settings but the Auto preloaded is amazing. Basically does all this work for you.

[@RallyeX]

@@BrakeMagazine would changing to something like the Tractive Extreme suspension units from Touratech make a difference from standard ESA?

[@HeyAddieImTojo]

I test rode the DesertX the past saturday and i compared it to the T7 which i have a lot of seat time in. The Ducati is literally better in everyway. But then again, it should be considering it costs the equivalent of ~6000 us dollars more 😅

[@BrakeMagazine]

🤣🤣 Yeah, six thousand can buy a lot of development 🤣

[@4tech69]

Not to mention maintenance costs over the T7. It sure is a looker though.

[@BrakeMagazine]

@@4tech69 I mean, that is also a problem. The T7 kinda has a sweet spot there, but I think we're gonna see a lot of brands aiming for the same price point and making some great bikes. Transalp & V-Strom 800 are right there too.

[@baconder3.]

Mein Gras Versteck war ein Mini einweck Glas in meinem PC der hat ein metall gehäuse und das würde nie gefunden geht aber halt nicht bei Glas gehäusen😂

[@jace4817]

Just bought my first bike in many years, a CRF250L, and fiddling with this when I got no idea how to do it properly scares me not gonna lie.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I get that. I get the fear sometimes too. What if I make it worse? Will I be able to tell? I think a great way around this is set everything to base setting, measure it and right it down. Then after a little while of trying changes go back to stock. if you have both ends written down it's easier to not get so lost or the fear!

[@michaelcaton9358]

Rieman’s tube/silicone spray revelation has melted my mind….. Now I don’t who to trust…. I thought I had my way, but now???

[@RealHooksy]

Rieman knows his shit. If he says it’s good, then it’s probably good.

[@ktkace]

T7 : MICRO PP sweet spot 890 ADV: MASSIVE SUN SIZED sweet spot

[@BrakeMagazine]

Pretty much.

[@ShogunMathNinja]

New rider here. Do motorcycles come with their suspensions "set" for a certain rider weight/weight range? If so (I only weigh 135 pounds), wouldn't that mean that the suspension isn't compressing enough when I need it to? Thank you.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Typically, yes they do. A motorcycle is normally designed for the 'average' man. It's not a fixed rule, but typically this is for the 75kg-85kg person without riding kit. At 135lbs I think you'll find most motorcycles way too stiff and would ideally want lighter springs. :)

[@ShogunMathNinja]

@@BrakeMagazine Thank you very much. I'll look into making that change.

[@DirtRiderLife]

Any concerns about trying to repair a tube lubed in silicone?

[@bryanreeme8584]

wow good question.. I know if I'm painting something it's nearly impossible to be rid of it, regardless of the solvents tried.. loved Adam's tip since seeing it though 🤙

[@RealHooksy]

A new tube

[@xs433]

didnt get how to set the front fork on the desertx😂 a bit disappointed

[@styx85]

1:17 ohhhhh, TUBES. Sorry, I misheard.

[@pezis9588]

Working with measuring tools on a daily basis but I've never seen a caliper being used as at 2:19. What reading was taken there?

[@BrakeMagazine]

It's a little trick my friend Marcus taught me. You can use the backside of the caliber to measure the depth of the fork. You rest it on the lip of the fork and measure down. Works a treat. Was completely new to me about a week before this video!

[@pezis9588]

@@BrakeMagazine Just checked my caliber and I'm stunned, have been missing on this feature the whole time. Been measuring depth of thing with the other end until now. Thanks for showing this, smarter every day!

[@BrakeMagazine]

@@pezis9588 I was right there with you 🤣🤣

[@tims728]

@@pezis9588 if you really want to know all the features, the thin wire rod that protrudes from the back of the calipers allows you to check depth of holes. Think about how useful this can be when inserting new bolts in a thread. You want to make sure there's sufficient depth in the female thread section so when you insert and torque the bolt, the end of the bolt isn't riding against the lower insert. It may result in a bolt being torqued incorrectly. In summary, there's three options to measure, overall length with the wide jaws, internal widths using the thinner tab and depth using the rod at the back that comes out when making any measurement. Cheers from Oz.

[@CrackingGate]

KLR650 will always be lacking something......

[@theloniousscalliwag]

How to make your bike perfect *starts with almost perfect bike*

[@davepowell6740]

bike blar blar blar ,

[@coliwilso]

Hey mate, I really love watching your videos, but after a few decades of riding without earplugs my hearing isn't what it was, and that random background "music", let's say from 0:55 to 2:15 as a good (bad) example, makes it hard to hear what you're saying clearly. Maybe it's just me, but I found it super annoying trying to focus on you. Other than that, the video's great! Thanks!! 😁👍🤩

[@kevrenshaw6177]

wait weait wait wait.. at 2:18 you nemtion how setting up a bike is so important for forks and rear shocks etc.. but no advice is given as to what is good or bad for a weight or height. ERGO, I have learned to ride my bike as it came to me. This is based on bikes me and my friends "acquired" when we were young. As in you address your ability based on your style rather thanthe bike set up

[@4tech69]

Guys he said TKC80 was shit. Don't come for him.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I mean, it kinda is compared to the equivalent others. It's a fine tyre. Just fine 😂

[@raystedronsky6146]

@@BrakeMagazine The TKC 80 is a dead man walking. On "closeout" everywhere. Look for something new from Conti soon.

[@4tech69]

@@BrakeMagazine I've never used them myself but man I see a lot of people like them. They seem to be great according to them, but they don't last for long :)

[@richardsimpson3792]

@@BrakeMagazine They've been in production for about 20 years...I find them a bit treacherous....they grip until they let go, and then there's no saving them...and that applies on and off road.

[@BrakeMagazine]

@@richardsimpson3792 I actually think first production was 1989. Might be wrong. Also, agreed!

[@AegeanEpiphany]

Way too heavy a bike for the type of riding in some of the pics... I'd switch to Enduro for a nimbler and safer ride. Stick it on a trailer 'cos roads are boring

[@BrakeMagazine]

Good thing I didn’t ask then.

[@krulidn]

What a weird comment. If he has the skill to ride that bike on those trails and enjoys it, who are you to say he should do otherwise? Base your ride, set up and equipment on your skills and preferences and others can do the same.

[@BrakeMagazine]

@@krulidn Exactly. The internet is full of these comments 😂

[@michaelcaton9358]

Bolt less shit on and learn to twiddle the twiddles to make you bike work…. No you don’t need bar risers….

[@givemeanaxe]

Gee. You sound fun at parties. Every rider is different. No rider but you, is you. Dont assume you know who needs what.

[@michaelcaton9358]

@@givemeanaxe 😂 It was a humorous comment based on the information given…. Are you sure you are fun at a party? 😂

[@givemeanaxe]

@@michaelcaton9358 was it? Just reads like some elitist gatekeeping to me. If you meant it ironically, I retract my critique.

[@akustaka]

The problem I have with almost every reviewer of a motorcycle like this is that they measure how a bike is with low mileage. Realistically dude, 80% of people who buy bikes are buying used bikes with well over 5-10k miles on them, Reliability and ease of maintenance are the biggest things I think overall effect the enjoyment one has a bike. It's not about the bike being 'perfect', in that sense, it's about the bike being a bike instead of a broken down allotment of metal and plastic. I'll gladly take a bike that'll last me 60 laps around a track without batting an eye at it, compared to a 'race machine' that has a 2 second faster lap time that needs adjustment and a top-end every 15 laps/track day. Pick your poison I guess.

[@BrakeMagazine]

My bike had just under 5k mileage when I gave it back, but you can't have an issue with reviewing a nearly new bike not having enough miles. I can't really fix that 😊

[@Roger_Gustafsson]

Omg too much talk and not much said.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I didn't know a solid set-up guide with five detailed points was not enough 😂