Rear suspenation setup.

i think the doc answers most of this if not a thread called rear suspension for enduro and it's in the handling forum.

defo 90 on the rear gives better low speed handling. 100mm for 2001-2003 bikes is not bad but i still prefered under 100 even then.

regards

Taffy

Hair said:

That is the direction that I am headed.

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130mm of sag? Sounds like your suspension guy is used to working on KTM PDS rears. Even then 130mm is excessive on a KTM.

Suspension is pretty subjective, but I am with Taffy on this one--I think the newer Husabergs work better with sub 100 sag numbers.

What's your weight, and we can probably point you to the right rear spring rate without any trial or error.

You don't really want to go more 105mm rider sag and that's the WP spec on the PDS.

Simon

95 mm works well .

I found that I have had the best handling by setting the rear spring at zero preload, and adjusting the forks in the triple clamps (moving the front up or down, rather than using the rear preload to adjust steering head angle) to get the steering that I am looking for.

tm-enduro said:

I found that I have had the best handling by setting the rear spring at zero preload, and adjusting the forks in the triple clamps (moving the front up or down, rather than using the rear preload to adjust steering head angle) to get the steering that I am looking for.

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but to have zero preload you need something like the rear spring!!!! it simply isn't enough to be three spring sizes out and just simply set the sag at zero preload!

i get you but wrong way for a fattie altogether.

regards

Taffy

We agree. My apologies, I should have made a caveat that the correct spring was needed first.

Taffy said:

tm-enduro said:

I found that I have had the best handling by setting the rear spring at zero preload, and adjusting the forks in the triple clamps (moving the front up or down, rather than using the rear preload to adjust steering head angle) to get the steering that I am looking for.

Click to expand...

but to have zero preload you need something like the rear spring!!!! it simply isn't enough to be three spring sizes out and just simply set the sag at zero preload!

i get you but wrong way for a fattie altogether.

regards

Taffy

Click to expand...

Hi. I see that there are more riders than me who struggle to find the right settupp of the rear suspention. I have found that my rear spring is to soft and I wonder if anyone could tel me which spring rate I shoud use. I ride a 99 mod FE600 with original rear spring. Me weight including riding gear is 122kg and I mostly uses the bike for street riding but I also does some dirt road riding during holidays.
Any sugestions?

storm
_________________
99' FE600

it's in the doc ny freind. you'll find this to the left of the screen.

regards

Taffy

We agree. My apologies, I should have made a caveat that the correct spring was needed first.

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Hi TM,
I´m interested to find out what spring you´re using(how to choose the "one"?), what kind of riding you´re into(your riding skills?) and why you prefer 0 preload over OEM advise?
peter

5MM of spring pre load on the rear should give you roughly 33mm of static sag. I believe the range is 4-6mm of spring pre-load on the rear, which should yield between 30-35mm of static sag. This number is very important with the PDS system.

With the spring pre loaded to the proper amount, you are then looking for between 90-100mm's of rider sag.

So, with your original numbers, of 27 of static, and 110 of rider sag, your spring is too soft. By having too much spring pre load, the rear is not going to behave very good.

What's even more important is that the front and rear are balanced. You said you had sent your forks out to be "worked on". What did you have done to forks??

It is important that we know your weight to help you out. WHAT EVER YOU DO, DO NOT BUY ONE OF THOSE SPRINGS FROM LANGSTON RACING OR ANY OTHER JAMOKE THAT SAYS YOU JUST SET THE STATIC AT 35MM AND THE SPRING COMPENSATES FOR EVERYTHING. THESE SPRINGS ARE POOP, AND IT WILL COIL BIND AND BREAK YOUR SHOCK, AND PROBABLY PUT YOU IN THE HOSPITAL AS WELL.

I suggest you consult a good suspension service like CLEAN RACING @ 714-434-9201 and have Steve Searcy set up your suspension for you. In the end you will spend less money and more time riding and with excellent results. Tell him Dale Covington sent you, I promise you will not be disappointed. When I had mine done, I got the forks and shock back from and bolted them on and was good to go. Static sag was perfect. I did mess about with the clickers one or two either way, and ended up right back at the settings he delivered it to me with and it works good everywhere off road, from slow single track to blasting across the desert.

Dales numbers sound good to me. Im comfortable with at least 100mm of riders sag. 105mm on my 450. Plus the fact that bergs are kind of tall 100mm helps keep your feet on the ground. Im 5'10'' and 210 pounds and can't get completely flat footed. So I cut the plastic hooks off under the seat grinded about 1/2 inch and fiberglasses them back on. Custom! Seats 1/2 inch lower now

Gokai134 said:

We agree. My apologies, I should have made a caveat that the correct spring was needed first.

Click to expand...

Hi TM,
I´m interested to find out what spring you´re using(how to choose the "one"?), what kind of riding you´re into(your riding skills?) and why you prefer 0 preload over OEM advise?
peter

Click to expand...

First off, I am no suspension guru, but I am picky about my bike. My preference is Ohlins shocks with linkage.

The stock spring works for me (6' tall 180 bls). I am an enduro rider, but my terrain is mainly rocks, roots and whoops. My skill level is former AA racer, but now at over 40 yrs I am slower. I stand alot when I ride, and lean forward, keeping the back of the bike light. I prefer the 0 preload to keep the shock "loose" for absorbing irregularities at slow speeds. My experience has been that when I get the rebound dampening slowed down enough to keep the rear end hooked up (and not hop and bounce in slippery rock sections) that the compression dampening got stif and was harder to dial in.

tm-enduro said:

Gokai134 said:

We agree. My apologies, I should have made a caveat that the correct spring was needed first.

Click to expand...

Hi TM,
I´m interested to find out what spring you´re using(how to choose the "one"?), what kind of riding you´re into(your riding skills?) and why you prefer 0 preload over OEM advise?
peter

Click to expand...

First off, I am no suspension guru, but I am picky about my bike. My preference is Ohlins shocks with linkage.

The stock spring works for me (6' tall 180 bls). I am an enduro rider, but my terrain is mainly rocks, roots and whoops. My skill level is former AA racer, but now at over 40 yrs I am slower. I stand alot when I ride, and lean forward, keeping the back of the bike light. I prefer the 0 preload to keep the shock "loose" for absorbing irregularities at slow speeds. My experience has been that when I get the rebound dampening slowed down enough to keep the rear end hooked up (and not hop and bounce in slippery rock sections) that the compression dampening got stif and was harder to dial in.

Click to expand...

I'll preface this by saying if it works for you and you are the most comfortable with it, it's your bike....BUT, at 180 pounds and no preload on the rear STOCK (8.0) spring, your bike probably is near 130mm of race sag, maybe more. The static sag will also be more than what the PDS system is designed to work with. I know you say you ride over the front of the bike, and that probably helps.

As close to zero pre load is a great goal, provided that you have the right spring. A minimally pre loaded spring actually is more progressive than one with lots of pre load. When you start approaching 10mm of preload, it is time to go heavier.

Suspension set up is very subjective, and I have ridden other rider's bikes (fast riders) that make you wonder how they go so fast, the suspension feels so funny.

Not only weight, but height as well. At 6'4", I have move leverage on the bike than a shorter rider, and even though my head is over the bars, I am weighting the back end as well. Maybe that is why I prefer 95mm of race sag.

Johnf3 said:

I'll preface this by saying if it works for you and you are the most comfortable with it, it's your bike....BUT, at 180 pounds and no preload on the rear STOCK (8.0) spring, your bike probably is near 130mm of race sag, maybe more. The static sag will also be more than what the PDS system is designed to work with. I know you say you ride over the front of the bike, and that probably helps.

As close to zero pre load is a great goal, provided that you have the right spring. A minimally pre loaded spring actually is more progressive than one with lots of pre load. When you start approaching 10mm of preload, it is time to go heavier.

Suspension set up is very subjective, and I have ridden other rider's bikes (fast riders) that make you wonder how they go so fast, the suspension feels so funny.

Not only weight, but height as well. At 6'4", I have move leverage on the bike than a shorter rider, and even though my head is over the bars, I am weighting the back end as well. Maybe that is why I prefer 95mm of race sag.

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I measure about 105mm sag ( I just measured it cold, honestly, this number seems a bit low to me) with 0 preload. That is with me siting in the neutral riding position. As you say, it is rider preference, I tend to run the front end high and stiff, and the rear end low and soft.

i had to go up in spring rate 3 times and after the PDS1 showed 12mm preload the next showed about 8mm and the next 6mm and the one i have now is on 3mm and it's excellent. such was the improvemnt in each spring that i wanted a special only made in the USA but funds didn't allow! nearly ordered it for collection at FR2. but many will recall that i got a bag full of bits from MXtech and that was enough for one trip.

i couldn't ride your bike TM - no way!

preload on the old from should be a minimum of 100 for good handling at slow speeds while i have found with the laer(est frame that 95mm is good but no longer as important as on the old frame.

so sorry john but i reckon over 6mm and you need another spring. it's the difference between whats right and 'making do'.

regards

Taffy

Taffy said:

i
so sorry john but i reckon over 6mm and you need another spring. it's the difference between whats right and 'making do'.

regards

Taffy

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No need to apologize, old chap. I reckon you're correct, in a perfect world armed with a plethora of springs at your disposal.