shock tuning for enduros

i'm looking to purchase the following items used from europe/UK:

1) any of these springs
PDS2-250 7.5 - 9.7 = 8.6 average
PDS3-250 8.0- 10.3 = 9.15 average
PDS7-265 7.6 - 9.5 = 8.55 average
PDS8-265 8.1 - 9.95 = 9 average

anyone tried these and weighs 90KG / 200lbs?


2) bladder for the rear shock? anyone gone there yet?
3) terry's telescopic needle (made in australia)? read the recent post but want performance review
4) subtanks?

i'll also place an advert

regards

Taffy

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

Taffy

I'm not sure which bladder kit you have available, but becarefull as some extent the length of the reservior. On KTM, it fine since the chain does not run there, and I've seen scrub marks on the bottom of my reservior on muddy runs when my chain is adjusted loose. Hopefully there are some that do not, or use the stk length with a Ohlins rubber style that needs a needle to fill.

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

So the KTM guys talked you into a progressive, huh? I think you can cross the 2 off your list, you are going to end up running too much preload to get the sag numbers in range. I think either the 3 or 7 would work for ya.

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

more info for everybody to read:

PDS0-250 6.5 8.3 ______________7.4 average
PDS1-250 7 9 ___________ 8 average
PDS2-250 7.5 9.7 use .44 fork springs _____ 8.6 average
PDS3-250 8 10.3 _______9.15 average
PDS4-250 8.5 11 ________ 9.75 average
PDS5-265 6.6 8.6 ___________ 7.6 average
PDS6-265 7.15 9.05 _______ 8.1 average
PDS7-265 7.6 9.5 use .44 fork springs _____ 8.55 average
PDS8-265 8.1 9.95 _________ 9 average

the 2 is heavier than the 7 john?

cheers

taffy

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

taffy
i have fitted the 76-95/260 spring, i weigh 95 porkies, until then i had problems with the berg not wanting to ' turn in' . this spring improved the berg a lot . probably the best improvement i have done

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

whosaberg

i don't know where my OEM spring fits in the catalogue? nobody mentions a 71-90 by 260? if anyone has seen a super comprehensive WP spring catalogue do let me know because it's slightly disconcerting to find everyone elses spring logged bar your own!

i'll go and check once more that that IS a 'zero' and not a 'six' in the code!

regards

Taffy

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

taffy
the details that i gave you are stamped on my spring

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

Taffy said:

more info for everybody to read:


the 2 is heavier than the 7 john?

cheers

taffy

Click to expand...

But the 7 is longer, should require less preload? Maybe I am thinking wrong here.

The PDS2 came stock on my 520exc back in 2001. I was closer to your current weight then, about 210. I could not get the sag set correctly, and went to a straight rate 9.2. That spring is still on the bike to this day.

I still have that PDS2. Brand new still, been sitting on a shelf for 5 years now. You can have it for shipping, may not be feasible though, have no idea of overseas shipping $$. But, I still think it would be too light of a rate for you.

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

it's a strange set up because i've had the 71-90 wouind right out sometimes but just recently, as it's got older i've had to wind it in and in. then you tell yourself that you have the wrong weight when infact you could do with something around my original which averages 8.3 or a tad more.

spring length should have nothing to do with it. it could be a 290 and it wouldn't matter. however, as they get coil bound the pressure does increase so you need to check the 'wire' at the base. if it's tightly wound it'll be coil bound more easily and that should be good for progressive springs.

someone has calcuulated the loads on the KTM (and basuically the husaberg) system and the cact is that without rising rate and linkages the PDS rear end needs a greater resistance at the end of it's travel and only a progressive does it. having said that you can't knock people finding the SR better.

i've been looking for a 8.8 SR or at least to try any of the four i've mentioned above.

i figure my 71-90 is a PDS-1 anyway.

regards

Taffy

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

Taffy said:

2) bladder for the rear shock? anyone gone there yet?
3) terry's telescopic needle (made in australia)? read the recent post but want performance review
4) subtanks?

Click to expand...

Do a search over at KTMtalk, there is quite a bit of info. over there on the above topics.

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

Hi Taffy,

Here is the current set up I have on my 01 501. 8.4kg straight rate spring, with a WER bladder to replace the stock piston. .44kg springs in the front. Both ends of course were revalved.

My bike originally came with a progressive rate spring. However, after learning much over the last several years about the pds shock here are some things to consider. The most important being the length and profile of your stock needle. I realize that your bike is an 02, but, on the 01 bikes the needle profile was long and thin. To get right to the point, that profile of needle does not work well with a progressive spring as there is a significant increase in hydraulic damping at the same time the spring rate is increasing, and stock there is not enough rebound damping. This set up works good if you're riding in deep sand, like the MX tracks in Belgium, as it will keep the bike high in the travel.

The bladder helps with riding over rocks and roots, it's definitely more supple there.

Anyway, that set up works very well for me in the desert. And when I say desert I'm sure it might bring images of super fast wide open area's. That is only partly true, actually only about 25 or 30% true. The rest of it is usually pretty technical single track slow speed stuff. Small tight sandwashes, twisting trails over hard pack with loose and imbedded rocks, and very tight sections through and around large boulders with either deep sand, or hard pack with sand on top. And of the faster stuff, we have large valley crossings with what we call cross grain. And cross grain is when you are riding perpendicular to the natural flood plain in that valley, and it is riddled with medium to high speed square edges and chop. A friend of mine said it best years ago, "if you can get your bike to work good in Lucerne Valley it will work good anywhere". And that's pretty much true with the exception of a motocross track, as when we head up to the High Sierra's (a large mountain range here in California) my bike still works great, and the speed averages there are very slow it's all 1st through 3rd gear stuff.

Hope this helps,

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

I am working for a certain suspension company I will not name for the moment, I am still learning all that stuff, but I am very interested in getting as much information as I can regarding Husaberg suspension.

DaleEO, can I ask you how much you weigh and measure and what your riding style is, if you race and what type of racing: Enduro, Desert, MX, HS, etc...?

Thanks in advance!

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

replies to:

powerfiend
thanks for that mate. i've been saying that to all here as well. however it' still an instinctive comment to make "who here has tried... on a husey"

daleo
same as froggy i'm interested in your weight and any back to back stuff you might have done regards a straight rate and a progressive and how you felt they differed.

i had this chat with berger by PM just 2-hours ago in that i heard from just about everyone that the trail rider, will like the bladder, better small bumps, doddle to service.

froggy
would you ever admit you were outta your depth even if you aren't?

johnf3
dave clarke racing has answered an e-mail from earlier today and he's sending me a PDS2 to try before i buy. so i'll hold on your kind offer for now as i want to get going and my other way will be to get lots of bits together first.

last question to all is this:
back to back test. i'm 200pounds in my birthday suit. what is the straight rate for my weight? is it 88-90-93?

if i'm quick dave clarke may have a straight rate he can send as well.

regards

Taffy

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

Taffy, I am not out of my depth, I am a database punk and collecting/analyzing data is what I do for fun/a living.

Right now my client is a suspension company, but in order to work well, you need to understand what your client's products are if I can kill two stones with one bird (fulfill a contract and learn about something that interests me) then it's a good deal.

I have a PDS 8 to remove from my MX bike and refit the stock spring, by the way, but the big issue is that it is ORANGE.

Looked good in the SX, though.

PDS 8 => 8.4 to 8.8 kg/mm

I will put it on eBay one of these days, unless you're interested, Taffy, cuz 8.6 seems to be what you need, for the front 0.46 kg/mm.

Now, maybe I am out of my depth so...

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

this is what i have for a PDS-8 mate

PDS8-265mm long and is 8.1 to 9.95 = 9 average.

yeh i give you hard tyime but i don't want to think that in your enthusiasm that someone else is going down with you...

as long as they know that you're learning then that's good.

your heart's in the right place fella!

regards

Taffy

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

Taffy said:

replies to:

last question to all is this:
back to back test. i'm 200pounds in my birthday suit. what is the straight rate for my weight? is it 88-90-93?

if i'm quick dave clarke may have a straight rate he can send as well.

regards

Taffy

Click to expand...

9.0 will be the ticket.

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

i'd rather use one of terry's needles if i can from australia so can you get them in the states? guess i ought to ask terry directly who his UK importer is and does he send his needles to the states.

will get round to it soon.

i'll PM him at K-talk.

regards

Taffy

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

Taffy, go ahead with the PDS 9, and let us know how it works.

I used a PDS 8 on an MX bike and it worked fine for my 240lbs, but it was a light 2-stroke. But you're lighter than me too.

I still think it would work and would be actually fine for you, right in the middle, and it's not a question of average, but median. 8.6 is right on the money with the PDS 8.

But you're in charge, do what you want with your bike, heh.

Just don't go Operation Catapult on me, David.

Regards.

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

froggy

read again fella!

your PDS-8 is an average of '9' so you got your numbers wrong mate. ok?

read it again and i'm sure you'll get it.

thanks again john. sent e-mails everywhere and then sometimes you actually get replies!!!! lots of them!

9.0 it is john!

regards

taffy

Re: suspension parts need 'em and have you tried them?

LeFrog said:

Taffy, go ahead with the PDS 9, and let us know how it works.

I used a PDS 8 on an MX bike and it worked fine for my 240lbs, but it was a light 2-stroke. But you're lighter than me too.

I still think it would work and would be actually fine for you, right in the middle, and it's not a question of average, but median. 8.6 is right on the money with the PDS 8.

But you're in charge, do what you want with your bike, heh.

Just don't go Operation Catapult on me, David.

Regards.

Click to expand...

No such thing as a PDS 9, at least not from WP. 4 and/or 8 is the upper limit. Now, some aftermarket springmakers do manufacture some "big boy" progressive springs, Factory Connection being one of them. These spring rates start off where the stock PDS 8 from WP end.