Suspension setup for a heavier rider.
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Firstly, hello! New to the forum, got my cbt tomorrow and picking up a dt125 hopefully next week
I’ve got a question for you about the suspension setup, I’m a heavier rider and from memory the suspension setup is likely going to be too soft for me in standard trim, what options have people used to get stiffer front and rear suspension? Is there a common front shock spring upgrade? And a drop in spring for the rear? Or do I need to buy new shocks?
Would be interested to hear any opinions on this..
Thank you!
Chuck.
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The front suspension is like a pogo stick.
I swapped out the front suspension with Upside Down Forks from a WR450F.
That was quite involved but transformed the handling.
A quick win is to swap out the front springs. I am pretty sure @HOTSHOT-III has some good ideas as well.
Always Originate, Never Pirate!
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The front suspension is like a pogo stick.
I swapped out the front suspension with Upside Down Forks from a WR450F.
That was quite involved but transformed the handling.
A quick win is to swap out the front springs. I am pretty sure @HOTSHOT-III has some good ideas as well.
@Calum Yes @SpookDog runs the Hyperpro fork springs IIRC and is happy with them.
I weigh around 150lbs and to make my '98 DTR a bit better off-road, my suspension setup was:
YSS adjustable rear shock and Lust Racing 25mm jack-up kit (the YSS shock is slightly shorter than OEM and the Lust Racing kit corrects this).
XT600 3AJ fork springs (20% stiffer than stock) and 15W oil (stock is 10W); this is a well-known DTR upgrade for greenlaning etc. and helps the bike jump better and resist bottoming. I adjusted the spring preload/rebound on the YSS shock to suit and the bike jumped better than the 2020 KTM 250EXC I also owned at the time.
I've also heard of people swapping on an XT600E rear shock spring, this apparently sorts the spring rate but the stock DTR shock has no damping adjustment so you might end up with the rear being a bit of a pogo stick (I was running the YSS rebound on position 29 out of 30).
The correct way to set up suspension according to a lot of racers is get the correct spring rate first; this is achieved by aiming for 25% static sag (the amount the suspension compresses when you sit on the stationary bike wearing all your usual riding gear, helmet etc.). If you fall down the hole of just adding heavier and heavier fork oil it will make the front end feel mushy and unresponsive. Once you've got the right spring rate, then is the time to start working on damping which is a little more subjective as it depends on where you ride, how fast you go, how you like it to feel etc.
I've made this sound a lot more difficult then it is TBH, the spring rate is something you can do without even riding the bike to get a starting point (good project for a wet day), then a few ride-and-feel sessions and you'll be well on your way. Getting this right can make the bike feel like it really belongs to you and is worth spending time on.
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@Calum Yes @SpookDog runs the Hyperpro fork springs IIRC and is happy with them.
I weigh around 150lbs and to make my '98 DTR a bit better off-road, my suspension setup was:
YSS adjustable rear shock and Lust Racing 25mm jack-up kit (the YSS shock is slightly shorter than OEM and the Lust Racing kit corrects this).
XT600 3AJ fork springs (20% stiffer than stock) and 15W oil (stock is 10W); this is a well-known DTR upgrade for greenlaning etc. and helps the bike jump better and resist bottoming. I adjusted the spring preload/rebound on the YSS shock to suit and the bike jumped better than the 2020 KTM 250EXC I also owned at the time.
I've also heard of people swapping on an XT600E rear shock spring, this apparently sorts the spring rate but the stock DTR shock has no damping adjustment so you might end up with the rear being a bit of a pogo stick (I was running the YSS rebound on position 29 out of 30).
The correct way to set up suspension according to a lot of racers is get the correct spring rate first; this is achieved by aiming for 25% static sag (the amount the suspension compresses when you sit on the stationary bike wearing all your usual riding gear, helmet etc.). If you fall down the hole of just adding heavier and heavier fork oil it will make the front end feel mushy and unresponsive. Once you've got the right spring rate, then is the time to start working on damping which is a little more subjective as it depends on where you ride, how fast you go, how you like it to feel etc.
I've made this sound a lot more difficult then it is TBH, the spring rate is something you can do without even riding the bike to get a starting point (good project for a wet day), then a few ride-and-feel sessions and you'll be well on your way. Getting this right can make the bike feel like it really belongs to you and is worth spending time on.
@HOTSHOT-III Does sound interesting, for my long-term
Aphroditeproject I definitely need to set this up properly. So either I'll be taking it somewhere, or I'll be learning the ins and outs to get it in the right ball-park.
