Recommended stock suspension settings

Spring is here and I am starting to plan for my off road riding on my new to me WR250R.
Last fall when I bought the bike I did some reading on suspension setup and had some time to  adjust the height, and proper preload for about 90mm sag.  The consensus on the rear shock rebound was to set it at max for 3 clicks and I could feel why. I kept everything else at the stock settings. I am 160LBS but with gear and camel back I am at least 185lbs. I am an intermediate rider and I wanted the WR250R for about 45% single track and 45% two track with very little gravel roads and pavement. Any other recommendation for suspension settings for my weight? I don't plan on any aftermarket suspensions upgrades for at least the first year.


Thank you.

Hi

Mine is set at 3 clicks max.
It still is after a 10% heavier inner shim the shock doctor put.
3 clicks.
Shock doctor told me no worry, the rebound needle is little different as MX.
Why manual says 12 clicks is big riddle to me.
So you will be runing between click 2 and 4 i think.

I am also aprox 160lbs.
Rear spring seems very soft compared to my MX bike.
However the rear spring doesnt get me into trouble on a bumpy track.
I have lowered the bike throwing of the nut at the shock an cutting it 0,5"
So because of my lenght i run spring preload as per manual.

When doing holiday trip with luggage possibly needs going to 200lbs spring temporarily

I'm 6' 2" 210 lbs. and ride 90% or more in the dirt. I too spent quite a bit of time reviewing suspension threads here and elsewhere.

Here's what initially provided some relief for me with the stock suspension:
- Increased the rear shock rebound dampening to maximum and left compression dampening at the stock midpoint setting. This helped keep the rear tire hooked up.
- Increased the front shock compression dampening to near maximum to keep the front from diving when hitting rocks and roots.
- Decreased the front shock rebound dampening to lightest setting to get the head back up ASAP after diving.

FWIW I'm now riding on an upgraded suspension with new springs and Race Tech Gold Valves. I love it.

Which rebound click on the gold valve?

TioJose wrote:

Which rebound click on the gold valve?

Fork compression: 10 clicks out
Fork rebound: 14 clicks out

Shock compression: 10 clicks out
Shock rebound: 12 clicks out

My local Race Tech shop set it up that way for me. I've got about 100 trail miles on it since the Race Tech upgrade last month and haven't felt any need to adjust it further.

eram310 wrote:

Spring is here and I am starting to plan for my off road riding on my new to me WR250R.
Last fall when I bought the bike I did some reading on suspension setup and had some time to  adjust the height, and proper preload for about 90mm sag.  The consensus on the rear shock rebound was to set it at max for 3 clicks and I could feel why. I kept everything else at the stock settings. I am 160LBS but with gear and camel back I am at least 185lbs. I am an intermediate rider and I wanted the WR250R for about 45% single track and 45% two track with very little gravel roads and pavement. Any other recommendation for suspension settings for my weight? I don't plan on any aftermarket suspensions upgrades for at least the first year.


Thank you.

Forget the sag numbers, raise it back up to stock height if you lowered it and back the preload off until it rides its best, I ran 4 1/2 inches of sag before getting the shock revalved as that's where it worked best for me but im 250 lbs and will sag the suspension down more than you with the preload set the same.
Doing this helps slow the rebound down which is more important then proper sag numbers and with it starting out at stock height you end up at about the same ride height as you would with less sag and the shock lowered an inch.

Like others have posted run the forks compression towards full stiff and the rebound towards full soft/fast to keep the front rebounding/popping back up as quick as the rear, this helps keep the bike level.

Don't worry about having to adjust it a few times, its quick and easy to do, just write down your settings so you can go back to what you had before if you find it worse.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions.
I will give it a try although haven’t really ridden it off road yet.
I backed off the preload to 4 threads showing (8 thread was my 3.5” of sag)
Set the forks comp at 2 clicks each
Set forks rebound at 12 clicks
Shock comp at stock 10 clicks
Shock rebound at max 3 clicks.

That’s my basic settings to start from.
BTW, I still need to raise the height of the bike back to stock setting. It’s even lower now than my DRZ. I have hard time getting my jack under the bike.

I stopped at the local dealer here on Saturday afternoon to  buy an oil filter for my old sport bike.
To my surprise , there were a 2016 WR250F and a 2016WR250R next to  each other on the outside parking lot.
Just by pressing on the front and rear suspension of these bikes I could tell a huge difference in the damping. The F is so much more controlled and doesn’t jump back like the stock 250R.
The only thing I do not like about the 250F that it is really tall for my 30 inch inseam.
I assume to  get the suspension work like the F, I will have to  send the fork and shock for a revalve job.  Is that a true statement?
I still think my stock DRZ suspensions is better than the WRR. It is a heavier bike , but with suspension more similar to  the WR250F.
I went riding 2 weeks ago in a small park that had ATV and a small single track trail. Flat single track, but very tight. Definitely an advantage for the WRR.
They had small practice area with a small jump. I didn’t land the first time very properly as I am not good at jumping, but still nothing that would phase out my DRZ. 2 weeks later, I still feel my left wrist and my left knee. (I am getting closer to  50) I didn’t fall, just not graceful landing. I jumped a few more times making sure to be planted and land with the rear slightly first without an issue, but now I am concerned.
I believe I am going to  do the suspension upgrade before the exhaust /airbox/power module. Any recommendations and expected cost?

 
Thank you.

I'm about 175 pounds. Did stock lowering. I don't know how some guys run such hard rebound in back and soft rebound up front. I tried that and just got harshness, pogoing and instability. This is what I like to run for spirited riding on mostly street and dirt roads...
Forks : rebound 10, compression 8
Shock : rebound 6, compression 10

For more dirt I would stiffen compression a little both front and rear, soften fork rebound and stiffen shock rebound a bit