explain the "traction link" to me

i'm reading all about the yamalink, how it lowers and gives better traction, etc

'splain it to me,

when i put a koubalink "lowering" link on my wife's old dr350, what it seemed to do was make the spring a lot softer,

i can dig that softer = more traction

why would i want a link like that?

i'm more or less going to use the bike as a travel tool, packing 30+ lbs on the back (in a giant loop, eventually)

do i really want the link?

i read the write up in dirt rider?

btw i'm 180lbs, and not riding at a race pace?

can someone shine some light on why everyone seems to be going for the yamalink?

i guess i'm afraid of getting a link, getting more traction (!) but the spring will be too soft to carry a load,

me

I got it and did not think I "needed" it. It really is better with it. Alot better, I doubt you will have any issues with load or anything else. The lowered seat height makes the tight woods stuff soooo much easier. it is one of those must haves. And if you do not like it, you will have no trouble selling it to someone who will want it. Also give them a ring or email, they are great people to work with.

I'd say it's more of a seat height thing. The only other benefit that I could see would be lowering the center of gravity for doing an SM track.

I can tell you that with out a doubt the Yamlink helps with tight woods stuff as well, the rear suspension just seems to work soo much better. As I recall the rear spring is pretty stiff stock and I think this serves to plush up the rear just enough to help the bike dig in. Whatever the reason, the bike is easier and better to ride with out a doubt. I am just not fighting it as much in the tight stuff at all.

How much does the lowering link (alone) lower the R's ground clearance?

Looking for real world measurements, if anyone has 'em!

Yamalink website

Lowers it 1", 2" when you use the stock adjustment plus the Yamalink. More info on the link above.

from the website:

" I'm too heavy for the stock spring, can I..

Your Yamaha's stock shock spring is set up to achieve proper sag for a rider weight of no more than 175-180 pounds. If you weigh more than 180 BEFORE putting gear on, you technically should get a heavier spring to properly set sag, and you'll definitely need one with a YamaLink. Why? Keep reading...

How do I set sag & why do I have to reset sag after installing the YamaLink?

The YamaLink's increased leverage makes your rear suspension plusher, and if you don't reset sag it will bottom very easily. As for setting sag, we'll let the guys at Too Tech answer this (we really should ask their permission to use this):"

is this in general to yamahas, or does it really include the wr250r/x?

i'm guessing because the wr is outfitted from yami to carry a passenger that the spring rate is harder than it really needs to be?

i'm basically sold, but explain why i shouldn't just use the stock lowering threads and get less stiff spring? is it voodoo? black magic? i can see lowering it an inch would work for me, but am worried about loading it up with travel gear and then overwhelming the spring?

Try the stock 1" first, and then if that does not work, you can get the link. I don't know of too many that have gotten a new rear spring....one or two people maybe...I think they spent more time on a re-valve than anything.

I think the lowering links are exactly what they say they are...they lower the bike in effect lowering the seat height for shorter riders. I don't think there is any benefit ie. increased traction from lowering a bike 1 inch. They sell these dog bones for almost every bike on the market. In fact, I've used some to raise a bike 1". I would think any improvement one sees on the trail would be from being able to put their foot down. If the WR is too tall then lowering is a great option. There are plenty of bikes out there that come with higher seat heights than the WR. One thing you never here about is a enduro rider or motocross rider wanting to lower their bike. Remember it's 90% rider and 10% bike.

My observations: The link lowers the bike an advertised 1.75 in. When you do that you need to re-adjust the preload on the spring, as well as the compression and rebound dampening (but one should adjust the comp and rebound dampening independent of the lowering link, or spring preload).

The spring seems to be definitely rated for a two-up configuration (the ride load ratings reinforce that).

The lowering does both enable foot down capability and obviously lowers the CG of the bike (but only incrementally).

Looking at it, the jam nut on the bottom of the shock body is there to maintain the orientation of the shaft to the body. However when the shock is attached to the bike, the bottom can't turn, so the only purpose is maintaining the position when removed. The girl is leg-length impaired ( yea, they go all the way up but...) so if removed ( and I will do it eventually), it looks like the bike can actually be lowered another (approximate) 1/2 inch. ( or more, I didn't do the geometry).

X-Racer wrote:

My observations: The link lowers the bike an advertised 1.75 in. When you do that you need to re-adjust the preload on the spring, as well as the compression and rebound dampening (but one should adjust the comp and rebound dampening independent of the lowering link, or spring preload).

i'm assuming dialing in more preload? how much more? what do you weigh?

i'm sure i'll want to lower it about an inch, but still not sure why i would want a link versus a different spring?

Yes... The two collar nuts on the top of the spring, adjusting them "Down" increases the preload.

Unless one is available, most springs are the same size so height won't be affected. It's the compression rate that prescribes the "Weight" of the spring.

How much ? In theory with a progressive spring you can keep dialing it in. ...at some point however you give-up overall spring length (travel distance).

The WR is the girl's scoot. She weighs approximately 135. It's all a trade. ....with the spring all the way "Out" the rear end squats real nice. She can get her feet to the ground relatively easy. The problem it get's too "squishy" for average riding (she's not blowing through whoop-de-doos), so I've been incrementally dialing it down (adding pre-load).

The other change factor is the seat itself. The WR seat itself is pretty tall. I put the Corbin Dual-Sport seat on my KTM SuMo (which came stock with a 4x4 in a seat cover) and it's the best thing I ever did to it. $350 plus later.....

On subject: The "Trackability" is different for every rider under every (different) condition and all the (suspension preload, rebound and compression dampening, terrain, tires, etc.) variables come into play.

I set my bike up somewhere in the middle (average size bumps and traction conditions) so it behaves somewhat favorably (at least predictably) in both hardpack slippery stuff as well as on larger bumps and an occasional "V" ditch.

Too hard and the rear end tends to "skip" around on light stuff. Too soft and obviously you'll "bottom out" more.

i guess a better question for me to ask is:

those that pack a bunch of crap on the back of their bikes, more "adventure" style, also WITH the lowering link,

do you find that you're overwhelming the spring?

i'm probably 190 all suited up, and then packing a Giant Loop bag with 30lbs? of gear?

i subscribe to the traction link theory, just want to make sure i'm not going to need any more spring,

i would love to hear the thoughts of those who "tour" on their bikes, offroad

Send me a yamalink and I'll let you know.

The bike is certainly MUCH plusher loaded up with gear, floats along like a Cadillac. Its hard to say if it works better off road because of the extra weight, but it certainly is smoother everywhere and I almost always had traction with the back tire.

okay, data,

whatchoo weigh geared up, and about how many lbs of gear?

just trying to get some data before i spring for the link.

i can tell the spring is too stiff. there to carry a passenger, etc. very common in racing (sportbike) circles to reduce the rear spring rate because a passenger was factored in,

1. i do want to lower it
2. if the link has some magic that lowers + mo traction even better, but
3. is the link + luggage overwhelmed?

I'm 205 w/o gear, plus whatever A* tech6 boots, klim baja pants, cheap evs knee guards, Rev'It air jacket, and Shoei RF1000 weighs.

Bike had about 50 pounds of kit on it, most of it in the 2gal rotopax.

so you were probably around 265ish, all loaded up i'm guessing,

i did follow your report on adv, but want to know how hard you were riding, and did you bottom out at all?

any sweet jumps, etc?

I touched my boot down on the Dragon a few times (the hardest I've yet ridden a motorcycle on-road, leaned way the hell over for a loaded up dirt-ish bike with knobbies), other than that I mostly took it easy as I was solo. I'm not a wannabe enduro racer. I did happen to jump it a little at HighFive's house when I didn't listen when he told me how steep the drop off the jumps were on his backyard MX track lol, but didn't bottom it out I don't think. Scared the piss outta me though.

Just a point-of-reference; The girl and I (360 lbs estimated) rode two-up around the beach here (which is flat, straight, but got into some even radius turns, with completely stock settings, and the bike behaved nominally (predictable) almost exceptional for a light weight machine and never bottomed out (albeit amazingly).

....not that you'd purposely pack 140 lbs of gear on top of a 220 lb rider on this bike.

I would estimate that a ~ 200 lb rider with 30 lbs of weight is certainly within the middle range of adjustability with the stock spring.

X-Racer wrote:

Just a point-of-reference; The girl and I (360 lbs estimated) rode two-up around the beach here (which is flat,

I would estimate that a ~ 200 lb rider with 30 lbs of weight is certainly within the middle range of adjustability with the stock spring.

is this with or without the lowering link?

Sorry.... Without the lowering link. ...but again, the lowering link doesn't change the spring rate, only the geometry.

...and there is some (I'll call it "fatigue", but there is a engineering term for it) change in the compression and rebound characteristics of springs over time (long term "hysteresis")

If you are ~ 200 lbs with gear and plan on equipment loading and some "rough" riding, the lowering link would bring you down some. The spring rate should be about right if adjusted correctly (I only changed the spring on one bike and I was about 190 at the time, but I was doing wheel-deep whoop-de-doos religiously at the time).

Adjustment wise: Ideally the bike should feel "Matched" front-to-back. Have someone hold you upright when you stand on the pegs and bounce (compressing your legs and standing-up quickly). The bike should compress equally between the forks and rear shocks to about ~one-third (1/3) to one-half (1/2) of the total travel (The compression rate increases significantly as it compresses).

Some say it's worth having both the forks and shocks done professionally. I have ridden bikes before-and-after and there is a noticeable difference. I never have. Is it worth it ? You'd have to decide.

Merry/Happy....

Changing the geometry with the lowering link will adjust the motion ratio of the rear suspension, which changes the effective spring rate at the wheel. Apparently the link will cause the effective spring rate to be softer. Anyone know what the stock spring rate is? For those of us who don't want to lower the bike, it might be worthwhile to just get a softer spring unless you are doing longer, loaded up trips.

skierd wrote:

Anyone know what the stock spring rate is? For those of us who don't want to lower the bike, it might be worthwhile to just get a softer spring unless you are doing longer, loaded up trips.

according to RaceTech's website the stock spring is 7.7 kg/mm, and they say an ideal rider weight of 160lbs or 73kg.

...yet the loading limitations in the owner's manual states total load (rider, accessories and cargo) not to exceed (NTE) 408 lbs (185 kg).

I wouldn't expect a nominal rate spring rated for 180-190 lbs to provide adequate margin up to 408 lbs.

You'd be a low-rider * breaks into War's song * Low ride - er ...rides a little lower.

Humpfh... Well... Not sure what to conclude based on that info.