suspension setup help

Howdy all-
I’ve been riding for 20 years but have never owned an offroad bike and chose
the wr after hearing the rave reviews.

I have no idea what how to set the suspension up on these and
have no idea how it should feel and am looking for some pointers. Everything
just feels mushy.

The previous owner weighed around 180 and was around 5’11”.
He said he lowered the rear by changing the position of the shock and lifted
the forks up as far as they would go in the triples.

I’m 6’2”, 250lbs with green eyes and I’m a Libra. My hobbies
are

The purpose of this bike is going to be primarily dirt but I
do want to learn to set it up for street as well. I’m planning on getting a set
of motard hoops with street tires so I can go back and forth.

Thanks for the help!

-P

For offroad, you're going to want it softened up a bit to make the ride less jarring on your joints & back, plus keeping the tires on the ground for traction. You're a big boy, so I'm going to recommend some settings based upon what I've dialed in....with a little more stiffness for your additional weight.

You should have a little blue & white owners manual. Pages 3-14 thru 3-17 show where & how to make these adjustments.

First set the Rider Sag. Measure the bike from the rear axle to a consistent point above (near helmet lock of frame). Then, sit on it in your riding gear and measure again. This might take a helper. Adjust the preload spring on your rear shock so that your Sag is between 3" - 4".

Next, adjust the Rear Shock Rebound to the Maximum Setting (only 3 clicks out). Then, adjust the Rear Shock Compression to 4 clicks out.

Now, move to the Front End. Loosen the Triple Clamps and drop the forks until they are close to flush at the top. It sounds like the previous owner raised the forks in the triple clamp (if I read correctly).

Set the Fork Rebound (at top) to 10 - 12 clicks. And the Fork Compression (at bottom) to same 10 - 12 clicks. Just make certain you set both the left & right sides to equal "clicks". You don't want to be out of balance from side to side.

Then go ride it for a good long while in lots of different conditions. If its to harsh (jarring.....wheels skip & skid & bounce a lot), then soften it up so more by adjusting toward the "Minimum" direction.....according to the Manual. If its to soft and squishy (to slow reacting) & you are bottoming out suspension a lot (due to your size & weight) then firm up the suspension by adjusting toward the "Maximum" direction.

Make little adjustments and go ride on the same terrain for comparison. To "dial it in", just tweak one thing at a time so you can tell what you like versus don't like. Too many changes simultaneously won't help you figure it out. So, go to my suggested settings....then start tweaking (slowly) from there.

Good luck!

HF

HF, Just want to say thanks for taking the time to write the above post.
Really appreciated.

I haven't touched my settings yet... apart from adjusting the rear preload up a bit.

No sweat. But those settings were for a big, heavy rider (250 lbs) and are probably on the softer side for him. I'd rather start soft and firm up than the opposite. But, if he can't get the rider Sag between 3 - 4" , then he will need a stiffer spring. Note: there are two different Sag measuremets.

First one is with Bike on Stand (unsprung) and then bike standing on the ground (vertical....not on kickstand). That Sag is usually about 1.5 - 2" on this bike, just from its on weight.

Second measurement is from that point (bike on ground under its own weight) and then having the rider (in gear) get on & sit down. This is the measurement I'm recommending at 3" - 4" of Sag (on the WR250R). You've got to get this one correct BEFORE messing with all the other adjustments. Otherwise, you're wasting your time as you won't have the shock operating within the correct portion of its travel range.

If you are a lighter rider, like me, you'll want softer settings. I'm about 185 lbs in gear and here is where I'm dialed & I love it in all conditions:

Rear Spring Preload: Minimum (only a couple of threads showing)

Rear Rebound Dampening: Maximum (3 clicks out)

Rear Compression Dampening: 6 clicks out

Front Rebound Dampening: 15 clicks out (was 20 clicks until it broke in well)

Front Compression Dampening: 15 clicks out


I'm an experienced Trials rider. As such, I'm very sensitive to suspension settings....and know how to use it fairly well. I've put R² thru all kinds of rough terrain....including going over BIG rocks, undercut ledges, & elevated logs, plus loose, bouncy, hillclimbs. I think this WR250R suspension is fantastic given what it is, and what the bike was intended for. The adjustments are very sensitive and effective. If its not working for you, then its either not broke in yet &/or not setup correctly (i.e. not dialed in). Or, you just don't know what you really want out of a suspension.

No, its not a race bike. So yes, its going to bottom out on 60 ft. Triples and 10 ft. drop offs. Do keep things in perspective. My bike is dialed in and will hook up & stay connected....even in loose rough trails.....very impressively for a dualsport bike. I ride it quite aggressively and love it !

Big guys (like the original poster) very well might need stiffer springs on both front & rear. I just can't test that personally. Not packing enough lead.

HF

So I guess someone that is 155 with gear would need to go even softer? Wonder if lighter riders need fork and shock springs with a softer rate, or if they just need to ride faster?

HF, all good. I've set both ends to your recommended settings... haven't ridden it yet.

I've got the rear preload to 3.5" of sag with rider weight however the front is only 1.9"

Is it possible to set the front preload?
Is 1.9" OK?
I wouldn't think the front springs would be too strong for me at 207lbs.

Louisbiker wrote:

HF, all good. I've set both ends to your recommended settings... haven't ridden it yet.

I've got the rear preload to 3.5" of sag with rider weight however the front is only 1.9"

Is it possible to set the front preload?
Is 1.9" OK?
I wouldn't think the front springs would be too strong for me at 207lbs.

Louis, I wouldn't worry to much about front-end preload.....at least not now. The front suspension feels pretty slow & stiff when its new. Takes a good while in rough stuff to loosen it up (break-in). If you've got some railroad tracks nearby and can safely ride them, go ride down them about 4 of 5 miles. That's a great way to break-in a suspension fast. You do need to disassemble the rear linkage & make sure all the bearings are well greased. They can come pretty dry from the factory (mine wasn't....but others say theirs has been dry). Check the swingarm bearings too....at some point. Then don't overtighten the bolts on the linkage upon reassembly. The factory usually has these two tight (IMO). All this really helps the Rear suspension to work better.

Another important procedure is to make sure the Front suspension is not bound up. The following procedure can REALLY help a lot of front ends work better (on every bike...any make, model, or type). Start at the bottom and begin loosening everything all the way to the top.....i.e. axel nut, axel pinch clamps on bottom of forks, fork brace/fender mount (if applicable), then finally the lower triple clamp bolts. Leave the very top triple clamp tight. Next, hold the bike vertical and pump the suspension up & down several times WITHOUT squeezing the front brake. This allows the forks to align themselves freely (un-bind). Now, put it up on a stand (if you have one) to take all the weight off the suspension (and not leaning to one side on the kickstand).

You're going to work your way down from the top one step at a time. First, re-tighten the lower triple clamp. Remove bike from stand & pump the forks again (up & down). Raise bike on stand (to neutral position again) and re-tighten the next thing down on the tree.....often this is the fender mount &/or fork brace. Remove bike from stand....pump forks up & down....return to stand. Move down & tighten the Axle. Remove from stand, pump forks up & down, return to stand. Finally, re-tighten the axle pinch bolts on bottom of fork (if applicable).

Then, put bike down and check to see how the forks feel. Sometimes you won't notice a difference. Sometimes you'll notice a big difference. This might seem like a cumbersome process, but it can payback big dividends. Too often, people get frustrated with their suspension adjustments (or lack of ability to adjust it) when they are actually wasting time because everything is overpowered by a suspension that is "caught in a bind". This can happen on both front & rear suspensions. Just use some common sense and you'll be amazed with the results you can get.

After my suspension is well broke in and dialed in....I like to make one final check. With the bike standing up, I'll press down firmly on the tank area at a point about midway between the pegs and the bars.....simulating where the center of my weight is likely to be during a normal riding position. Realizing that about 70% of my weight is on the pegs (thru my legs) and 30% is on the bars (thru my arms when riding in standing position, which I do alot in the woods).....that point is usually about halfway between my gas cap and the seat. Hopefully, you get the idea. Now, while pushing down firmly.....I like to see a "Balanced" suspension.....meaning both the Front & Rear suspension go up & down together simultaneously. Doesn't always happen, but that's my ideal goal. For certain, I'd rather have a little bias toward the Rear versus the Front.....meaning I don't want to see the Front End diving before the Rear. If that happens, you're going to have some serious handling issues while riding. Anyway, my final "tweaking" helps get this balanced to an even up & down....front to back.....so everything works together in concert.
You MUST have a well broke-in suspension before attempting to dial in this last step.

Hope this helps you sort it out. Right or wrong, its how I've learned to do it thru many years.....and its served me well.

HF

Looks like I might have to get Wolfie to help me with mine. I'm shorter and lighter than she is, and she can barely touch the ground on hers. I can predict lots of high siding with this thing.

Great, thanks again.

Amazing difference, rode to work today and noticed the difference as soon as I hit the driveway!

I've only done 2200kms so the suspension may not be broken in yet. So I'll revisit the settings again in a few weeks.

Looking forward to the weekend!

Highfive wrote:

Rear Spring Preload: Minimum (only a couple of threads showing)

Is it ok if the spring can be turned by hand? I used the screw-driver > blunt object method. I'm pretty sure I got the top ring good and tight.

so.....


Factory pre-load setting (on my US model anyway)


After ajusting to lowest setting (a few threads showing)


from the other side threads look a little thinner...

You shouldn't be able to wiggle that spring up or down, then it's too loose and you'll run into problems. I set my sag the same way, and I think I have 5 or 6 tthreads showing, to the point that the spring doesn't move anymore by hand.

Good descriptions highfive.

Being new to the little dirt bike thing myself I'm finding I'm a bit lost on this. I have mine set up pretty well for the road at the moment, but it's likely wrong for the dirt.

I'm curious how much sag people are getting out of their front ends?

On my X I don't really have any front sag. (about 205lb with gear) The damping adjustment seems pretty wide, but the forks feel uber stiff.

Even though mine is an R², the only thing I actually adjusted was the sag, and put in the Yamalink with the shock mount screwed in...but that was mainly for lowering it, along with sliding the forks an inch thru the triples. I haven't adjusted anything else, it's stock, and it performs pretty sweet both on and off road. Then again, I'm little, so I didn't have to worry too much about the rest.

SheWolf wrote:

You shouldn't be able to wiggle that spring up or down, then it's too loose and you'll run into problems.

The spring will not move up and down, that would cause problems., but it will turn if I grab firmly and twist on it.

boogn1sh wrote:

SheWolf wrote:

You shouldn't be able to wiggle that spring up or down, then it's too loose and you'll run into problems.

The spring will not move up and down, that would cause problems., but it will turn if I grab firmly and twist on it.

I find that is the easiest way to adjust the spring.

boogn1sh wrote:

Highfive wrote:

Rear Spring Preload: Minimum (only a couple of threads showing)

Is it ok if the spring can be turned by hand?

If you mean that you can turn (or spin) the spring in place by hand....with some force, I think that's ok. Just make sure there is not any "vertical" slop (up & down movement) of the spring on the shock body. If there is vertical play, something is wrong. But there isn't anything wrong with being able to twist the spring around in circles by grabbing and turning with your hand. Really, I don't think that is an indicator of anything....other than less preload tension on the spring (i.e. not precompressed as much). If its really super easy to turn the spring in circles with little effort, then something may be wrong (or just different). Add a little preload back until is feels more snug. With only 3 threads showing, mine is reasonably tight. I can rotate the spring, but it takes some effort.

Its not so important where the preload nut is on the shock threads. Its very important how much Sag you measure. If you can't get the sag right for your weight & conditions, then you probably need to change the spring (stiffer or softer). But I don't know of any aftermarket spring options for the stock shock (at this time). The Stocker has good adjustment for quite a broad range of rider weights....considering its size & travel. It should be able to accomodate most riders for this bike (under most expected "normal" dualsport conditions) from 150 lbs to 250 lbs.....on average.

HF

HF, your description was accurate. The spring certainly has no vertical slop, that would seem to indicate a problem. The spring will turn with some force, but it will turn just as easily at the stock pre-load setting. So all seems good

Great post HF, I just adjusted my suspension using your suggestions & it feels great

Highfive, very good description. I know just enough to be dangerous with the "black art" of suspension setup. However, my experience is with sprotbiles primarily.

That said, and to add with the last bit of discussion on the ability to twist the spring in the perch unloaded, this is absolutely not a problem. For example, the Penske triple clicker in the rear of my track bike actually has shims with bearings to keep the spring action smooth (a necessity when dragging your knees at 120+) and help eliminate any binding. If you think about it, the spring actually twists when it is compressed and unloaded- it doesn't just squish.

So that aside, I did have a specific question: I, like the OP, am a little larger than the average bear. Japanese sprotbiles are notoriously grossly undersprung from the factory. However, it sounds like there might be enough in this little bugger.

I'm 6'7" and 230 lbs. Are you sure than 3-4" is the correct rider sag? I thought it was supposed to be 25-30% of the suspension travel and at 3-4" you are right at that limit.

Even so, I've not measured rider sag just yet, but do you think I can get away with the stock springs, or should I bump up?

longtallsally wrote:

I'm 6'7" and 230 lbs....do you think I can get away with the stock springs, or should I bump up?

I think the stock springs are better suited for you at 230 than they are for me at 130... particularly the rear.
I'm having a hell of a time getting the rear rebound under control. I'm getting closer. Everything was too jarring before, so I've worked that out but there are still situations where I get either rear wheel swap (mostly on rough uphills) or the Wyle E. Coyote effect from the rear suspension trying to bounce me over the bars (on the multiple-bounce situations... woops, multiple logs etc)

I expect that the rear spring is a bit stiff for a 130lbs rider. The Wyle E. Coyote effect usually means not enough rebound damping. I certainly don't know how to set up dirt suspension, but a reasonable sag (25-30% on for road) is important.

Highfive wrote:

If you are a lighter rider, like me, you'll want softer settings. I'm about 185 lbs in gear and here is where I'm dialed & I love it in all conditions:

Rear Spring Preload: Minimum (only a couple of threads showing)

Rear Rebound Dampening: Maximum (3 clicks out)

Rear Compression Dampening: 6 clicks out

Front Rebound Dampening: 15 clicks out (was 20 clicks until it broke in well)

Front Compression Dampening: 15 clicks out

HF

Highfive,

I'm confused about your settings. The WR250R/X service manual indicates the following for adjustment range:

Front Rebound Damping as 1 to 12 clicks out
Front Compression Damping as 1 to 19 clicks out
Rear Rebound Damping as 3 to 25 clicks out
Rear Compression Damping as 1 to 12 clicks out

I can't check this against the owner's manual, as for the life of me I can't remember where I put it.

If you need another copy of the service manual, PM me.

Shewolf

I've got the service manual, I can't find my owners manual. Thanks for the offer though.

Anywho, I did make some suspension adjustments. I'm probably around 160 w/ gear so I set as much sag as I could. Spring got loose with approx. 1/4 - 3/8" of threads left. Just about 3" of sag. Set the front end with minimum comp. damping and 6 clicks out for rebound. I am a little concerned that the front will start "packing up" but I'll see how it works out. Set the rear end up in a similar manner.

Man, what a difference! I just ripped around the tree farm out back. Just grass tracks and lightly whooped dirt roads. I went from being scared to carry second gear through the whoops to hitting them in 3rd. Way more confidence in the bike. More speed into the corners and on the gas much sooner on the way out. Even had the confidence to actually jump the table tops and the far end of the field. Sweet!

Thanks to all of you who post up with your knowledge. This has made my day.

-p

I went and measured the sag. Wasn't quite 3inches. Are you trying to tell me this bike is better for a heavier person like me? Wow, that would be a first.