Compression and Rebound

Ok, so I'm looking to dial in the suspension of the WR250R.

Both the front and rear have seperate screws for compression and rebound. Now, I assume this is a way to open or close one way valves that control how quickly the shock compresses and then rebounds, correct?

If I prefer a really cushy ride, can I just screw these all the way to their softest setting, or if I then take the occasional small jump will I bottom out and then get flung back into the air like a rocket?

The compression seems straightforward enough, but the rebound has me confused, would it make sense to put the compression at full soft and the rebound at halfway? This whole thing seems like a litte of a dark art...

Some advice, please...

I agree about the dark art part, this is my first bike with adjustable suspension. I have found that my compression and rebound are usually withing a click or two of each other as I've moved mine or it doesn't feel right to me but everyone is different. I got mine to the point where any adjustments I did made it feel worse so I've left it for a while. if you really think you want to go all the way soft I would do so and try it. Whether you like it or not then start going a click or two harder and see how you like it, try doing this a couple of times at least and if it feels worse then go back to full soft.

Just a suggestion to maybe help you. Spend a Saturday with your bike. Set everything to factory spec as in the manual. Start with the front or back what ever you want. Make one change at a time. For example take the front compression adjustment and make it full hard. Ride it around a bit. Then make it full soft and ride it around a little. Reset every setting to factory when you move to the next setting. It really is not black magic. You just need to understand what things do and feel like. Take notes as you go.. You can then make the adjustments you need to make the bike feel the way you want. One bit of advise that I feel is important is make one change at a time. If you feel you want it so do something make the change. You will likely not feel on click. Make 3 clicks and see if it feels like its in the direction you like. Then back it off or increase as needed.
Maybe the back magic is how the different systems work together. So compression changes the valving to allow oil to travel through the valving slower. This will allow the suspension to hit bumps a little harder if you ride on rough roads. Rebound is how fast the suspension unloads when it has been compressed. So lets look at a potential problem you could get yourself into.

You ride nice smooth roads and you set the compression a little on the soft side. Then say you put in a lot of rebound.. meaning that it rebounds slower. If you are railing around and you hit a significant set of bumps for an extended period of time. The limited compression is going to allow the suspension to track the bumps and move more freely. However you have a lot of rebound. That does not allow the suspension to release quickly. What you end up with is a packed suspension. Think of it as it gets compressed but its being held there. The suspension is no longer tracking bumps or even irregularities and will want to chatter.

I hope this makes some sense to you. In the end you should look at the "middle" ground based on your riding areas and usage. Its usually a trade off. Try and make it kind of good at everything.

I have 100 miles on my new one and I am setting it up now. It will take me about 500 miles or so to get it to my liking. But it will be great when I am done.

Bottom line is don't be afraid of it. Just try it. Its not magic.

There is spring rates, coupled with oil, coupled with compression and rebound settings.

Further complicated by fast and slow conditions. (Ie a sharp bump, versus a slower one).

This is where valving kicks in, as every suspension has a curve. If you had the equipment to graph it, the optimal valving curve would be U shapped. An even transition from compression to rebound.

Other factors now impact your suspension. Heat for example. Other things such as mass of the suspension, and rotating mass of the wheels.

Thats why real pro riders modify their suspension for every track.

Understanding of basic suspension willthen allow you ballpark your suspension.

With that then, you need a test area. Rapid bumps in succession which keep your suspension active, versus single high speed/slow speed bumps. (speed of bump transition, not the speed of vehicle).

Unless you plan on tweaking the suspension all the time, you just have to find a happy medium for the widest variety of suspension challenges you will encounter.

And as noted, suspension really is a dark art

Good advice all, thanks.

I'm older and I tend to ride slowly. Maybe the occasional hop-jump to impress myself, but that's about it.

I'll probably try the softest settings and see if they work for me, if so, then bingo, I'm done.

GusinCA wrote:

Good advice all, thanks.

I'm older and I tend to ride slowly. Maybe the occasional hop-jump to impress myself, but that's about it.

I'll probably try the softest settings and see if they work for me, if so, then bingo, I'm done.

I'm kinda in the same demographic as you I suspect and set the damping on a soft setting as well. Everything was just fine until I hit some abrupt ledges in a road, either going up or down, the suspension pounded me pretty good on some of these bumps, like it might be better with a little damping or maybe the spring rate at this level of compression starts getting really stiff... anyway you reach a limit and then things get rough. I guess you need enough damping to keep the spring compression under control on sharp edge bumps you might hit unexpectedly. I never felt like I bottomed out the suspension though.

Maybe there's no solution at some point. I'm getting a rear shock tuned by Go-Race and plan to check everything I can on the forks, oil, parts, etc.

Keep posting your experiences, we can solve this... thanks for starting the thread!!

Set sag is what I do first.

Then set front and rear compression and rebound in the middle of the clicker range.

Working on one end at a time, adjust either the comp or rebound until it feels good. Write that number down. Then do the other adjustment.

Move to the other end of the bike and repeat.

Now you have a very good ballpark and one or two clicks this way or that should handle pretty much all terrain.

In the middle sorta...

But... I need to protect my back at all costs or I'm going to be forced to stop riding... the main reason I bought the WRR, plush suspension hopes.

It's not the same situation as an aggressive rider 30-40 years old... looking for speed and precise handling... been there, done that.

Now I need predictability and a way to soak up bumps while I watch the road and scenery. LOL.


thanks.

This bike does not have enough rebound damping in the rear from the factory. It is the screw on the bottom of the rear shock. Max it out - which according to the manual is 3 clicks out from fully seated.

The reason for this is that the bike will want to buck you over the bars if you leave it too loose.

You can loosen the rest of the settings to your liking for a soft ride.

Krabill wrote:

This bike does not have enough rebound damping in the rear from the factory. It is the screw on the bottom of the rear shock. Max it out - which according to the manual is 3 clicks out from fully seated.

The reason for this is that the bike will want to buck you over the bars if you leave it too loose.

You can loosen the rest of the settings to your liking for a soft ride.

I've heard this from other folks as well. The first time the backend launches you, once you get over the shock and then the anger, you'll follow the above advice.

If you want to read even more detailed info; here's HighFive's class on suspension >>> http://www.wrrdualsport.com/tech-guide/suspension

Yep it USE to try to toss me over the bars,never could adjust it out. I had it revalved its friggin amazing !!

malibu_dan wrote:

Krabill wrote:

This bike does not have enough rebound damping in the rear from the factory. It is the screw on the bottom of the rear shock. Max it out - which according to the manual is 3 clicks out from fully seated.

The reason for this is that the bike will want to buck you over the bars if you leave it too loose.

You can loosen the rest of the settings to your liking for a soft ride.

I've heard this from other folks as well. The first time the backend launches you, once you get over the shock and then the anger, you'll follow the above advice.

If you want to read even more detailed info; here's HighFive's class on suspension >>> http://www.wrrdualsport.com/tech-guide/suspension

Don't have access to my manual at the moment. Is maxed out at the top or bottom of the adjustable range of the screw. Someone told me clockwise but the did not say from what orientation.
Thanks

"3clicks out from fully seated " is pretty clear.

mordicai wrote:

"3clicks out from fully seated " is pretty clear.

Thanks so much for your help Mordicai. It is so much clearer with that insight.

toddwmac wrote:

mordicai wrote:

"3clicks out from fully seated " is pretty clear.

Thanks so much for your help Mordicai. It is so much clearer with that insight.

I thought you asked for some help. Sorry if I offended you.

If you were to look at the shock absorber from the bottom (laying on the ground and looking up at it), the rebound knob would be turned clockwise in order to turn it in to the maximum setting.

Perfect, thanks!