Technology: The basic settings of your suspension
You should have a good handle on basic suspension settings before hitting the track. Only then can you start worrying about the more complex parameters of your suspension.
The riders' park is full of suspension specialists who know what the "basic settings" of a suspension are. We will hammer home these facts again until your laps have improved by a few seconds.
The “drivers sag”: Do not measure race sag or rider sag while the rider is standing upright. Press the suspension a few times before measuring. Sit on your saddle where you always sit and not where Tim Gajser sits. If you are stubborn and still choose the Gajser sitting position, do it the same way every time.
The static sag: Static sag is a measurement of how much the dirt bike sags under its own weight. Static sag can only be checked after the race sag has been set. Static deflection should be between 30mm and 40mm for the large engines. For children's motorcycles, consult your manual. If you have more than 40mm of static deflection, your shock spring is too stiff. If you have less than 30mm of static deflection, your spring is too soft.
The oilier, the better: Periodically lubricating the steering head, linkage system, shock absorber and swingarm pivot is the best way to ensure that each part is working optimally. Pressure washers and mud can get past even the best seals. Grease is as essential as bread, make sure you have it at home.
A free steering damper: Keep the bearing of your headset tight enough that the front (handlebar and fork) does not fall over on its own against the lugs of the frame. It needs to be pushed a little before it moves. Your headset bearing is a cheap steering damper – use it.
Tire pressure: Smart of you to adjust the pressure in your tires to the condition of the track or the type of surface. However, the tires also work as a kind of suspension. Before you call your suspension specialist to complain about the handling of your motorcycle, ………… make sure you don't have a flat tire.
Oil and air: To make the forks stiffer, add oil. To soften them, remove oil. Adding oil reduces air space and makes the forks harder at the end of the stroke. Removing oil increases air space and softens the fork at the end of the stroke.
Aligned fork legs: It is crucial that your front axle does not block the fork legs. Most modern front axles have a 19mm hexagon. Buy one. When installing the front wheel, hold the nut with a wrench and turn the axle with the 19mm hexagon. Once you have the axle tight, tighten the fork leg compression bolts. By turning the axle, instead of screwing on the nut, you guarantee perfectly aligned fork legs.
Rear axle position: The axle blocks have more than 20 mm of adjustment. Your shock absorber will react differently when the rear wheel is all the way forward versus all the way back.
Softer is harder: Forks that are too soft will sink into the harder part of your fork's damping system while riding. This will make her feel stiff. If the forks feel stiff, the rider reflexively turns off the clickers to soften the forks. This makes the situation even worse than it already was. Again, softer is harder, so the clickers must be turned in.
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