What Front Spring Rate

[steventh]

Im thinking of changing my front spring from the stock 0.93kg/mm to something firmer because even on city roads without hitting potholes I am using nearly the full spring travel. In the country it bottoms out frequently.

I want to keep it simple and not get carried away with revalving......

The racetech spring calculator uses rider weight (without gear) and the semi dry weight of the bike (anyone knows what is "semi dry" - oil and no fuel, 50% of combined oil and fuel?).

I weigh 92kg without kit (add 10kg with kit)

Their calculator (92kg rider and 220kg bike - 215kg plus 5kg fluids) specifies a 1kg/mm spring.

If I use 102kg rider weight and bike with half a tank of fuel and full oil (227kg) the calculator specifies 1.06 or 1.1kg/mm.

What have others used (and your weight)

Will going up to 1.1 mean a revalve is required?

Thanks for any advice

Steventh

[Greeny_SA]

I'll ring my suspension bloke tomorrow & see if I can get an answer for you .Let you know .

[Greeny_SA]

I'll ring my suspension bloke tomorrow & see if I can get an answer for you .Let you know .

Steventh , just got off the phone from my suspension bloke Who told me the following, for a spring rate of 1.1 kg/mm you would need to weigh 125 kg according to his race tech chart . He said the std rate on a 2000 ( don't know your year ) is 85 kg/mm he says 1.0kg/mm is perfect for a 100 kg rider& suggested 9.5kg/mm would suit a 90 gk bloke . As for re valving ,he said you could try without & you will get an improvement but a re valve will make it even better again,like perfect .That is from an adelaide company who are recognized as the suspension guru's & have been for years.Others may have different opinion's ,but I have dealt with this bloke for a few years & Believe he knows his shit .

[steventh]

Hi Greeny,

Thanks for the info. The 1.1 seems to be far too "heavy" though it may future proof the bike for me.

Happy with an improvement rather than perfect.

Thanks

[Heidi1]

How much weight do you intend putting on Steventh?

[Greeny_SA]

Hi Greeny,

Thanks for the info. The 1.1 seems to be far too "heavy" though it may future proof the bike for me.

Happy with an improvement rather than perfect.

Thanks

The man said 1.1's will make for a bumpy ride , too stiff, unless your going to put on 35 kg. 1.0 I reckon, at least that's what i'll get fitted I'm 80 kg ready for the shower .All muscle mind you .

[steventh]

How much weight do you intend putting on Steventh?

1.1 would future proof the bike - Im not getting any younger you know...but then being an optimist 1kg sounds about right

Cheers

[bear]

For what it's worth. I have a 99, and before doing tack days went around doing this type of research. Ended up at a suspension guy who specialised in racing set ups.
What he did was change my fork springs to 1.1, but with the proviso that at 1.1 I couldn't expect plush road riding (I'm around 85kg), ie they are now biased towards smooth tarmac (racetracks!). I use it daily on the roads now, suburban riding and they definitely feel firm, but I can live with it.
Valving stayed stock but thoroughly overhauled and set up for me.

[Driller]

I run 1.2 kg race tech on the front +gold valving thats the bigest spring of the shelf

on the back i have a 12kg EIBACH spring + gold valving and a seperation valve added

to the sandard rear shock.

I can't express enough how much this improves your ride and find no harshness in the ride
at all it was perfect on the track and blasting out on the back roads proves no problem it's
all about getting that spring weight right don't do half a job I did the front first and waited 3 years to do the rear more fool me didn't realise how much i was missing out on.
My weight is 122kg out of the shower

Just as a note I would rate suspention as the single most important improvment you can do to your bike just my two cent's worth.


Mark