Hi all.
I have a crf450 2003 and have found that when riding trails and doing hill climbs that the front end tends to bounce hard off even small rocks and ruts and that i'm getting the front end thrown all over the trail. Any pointers on what I should set the front and rear suspension to??
I am 85kg (190lbs), beginner to intermediate skill.
Your Honda will need to be set up to suit your type of riding. Being a mx bike the suspension needs to be revalved to to allow for a plusher action over the obstacles found while trail riding.
Hi Guys, I have a CRF with the same problem. I ride fast trails and it beats me up. I have the compression dampers set at full soft and 2.5 w. in the center. It's still harsh. Where can I go to read about the shim stacks and what the different shims do? I've been looking for info, but haven't found much.
The 03 CRF comes supplied with .47 fork springs which are too stiff for most riders. Typically the springs would suit someone between 100 - 110kgs. Add to this the fact that the rebound damping on the CRF is inadequate and you can soon see why the front has poor traction and deflects easily. If you were to replace the stock oil with a lighter one you would certainly obtain a plusher feel but you would compromise the rebound damping even further. Given that the rebound affects your traction and feeling of control I would suggest you replace the springs and have your forks revalved by a competent tuner.
Regards
Terry Hay