Fork setting

[Shawn Mc]

I dropped the clamp on the fork from 9mm to 12mm and noticed that not only a slightly quicker steer, but also the damping seemed softer, along with something else which never even entered my mind. It may have been me, since it was 2 weeks since the last time I rode, but it seemed like the thing jumped nose high more than it ever did before. Im wondering if that is a symptom of lowering the clamp on the fork or my mis-timing the throttle on the face of the jump. Could the nose high be from softer damping as the result of the lower positon of the clamp on the fork?

The change in dampening Im thinking is a change in weight bias from back to front, which is good, since the front was too harsh anyway.

Any thoughts on my theroies is greatly appreciated. Ive never been good at tuning suspension, I can make the motor sing, but my boingers bark at me!!

 

[Jeremy Wilkey]

Shawn,
When you lower the front you do infact minulty change front steering anle and reduce trail.. The effect on spring rate is techincally there but the slight reduction would actually only impact effective spring rate slighly at the very most. Its not like we are talking about a Zero Castor angle..


BR,
Jer

Try your compression stiffer and ang see where that takes you.

 

[Shawn Mc]

Jeremy I agree with you, which is why I was surprised that I could notice any change at all. Its not like Im a pro level rider, and can notice a 1/2 pound difference of air in the tire.

 

[Jeremy Wilkey]

Shawn,
You'd be suprised what you can feel.. The more I've studied the more I've learned that the small little details really add up in terms of chassis stuff. This topic will be much more intresting in 6 months I'll bet!

BR,
Jer

 

[Shawn Mc]

I was never really all that fired up about suspension prior to perousing this site. Its actually made me almost contemptutous of my unplush fork. Ive got this rattling in the back of my head to tear into it and do the Gold valve mods. Enzo did a great job with the shock, but Im just not happy with the fork. Im even contemplating the Enzo sub tanks too. All it takes is money right? lol
Thanks Jeremy, what youve done for suspension for me, is what Smokey Yunick did for engines for me. Basically lit the fire for knowledge.

 

[Jeremy Wilkey]

Glad we could help!

 

[Shawn Mc]

I finally got to really ride it hard since re-adjusting everything. Wow, what a difference. I didnt mess with the clickers, I just rode it. I think the nose high jumping was me being out of time, having not ridden in two and half weeks. I did notice the fork being much more compliant, and the steering difference was really noticeable for the better.

I think you guys were right about the fork being bound up. Its never been this smooth before.
Thanks again, for making me look at things I thought were right, and weren't.