Front fork causing washout?

[buffmaster]

A while back I posted a thread about my springs being too soft for my big butt(not to mention the rest of me :) ). Last weekend I was riding and I was having problems w/my front end washing out in sandy berms. I had my weight as far foward w/out being on the gas cap, inside leg by my front fender and head over the crossbar, and it was still not tracking for beans. Could this be a result of the springs being to soft? Could I adjust the compression to compensate? BTW, the front tire is a nearly new M78(or 77, can't remember which).

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OOOPS.....THERE'S ONE MORE BROKEN...

 

[zsr]

Few years ago a company in the U.K. who I wont mention - Pro Racing, whoops!- fitted the wrong springs to our forks - they went two stiffer instead of one. The first race my son did, the front washed out on every other bend.

I would say either you are too stiff on the front, or too soft on the rear

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98 CR125 01 CR250 99YZF R1

Thanks to: Motorex / D.I.D. / Vesrah / YES Helmets

 

[scott_ktm]

M77 is a hard to int terrain tire. If you are in a deep sandy berm the tire will wash out. I run this tire most of the time and have the same problems in deep sand. Nobs are too short and close together for sand and mud. Depending on where and what type dirt you ride you may want to try a different tire.

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“ If we weren’t all crazy we would go insane” Jimmy Buffett
'99 KTM 380sx

 

[clw]

Try shifting your weight back in a sandy turn. Too much weight causes the front to dig in and plow. Try sitting in the middle of the seat, use smooth movements and have the gas on before you start turning.

Most any bike can turn in the sand, a lot of it is just technique. Stiffer forks will help though.

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[Jeremy Wilkey]

In sand stay back as they said.. Don't square the corner at all, just carve one very big arc.. Leve the gas on.. do all your braking before the the turn. And run really stiff compression setings. Lighter springs with more preload are also good..

Regards,
Jer

 

[MikeS]

Lighter springs more preload....???

Jer,
hope to hear more on this in the future seems Marcus has seen this in action also...

interesting :D

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[JTT]

I think Mike, and please correct me if I'm wrong, that lighter springs, with more preload in sand is a function of the shape and speed of the bumps inherent to sand tracks. I think you will find that the opposite also holds true (heavier springs with less preload) to fast, hardpack tracks with lots of square edged bumps.

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JTT
"Character is like a tree, and reputation is like it's shadow. The shadow is what we think of it, but the tree...the tree is the real thing."
Abe Lincoln

 

[MikeT]

I used to ride in sand all the time and we would always sit way back on the seat. Jer is right about that. You can't attack and square a sand berm, you must keep speed up and steer with the rear if you will.

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