Is this normal?

wjp · Nov 26, 2003

Hi,
I would like to know your opinion on my fork suspension. I have just brought a seond hand YZ 250 (2002) and it has some custom suspension on it - I could not get that much detial on it, it it seems about right. However I'm relatively new to MX and there is a table top at my location track that is 55 feet long. At the moment I can't make the landing and are jumping about 45 onto the flat of the tabletop. I'm finding that the suspension totally bottoms (not to the point where you get the 'clack') - its just very hard to absorb this with my body and I'm afraid to push it any further.
My question really is do you think this is about right got the suspension or should it be able to soak this sort of landing up better??

When I went out on the bike the first time the reboud and compression was set up much more plush which was great over the rough stuff but I found that it wasn't soaking up the landings very well and nearly bouncing me off. I clicked the rebound in a bit and the compression up about 3 clicks and its harder work but seems to soak the landings up better.

bclapham · Nov 26, 2003

suspension is a comprimise- you want it nice and soft in the roough stuff but firm on big jumps. ideally, you should have the bike set so that it slightly bottoms on the biggest jump of the track.

since the suspension has been modified, you might want to ask the previous owner if he changed the springs- you might be too heavy for the spring setup.

also, you can add a little extra oil to each fork- this will help bottoming.

get Eric Gorrs book, it is all explained in there.

where abouts in the UK are you??? i know of a good suspension tuner in Liecesstershire.

boardadikt · Nov 26, 2003

Hey, I understand your problem...same thing happend to me. I was hitting a 70 foot table which launched me high and I was coming up about 10 feet short and bottoming out. My wrists started to hurt and after a while I realized that I just need to give it more gas and make that landing. The jump was intimidating, but all i had to do was give it a tiny bit more gas. I started hitting the landing every time and it was very smooth. NO more bottoming out and sore wrists. The suspension worked good on the rest of the track. So my advice is to just make yourself ride faster off the jump--even if it might be scary or hard to get out of the corner....find a way to clear it.

Just my opinion.

wjp · Nov 27, 2003

Originally posted by bclapham

since the suspension has been modified, you might want to ask the previous owner if he changed the springs- you might be too heavy for the spring setup.

also, you can add a little extra oil to each fork- this will help bottoming..

where abouts in the UK are you??? i know of a good suspension tuner in Liecesstershire. [/B]

Hi,

I can't ask the previous owner as its through a shop and the owner 'reckoned' that he was the same size and wasn't too helpfull.
I'm not actually in the Uk at the moment , but working the South of France so the language is a bit of a problem too..

wjp · Nov 27, 2003

Originally posted by boardadikt
Hey, I understand your problem...same thing happend to me. I was hitting a 70 foot table which launched me high and I was coming up about 10 feet short and bottoming out. My wrists started to hurt and after a while I realized that I just need to give it more gas and make that landing. The jump was intimidating, but all i had to do was give it a tiny bit more gas. I started hitting the landing every time and it was very smooth. NO more bottoming out and sore wrists. The suspension worked good on the rest of the track. So my advice is to just make yourself ride faster off the jump--even if it might be scary or hard to get out of the corner....find a way to clear it.

Just my opinion.

Yeah i think you're right - I just need to get my bottle up and make the landing. I just wanted to know whether my suspension was way off the mark or about right..
cheers for your thoughts though.
Wayne

georgieboy · Nov 27, 2003

wjp, where in france are you. Is it nice offroad riding in that neighborhood.
I am planning for a offroad holiday in central france near the central massive of France. Any recommendations?? bst with yr landings George

wjp · Nov 27, 2003

Hi,
I'm around Cannes/Nice on the Riveria. The track that I goto is Les Adrets about 15 mins drive from Cannes - there whole area is a massive and you can go just about anywhere on your bikes or 4x4 so as long as its out of the summer season (fire risk).
cheers

wjp · Nov 28, 2003

So everyone thinks that normal then??????

marcusgunby · Nov 28, 2003

It really is easier to learn to jump it better than to get suspension to absorb 45foot jumps onto the flat.You will tire yourself out fast landing that hard.

terry hay · Nov 28, 2003

I would suggest you read the post on cylinder valves. It explains why the YZ forks bottom. But your main problem appears to be operator error. When landing on flat ground you will always gas the bike just as you land. This changes some of the downward momentum to forward momentum and the landing is made much smoother. However when we come up a little short on a tabletop most people are reluctant to get on the gas as we feel the bike will shoot off the end of the jump and we will have two hard landings. Either land even shorter than where you land now and gas on impact or pluck up the courage to make the downramp. Goodluck
Regards
Terry

wjp · Dec 1, 2003

Yeah - I confess that if I was a better rider I won't have this problem !!!! - it just takes time bilding myself up thats all.
I just wanted to make sure that the suspension was'nt a mile off thats all - as I'm not particulary experienced I didn't know if it was about right.
I actually progressed a lot this weekend, and started to clear another tabletop, and realise what a difference gassing it makes on absorbing the landing. Once I get fully compitent on this table (about 45 foot) - I'll give the bigger one a go...
cheers all for you thoughts.
Wayne

Is this normal?

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