Suspension mod?

[Tico]

Hi guys!

I've been reading the threads ans I am surprised many are about suspension issues.

Should I modify anything? I noted many of the riders who did or plan to mod the suspension are way bigger than I am (I am actually small: 5-3 / 150lbs), will the stock suspension be good enough for me?

Thanks in advance to all of you guys!
Pura vida!

 

[Tico]

Oooops! I'm 5-5, not 5-3 and 150 lbs.

 

[fuzzy]

Depends on your riding...Under 10mph and the susp will be fine. For proper setup any bike will need to be resprung for the riders weight. Like you mentioned, most are heavier, and need to add stiffer fork springs on a KDX...The shock spring is fine for most. The key here is balance. The fork springs are probably fine for you, but you might find that you need a lighter shock spring(again, opposite of 'most' KDX'ers). The stock valving on the KDX's is horrible. Along with re-springing, having valve work done by a susp shop, or adding race-tech valves will work wonders on the susp. Search(or just look down a few threads) as this topic has just recently been discussed in detail.....

 

[canyncarvr]

One of the reasons there are so many suspension 'issues' is because it is something highly subjective. It's what a particular rider wants that is what he should get. Maybe she should, too.

Of course, if you haven't ridden a good one, what do you know about a bad one? (suspension)

At the very least set the sag on your shock. The resulting measurements will show if you need a different spring on the shock.

After that, respring the front to suit.

After that, revalve the front.

After that, revalve the back.

Inbetween all of the above, set the clickers on both (fork/shock) to suit you, your riding style and terrain.

re: under 10mph.

Fuzzy's kind of a 'pushing the envelope' kind'a guy! ;)

 

[wibby]

re: Under 10mph

Kinda like that otherone who always says KDX's are so unstable at high speed! :ohmy: :eek:

 

[fuzzy]

As usual CC elaborates very well on my post, and tells you all off the first-things-first stuff that's kinda automatic for me (ie setting sag). I like I just like telling people to go out and buy stuff.... :)

My KDX is now setup for my 110lb girlfriend. I took it out last weekend and almost killed myself several times on a 1/2mi 'test' loop. Floats along absorbing things like a Cadillac 'under 10mph' though! :)

 

[davidg]

Tico, I weigh 155 without gear. Just changing my rear spring to a 4.8 (softer) and setting my sag helped out a lot. Changing to a softer rear spring actually helped the feel of my front end. Since then I also had mx-tech revalve and spring (.38's) my front forks, they work even better now! :)

 

[jaguar]

Tico, I weigh the same as you and ride on a supercross type track so I had the front springs changed for stiffer ones which helped a bunch.
If I were riding on an older type of MX track without jumps that spit you straight up then I would of changed the rear spring for a softer one.
As far as fork oil goes, I've found that 10wt oil is just a little too light since the front end still likes to pogo-rebound up sometimes. I'm changing to 15 wt oil which should do the trick. For woods riding though 10wt is good.

 

[Tico]

WOW! Thanks a lot guys for your kind feedback! I still need to work a bit on the bike before I take it out for real (at this moment I've been riding only on the street). Once I have it as I want (decent tires, pipe, silencer and reeds; oh! and clean power valve), than I'll be able to test the suspension and there's were I will remember you all and your kind advice.

Pura vida!