Hey bub, great video. I've been riding and racing dirt bikes for close to 56 years now. When I started, they did have shocks and a fork, but the suspension was mainly your legs. It's a real puzzle for most guys to tune the very sophisticated suspension that comes on modern bikes, so a 101 vid like this can only help. Great job! John at Baldy Mesa Cycle
Those bikes if you wanted to change the feel you had to reshim the entire stack. The wasn't a fine tune capability available through clickers on the stock bikes (your fox air shocks and the like allowed for air adjustments and factory guys got a ton of love). Also, the laughable 4in of travel on a rigid steel frame. The trick to tuning suspension on a modern bike is to 1 understand what you're feeling. Am I bottoming over rolling bumps and jumps or does the bike feel like a 1970 dt1 (low speed compression)? Am I spiking or bottoming over sharp bumps and suddenly square edges (high speed)? Is it smooth in the beginning of the bumps but suddenly feels super stiff and harsh (too little rebound speed)? Does it feel like a pogo stick or the original monoshock yamahops from 1979/80 (too much rebound speed)? 2 once you understand what it is you're feeling, adjusting the right clicker and ensuring you have the right spring for your weight and riding. I love the yamaha kyb sss because you can find a good setting out of the box to ride those bikes hard with the proper springs. Other bikes just need love from a good suspension tuner before you can find those settings.
For anyone looking to learn more about suspension, I HIGHLY recommend the RaceTech Motorcycle Suspension Bible. You will be a lot more confident in your knowledge of each component after reading that book. It also is a great reference as you try to tune your suspension for your riding style.
This is a really great video! I just got a dirt bike and have always heard people talking about adjusting the clickers, so this is exactly what I needed!
This totally makes sense! My 350 xcf-w was set up by an mx guy and is a bit too stiff. This gives me the confidence to adjust it to be more suitable for my style of riding. Thanks, Kyle!
Is it normal for the clicker needle to stick in fully compressed position with shim stack off? Like I have to unwind it fully then press the needle in for it to return
Very well put, Kyle. I learned most of what I know about suspension from my DH mt. biking days where it's probably even more important than on a dirtbike. It's amazing how little people know about it. One thing I might add, if your rebound is too slow, your suspension will "pack up" on you and you won't be using all of it. It's a fine line, but if you get it dialed in, it's like riding on a pillow.
Please help. I have a crf230 with a shock that is too short. It came from a 85 xr200r. We didn’t have a choice at the time. I don’t know how to adjust it to at least give it more travel and not be so bumpy on my old back that’s already bad.
Let's unpack some misstatements and myths here... 1. Clarification: The fork "piston" with shim stacks (valving) are attached to a "base valve" and a "mid valve" (closed chamber forks have both) which control the flow of oil as the suspension compresses through its stroke. The piston themselves are fixed to their respective lower or upper chambers and move as those chambers move. 2. Misstatements: (1:45 mark) Compression settings in general determine how much the fork or shock will move (absorb energy) "into its stroke under a given amount of energy". In relative terms compression does not affect the speed of the the stroke. The "high speed" adjuster on the shock is a circuit is designed for for high speed shaft speed events, such as when a rider sharp edged braking bumps or rocks on the trails. Landing from a jump is not considered a high shaft speed event and while low speed and high speed compression settings work in tandem, landing from a jump is a low speed shock travel event. 3. Myth: (4:45 mark) Rebound is not the cause of deflection. Deflection is caused by two things. (1) If the compression is too stiff and cannot absorb all the energy from an impact, the remaining energy not absorbed will cause deflection. (2) If the compression is too soft and you bottom out, the remaining energy from bottoming out will cause a deflection event. Rebound is when a suspension is returning back to full travel, the rebounding action has relatively very little force and is not generally the cause of deflection events. When riders go over a jump and their bike kicks out, this is caused by a compression issue, not rebound. Videos like this from Paul Thede will enlighten you far more: ruclips.net/video/UPxebvcstx0/видео.html
Good beginner guide to what the suspension does. Next would be picking proper spring rate for your weight for both shock and forks. If it's an air fork, then proper psi.
Very good video Kyle. Very nice expained. Ever since you are doing dirtbike channel as your full time job, your content is much better. Love it. Can't wait for another video. Good job...
Great 101 video. I’d go with compression/rebound adjusters, and high/low speed adjusters when teaching basic suspension adjustments and components to people who may be less knowledgeable on the subject. I use the the term “clicker” all the time. Nothing wrong with it! It just sounds a little silly when you hear it 100 times in a technical type of video. Don’t kill me, just my 2 cents. Thank you for all of the content.
Awesome video Kyle. Vary straight forward. Suspension is a mystery to me as well and you answered a lot of my questions. I have a 2020 beta 200rr. There is a lot of adjustments. I have been doing it all wrong but not I have a better idea about suspension and how it works. Thank you
i bought a used 2012 ktm 300. after riding for a bit and watching many of your videos i decided to double check all the clickers with the owners manual. i reset everything to standard setting from the manual but i now have a squeaky sound coming from the rear shock when i push down. should i set it a bit harder or ? Also the last owner changed the rear spring from 100kg standard weight to 120kg, He did give me the origanal spring back that i need to get refitted.thanks in advance
Help. i have a 2006 Honda crf 450 R . it has front air forks. does it use oil too, or just air ? And also clicker setting. compression clics how many, and rebound clics how many . .
I’ve got a 2018 te300 husqvarna and never adjusted anything, my suspension is super soft shouldn’t it be stiffer, I don’t have the cash to send it out but I know I can get it alittle better if I knew what to do, I’m at 220 also, can you help me out or get me alittle closer for a better ride?
Ok Sonwe don’t need to know how the internals work or the physics behind it all. What we like to know as riders is how to tell what needs to be done. Does it need to be softer or harder and how do we tell? Do we want faster rebound or slower? Your explaining the clickers and how oil flows through and a needle allows it to restrict or allow flow but what we want to know is this compression or rebound first of all and also does turn the screw in make it harder or softer? That’s what we need to know. We don’t care how the internal parts work but nice to know just don’t forget the important stuff like what making those adjustments does as far as more or less compression/rebound
Hello I have a 2003 yz250f and I was watching a video on how to change fork seals and i watch the wrong video and I was told to note the clicks and I did and I was also told to take the rebound out and I couldn’t so I was like I don’t think this is how it works and so it’s very stiff and I reset the clickers back in but the rebound still just spins and buts it’s still in place and I just wanna ask how to fix the stiffness
Loving your videos man, keep up the good work! Thank you. I dont know how you generate money, but you should really think about some video course (pre recorded), you know tons, especially if it will be on how to DIY your bike or something, the industry is seriously lacking that (the free youtube videos are hugely disorganised and chaotic, i haven't seen any proper step by step detailed good video course on it)
I think your description of high speed low speed events is a little off... landing from a big jump isn't a high speed event if: 1 you're landing properly on the down side. 2 it isn't a massive drop in elevation to the landing. Because this are in the normal arc of movement of the suspension and travel of the bike in the air, and the event is drawn out, your low speed compression handles most of this load. High speed compression deals with sharp spikes in movement. Big roots, rocks, square bumps, peaked out whoops, and a hard cased jump are examples. This movement is usually in contrary to the movement of the bike direction and arc of suspension travel. Felt when you're suspension and chassis balance can feel fine over the trail or track but all of a sudden you hit an object that deflects and spikes the rear or front out hard.
I've been watching your videos and they are great but I never heard you talking about the "O" word :)... I m from Romania, home of the toughest and hardest extreme enduro race: Redbull Romaniacs....We have a lot of great riders and a big comunity of hard enduro riders... Here in Romania the standard for suspension is Ohlins...a lot of the guys buy a bike and than afterwards they swap the suspension with Ohlins front and back, especially on the KTM/Husqvarna/Sherco/Beta models...some say that Ohlins is better than ConeValve and Trax and is a lot cheapper.
This explanation is a hot mess. Ask one of your kids teachers to help you clean it. You took something simple and made complicated. Good work with the visual aid though. I dont know why I would want to slow rebound. Was hoping you'd cover that.
Great explanation on the forks and clickers. Exactly what I needed to see. Thank you 👍
How do you only have 149 k you deserve much more
Hey bub, great video. I've been riding and racing dirt bikes for close to 56 years now. When I started, they did have shocks and a fork, but the suspension was mainly your legs. It's a real puzzle for most guys to tune the very sophisticated suspension that comes on modern bikes, so a 101 vid like this can only help. Great job!
John at Baldy Mesa Cycle
Those bikes if you wanted to change the feel you had to reshim the entire stack. The wasn't a fine tune capability available through clickers on the stock bikes (your fox air shocks and the like allowed for air adjustments and factory guys got a ton of love). Also, the laughable 4in of travel on a rigid steel frame.
The trick to tuning suspension on a modern bike is to
1 understand what you're feeling. Am I bottoming over rolling bumps and jumps or does the bike feel like a 1970 dt1 (low speed compression)? Am I spiking or bottoming over sharp bumps and suddenly square edges (high speed)? Is it smooth in the beginning of the bumps but suddenly feels super stiff and harsh (too little rebound speed)? Does it feel like a pogo stick or the original monoshock yamahops from 1979/80 (too much rebound speed)?
2 once you understand what it is you're feeling, adjusting the right clicker and ensuring you have the right spring for your weight and riding.
I love the yamaha kyb sss because you can find a good setting out of the box to ride those bikes hard with the proper springs. Other bikes just need love from a good suspension tuner before you can find those settings.
For anyone looking to learn more about suspension, I HIGHLY recommend the RaceTech Motorcycle Suspension Bible. You will be a lot more confident in your knowledge of each component after reading that book. It also is a great reference as you try to tune your suspension for your riding style.
hmm i think most just want to ride , lol
Looking into this thank you
This is a really great video! I just got a dirt bike and have always heard people talking about adjusting the clickers, so this is exactly what I needed!
Very good, i think you explained very good and i got to learn new things, thanks
This totally makes sense! My 350 xcf-w was set up by an mx guy and is a bit too stiff. This gives me the confidence to adjust it to be more suitable for my style of riding. Thanks, Kyle!
Can you go over we aer48 fork adjusting suspension
This was truly the best description of how forks and shocks work, amazing video, Thanks Kyle!
Is it normal for the clicker needle to stick in fully compressed position with shim stack off? Like I have to unwind it fully then press the needle in for it to return
This is great Kyle, thanks for taking the time.
Very good information and description of the work of the front suspension and the shock absorber. Thanks
Very well put, Kyle. I learned most of what I know about suspension from my DH mt. biking days where it's probably even more important than on a dirtbike. It's amazing how little people know about it. One thing I might add, if your rebound is too slow, your suspension will "pack up" on you and you won't be using all of it. It's a fine line, but if you get it dialed in, it's like riding on a pillow.
Please help. I have a crf230 with a shock that is too short. It came from a 85 xr200r. We didn’t have a choice at the time. I don’t know how to adjust it to at least give it more travel and not be so bumpy on my old back that’s already bad.
great tip! I also learned on my DH bikes and would agree with your comment about it probably being more important.
Let's unpack some misstatements and myths here...
1. Clarification: The fork "piston" with shim stacks (valving) are attached to a "base valve" and a "mid valve" (closed chamber forks have both) which control the flow of oil as the suspension compresses through its stroke. The piston themselves are fixed to their respective lower or upper chambers and move as those chambers move.
2. Misstatements: (1:45 mark) Compression settings in general determine how much the fork or shock will move (absorb energy) "into its stroke under a given amount of energy". In relative terms compression does not affect the speed of the the stroke. The "high speed" adjuster on the shock is a circuit is designed for for high speed shaft speed events, such as when a rider sharp edged braking bumps or rocks on the trails. Landing from a jump is not considered a high shaft speed event and while low speed and high speed compression settings work in tandem, landing from a jump is a low speed shock travel event.
3. Myth: (4:45 mark) Rebound is not the cause of deflection. Deflection is caused by two things. (1) If the compression is too stiff and cannot absorb all the energy from an impact, the remaining energy not absorbed will cause deflection. (2) If the compression is too soft and you bottom out, the remaining energy from bottoming out will cause a deflection event. Rebound is when a suspension is returning back to full travel, the rebounding action has relatively very little force and is not generally the cause of deflection events. When riders go over a jump and their bike kicks out, this is caused by a compression issue, not rebound.
Videos like this from Paul Thede will enlighten you far more: ruclips.net/video/UPxebvcstx0/видео.html
Good beginner guide to what the suspension does. Next would be picking proper spring rate for your weight for both shock and forks. If it's an air fork, then proper psi.
Very good video Kyle. Very nice expained. Ever since you are doing dirtbike channel as your full time job, your content is much better. Love it. Can't wait for another video. Good job...
Great 101 video. I’d go with compression/rebound adjusters, and high/low speed adjusters when teaching basic suspension adjustments and components to people who may be less knowledgeable on the subject. I use the the term “clicker” all the time. Nothing wrong with it! It just sounds a little silly when you hear it 100 times in a technical type of video. Don’t kill me, just my 2 cents. Thank you for all of the content.
Thank you Kyle, your videos are always helpful. All the best!
Thanks for this video.!!!!
It has cleared a long time mystery up for me ....thanks again
Awesome video Kyle. Vary straight forward. Suspension is a mystery to me as well and you answered a lot of my questions. I have a 2020 beta 200rr. There is a lot of adjustments. I have been doing it all wrong but not I have a better idea about suspension and how it works. Thank you
Been looking forward to a basic and straight forward video on the subject cuz... Suspension is a mystery to me.
Same here. I crank it up stiffer to avoid bottoming out but only end up blowing it out.
He makes it all make sense..this awesome!!
i bought a used 2012 ktm 300. after riding for a bit and watching many of your videos i decided to double check all the clickers with the owners manual. i reset everything to standard setting from the manual but i now have a squeaky sound coming from the rear shock when i push down. should i set it a bit harder or ? Also the last owner changed the rear spring from 100kg standard weight to 120kg, He did give me the origanal spring back that i need to get refitted.thanks in advance
Very well spoken
I think you have covered this before in a video, but when noting your current clicker settings, is the firs turn in count as 0 or 1?
Help. i have a 2006 Honda crf 450 R . it has front air forks. does it use oil too, or just air ? And also clicker setting. compression clics how many, and rebound clics how many . .
Great video with straight forward information. Thank you Kyle
Simply great. Well done Kyle
Thank you
Good vid, now clickers make sense. Thanks
So ktm has compression on one side and rebound in the other. How does that work? Does only one fork do one job?
yes
Great video and awesome explanation!!
Great info. Thanks Kyle. I'm glad you have the linked accounts for parts and such. Already used em.
very easy to understand,,, nice video
two thumbs
I’ve got a 2018 te300 husqvarna and never adjusted anything, my suspension is super soft shouldn’t it be stiffer, I don’t have the cash to send it out but I know I can get it alittle better if I knew what to do, I’m at 220 also, can you help me out or get me alittle closer for a better ride?
In my Beta 300 RR compression control is up and rebound is down. Excellent explanation thanks.-
Ok Sonwe don’t need to know how the internals work or the physics behind it all. What we like to know as riders is how to tell what needs to be done. Does it need to be softer or harder and how do we tell? Do we want faster rebound or slower? Your explaining the clickers and how oil flows through and a needle allows it to restrict or allow flow but what we want to know is this compression or rebound first of all and also does turn the screw in make it harder or softer? That’s what we need to know. We don’t care how the internal parts work but nice to know just don’t forget the important stuff like what making those adjustments does as far as more or less compression/rebound
Unfortunately, I have overturned in for the rear shock at the rebound adjustment, now it slow moving even though I turned out
I think your analogy for high and low speed compressor is backwards... landing off jumps is low speed and small chop is high speed.
Hey Kyle, I think the Beta's seat isn't clipped in/on properly. It looks to be riding on the sub-frame clasps.
Sorry just thought Id let you know.
And if it's not on properly you'll break the lugs off the sub-frame. Don't ask me how I know.
Good explanations
Subbed
Great explanation 👍👍
This was very helpful and easy to understand thanks
I’m 180lbs. 2012 WR450F. Do I need to stiffen up my settings a bit just based on that info? Isn’t 180 when you start making stiffer adjustments?
Kyle I'm 6'-3". On the KTM 2019 300XC. I have the OEM seat. For better knee grab is there a medium then tall seat for me? What seat do you suggest?
can you do a piston rebuild video for a swo stroke
This video was awesome! Thank you
I have a KTM 450 exc, does that mean if I click + more oil and if I click - less oil?
More damping (+) means less oil flow (slower suspension movement) and less damping (-) makes the suspension move faster.
Excellent job!!
Hello I have a 2003 yz250f and I was watching a video on how to change fork seals and i watch the wrong video and I was told to note the clicks and I did and I was also told to take the rebound out and I couldn’t so I was like I don’t think this is how it works and so it’s very stiff and I reset the clickers back in but the rebound still just spins and buts it’s still in place and I just wanna ask how to fix the stiffness
That Beta is one of the best looking bikes ive ever seen. I see a race edition graphics kit in my future
Mike Lyons yea my 200rr is a blast to rip
Great information 💯 Thank You
Every inverted fork has this right?
Loving your videos man, keep up the good work! Thank you. I dont know how you generate money, but you should really think about some video course (pre recorded), you know tons, especially if it will be on how to DIY your bike or something, the industry is seriously lacking that (the free youtube videos are hugely disorganised and chaotic, i haven't seen any proper step by step detailed good video course on it)
Very good VIDEO THE GUY THAT DOES ANDERSTAND never WILL 🤣
Greatings South. AFRICA
Sweet as that was helpful, cheers kyle 👍
I think your description of high speed low speed events is a little off... landing from a big jump isn't a high speed event if:
1 you're landing properly on the down side.
2 it isn't a massive drop in elevation to the landing.
Because this are in the normal arc of movement of the suspension and travel of the bike in the air, and the event is drawn out, your low speed compression handles most of this load.
High speed compression deals with sharp spikes in movement. Big roots, rocks, square bumps, peaked out whoops, and a hard cased jump are examples.
This movement is usually in contrary to the movement of the bike direction and arc of suspension travel.
Felt when you're suspension and chassis balance can feel fine over the trail or track but all of a sudden you hit an object that deflects and spikes the rear or front out hard.
Very detailed I better understand after 10+ years riding
Very well explained
What do you think about the KLX450 2stroke Enduro bike from Kawasaki
Clear as mud.
Got it !
I bought a Lextra KXY 300, a chinese made enduro, a copy of the KTM 300 EXC, probably 2012, with carburator. Do you have parts that fit my bike?
On the MY18 bikes the compression is on top and rebound on the bottom. 2019 may be different
I’m 15, 5/9 and I’m on a 2018 Honda 250r, I want to upgrade to a te250i or xc250i, am I big enough?
If megs brap can ride a TE 300, so can you...
Very good explained
awesome video!
Thank’s for the explanation
“You guys are gonna kill me” that’s funny. Don’t listen to any hate :) it’s better to admit you don’t know then pretend to know everything lol
Wow man! This was totally helpful 🙏🏾 thanks
Well done!
Very helpful thank you👍
Yz125X Review?
I've been watching your videos and they are great but I never heard you talking about the "O" word :)... I m from Romania, home of the toughest and hardest extreme enduro race: Redbull Romaniacs....We have a lot of great riders and a big comunity of hard enduro riders... Here in Romania the standard for suspension is Ohlins...a lot of the guys buy a bike and than afterwards they swap the suspension with Ohlins front and back, especially on the KTM/Husqvarna/Sherco/Beta models...some say that Ohlins is better than ConeValve and Trax and is a lot cheapper.
7:46
Fox used to make off-road motorcycle suspension.
adjustments are like carbs lol. im waiting for someone to EFI the suspension on the bikes like the new suspension on the polaris rzr.
Magic 101
Einstein says "if you cant explain something simply, then you simply dont understand it".
Lol the vudu
Good video. Those betas are nice but ugly.
This explanation is a hot mess. Ask one of your kids teachers to help you clean it. You took something simple and made complicated. Good work with the visual aid though. I dont know why I would want to slow rebound. Was hoping you'd cover that.
That was not clear at all.