The feel of a brand new bike is something special, but whether it is a bike straight off the showroom floor, or a used bike you picked up off Craig’s List; a few minutes of setup and your new ride can even feel better. From the factory, a stock bike setup is meant to be acceptable for a large range of riders, but it won’t be exceptional for any one rider either. To get the best performance possible, Race Tech offers Gold Valve Kits with fully-custom valving setups and Hi-Performance Springs with your proper spring rate to customize your bike’s suspension for you; however, even without those items your bike setup can be improved without spending a dime.
Step One: Grease Your Linkage – Tearing apart your brand new bike might sound odd, but most bikes come from the factory without a sufficient amount of grease on your linkage components. Taking the time to apply a full coat of grease to your linkage will not only reduce friction, but will also prolong the life of your components.
Step Two: Set Your Sag using The Race Tech Method - Race Sag is commonly measured using the length from the axel to a near vertical point on the fender above. First, fully-extending the suspension with no rider and then having the rider climb aboard, bounce a few times; and then measure from the same two points.
The common method leaves a substantial amount of room for error because of friction. In order to get an accurate measurement, Race Tech’s Paul Thede eliminates friction from the measurement by setting sag using “The Race Tech Method.” Instead of two measurements, Race Tech uses three.
Always be sure to measure from the same two points for all three measurements. Use a tape measurer that measures in millimeters, or a Race Tech Sag Master when measuring sag because it makes the calculations much easier. When the rider is on board, be sure he or she is standing because plopping onto the seat will throw off the measurements.
The first measurement requires the rear wheel of the bike to be off the ground. Putting the bike on a center stand is a good way to measure. For the shock, measure from the rear axel to a location directly above on the rear fender. On the forks, measure from the axel to the lower triple clamp. This number will be recorded as L1.
The L2 measurement will come from having the fully geared up rider climb aboard and hold onto something to balance. Push down slowly on the suspension about 25mm (or about an inch) and then release the suspension very slowly. If friction was not present, the suspension would come up further. Do not have the rider bounce or this number will be inaccurate. Measure the suspension from the same two points as used for the L1 measurement.
To get the L3 measurement, with the rider on board, pull up on the rear fender about 25mm (or about an inch) and slowly release the suspension. Again, if friction was not present, the suspension would settle further. Measure from the same point as L1 and L2.
To find the Static Sag, calculate:
Static Sag = L1-((L2+L3)/2)
Using the “Race Tech Method” will give you consistent results within a millimeter each time. Finally, what number is correct when setting your sag? Through countless hours of testing, Race Tech has found that these numbers are generally ideal.
|
|
Full Size Dirt Bike |
Mini Bike |
|
Front |
60-75mm |
55-65mm |
|
Rear |
95-100mm |
80-85mm |
Although greasing your linkage and setting your sag will help your bike perform better than before, to get the most out of your bike you’ll want to ensure you have the proper spring rate and get a personalized setup using Race Tech Gold Valves. A bike that handles well is sure to drop your lap times and increase the consistency of your ride.
Reader questions:
The team at Race Tech has teamed up with vurbmoto.com to share setup tips with the readers each month on vurbmoto.com. Race Tech will also be answering your suspension questions each and every month to help make your riding experience more enjoyable. Post your questions in the comments section below, and the Race Tech team will pick a few questions each month to answer in the next feature.
Mike Stevens asked: Revalving?
At Race Tech, when we revalve a set of suspension we replace your stock pistons with Race Tech Gold Valves to improve flow. We also change the setting of your shims to match a damping curve that provides a plush feel with increased bottoming resistance, personalized to the rider (weight, height, ability, riding type). Finally, we perform a full rebuild, add our Race Tech Ultra Slick Suspension Fluid, and replace all seals and common wear components.
DaltonV asked: How simple is the Gold Valve Kit?
Gold Valve Kits are sold as a do-it-yourself kit, or you can have Race Tech or an authorized local dealer install the kit for you. Each kit comes with an instructional DVD and Race Tech’s staff is always available to assist you should you have any questions. You can also check out Race Tech’s Motorcycle Suspension Bible for step by step instructions on installing a Gold Valve Kit.
About Race Tech: Race Tech has a history of over 27 years producing the highest quality suspension components and tools; including Gold Valves, for most types of motorcycles and ATVs, to distribute worldwide.
