Suspension Setup

Welcome to the fourth post on getting your suspension dialed. If you have read all the way through so far, Thank you for the support! Now onto the details of the shock.

1. Assuming you have read the overall basics on page 2, you understand that there are 3 different adjustments you can make on the shock (high-speed compression, low-speed compression, & rebound). Assuming you have your stock preset numbers picked out for your rider ability, we may begin.
2. Start with the rebound clicker, that is usually located at the very bottom of the shock turn clockwise to fully lock/reset that clicker. Turn counter clockwise while counting clicks till you reach the desired number.
3. The same steps go for low-speed compression, which will be the clicker at the top of the shock. Clockwise to reset counterclockwise to count the number of clicks till the desired number is reached.
4. The high-speed compression will be a nut/turn nob counted in turns. Other than it having a different mechanism, the idea is the same clockwise to reset or stiffen & counterclockwise to the desired number of turns.
5. Fine-tuning the shock isn’t as simple as the fork, but it is definitely doable as long as you follow the same rules.
   • Rule 1: When adjusting clickers for the first time from stock setting jump in counts of 2 for clickers and half turns for high compression.
   • Rule 2: If you open up the rebound (counterclockwise clicks), allowing the shock to move faster back to extended, you must also tighten up compression (clockwise clicks/turns) by half the amount of turns and vice versa. The only time you shouldn’t abide by this rule is fine-tuning specifically for the high-speed compression, it’s harder to notice adjustments.
   • Rule 3: Go with your gut. No right or wrong answer; everyone is different in suspension settings. Take your time and take notes. Nothing is worse than adjusting back and forth from the same settings without knowing where you started or your current settings.
6. Always keep in mind that chasing perfection is a hard goal, and tons of other factors come into play. You could find perfect on the last moto of your day, then a week late, go to the same track, and be way off with the original settings. The main idea is to find what you like and how you want your bike to react. The more knowledge you have, the faster and easier you can find “perfect” every time you ride your bike. Just make sure you’re having fun! No point in doing it if you aren’t…

If you end up at the highest or lowest amount of clicks you can have for either compression or rebound, it’s time to look into getting the valving redone on your forks; the ideal range is somewhere in the middle of the total available clicks.