Can someone tell me if I need new suspension springs???

I am a proud new owner of a little piggy. It is my first dirt bike. I have read the topics on suspensions but I have a question. I am uncertain of the spring rate of the shocks and forks of my bike as the previous owner passed and I bought it from his relative. I am 6'5" and an athletic 265 lbs (yes, I make the BRP look like a moped but I love it) I have been on one ride. It was a 75 mile desert ride. It was technical with whoops and hill climbs. I can tell you that I didn't bottom out once. I will be using some of the advice giving on setting up the springs but I want to know if I need to buy bigger ones. I know I should be using 49's on the front and around 11's on the rear (depending on who you ask).

Is there any way of me finding out if the springs are suited to me? And can I just cut the rears and add a spacer for the same effect. Thanks in advance.

The first thing I would do is to try and set your SAG adjustment. Until the bike is level and working togeather, you will have no idea how it is working. Also, play with your rebounding and compression settings. Make BIG adjustments to those setting in the hope of see what happens...does it feel good or bad when making the adjustment. Go back and forth over the same section while making adjustments. make mental notes when/if you bottom out.

Bottom line is...ride it and and find out what you don't like about it. That way, if you have to take it in to a shop...you at least know what to tell them.


Have fun, Jim

Thanks Jim. I am out of town and read all the forums. I was going to set the sag when I get back. I am guessing that if I can't set the sag to the proper height then I need new springs. I am just surprised it didn't bottom out with my weight and hers put together if it has the stock springs. All the other posts seem to have people bottoming out on their bikes and they are not close to my weight. I will definitely try making big adjustments to the rebound and compression and see what it feels like.

As for taking it to a shop......not going to happen with all the helpful do it yourself tips on here. I just ordered the fork tool

Thanks again

I read your post twice but didn't see anything about your pace. How fast are your riding? What is your skill level? How many miles on the bike? How big was the previous owner? Are there a lot of scratches and impact evidence on the bottom of the skid plate (that would indicate a lot of jumping perhaps)? Did he have other bikes that might offer clues to his riding style/interests?

Finally, if the bike has the plastic OEM skid plate stick with that. The metal and alloy plates add rigidity to the frame and change the handling in unfortunate ways that will require more energy from you to ride it. That's important because the big XR already requires a lot of rider management and energy relative to two-strokes and CRF-Xs. Plus, unless you are riding in boulder gardens the plastic usually causes less damage than the metal and alloy guards.

JimmyO23 wrote:Thanks Jim. I am out of town and read all the forums. I was going to set the sag when I get back. I am guessing that if I can't set the sag to the proper height then I need new springs. I am just surprised it didn't bottom out with my weight and hers put together if it has the stock springs. All the other posts seem to have people bottoming out on their bikes and they are not close to my weight. I will definitely try making big adjustments to the rebound and compression and see what it feels like.

As for taking it to a shop......not going to happen with all the helpful do it yourself tips on here. I just ordered the fork tool

Thanks again

Unfortunately I didn't know how big the last owner was (he passed away and I didn't know him). The bike is a 2000 but obviously not ridden much. The casings didn't even have any scratches on them from boots, branches or rocks....they do now after I rode it
I would put my skill level at intermediate. I ride as fast as I can. I rode with a buddy who has been riding for years and I was able to stick to him....just a few extra wipeouts.

I was told he was a truck driver and didn't get to ride much. This was obvious by the shape of the bike. It still has the plastic skid plate. Thanks for your advice about the steel plates. There are some rocky sections on the path we ride. I was going to order one. I didn't know it changes the ride that much.

it's the same with other alloy frame bikes too. You don't see any serious racers using those alloy and metal plates. Precison Concepts says they just cause more damage than the plastics. Same reason Team Honda grinds down the teeth on the side of the brake pedal closest to the case. Some teams wrap rubber there.

JimmyO23 wrote:Unfortunately I didn't know how big the last owner was (he passed away and I didn't know him). The bike is a 2000 but obviously not ridden much. The casings didn't even have any scratches on them from boots, branches or rocks....they do now after I rode it
I would put my skill level at intermediate. I ride as fast as I can. I rode with a buddy who has been riding for years and I was able to stick to him....just a few extra wipeouts.

I was told he was a truck driver and didn't get to ride much. This was obvious by the shape of the bike. It still has the plastic skid plate. Thanks for your advice about the steel plates. There are some rocky sections on the path we ride. I was going to order one. I didn't know it changes the ride that much.