[ANYTHNGFAST]

So I just rebuilt my forks with new bushings and seals 06 250r and didn't write down where I had them set at and just set them back to factory spec per oem service manual. I am past my mx days and do all trail/desert riding now. Before riding in the same area the bike took everything excellent, mostly sand and boulders. Today was horrible had head shake real bad by the top of 4th in the sand, whoops bounced instead of glided, and hitting small rocks at high speed launched the wheel up. I am pretty sure I had it set 4 clicks out on comp and 6 on reb before the rebuild. But for the life of me couldn't get it today. Best I got was moving comp 4clicks softer and it let me get into 5th without too much shake but hit a small rock in the sand and it bounced so hard I cartwheeled. I weigh 170 with gear and have 5cc more fluid than stock. I have good exp adjusting them for the track but no clue how to fix this. I want my old forks back! Any input would be greatly appreciated. Also as a side note I was only using about half travel till I clicked them out then started using 2/3 on the really heavy hits and 75% flat landing from 5 feet in the air. Using what I thought I had them set at before was no help.

[serialize]

Fresh fluid and even different fluid level will change the suspension even though set at same amount of clicks.

You may need to ride and test to do your set-up again to find the sweet spot you had dialed in previously on the old suspension fluid/level.

Also just to be sure likely want to set you static sags again.

[JimDirt]

The 250R will inherently have stiffer suspension than the X so don't expect it to be really plush off road unless you do a re-valve

If you want it plusher for off road then i would actually remove fluid , not add , adding oil takes away air space which will stiffen the suspension (forks only of course) , try 10cc's at a time till it feels better , yours should be about 369cc's stock , so try 350cc's and see if you like it more (this is for each of the outer tubes)

What i would also do , is replace the Pressure Springs , those are the small springs that are part of the inner cartridge *the part where you adjust the compression and had to remove to bleed and change the inner oil* , and where your valving is

Adding a softer Pressure spring will take away a lot of the initial hits and deflection slams , and they are only about $35 for the pair, so minimal expense for a noticeable difference , (Ken sells them here)if you don't use a stabilizer , then tightening the head bearings slightly so there is a slight drag will take away some of the deflection as well as the head shake , also lowering the forks in the clamps , so the tube (not the fork cap assembly) is flush with the top of the clamp , this will take away some high speed head shake


That will get you closer to what your trying to achieve , though a re-valve directed for off road would do a lot , along with what i mentioned

As far as clickers , i would leave the rebound close to stock settings , but soften your compression , stock is about 8 clicks out from fully in , i would start at about 12 clicks out and see how you like it (this will be better with 350cc of oil)or even 14 clicks out , but your trying to compensate for too much oil so its always going to be stiffer than it should be for that setting until you lower the oil amount

You also mentioned you weigh 170 , if you have the stock springs you are pushing the limits , and i am guessing the extra oil is to compensate for the springs being too soft, which sounds good , but actually does not help the issue , but makes it harder to tune , and what happens is with too soft a spring the forks will ride lower in the stroke , which will actually make the bike feel stiffer , because your already past the soft part of the stroke , so correct springs for your weight is a MUST if you want the bike not to beat you to death off road , and it will make it far easier to tune to your liking

The spring holds the bike up in the stroke , the valving and oil give you the ride feel , if the springs are not holding the bike up where it needs to be in each part of the stroke when it needs to be in a certain part of the stroke , then the bike will do whats known as "Blowing thru the stroke" , meaning the fork is past where it needs to be to open/close the valving for a given point in the stroke right from the start , so the valving cant work as it should because your already compressed when you should be extended so the suspension will be harsh , unforgiving , and extremely hard to adjust correctly

If you have ever watched Endurocross you will note that the bikes are "springy" they stay up high in the stroke unless they hit a obstacle , then the bike compresses and absorbs the impact , and the rider hardly feels any of it , what they have is extremely soft valving and stiff springs , this keeps the suspension where it needs to be no matter how many objects they are hitting and the suspension is in fact as plush as it can be while hitting everything because the suspension is where it should be in the stroke when hitting each obstacle , because after each hit , the suspension goes back to extended so it can take the next impact , so the valving can do its job

Hope that answered some questions and helped a little

[ANYTHNGFAST]

Thanks guys and especially you Jim. Think I am going to continue to soften them all the way up and see how that does, but I am going to have them revalved soon. Local shop does EVO what do you think about their valves?
Would you recommend just trying the springs first?

[JimDirt]

I have not had much experience with EVO , they did a friends KTM and neither of us liked it , but KTM suspension is completely different and a lot more finicky than Honda Twin Camber , so i think you will be fine but what i would do is ask all the off road guys (since thats what you will be riding) in your area who they use and how they like it , go with what the majority says is good quality and fair priced , but the stock Honda valves are not that bad anymore , changing the shims around will make more of a difference than the valves by themselves will

I personally use Race Tech Gold Valve kits , because for someone doing their own suspension it has everything you need without having to purchase single shims , since by the time you buy all the shims by themselves its twice as much as a Gold Valve Kit is (Ken sells them here ,$165 each end) and the quality is great , i ended up learning how to do suspension because i got tired of not getting it the way i wanted , so i learned how to do it myself and have learned a lot , and enjoy riding now even more because i am not beat to death after a 50+ mile single track ride or a 30 minute moto

As far as springs go , the main springs (front and rear) need to be for your weight , otherwise the suspension will not work as it should , so like i mentioned before , adjusting will be somewhat futile till you have the proper springs , once that is done , then mess with the valving , or if you can afford it , do both at the same time and you will think you were riding a MX bicycle bouncing down the trail with no suspension before , compared to what it would be like properly sprung and re-valved for what your riding (if you tell them exactly what you want it to do)

I have my 450X set up like a Endurocross bike , very soft compression valving and stiff main springs and soft Pressure Springs (stock is 1.90 , now its 1.76 , both bikes) , you can just basically run over stuff , my 450R is set up like a desert bike , its main springs are stiff enough to ride on the MX track *sprung for my weight* but i valved it for my age (i am 55 , but i still like to do 30 minute motos), and the valving and pressure springs are still soft enough so with just a few clicker adjustments , its a fun off road/trail bike as well as still a decent track bike

So to make a long story short , yes worry about springs first , you won't be able to properly tune it till you do