450 XCF shock ???

[Red Rider 428]

I just noticed on my new xcf that when the bike is on a stand and the rear wheel is off the ground I can move my shock spring up about a 1/4 inch until it hits the spring adjustment ring. When the bike is standing on the ground the shock spring is tight against the adjustment ring. Is it suppose to be like this? I noticed this after setting the race sag on my last ride as I had never looked at it before. Please advise as I don't want to ride the bike if it is not suppose to be like that. ? Thanks Guys.

[Red Rider 428]

Need some advice guys. Anyone....?

[jjm525]

Your sag is wrong or you set it soooo loose cause you are too light for the spring and it either backed off while being ridden or you went too far. The spring should have some preload on it. Pull out the manual and reset your race sag and measure bike sag. You need to be within both numbers or you need a different spring.

You aren't married to the specs but you need to be close. I like 4" of race sag but some go deeper. IIRC 25mm (or 35mm, I forget now) or about 1" bike sag is OK too. KTM used to just recommend bike sag only a few years ago.

[Red Rider 428]

Well with gear I am only 155 lbs so I'm thinking that I am too light for the spring. When I set the race sag right about four inches but the bike sits so low when off the stand. The back is really sagging. So the free sag is off. I guess this means the spring is too stiff??

[jjm525]

Yep. In the meantime you can just set bike sag and ride it. I don't recall the recommended number but why not shoot for 35mm and see how it feels for now.

Head over to the suspension section and I'll bet someone has a spring recommendation for you. I run a progressive on my SXF but I'm 200 so the # won't help you.

[Red Rider 428]

ya i think thats what I am going to have to do. So to answer my original question I should not be able to move my shock spring when the bike is on the stand right? oh and what does progressive mean? New to suspension stuff.

[jjm525]

Yep, no play up & down on the shock spring at all. I think my spring needed 10mm of preload. Zero preload is wrong too, you have negative on it now. Measure the spring with no weight on it, then preload it till it is 10mm shorter, a 260mm spring would be near 10" with about the right preload, or close enough for you to start anyway.

A progressive spring starts out soft and gets harder as it compresses, straight rate stays the same, depending on the shock angle or linkage to raise the rate as it compresses.

[Red Rider 428]

ok thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it!