Spring Reccomendations for 2011 CRF250!

[Fishdog]

I'm 75kgs (so 165lbs) and ride mostly sand... what spring rates would you recommend for me. I'm a fast C grader and ride a 2011 CRF250. I have bought a Pro Circuit link arm and feel that the front springs need to be harder. but i don't know how much... either 0.46 or 0.48's???

Any opinions out there would be appreciated please!

Thanks

[GDI70]

i would go with 48's. the chasis on that one can use stiffer fork springs. if you are riding sand most of the time, stiffer fork springs will be a benefit.

[Fishdog]

Wouldn't 0.48's be too heavy for my weight though?

I'm sure the 2012 crf450 has 48's stock

[Spocko]

0.45/46 seems about right for your weight, but it is a balance between having say a rate higher to smooth out the quirky CRF250/450 frame geometry without having it being impossible to turn. Everyone approaches the late model CRF's differently, some people just ride stock springs with no link and love it...others hate it and spring it a rate or so higher in the front and drop the rear to calm it down.

What makes you think you need to go stiffer on the springs? Bike doing something you don't like ?

[Fishdog]

ahh yea ok! I wanted to get 48's but wasn't sure if they would be way too stiff!!! The front is very twitchy almost everywhere on the track and jumps front end low. It also turns almost too sharp!!! Ive ordered the 0.48 springs so will let you know how they go. Also going to do the revalve myself. thanks for the help!

[GDI70]

ahh yea ok! I wanted to get 48's but wasn't sure if they would be way too stiff!!! The front is very twitchy almost everywhere on the track and jumps front end low. It also turns almost too sharp!!! Ive ordered the 0.48 springs so will let you know how they go. Also going to do the revalve myself. thanks for the help!

get the float a bit tighter on that one to start with. the rider i resprung lately, is on .49's. his forks are very stiff, but that's what he likes. the bike handles well for him. he's pro, and will occasionally hit the freestyle ramps between moto sessions. try to run your sag to 105-108mm loaded. for sand setup tips go here: '>http://suspensiontuninghelp.moonfruit.com/#

[cardinale199]

I like 0.47 and + 1 20x0.10 in mid ,less float make your fork high in stroke

[MX Tuner]

ahh yea ok! I wanted to get 48's but wasn't sure if they would be way too stiff!!! The front is very twitchy almost everywhere on the track and jumps front end low. It also turns almost too sharp!!! Ive ordered the 0.48 springs so will let you know how they go. Also going to do the revalve myself. thanks for the help!

Have you tried the basics? If it is consistently jumping front end low, the first thing I'd try is going a click or two stiffer with the shock rebound. It's cheap and easy!

[motoXr_22]

my friend who rides the same bike weighs the same also, and is a sponsored honda rider here in NZ. he runs 0.46 fork springs tuned with a RG3 smart valves front and rear. only chassis adj he has made is PC link arm, forks flush with top clamps, tighter steering stem nut, and have the showa damper valved stiffer away from center he is not a fussy rider but he gets holeshots and wins moto's in national MX2 class

[chadk66]

I'd go with .46 after you've exhausted all other adjustments.

[Fishdog]

I purchased 0.48 fork springs and revalved the suspension myself. I did manage to bottom the forks out with 340cc oil in the outer chamber... I added another 40cc in each leg = 380cc and suspension travel was very progressive and smooth! Very happy with this right now except half way through sandy turns the front end has a tendency to tuck in and I end up burying the front end. I was thinking of lessening the float to stop this happening??? its about 0.25 measured with feeler gauges.... so adding in 1 x 0.1mm should make it 0.15.. Is this correct and will it fix my problem? all help and advice is greatly appreciated! thanks

[mog]

it will firm it up plenty, but i would not add another shim to the stack, i would space the mid so it has 0.1mm less float, keeping the stack the same.

[MX Tuner]

Sounds like the forks aren't dropping in their stroke enough. At 165lbs you shouldn't need .48 springs. If the forks are doing something you don't like, you should be able to fix it with valving.

What rear spring do you have and what is the sag set to?

[Fishdog]

I have the stock spring 5.3 and with the PC link. Sag is at 105mm. The forks were bottoming with 0.48 with 340cc oil in outer chamber so I ended up at 390cc and then they didn't bottom anymore. The bike knifes in half way through turns so i was going to close the float a bit by 0.1mm so it would end up being close to 0.2mm

[GDI70]

where is your rebound clicker on the forks? the chasis design of the honda promotes stiffer fork springs to balance the bike. don't think that 1 rate less will help; it won't. if you didn't stiffen the rebound stack, then go in 1-2 clicks from the recommended stock setting. try that. the bike should not "knife" with the sag/spring rate you have.. close up the float, and reduce the oil height to 370cc. it's not much, but tightening up the float makes a huge difference in the ride height of the front end. also, post your base valve stack. if too stiff, the bike won't initiate a turn well. you need low-speed damping, but not so much that the bike can't "dive" to make a turn. i prefer to start with the clickers at 12c and 10 reb. hope this helps.

[Fishdog]

I ride mostly sand motocross with one hardpack section.

I felt most comfortable with my forks at this: Comp 12, Reb 14.

390cc outer chamber (380cc is max so might have to bring it back down a bit???)

forks flush with clamps

Stock settings:

Base Valve:

24 x 32 x 0.1

1 x 30 x 0.1

1 x 28 x 0.1

1 x 26 x 0.1

1 x 24 x 0.1

1 x 22 x 0.1

1 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

7 x 14 x 0.2

Mid Valve Compression:

3 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

1 x 12 x 0.1

1 x 11 x 0.1

2 x 11 x 0.3

2 x 17 x 0.3

Spring

thick collar 6 x 5.5 x 8

Mid Valve Rebound:

3 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 13 x 0.1

1 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

2 x 12 x 0.2

This is my setting:

Base Valve:

14 x 32 x 0.1

1 x 24 x 0.1

1 x 31 x 0.1

1 x 30 x 0.1

1 x 29 x 0.1

1 x 28 x 0.1

1 x 26 x 0.1

1 x 24 x 0.1

1 x 22 x 0.1

1 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

Mid Valve Compression:

4 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

1 x 12 x 0.1

1 x 11 x 0.1

2 x 11 x 0.3

2 x 17 x 0.3

Spring

thick collar

Mid Valve Rebound:

5 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 19 x 0.1

1 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 17 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

1 x 12 x 0.1

2 x 12 x 0.2

I bought 0.48 fork springs from racetech and they came with 4 preload rings... I didnt know how many to put in so I just put in 1 each side.

How much should the forks be preloaded?

Please feel free to comment on my stacks!

I would like as many opinions as I can get, all the help is appreciated as I am still learning ?

[cardinale199]

i have posted a good stack call crf 2010 250 mod stack

that s work good

[Fishdog]

i have posted a good stack call crf 2010 250 mod stack

that s work good

thanks Cardinale199 I will try your stacks soon on my bike! ?

GDI70 you are a great help! everything you said makes sense and I will revalve again soon after this weeks race.

thanks for your help everyone! I will post back when I have made some changes

[cardinale199]

if you have any question PM me

[Fishdog]

I revalved my forks to your exact specs Cardinale199. But didn't have TIME to do my shock.

I added one 18x0.1 into the mid valve which closed up the float to about 0.2mm and this made a huge difference!!!!

I also changed the oil level to 360cc and didn't bottom out at all. After every ride the forks were one inch from bottoming out.

First ride out I had the clickers at C:12 and R:14

The forks were very hard and were sitting up in the stroke like a chopper! The bike struggled to turn into a corner because all the weight was transferred to the rear.... I made changes after a few laps...

My second time I changed the clickers to C: 16 and R:9... (Softer on comp and harder on reb)

WOW did this make a difference! The forks were still staying up in the stroke, but not as much as before and the bike felt more balanced and could initiate a turn much better.

I know the crossover shim makes the face shims a little softer but..

Why is the crossover shim so high up in your shim stack?

What difference does it make where it is on the stack? (closer to the face shims or closer to the HSC shims?

____________________________________

Changes are bold!

Base Valve:

Original stack:

14 x 32 x 0.1

1 x 24 x 0.1 changed x/o to 28

1 x 31 x 0.1 taken out

1 x 30 x 0.1

1 x 29 x 0.1 taken out

1 x 28 x 0.1

Cardinale199 stack:

3 x 32 x 0.1

1 x 28 x 0.1

17 x 32 x 0.1

1 x 30 x 0.1

1 x 28 x 0.1

Next revalve plan:

3 x 32 x 0.1

1 x 28 x 0.1

14 x 32 x 0.1

1 x 30 x 0.1

1 x 28 x 0.1

____________________________________

Mid Comp:

Original stack:

4 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 18 x 0.1 added a shim

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

1 x 12 x 0.1

1 x 11 x 0.1

Cardinale199 stack:

4 x 20 x 0.1

2 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

1 x 12 x 0.1

1 x 11 x 0.1

Next revalve plan:

4 x 20 x 0.1

2 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

1 x 12 x 0.1

1 x 11 x 0.1

____________________________________

Mid Rebound:

Original stack:

5 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 19 x 0.1 taken out put back in

1 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 17 x 0.1 taken out

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

1 x 12 x 0.1

Cardinale199 stack:

5 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

1 x 12 x 0.1

Next revalve plan:

5 x 20 x 0.1

1 x 19 x 0.1

1 x 18 x 0.1

1 x 16 x 0.1

1 x 14 x 0.1

1 x 12 x 0.1

____________________________________

I still need to do my shock with similar changes.

Please let me know what you think!

This has been great learning curve and I could actually feel the difference!

Thanks for everyones input :-)