08 YZ450x Ride suspension/gear help

[Mtnseeker1]

Ok here it is, I am very new to this game and from the best advise I could find I dropped my ride ht/ SAG 3/16 " and set my suspension to 1/2 on all.

When I did my ride sag I placed moto on a stand and took a mess. from axle to seat bolt. (static ?) With the rear tire off ground.
Then got all my gear on and bounced on bike three or so times and took another mess. at same location on the ground while shoulder to the wall in a standing position.
I set the 4'' as my ride sag mess. And dialed the rest at half way.COMP./RECOIL.?

I have got a 50 rear sprocket on the way to help me with the trails.

The bike does have a weighted fly but I am not sure as to the weight. (9.5oz.?)

If anybody can make some suggestions I am all ears at this point.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

It is very weird cause when I take the BRP out in the whoops she seems to run well in 4th gear( pending the size and distance of said whoops) but with this lighter bike I just can't seen to get it put together. She isn't tracking at all.

My way of thinking or not is to go plush but keeping in mind sand whoops and stair cases(moab).

Right now the way it was set up is killing my Arthritic wrists and my old age timing.
I know- friggin noobs.
I am very confused as how to make it right for me.
And yes i want it right /right now LOL

[Mtnseeker1]

So I'll ride it and try some more...

[Garbanzo]

Your sag is set great for your riding. For dirt and rock, try softening the compression on your forks. If it feels better, but maybe is a bit squirrely, stiffen the rebound. I have stiffer springs on mine, but I run my compression 18 clicks out (yes, 18), and my rebound at 10.
If you're running a stock spring, you might just want to keep a small screwdriver handy, take the compression out 2 clicks at a time until it feels right. Then add rebound as needed. I'm not going to get into the rear shock, because once you get the front set, you'll start feeling funny about the back!! Believe me, it takes some time. You can find a good compromise though. I would rather run a really soft compression, hard rebound and hard tire most of the time. I'm done. Let me know how it works. Keep in mind, that we can make some adjustments on our ride next weekend as well.

[Mtnseeker1]

Thanks Garbanzo. I feel good about the pre-load. I think I'll try to get out and after I warm up a little maybe 20 min. I'll set everything loose and ride some then set everything tight and ride some.
Just to get an overall feel of how the bike handles in the two extremes.
I think once I get an over all feel from loose to tight I can set it back to happy medium and just one or two clicks at a time to help fine tune.

[Mtnseeker1]

I do believe that the springs rate up top front have been changed. First clue is that the fork on the right seems to not be lined up. There two things that make me believe this as the clicker and the stickers ( registration) do not line up the same). Now if I loosen the triple clamp on both sides and slam the front brakes at about 3-5 miles per hour several times, Will this self adjust?

In thinking that the spring rate / wt. has been changed I went ahead with Garbanzos numbers of Fork Comp. backed out 18 and fork rebound out 10.
My rear comp. is backed out 11 About half way.

So just what is this high speed Comp.? Is it the outside nut at same location as rear Comp.?
And is there a reboud other than pre- load?
Ok now that I have made a complete ass out of myself and started to read my manual just a little more.

[Garbanzo]

I do believe that the springs rate up top front have been changed. First clue is that the fork on the right seems to not be lined up. There two things that make me believe this as the clicker and the stickers ( registration) do not line up the same). Now if I loosen the triple clamp on both sides and slam the front brakes at about 3-5 miles per hour several times, Will this self adjust?

In thinking that the spring rate / wt. has been changed I went ahead with Garbanzos numbers of Fork Comp. backed out 18 and fork rebound out 10.
My rear comp. is backed out 11 About half way.

So just what is this high speed Comp.? Is it the outside nut at same location as rear Comp.?
And is there a reboud other than pre- load?
Ok now that I have made a complete ass out of myself and started to read my manual just a little more.

Don't feel bad, it's a process if it doesn't feel right. What I do on the front is loosen everything (clamps and axle nut), move the bottom of the forks on each side so they are in the most relaxed or aligned position, hold the front brake and forcefully rock the front end to compress/rebound the forks. Tighten the axle nut, then rock it some more, then tighten the clamps. This will get any bind off the forks.

I have pretty much left the rear shock alone. The low compression is the lighter compression or low speed/smaller bumps. It is the center screw.
The High compression is the nut that surrounds that screw and controls the larger full compression hits. Keep in mind, that if you adjust this one, the low compression screw turns with it, so you have to hold it with a screwdriver while you adjust the nut. WHEW!
So, you can adjust your initial hit and a more extended hit to different compression (softer or harder).

The screw at the bottom of your shock (at the rear linkage) is the rebound. Preload is the spring tension, and Rebound is how fast the the shock rebounds after the compression.

If I may (and apparently I have already) make a suggestion. Leave the Rear shock at factory settings. Work on the front only. If you have your sag, the rear will usually be ok for now.
AND it is very important and very hard to do, and that is, ONLY make SMALL adjustments to ONE item at a time. If you change more than one thing, you will have a hard time knowing where the difference came from.
And, if you do one at a time, over time you will understand more about what you are feeling and be able to narrow it down quicker.
LAST but not least, any adjustment you make to the front shock affects the rear and vice versa. I believe that the front fork adjustment has less affect on the rear feel than the rear does on the front. That's why most of my time has been on the forks.

Recap: All adjustments are Clockwise to speed or harden them, and Counterclockwise is to soften or slow them.
Front Forks: 4 screws total.Rebound at the top of the forks, Compression at the bottom.
Rear Shock: 2 screws, 1 nut and spring. Screw/Nut at top by bottle are Low/High compression. Screw at bottom of shock at linkage is rebound.
Adjust Spring up or down for preload.

Ok, I'm off my horse.

Later

[Garbanzo]

I do believe that the springs rate up top front have been changed. First clue is that the fork on the right seems to not be lined up. There two things that make me believe this as the clicker and the stickers ( registration) do not line up the same). Now if I loosen the triple clamp on both sides and slam the front brakes at about 3-5 miles per hour several times, Will this self adjust?

In thinking that the spring rate / wt. has been changed I went ahead with Garbanzos numbers of Fork Comp. backed out 18 and fork rebound out 10.
My rear comp. is backed out 11 About half way.

So just what is this high speed Comp.? Is it the outside nut at same location as rear Comp.?
And is there a reboud other than pre- load?
Ok now that I have made a complete ass out of myself and started to read my manual just a little more.

Next we can discuss valving, spring rates and oil weight. You asked for it!

[Mtnseeker1]

Oh boy here we go.