KTM 350 XCF W SUSPENSION - ON A BUDGET

[downunder366]

So I was looking for some advice on suspension. I have a 2013 ktm 350 xcf w (open cartridge forks) with stock suspension and was looking at improving it without spending a ton on it.
My weight is roughly 183lbs without gear and the type of riding I do is mainly single track with a small amount of mx (mainly after watching AMA Supercross on a Saturday night). The main complaint I have is that it seems to be too soft on most larger trail obstacles, whoops and jumps. I understand its not an mx bike but feel that I could get it performing better than what it is.
Initially my thoughts were to change the spring rate to get it set up for my weight and leave it at that. I was talking to a few shops and they said the valving needs to be done on these bikes too. Has anyone only changed the spring rate on this type of suspension and did it help? Or is it a waste of time without doing the valving etc.

Cheers.

[350scott]

I'm not a suspension expert, but it's important to get the correct springs for your weight. The other cheap and easy option with the open cartridge forks is to play with oil/air height and weight. My experience is the oil can really change the feel of the OC forks.

[cerealkiller]

It's not like you're wasting money to get the springs first. If you need valving later you'd have to do the springs anyway. That said, is the stock spring rate off for your weight? Seems like you are close to the target KTM uses on a 350.

Oil can make a big difference, mostly in the bottom half of the stroke. Also, have you played with your clickers? Unless money is burning its way through your pockets, I don't think valving is worth doing until you've exhausted the clicker/oil settings and still aren't satisfied.

[boland]

Springs like others mentioned. Oil height can make a huge difference as well as clickers. For example the stock compression setting on krissys xcw was something like 20 clicks out. We changed that to 12 and added 15ml of oil because of the same reasons you listed. Now I can't keep up to her on the mx track.

[downunder366]

I didn't mess with the suspension settings from when I got the bike until I was at a point where I felt it may benefit my riding and was comfortable on it.
Over the winter and this spring I was fortunate enough to get in a fair amount of riding. So yeah I will change the springs to what the suspension shops suggested (they agreed that the stock spring rates were too soft).
Then I will mess around with the settings and oil.

Thanks for the advice!

[cedric]

You're the same weight I am and when I'm fully geared up with water and tools I weigh in at 210lbs. We are too heavy for the stock springs and you will benefit from heavier springs regardless of whether you revalve or not.

[downunder366]

You're the same weight I am and when I'm fully geared up with water and tools I weigh in at 210lbs. We are too heavy for the stock springs and you will benefit from heavier springs regardless of whether you revalve or not.

Thanks for the note. I ordered springs today. Look forward to testing them out.

[axel99]

Dont pay much attention to the rider weights listed in the manual. I think they add a correction for some riding gear. Make sure you first set your static sag and race sag. If you cannot get these set to the limits listed in the manual then you need to respring the rear. Whenever you respring the rear you need to get the matching front springs for whatever you do to the rear to keep the bike balanced with stock valving.

[downunder366]

Dont pay much attention to the rider weights listed in the manual. I think they add a correction for some riding gear. Make sure you first set your static sag and race sag. If you cannot get these set to the limits listed in the manual then you need to respring the rear. Whenever you respring the rear you need to get the matching front springs for whatever you do to the rear to keep the bike balanced with stock valving.

Cheers. I ordered springs through a suspension shop and gave him my weights. What he suggested seemed to make sense.

[takethebounce]

Dont pay much attention to the rider weights listed in the manual. I think they add a correction for some riding gear. Make sure you first set your static sag and race sag. If you cannot get these set to the limits listed in the manual then you need to respring the rear. Whenever you respring the rear you need to get the matching front springs for whatever you do to the rear to keep the bike balanced with stock valving.

X2

if you havent even set the sag's from when you bought it you need to at least start there.