YZ250F Yamaha suspension lowering link

Email of the day from a YZ250F racer inquiring about the 1 inch YamaLink.

"I was wondering, if I was to get the 1" Race Yamalink for my yz250f,
do I still need to add 10% to my total body weight when determining
what spring I need for my shock.

My suspension has already gone out to factory connection, and I just
found your parts to day and I am very intrigued. I was going to have
them lower my bike but your part seems to be favoured.

I'm just wondering if I should be telling them to do the front forks
for a 190lbs rider ( my actual weight) and the rear suspension for a
220 lbs rider so that I can install a Yamalink and still have my bike
balanced.

I'm 5'8 with a 29 inch inseam."

Our reply:

When a rider tells us "I had my suspension done by so-and-so" it makes us pause. Here's what usually happens: you call the suspension company and tell them how much you weigh, what type of riding you do and what you don't like about the stock suspension. Nine times out of ten they revalve it and change the oil so the bike is a bit more plush on the small stuff (because stock MX valving beats the living daylights out of you on the small stuff in order to have enough big hit capability) but not bottom on the big landings. The suspension comes back and it's a lot better than stock.

Enter the YamaLink's extra leverage.

On a 100% stock bike such as your YZ250F, the Race YamaLink's extra leverage totally annihilates the braking bumps and square edge, plus it corners better and gets more traction. You weigh 190: do you have about 100mm sag now?

You may need a heavier spring to achieve proper sag in the stock bike with your gear on. The YamaLink can be set up with sag from 100mm to 90mm. Sometimes a heavier or more aggressive rider puts the next heavier spring on. The 1" Race does not require the 10% extra like a 1.5" YamaLink.

Your bike works best with around 100mm sag. By going to a heavier spring rate - at your weight - you can achieve that sag and still retain the big-hit capability while getting the plushness and lowering of the YamaLink.

Don't be surprised that when you tell the suspension shop about the YamaLink they will say "no, it'll screw this up and mess with that." Of course they're going to say that because it's their business to do revalving and oil changes; FYI, if you have them put a spacer in to lower the suspension you LOSE that amount of travel (1" spacer loses 1" travel) and the suspension has to be revalved for the spacer otherwise it rides like crap.