Yamaha WR lowering WR250X

Question about Yamaha WR lowering on Supermotojunkie.com as related to raising the forks on the WR250X.

"10mm is the most popular starting point to raise the forks in the triple clamps; the most you can move the forks SAFELY on this bike is 18mm. There is no 1:1 ratio of fork/rear end lowering because changes to rake/trail (the fork) affect geometry at a different rate than changes to the rear.

Extensive testing showed us that 2 inches (just a hair under, really) is the most you can lower the rear of the R and X while still maintaining a "balanced" ride up front. Anything more than 2 inches total in rear and the forks cannot safely be raised to give a ride capable of withstanding race-type speeds and handling. This is not to say a very very short leisurely rider could not get away with more lowering.

Depending on rider preference you just slide the forks up or down a few millimeters. As you may or may not know, 6mm is approximately 1/4 inch. But 10mm is a great starting point. Too much and the bike headshakes and oversteers. Not enough and it turns like a NHRA dragster and understeers. Thankfully it takes just a few bolts to make the fork height changes; please retorque the clamp bolts correctly.

As someone else noted, 1/3 of total travel is used for sag, give or take a few millimeter. The "give or take" is, again, based on personal preference.

And as the installation instructions note, make sure your chain is properly tightened (approximately 45-50mm of slack measured at the middle/bottom of the chain when the bike is off the stand....someone please correct me if I'm a bit off on this comment)."

WR lowering: sag

Yamaha WR lowering post of the day: how to set sag.

Seems to be a very popular question. The most important part of any suspension yet so many don't do it.

Click HERE.

WR lowering post of the day

WR lowering post of the day in regard to the misconception that lowering links decrease travel.

All the bikes I have seen with stock links that have a rubber mark on the rear fender have been bottomed hard and are a long way into the neoprene shock stop. Mfg's advertise the total travel assuming the shock stop is not on the shock shaft, so to get the rubber marks on the rear fender that stop has to be compressed pretty hard, also you have to consider the sub frame and fender flex. The way to measure usable travel is remove the rear shock spring, cycle the swing arm thru its arc until the weight of the bike is lifted with the shock stop. That travel measured will be about 30% less than the advertised travel. Longer links increase the leverage ratio slightly so that in turn increases both the total and usable travel. They also allow the tire to hit the fender sooner and harder as the stop does not have to be compressed as far. I would not say that a bike is under sprung from the factory because the tire is hittng the fender, first compare the race sag and the free sag to figure the correct spring rate.

Yamaha YZ lowering post: James Stewart on YZ

Yamaha YZ lowering link post of the weekend: #7 riding a 2009 YZ250 two stroke....

HERE

WR lowering post o' the day: how to set sag

Sag. No, not the Screen Actors Guild or what happens to pretty body parts when you get older. Sag as in suspension sag settings.

You'd be surprised how many riders on all types and brands of bikes do not know how to adjust sag or why they need to.

How to adjust sag easy tutorial: http://www.tootechracing.com/suspension_tips.htm

The above link mentions 4" sag which is common for linkage bikes with 12" travel. You want about 1/3 sag for total travel. Obviously the WR R/X does not have 12 inches of travel.

While I'm here, how about a quick sag tutorial as a refresher?

Many times people say "put more sag in" to get your feet closer to the ground but what happens is you are using too much travel and now you are riding too far into the progression of the shock spring. This makes the bike ride very rude AND you have less travel remaining to handle the big hits. And often times when too much sag is put in the front end understeers because the geometry cannot compensate. It will ride like a chopper. With proper sag you can adjust the front forks to get a balanced ride. And NO there is no need to raise the forks the same amount as the rear was lowered because changes to rake/trail (the forks being slid UP in the triple clamps) affects geometry at a different rate than changes to the rear.

Ten millimeters is a very popular starting point for the WR R/X forks when the rear has a lowering link. Three to six mm for others bikes is the norm. You then adjust the forks up or down based on personal preference (some ride tiiiight woods and some ride high speed sand washes and some are kinda in the middle).

When you don't have enough sag your rear wheel cannot follow the terrain efficiently and you lose traction, get a higher center of gravity and the suspension wants to bounce and skitter across the terrain which just magnifies the lack of travel. Eventually your bike is traveling slower and working harder over the same terrain that a bike with proper sag is absorbing and working WITH to propel you forward.