G'day! I've just bought an 09 klx and totally love it. Front forks are way too soft though so i want to change the springs. I weigh about 72kg/160 pounds (without riding gear) and use my bike for enduro/trail riding type stuff. Given that, what rate springs would anyone recommend please? Thanks heaps, and what a great web site this is! Greg

 

Here's a good thread to start with: https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...install-10644/

 

you can run your bike and weight through one of the online calculators, Race tech, mxtime, motopro etc.

But keep in mind their recommendation is using THEIR valving which can go along way in controlling the fork without using a bigger spring. If your working with the stock fork you will need more spring then they recommend. But really depends how YOU use the bike and what you want it to do. If you just want to make the fork not dive so much on the street vs. really hammering through the woops chasing real dirt bikes.

 

Thanks so much for your answer. In relation to your points, i've put my weight etc into those online spring claculators, but the problem is they each give a different rate (0.40 to 0.46 mm/kg) - hence my confusion! Secondly, fork dive is not so much a problem for me, but the front end keeps bottoming out when i'm hammering through the whoops, or when i go over a jump (even smaller ones). At low speeds the springs are fine, but get up any speed and things are just to 'plush'. The seals are not leaking so i know it's not an oil loss problem, and speaking to my local Kwaka dealer he confirms the standard srings on the KLX 250s are just too soft for anything more than light trail riding. I was wondering therefore if someone of a similar riding style and weight (72kg/160pounds) to me had actually done a spring upgrade, and using their expereince could tell me what i may need etc. Thanks again!

 

Have you adjusted the forks?

 

Whatever you think you need get .02 bigger!!! John at Moto-pro suggested .52's for me & i almost fell off my seat laughing......I explained i was a heavy guy & like to give my bike a hard time, so I thought .48's or .50's would be more than enough stiffness but he said .52's....... & was spot on!!

I'm much heavier than you but if you are serious about jumping or hard braking or generally riding harder than average, always get .02 stiffer than recommended!

 

moto pro told me .46 220 street clothes. Makes a world of difference. In my opinion riding with the wrong springs is dangerous. Anyhow, the .46 are great. Didn't get to the rear spring in time tho..... Didn't have the preload set right and ended up kicking me over the bars breaking my shoulder. Having to sell the bike to get fixed.

 

ouch dude sorry to hear that... sounds like the classic flying W

 

Yo, so sorry to hear of your crash. This is actually my first bike since having the stack from hell myself. I had an RMX 250 and put it flat out into a tree. Spent 5 weeks in hospital and nearly a year in a wheelchair and on crutches. My new KLX is a 'comeback' for me i suppose you could say.

Anyway, ta to all for the help. I've played around with the damping adjustment but to tell the truth i cant really feel the differnece from one extreme setting to the other. It does not seem to really increase the fork stiffness so i've now ordered a set ot 0.44 kg/cm springs for the bike. I'm hoping that particular rate will be good for my weight and riding style and conditions, but won't really know till the new springs are in and i go for a test ride. As soon as i do all this i'll let you know my experience and opinion on the differences etc. This will take a while as the springs are coming from overseas, as is the new headstock bearing that i'll fit at the same time because the one in it now is already notchy, even though the bike only has about 6500 kms on it.

Keep on keepin' on,

Greg

 

Ouch, sorry to hear that. I pretty much run the rebound on the rear near max, helps with the kickup. Also keep 2 sheets of weatherproof mechanical duct insulation over the rear rack, that thing can sting.