Adjust Your Sag

The KLX handles well right out of the box, but anybody over 135 pounds will find it too soft in the front and too stiff in the rear. To get the suspension correct for your weight and riding style, you'll have to measure and adjust both Sag and Dampening.   Sag is determined by preload and spring rate, which primarily affect how your suspension handles the big stuff, whereas dampening primarily affects how it handles the small stuff. But there is considerable overlap, and when they work together properly, you get both comfort and control over a wide range of riding conditions.   You’ll be better able to adjust your suspension correctly if you first understand how it was designed to operate and can identify symptoms of incorrect operation. So checkout... Suspension Basics before you jump into the sag adjustments. It's also recommended that you.. Service Your Swingarm before adjusting the suspension. Once you've got sag correct, continue with... Adjust Your Dampening


Sag Adjustments

Rider sag, also called "race" sag, is the amount the bike sags under its weight and yours during static conditions from its fully extended (topped out, no load) position. If your Rider sag is correct, your suspension is in the middle of its range, where it can handle the widest range of riding conditions without topping or bottoming out. Most suspension experts recommend a race sag equal to 1/3 the bikes travel. On the KLX-300, that's about 3-5/8 inch, or 92 mm. Most KLXers will therefore find that a static sag somewhere between 90-100 mm translates to the correct preload for dynamic conditions. Bike sag, also called "free" sag, is the distance the suspension sags without a rider, from its fully extended position. Once you get your Rider sag correct, Bike sag will tell you whether or not you have the correct spring for your riding weight. So always check Bike sag after you set your Race sag, because the preload adjustment affects both.





STEP 1 => MEASURE ZERO SAG...

Put your bike on a stand
Measure vertical distance from axle to fender.
Record this value as M0... ________



STEP 2 => MEASURE RIDER SAG...

Take your bike off the stand
Put on your riding gear
Take a standing position
Measure vertical distance from axle to fender
Record this value as M1... ________
Subtract M1 from M0... ________

This is your RIDER SAG. If it's between 90 and 100mm, skip to Step 4. If it's not, continue with Step 3...



STEP 3 => ADJUST PRELOAD...

Put your bike on a stand
Lubricate threads on shock body
If rider sag is less than 90 mm...
    Move rings up shock body (ccw)
If more than 100 mm
    Move rings down shock body (cw)

Repeat Steps 2 & 3 until you've got 90-100mm, then continue with Step 4...



STEP 4 => MEASURE BIKE SAG...

With your rider sag now correct
Measure vertical distance from axle to fender
Record this value as M2... ________
Subtract M2 from M0... ________

This is your BIKE SAG, and if it's between 25 and 35mm, your preload and spring rate are correct. This is cool, very cool. Take a test ride, then... Adjust Your Dampening

If you can't get rider and bike sag correct, you've got the wrong spring. Goto Install the Correct Spring to fix this problem, then repeat steps 1-4...