My rider sag numbers with 185lb (naked) rider with all gear on (but no cargo or passenger) are currently
41mm front (two rings showing)
31mm rear (two clicks of preload)
Good numbers.
Those sag numbers aren't real helpful w/o Free sag numbers as well. Comparing the two (rider & free sag) tells you if you have the correct spring rates or not.
Achieving any rider sag numbers alone is basically meaningless to proper spring rates.
I wouldn't say that either alone is meaningless. But I agree that both are important but posted only the front/rear rider sag to be expedient. Though if you read further you would see that I listed the static rear sag as well.
My rear static sag is 10mm at two clicks preload, pretty much the minimum recommended by Ohlins, K-Tech, or Traxxion. But again I chose the stiffer 1085 spring (so we can see the 1200 which would have been way to stiff).
I don't understand what you mean by "comparing" the static and rider sag. Are there some ratio and proportion calculations I've never heard of?
Okay I've installed the new front and rear suspension.
Traxxion AK-20 front.
Ohlins VFR1200 shock rear.
Front spring is 1.15. Rear is 1085 (that's one step stiffer than Ohlins stock spring--1028--on their shock for the VFR1200)
My rider sag numbers with 185lb (naked) rider with all gear on (but no cargo or passenger) are currently
41mm front (two rings showing)
31mm rear (two clicks of preload)
Good numbers.
Before I was getting about 50mm rear with the stock shock set with about half of its preload--too soft.
With the new 1085 spring, I could only get 10mm static sag on the rear with preload almost all the way out (TWO CLICKS). So the stock Ohlins spring--1028--probably would have worked fine but the step up to 1085 gives me substantial preload remaining to add passenger and cargo.
If you weight 185lb, don't let anyone tell you to fit a 1200lb spring!
Hope that helps.
I’ve also got a traxxion front ohlins rear set up.
Traxxion gave me a 1.1kg spring. I am maybe 160lbs with gear. I’ve always felt it was too heavy. They had me 8 turns in on preload which is almost all the way in. That seemed excessive as well. I am not running any of the settings they gave me.
Did you do your traxxion install yourself? If so, when you were threading on your fork caps onto the piston rods after adjusting your screw adjusters as indicated in the instructions, did both caps bottom onto the rods without the feeling you were binding/compressing the metering rod? My rebound side went on what I considered normal but the compression cap seemed like it was pressing down on the metering rod as I was tightening everything. This would seem to have the effect of creating a preset of additional compression, like you have the compression adjusting screw turned in even if its backed out all the way. If you don’t bottom the cap it would seem like you have an undefined starting point for your compression adjustment.
Does this question makes sense? I'd really like to hear from someone else on this as traxxion didn't seem to care.
I've changed fork springs. But anything beyond that (I got the full cartridge replacement), I let the experts handle. I shipped them off in a rifle case, and they came back perfect.
Traxxion has always nailed the spring rate for me. Surprised they were apathetic regarding your settings.
If I were you, I would give send them the forks and let them do a once over. If there's something you missed during the installl, they will catch and correct it. Money well spent. And they can change your spring rate, too, if that's what you need. Have you measured the sag? That's the only quantifiable way to really know if the spring rate is correct.
I presume Traxxion provides a baseline setting in terms of "number of clicks" or "turns" out from fully closed?
Yes, on mine it's six out.