Put my $85 Moto Pro springs(https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...highlight=moto) in this weekend. Many thanks to those of you that have posted up info on the spring install. Makes it easy when you know what to expect. Slacker method worked well for me. To remove the fork caps I used my 37mm Cresent wrench (laying on the seat )

The 44's are marked on the end.

The spring on the left is the stocker, and the two on the right are the moto pro 44's. You can see that the new springs are thicker.

Shot down the fork tube with spring out.

 

I thank Kawasakiforum members who make threads like these

I noticed one of my fork seals is leaking.. It's stock, and I beat the horse **** out of my bike, so I am very surprised they lasted this long.

This is my excuse to re-spring the forks, and do my steering stem bearings. This tutorial should help quite a bit. I've never done any suspension work before.

I have the bearings already, I just need to order the seals and springs. Is the general consensus the 44 springs are the ones to get? I am about 180lbs or so without gear. EDIT - according to moto-pro's website I should have .42's. I guess that's what I'll go with.

At the same time, should I do the rear spring? I have the pre-load cranked a bit - I'm sure I could go tighter, but maybe I'll do the forks first and see how that goes? What did you guys do?

Any other tips or tricks anyone wants to add?

 

How are your ride-height settings on the rear? I would think at 180# and riding it hard, you'd benefit from a stiffer rear spring. You may also want to talk to someone like that John fellow about the fork springs and 42 v 44. Since you ride hard, maybe the stiffer fork springs would be better? I really don't know. And if you get really into it, re-valve those forks for a world of difference!!

 

Just got off the phone with Moto-Pro.
They advised I go for the .42. Said that I don't want to over-spring it.. I will take their word on it since they are the experts. Ordered the set but they're back-ordered, should be there next week.

I'm going to wait on the valves for now.. I'll see how the springs do me.

 

I just talked to John at Moto-pro about a week ago. My weight put me right between .42s and .44s. So his litmus test was to ask if I ride big rocks/ledge in a downhill orientation. His reasoning was that if your springs are too light coming off the ledge you could still put yourself in an endo-riffic position. If that's your case (which it IS for me) then you should go with the heavier of the two springs.

 

CL, John knows a lot about suspension, but I agree with IDRIDR and maybe some of the experience that many of us have had over time with these bikes. At your weight and riding style, I'd bet you'll like the .44's better. I'm only 10 pounds heavier than you, and I'm even going to preload my .44's by about 15mm during routine front end service I'm performing right now.

 

Gahhh.. I'm torn now. I only want to replace them once. Maybe I'll just go for the .44's. I trust you guys!

 

CL, I'd almost bet John is using the KLX300 as a guide to making his assessment on the 250S. In light of that, you can almost guarantee one step up on spring rate for our bikes. The Race Tech and one other calculator I used only have the 300 as a base bike. Both of them recommended the .44's. I think I could have easily used .46's with no preload for the perfect match to my bike.

 

.44 is it then, thanks for the info. I'll call them and switch.
THANKS!

 

Beware if you own a SF (D-Tracker) as your fork springs are shorter than the S model & from what John at Moto-pro told me. The the shorter 387 mm fork spring would suit my bike & a whopping spring rate of .52 kg/mm instead of the expected .46 kg/mm for my 225lbs weight due to the SF spring length I guess!! The spring calculators on all the online suspension sites is for the S model & doesn't work for the SF.

There is very little information available for the Supermoto style SF model, John thinks these spring lengths & rates would be good for aggressive street riding at my weight!! I should get my delivery in a week or so & will let you SF guys how the setup works for me. I have no choice but to take a gamble!! The fork spacers I fitted do a good temporary job but to be honest just made me want to do the job properly even more.

John was also concerned with the 'OD' outside diameter of the SF springs, he will be as happy as me if everything works & I thank John for the many many emails back & forth to get to this point. I can't see any other suspension company being this helpful.



I will report, once delivered, fitted & tested.