Guys- The rear suspension on the KLX250 kills *** and back after riding on rock and hard dirt, beating on it. I do not want it to bottom out but how do I get the rear shock to absorb some of the beating rather than my back and spine.

5'11, 220lb.

Spring or shock or both replaced?

 

also, getting a set of dirt tires and keeping min psi in it.

 

A new spring will get you a long ways. Stock is for something like a 150 pounder. At 220, plus some gear I assume, you really could use a heavier spring. Try that first, adjust the compression and rebound settings, and if you're still not satisfied, valve the shock. A heavier spring and setting adjustments have me happy for now (I'm 200 plus gear).

 

Yeah, I'm only 190 and I went to a 6.0 to replace the 5.8 stock spring. The rear shock valving isn't as bad as the front, but it does wonders for the rear too. I did a Race Tech Gold Valve kit in mine, and it's been great.

 

ID & TNC - Now if I were to get a stiffer spring would it not make the ride even worse? It would stiffen it up but would it translate the reaction force into the shock? Front end isnt to bad for me but I do rocky off road - old logging trails-

Any input would be great.. thanks

 

Not necessarily. The fork's compression damping is too aggressive...period...and the springs are waaaay to soft for your weight. If you're not feeling this, someone may have changed the springs already in your fork.

On the rear shock, your weight is basically blowing through the damping because the damping and spring rate aren't ideal for your weight. The heavier spring won't make the damping ideal for you, but it will aid in just overwhelming the existing damping. I think you'll need to go to a 6.0 spring before I'd even suggest trying to fiddle and tune the compression and rebound adjusters. You're overwhelming the capability of the existing damping.

 

I just replaced the springs in the forks and the shock. Huge difference, if i would have known it would have been that significant i would have done it long ago. A good way to describe the correct rear spring for me is: In a low gear doing a wheelie, trying to get the front up over something instead of the rear just squatting it stays stiff and you can bring it up easier. I has improved the handling tons. Put all the correct springs in, you wont regret it, even if the front is "ok". Its not. I think i did .44's up front and 6.3 in the rear.

 

EMS points something out that has to be considered. I might have had to go to an even heavier spring if I hadn't done the Gold Valve damping in the rear shock. Damping design affects the necessary spring...almost always. My damping in the rear shock, which now has 3 compression stages and 2 rebound, has much better control while compressing and doesn't need as aggressive a spring. This is one reason I think it's better to do everything in one move...springs and damping. Still, you can suffer through with poor damping, but you just can't really function with seriously out-of-whack spring rates.

 

I compare it this way. Take your car, no load, and it feels okay on most roads. Put a load in it and it may even smooth out some, until you hit the speed bump. Now, do the same on a very rough road with big bumps and go fast. It will probably feel smoother with no load, as with a big heavy load overpowering the springs, you'll feel those big pumps pounding away.

 

where is a good online source for springs (fr/rr) for the KLX? also a spring chart would be informative and helpful