An interesting ride!
I am trying to wrestle the DR650 through these axle-deep woops.
And I'm barely keeping the bushpig under control.
If we do this sort of riding regularly it might be time for a complete suspension upgrade.
So lets talk about suspension.
You sold your children for tests in scientific experiments so you could afford your brand
new adventure motorbike.
Now you need to spend at least another thousand dollars on fin-+e-tuning that suspension.
But do you need really need to get your suspension revalved and tuned?
For some of us... sure.
But many of us?
Probably not.
Our local suspension tuners sometimes refuse to do suspension tuning.
A guy will come in with brand new motorbike and insist on having his suspensionrevalved.
And the suspension guys say 'no'.
We know this motorbike already has great suspension
that will suit your weight.
You are wasting your money.
And in some cases the guy just goes to another suspension tuner that will take his money
and wastes it there instead.
If you have bucket loads of money, why not?
But many of us are on a budget.
And if our local suspension shop is honest and tells us we don't really need to waste
money on a good suspension setup, it might pay to take notice.
There are also other options to investigate first.
Have you adjusted the suspension sag, preload and damping settings yet?
Have you looked at budget modifications first?
If you just need a bit more damping, try a heavier fork oil.
Some motorbikes like the KLR650, DR650 and V-strom still used old-fashioned rod forks.
And a couple of hundred dollars for Plex Valves, Intiminators, or DDC cartridges can transform
the forks.
Admittedly some motorbikes come with terrible suspension, but if you aren't too heavy and
just ride sedately on easy smooth dirt roads then those soft springs and bouncy damping
might be okay.
Also, keep in mind your riding skills will usually be far more important.
If your suspension works reasonably well, you may find an investment in rider coaching
will dramatically improve your safety and abilities.
As we like to say, it's usually 80% rider and only 20% motorbike.
Usually the biggest improvements come from developing your technique, with small potential
improvements from your motorbike setup, tyre choice and suspension.
For example, do you sit on the seat in rough terrain.
Become comfortable standing on the footpegs, and you automatically gain a lot more suspension
through your legs.
And you can use your body weight more to control the motorbike.
If you sit on the seat in rough conditions you are just a dead lump of meat slowing the
motorbike down.
Learn to work with the motorbike and move around on it.
Adventure and dual sport riding don't have to be expensive sports.
Other ways to save money?
If your existing suspension is okay, defer suspension tuning until you get the forks
and shock serviced.
It will be much cheaper as they are pulling the components apart anyway.
Remove the suspension yourself, and install it again.
You can potentially save a few hundred dollars in labour.
Of course, there are times you should get that suspension tuned the moment you buy the
motorbike.
If you are overweight, it could be quite dangerous if the springs and damping don't match your
weight.
Aggressive rider?
The same again.
I don't usually push the DR650 hard, but trying to ride fast on enduro tracks had me on the
verge of soiling my pants frequently.
Do you reguarly carry a passenger or lots of luggage?
Your rear shock may need a stiffer spring and firmer damping to cope.
So what's my situation?
I kept my brand new DR650 completely stock for four months just to see if I really needed
any modifications.
I fitted Plex valves to the front forks which made a huge difference for comparatively little
money.
I will get a stiffer spring and revalve for the rear shock but I have deferred this until
the suspension is due for a service to save some money.
But sure, if I had loads of money I would get all this work done before my first ride.
And just a final note.
You might hear stories about how Joe Bloggs had his suspension tuned on his $30,000 tourer
and now he's so much faster and the motorbike is so much smoother and more in control.
Is this true?
Maybe.
But just remember there's something called investment bias in psychology.
When you have spent so much money on something, you can actively fool yourself into thinking
you've made a very wise investment when possibly it made little difference at all.
Maintain a healthy scepticism of everything you read and hear... including this video.
What has been your experience with suspension?
Throw the cash around?
Or just live with mediocre suspension?
Keen to hear your stories.