2009 TE250 Rear Spring Rate

I took off the rear suspension unit to get the seals done as soon as I bought the bike, so I've never done any setup. Can anyone tell me the standard spring rate for the rear and (if possible) the rate to suit my weight? I am 200 lbs + gear, so anticipating using a heavier spring than stock.

You can go here and fill out your bike info and then click on the calculate spring weights and it will give you what they recommend. That should get you close.

https://www.racetech.com/ChooseVehicle.aspx


Ed

I found that and it confirmed what I found elsewhere as well, but it's a bit more detailed. Stock is 54 N/mm, racetech recommended 57.2, fitted 58.

Got it back today.

I suspect you are a beginner or at least not a superfast guy. I would shoose a 56N instead of 58. I weigh 185 lbs and see myself as a pretty fast driver. Im 51 and competes among the upper 10-20%. I have a Racetech 56N and its more on the stiffer side at hard enduro. Feels okay on sandy freerides and easy enduro though. Try to find someone who weigh as you and test his bike. Even though its another brand youll get a hint if he knows his springrate.

I agree with Soderberg, Racetech does recommend a heaver spring. I normally go down 1 from their recommended size.

I put novice level in the calculator, and tall, 200 lbs plus gear. I've only been riding off road since last year, road rider for 40 years. I started trying some green lanes / tracks on my TE630 and bought the 250 so I can learn on something easier to manage / pick up. The suspension guy who rebuilt it thought that 58 N/mm was about right, told him what I was doing as well. I'll change out the spring of it doesn't work for me. What sag should I be aiming for? Racetech said 103 mm, I assume that is overall sag.

I always starts with 35mm sag without rider ofcourse. Then you and the bike should get a sag around 105 +-5mm. Comp and rebound as the manual says. Go out for a ride on a 1-2 minute path. Loosen the spring nut 3/4 of a turn. Get out again on the same path. Write down how it felt. Get out again on the same path. This time with the nut tighten 3/4 from start setting. Decide what felt better, loosen or tighten. If for example tighten was better, then tighten 2/4 from start setting, better worse? If better 1/4 from starting point. If worse go 1 whole turn, get out. Etc etc...... what you are trying to do here is finding the balance in the bike. When you have got the balance you will start with the clickers. First rear comp (max 2 clicks whatever change you do). After comp you do rear rebound, then front comp, last front rebound. If not satisfied, then you need someone to look at the shimstacks. Though very rare for an average rider. Springs and these adjustments does wonders.
Ola

Thanks a lot. So 35 + 105 total sag?

35 with bike on the ground ”no rider” (free sag). 105 with rider (sag). This is just a starting point but I hope you get the idea? You might find that your free sag is best at 30 or perhaps 40. 35 is what I start with. If you have a free sag at aprox 35 and get less than 95 as sag your spring is to stiff. If you get more than 110 its most likely too weak. The begining point should be close to 35/105 even if you end up with 30/100 or 40/110. For me 32/103 was best with 56N spring. 35/102 or 35/108 will be okay also. As I said before. You will never get things exactly right. Everything in the suspension world is to find the best hybrid. The day you compete at a high level, you will not just change the clickers. They also adjust the spring 1/4 of a turn, depending on the track. Its a jungle and I am just doing the best I can with what I have

On road bikes, I just buy them and ride them! This off road lark is trickier!

Forgot to mension. After adjusting rear spring to reach balance. Set the forks to 2,5mm above the triple clamp. Then try 0 and after that 5mm above. This also effects the balance but also the fork angle. The more of the forks sticks above the triple clamp, the steeper fork angle and the plusher it gets and vice versa. Not by much but you should feel it. Also, the steeper the easier to turn with. The flatter the more stable at high speeds. If it turns out you have a better feeling with something else but 2,5mm. Then try half of that but just on the side you felt were better. You can always go back to what you started with and try to feel the difference. The fork angle is something I change between tracks. Fast tracks flatter (less above triple clamp). Tighter and slower tracks steeper angle (more above triple clamp).

Last, if you change the fork angle you can go back to the rear spring and try 1/4 eighter way. Just to feel if something gets even better. This as you have affected the balance by little. This is overkill but it depends on how much time you think its worth to get it as perfect as possible . NOW the clickers as mentioned earlier.

I would only add that you need to check the clicker positions are all in factory default positions before adjusting anything. Check both sides of front suspension clickers. Get the springs right first, then go after damping adjustments.
Here in Ca, we ride in desert and mountain terrain, and it varies widely. I have often ridden very high speed sand whoops and slow steep hills full of loose round rocks multiple times same day. On my Yamaha (very similar geometry to Italian Husky), my sag settings were 25/100 with proper atmospheric air in front suspension for altitude. But my high speed compression damping adjustment in the rear was almost as open/light as possible with an aftermarket LIGHTER spring than stock (not main shock spring, but high speed hydraulic check spring internally). In other words, very light high speed damping. Regular compression damping front and rear were both set slower (more damping) than stock, and rebound settings were faster (less damping) than stock. Worked very well in varied terrain. Used stock KYB fork springs, Race Tech 6.4mm/kg shock spring. i am 230+ lbs expert level rider with 47 years experience, so lots of variables there.
if your preference is technical rough and loose terrain, or hard enduro, much lighter springs are likely better. Also, lighter weight rider or lower speeds also tend to suggest lighter springs.
If your rear spring is too light, you will have to adjust too much spring preload to get 103 or 105mm race sag, and your rear suspension will not have enough static sag. This condition will affect the ability to turn precisely, because it rocks the chassis backward under load, lower in the rear, and increases the amount of trail dimension between the front axle and steering head. You would be surprised how magnified this difference can be.
I believe the shock spring on the used TE450 I recently bought from my son has a heavier spring than the factory default. I was able to adjust to get just over 25mm of static sag and exactly 100mm of race sag.

I have found this quite hard to set up right and then realised that my issue is variable seating position. In 6'4" with a 36" inseam, so I tend to sit a long way back on the bike, leading to increased rider sag. So, I had some lower pegs on order that have now arrived and are fitted. At least this lets me sit in a more normal position.

My current measurements are 688 mm swing arm to bodywork just behind the exhaust on a stand. 662 mm static, so 26 mm static sag. With this setting, I measure 570 mm when seated in a 'comfortable' position. If I shuffle forwards I get this up to 580 mm, but that's not a position I would naturally ride in. If I stand, I get 586 mm. Is this a reasonable starting point?

These values seem near perfect. I would not change a thing with springs.

What are the types of terrain you normally ride, and what skill and speed level would you consider yourself compared to others you may ride with?

I'm an off road noob, started doing some green lanes on the 630 and decided I needed something lighter and easier to manoeuvre. We don't have the wide open spaces here in the UK that you do in the US. Green lanes are unsurfaced roads - anything from hard pack to rutted mud. It's not about speed!

Ok. I would advise that you ride for a while with factory default settings on the suspension, with the idea that you can always change whatever you want. Maybe a few months. You'll get an idea as to what needs adjusting by then. Start by recording where the settings are currently by turning down the adjustments for both compression and rebound all the way clockwise, counting clicks as you go. Write down the count, and then back it right back to where it was. Don't try to remember them, You will forget. My guess is that you will eventually want both ends set up fairly soft if you are not on high speed whoops or big jumps. I've done it a number of times, and I keep track of the settings on a spreadsheet for different altitudes and temperatures.
I ride a wide variety of terrain, from paved roads to unpaved roads to twisty trails in the mountains to high speed whoops in the desert to rocky terrain. My skill level prior to 5 years ago was expert, and so since I don't ride nearly as much today, my suspension is just a bit softer. On the KYB front and Sachs rear of my 2010 TE450, my compression damping on both front and rear are just a bit lighter than the factory settings, which were fairly stiff. My rebound damping is factory stock, both ends. And my high speed compression adjustment on the shock is backed out all the way for extremely light damping. This is very similar to the settings I had on my Yamaha, and it fits well in varied terrain. Your terrain will help you decide how to adjust, but I would bet you'll be set a bit lighter than default on both compression and rebound both ends, with the high speed compression shock damping setting just a bit lighter than stock as well. Mine is adjusted well back because of the difficult rocky enduro trails I have become accustomed to. Climbing uphill on a trail full of loose rocks is horrible on a stiff suspension.