Front and rear Level 2 spring size recommendations

[Co.CB500x]

Hello all!  Super excited just took delivery of my 2021 X and I am preparing my order for the level 2 suspension kit order... I live in Colorado and ride off road as often as possible.  I am 205 lbs and will ride this bike as aggressively as it will let me  I do carry tusk highland soft luggage for the weekend camping rides and BDR's.  I am just hoping to hear some feedback from similar riders before I place the order.  I literally pushed it off the delivery truck from the dealer and up on to the lift and removed the wheels..... I am so ready.  thanks everyone in advance.  I would also love to hear from Jenny on this subject 

[motorboy]

I'm just curious with buying a new 2021 and adding R&R parts how much $$ do you think  you will have in it compared to a Yamaha Tenere 700 again just curious

[Co.CB500x]

OMG....Um. of course I hate to admit that part....It will definitely be more.  I suppose I will have 10.5 fish or so in this one by the time I am done.  For me it's the build and the journey.. I am not happy unless I am making it mine from top to bottom.  The Tenere can't be bought here in Colorado right now, and would likely cost 12k OTD with the way the dealers are selling the "covid inventory shortage". I don't have 12  and I know myself I would then want to build and install everything under the sun from that point.  Some of my decision is $ but the other is having something I built and that no one else has.  This is not a sound investment from a resale standpoint either..  My last bike I sold was an 08 08GS ADV.  owned it for a year and rode it for 3k+ miles and sold it for exactly what I paid for it.  I know that won't happen here.  Any one have Suspension spring feedback??

[JMo]

Originally Posted by Co.CB500x

Hello all!  Super excited just took delivery of my 2021 X and I am preparing my order for the level 2 suspension kit order... I live in Colorado and ride off road as often as possible.  I am 205 lbs and will ride this bike as aggressively as it will let me  I do carry tusk highland soft luggage for the weekend camping rides and BDR's.  I am just hoping to hear some feedback from similar riders before I place the order.  I literally pushed it off the delivery truck from the dealer and up on to the lift and removed the wheels..... I am so ready.  thanks everyone in advance.  I would also love to hear from Jenny on this subject 

Hi Co. - if you weigh 205lbs, and plan to ride 'aggressively' (personally I aim for 'fast and smooth', but that's just me ;o), then I'd suggest you go for the 120Nmm rear spring and the 5.5 fork springs... particularly as you're likely to riding with a light luggage load a lot of the time.

for info. My own bike has the softer 'medium' suspension - 110Nmm shock spring and 5.0 fork springs, but then I'm around 25lbs lighter, and as I suggest above - prefer to trade stiffness for more compliance for better traction and grip on loose surfaces - don't forget that this is a 400+lb bike with a relatively modest 7" of travel, so you can't blast through stuff with utter impunity - the bike rewards you far more if you pick a smooth line... although you do have a little margin if you get clumsy, such is the nature of the bike in general and the L2 suspension set-up.

Whichever spring rate option to ultimately go for, don't forget that you've plenty of adjustability in the RR suspension, including a wide range of preload - so it is feasible to have the bike set soft for technical/traction terrain, then whack it up a bit of you are carrying a load or riding faster trails... if you do plan to go that route though, then I'd recommend the remote preload adjuster too, as the preload on these bikes is tricky to reach otherwise.

Finally, I'm totally with you in regard to your thoughts on building your own 'personal' adventure bike around this smaller capacity CB platform... it has so many core attributes already (great range/economy, smaller physical size and weight, stellar reliability) - the Rally-Raid parts just make a good bike even better: whether you just want to upgrade the suspension to higher quality/performing components, or ultimately go for the tubeless spoked wheels and other hard-parts such as the engine guard and luggage rack options too.

Have fun with the build, and looking forward to seeing you out on the trails!

Jenny x

[Oyabun]

Originally Posted by Co.CB500x

Any one have Suspension spring feedback??

I started off riding on 5N/mm fork and 110N/mm shock springs, and found I have to dial in too much preload at the rear, and the front too vague -  so opted to go for 5.5N/mm fork and 120N/mm shock springs and wish I'd started on these.
BTW, I'm about 195lbs in riding gear, and I prefer a stiffer spring over undsrsprung feeling.
Keepnin mind, that RR is using a dirtbike-like very soft spring rate at the fork end and compensating with a single stage IMHO too stiff valve shim stack on compression circuit for the cartridge emulator.
I've since then upgraded to 175mm travel custom cartridges at the front, and using a 6.7N/mm spring with a sophisticated compression stack for good initial low speed support and very compliant high speed damping circuit.

[Co.CB500x]

  Now we are talking... Oyabun.  This is exactly the type of feedback I was hoping for (along with Jenny's masterful info) Verrrry interesting.  I don't suppose you have that compression stack info written down anywhere    Jenny definitely has lead me down the stiffer path as well.  Awesome and thank you!

[Oyabun]

I surely have, but unfortunately you'll have no use of it, as it is a full cartridge what I've built so cannot be adapted to the RR L2 setup.