SuperMoto Junkie banner

Front end losing it in corners...

3112 Views 9 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  SMR
Hey all... looking for a little advice...

Riding a 2002 ktm 640 smc
Got Metz M1's on it, 28psi front, 28 psi back
I'm 6', 150lbs.

The suspension is great most the time, but in faster sweepers (fast enough that I wanna put a knee out instead of a foot or just sitting normal) that have some bumps in them the front suspension doesn't seem to absorb the bumps. It feels almost solid and you skip a bit off the bumps and drift across the road some. Little unnerving to say the least... this normal? I'd think not. Is there a point when leaning that the suspenion kinda stops working? THe forces are always going up the forks are they not?

I don't know much about tuning, but any guesses where to start adjusting?
1 - 2 of 10 Posts
I'm no expert, so take or leave these thoughts as you see fit...

First thought is that you've too much compression damping tuned into the forks and that if you back it off a click or two at a time (This is guessing that you have the adjustment on the KTM), you'll find that things improve.

Could also be that your sitting farther back on the seat and this is making the front end flighty. I'm just so used to feeling like I'm pushing myself up onto the front wheel that it's always the rear that seems to move around and not the front.

Your tire could also be shagged.

If your leaned over far enough to drag the pegs (doesn't sound like it though), your forks do have a harder time of dealing with the bumps your front end encounters.
Just had another thought while reading back over these posts...you might also pay close attention to your reaction with the throttle when you encounter bumps mid-turn. You just might find that your cracking the throttle closed or in the middle of rolling off the throttle as you are going through the turn and over rough pavement, and thereby loading up the front tire, which would make the trouble your feeling worse. Just more food for thought.
1 - 2 of 10 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top