2010 YZ450F Springs

[dreid32]

Just bought a 2010 yz450f. I'm a 230lb vet expert, mx only racer. I rode it once and thought it was good, but I need to change the springs for my weight and height (6'3"). I'm thinking of going with 0.5 for the front fork springs and a 6.3 on the rear. The yamaha manual does not even list springs this high. I will revalve it after testing with the proper springs. Anyone have any experience with this setup and what did you do for your revalve. I'm an automotive engineer with a chassis background, so a good starting point will help me out greatly.

[rcmxracing]

Just bought a 2010 yz450f. I'm a 230lb vet expert, mx only racer. I rode it once and thought it was good, but I need to change the springs for my weight and height (6'3"). I'm thinking of going with 0.5 for the front fork springs and a 6.3 on the rear. The yamaha manual does not even list springs this high. I will revalve it after testing with the proper springs. Anyone have any experience with this setup and what did you do for your revalve. I'm an automotive engineer with a chassis background, so a good starting point will help me out greatly.

The bike is out of balance stock. You may not believe this, but the rear spring maybe be closer than you think for your weight. I'm 180lb Vet A and Chad from Total Control is doing mine now (just got the bike) and he'll be taking the stock 5.7 rear spring to a 5.5 and forks from .47 to .48.

I would really encourage you to give Chad Newton a call. He's very cool and has quick turnaround. If nothing else he will give you spring recommendations. OBTW I am NOT sponsored by Total control and I'm NOT shilling for him! This will be the 4th bike he's set up for me and I trust him. He is Jim Neese's suspension tech and has worked with Jim on the '10 YZ 450 for an entire season not to mention some fast amatures and Vet's. He's got it figured out. It needs a link, Chad always avoided links in the past, but the link lowers the rear 10mm. As a chassis engineer I think you can understand what that will do. My complaint about the bike is mainly the handling. It knifes/tucks on corner entry. With the stinkbug stance it really dives the front end. Yes, I suppose about 115mm of sag will help that, but then you're messing with the shock performance.

Tell him Rich Cornwall from Va Beach talked to you on TT, and please let me know what he recommends, I'm curious!

http://totalcontrolsuspension.com/

Total Control Racing, 1965 McCray Road, Burlington NC 27217

Phone: 336-578-1906, Email: info@totalcontrolsuspension.com

Edited August 26, 2010 by rcmxracing

[patrickincc]

I just got the same bike and becareful of a suspension tuner that quickly says you need different springs. I am about 185-190 with gear and was told only valving is needed. I have a buddy with the same bike and he spent thousands trying to get it right and then brought it to Kenny Zaurt in Santa Clarita California and he made it work very well with stock springs. Valving can make all the difference in the world. Remember, anything they sell you money is made.

[grayracer513]

I just got the same bike and becareful of a suspension tuner that quickly says you need different springs. I am about 185-190 with gear and was told only valving is needed.

The bike is correctly sprung for a rider in the 175-190 pound range. If I were giving advice to someone weighing 230 pounds, it would be to politely excuse himself from anyone claiming he can make the bike work with stock springs.

Damping is changed for skill level and riding conditions. Springs are the only way to adjust for weight and have the suspension work as intended. It's the thing you should do first, before spending any money on damping modifications. For an awful lot of guys, the right springs are all the suspension work they will really ever need.

[delmas]

The bike is out of balance stock. You may not believe this, but the rear spring maybe be closer than you think for your weight. I'm 180lb Vet A and Chad from Total Control is doing mine now (just got the bike) and he'll be taking the stock 5.7 rear spring to a 5.4 and forks from .47 to .48.

I would really encourage you to give Chad Newton a call. He's very cool and has quick turnaround. If nothing else he will give you spring recommendations. OBTW I am NOT sponsored by Total control and I'm NOT shilling for him! This will be the 4th bike he's set up for me and I trust him. He is Jim Neese's suspension tech and has worked with Jim on the '10 YZ 450 for an entire season not to mention some fast amatures and Vet's. He's got it figured out. It needs a link, Chad always avoided links in the past, but the link lowers the rear 10mm. As a chassis engineer I think you can understand what that will do. My complaint about the bike is mainly the handling. It knifes/tucks on corner entry. With the stinkbug stance it really dives the front end. Yes, I suppose about 115mm of sag will help that, but then you're messing with the shock performance.

Tell him Rich Cornwall from Va Beach talked to you on TT, and please let me know what he recommends, I'm curious!

http://totalcontrolsuspension.com/

Total Control Racing, 1965 McCray Road, Burlington NC 27217

Phone: 336-578-1906, Email: info@totalcontrolsuspension.com

I agree that the bike is a little out of balance stock.The oppisite way.

It needs a stiffer spring than what you would think.

[racerxx276]

Hey all , including Gray racer...

I'm going to agree with RCMXracing, after spending 3 months working with the stock suspension on my 10 yz450f, it is indeed out of balance. I'm currently running a 5.4 rear spring and .48 fork springs. on my kyb suspension. Most of the big suspension co will tell you the same thing.

Yamaha relocated the rear shock a bit, it causes the rear end to rise up in the corners and put a lot of weight on the front forks. Pro circuit has their link , which I tried and was way too soft. Enzo will tell you the same thing Im saying...

Unless you just bought a 2010 yz450f grayracer I'm not sure where your getting your info from...

My 02 cents...

[racerxx276]

PS I'm 180 lb without gear

[grayracer513]

Unless you just bought a 2010 yz450f grayracer I'm not sure where your getting your info from...

Read my post in context with OP and the post I responded to and it will all clear up for you.

[racerxx276]

sorry , I haven't got a clue what OP means...

[grayracer513]

sorry , I haven't got a clue what OP means...

Original post.

[dreid32]

You guys are confusing me. I'll let you know how the .50 and 6.3 goes on the weekend. I do know for a fact that the 5.7 stock spring is not enough to get the sag set correctly.

[CaptainKnobby]

I weigh 175 to 180lbs and didnt like the way the bike rode. To me it seemed like the front end wanted to stand up or stand tall and the rear didnt seem like it wanted to squat in the turns.

I explained this to my tuner (Litz Racing) which does Kevin Walkers bikes (which he just earned another title at Loretta Lynns) he beat Doug Dubach.

Anyways Litz set my bike up with a Del-Taco by SPI and I love the way it handles now. It made a night and day difference to the stock ride.

You can mess up pretty bad on a jump and come up short and the suspension will soak it all up. It really smoothed out the rear to where it actually squats good in the turns and holds the rear tire to the ground.

When you land off a big jump it stick good and doesnt hop after landing.

I didnt have to get different either and was able to use the stock. Dave johnson here on TT layed out the blue print for my suspension and Litz installed it.

[racerxx276]

Captain Knobby..

I agree with you about the standing up of the forks... The initial valving for the first few inches of fork travel is stiff stock, giving it that feeling. It also make's it feel like the fork springs are too stiff. If you ride a track with steep down hills like Glen Helen you'll find that the fork springs are too soft as they sink into their travel once the weight of the bike is on them.

I'll also agree that Dave has some of the best suspension mods around, however his amazing oil is so unique that spring rate's aren't as important with his suspension.

Gray... I re-read your OP and comment, my question still, is what is your opinion based on? Actual riding time or?? I've got 32 hrs of suspension testing in on this bike ... you?

[rcmxracing]

Hey all , including Gray racer...

I'm going to agree with RCMXracing, after spending 3 months working with the stock suspension on my 10 yz450f, it is indeed out of balance. I'm currently running a 5.4 rear spring and .48 fork springs. on my kyb suspension. Most of the big suspension co will tell you the same thing.

Yamaha relocated the rear shock a bit, it causes the rear end to rise up in the corners and put a lot of weight on the front forks. Pro circuit has their link , which I tried and was way too soft. Enzo will tell you the same thing Im saying...

Unless you just bought a 2010 yz450f grayracer I'm not sure where your getting your info from...

My 02 cents...

I already corrected my original post: My tuner went with a 5.5 rear spring not a 5.4 which I mistakenly said before. Other info: He said the link is 3.5mm longer and lowers the rear 10mm. I have not measured this myself, and don't see the spec on suspension direct website, but you can see the link here: http://www.suspensiondirect.com/parent_category/1700/7-SDi-Elite-Parts/1.htm

[rcmxracing]

You guys are confusing me. I'll let you know how the .50 and 6.3 goes on the weekend. I do know for a fact that the 5.7 stock spring is not enough to get the sag set correctly.

I applaude you for doing your own testing. Please keep us informed of your results. Me, I can't afford multiple sets of springs if I don't get it right the first time! OBTW, the sag recommended to me by my tuner is 108mm, that's with the link, and as much as 115 without. Ever since the '09 Honda 450 came out and now this new YZ the trend is to use more than your typical 100mm sag. Why? I don't know. Is it the weight bias? Steeper head angle? Dunno. The goal is to get the bikes to balance so they will settle in the corners.

What are you setting your sag at?

[95s10nj]

My local tuner recommened either 5.3 or 5.5 for my weight of 160-165. My race sag was 102 and my static was 45 with the stock 5.7 spring. He said I was on the borderline and really could go either way so I chose to pick up an eibach 5.5. Before ordering the spring I called factory connection and got their recommendation as well. Factory connection said that same exact thing. FC said that I might be able to get by with the 5.3 if I was alot shorter than 5'-11". The bike is getting revalved next week so I will give an update afterwards.

[delmas]

I agree that the bike is a little out of balance stock.The oppisite way.

It needs a stiffer spring than what you would think.

I know everyone has a different take on a bike.I will say there are some unique traits to the 2010 yz450 f. My crf450 07 has a 5.7 rear and it rides perfect for me .My yam. needs a 6.0 to get the same type of sag .

I think that all of the centralization on the yam causes some different settings than anything else .My yam. turns better than the honda and runs a straight line just as well.

[grayracer513]

Everything about how the rear suspension and linkage is configured causes differences like that.

To clear up my position on the matter, I will neither dispute or agree with the contention that the 2010 is "out of balance" as to front and rear spring rates. My point was that whether it was done correctly or not, the bike was built to a target rider weight, and the OP is well over that. In spite of this, another poster cautioned him against tuners who want to change the springs first thing, when it it could quite possibly be all that a rider 40 pounds heavier than target weight would ever need to do.

[jenkins525]

Being a 200 # rider w/o gear i am about to change the fork springs also.

[dreid32]

I installed and tried the 6.3 rear spring and .50 front springs with 340cc oil. I thought everything was pretty good. Sag was set around 110mm. My only complaint was that the bike did not want to turn as good as I thought it should. Other that this set up seems like a good starting point for me as far as spring rate goes.