790 Adventure R Suspension Mods

-30mm does that mean shorter than stock? Did you shorten the shock and forks to match the springs?

No worries Torque, I understand you would be very busy! As I remembered to mention in my later post, I have the -30mm touratech spring installed. The slightly lower ride height works better for me than the stock height. Does that spring have to go, in your opinion?

Yes, the forks have the progressive “-30mm lowering version” as part of the touratech kit. I believe the geometry is good’ it has a nice feel while cornering, etc.

here is a link to the springs. It mentions hyperpro but I don’t see spring rates given.

https://touratech-usa.com/store/Touratech-30mm-Lowering-Fork-Shock-Spring-Kit-KTM-790-Adventure-R

edit to add: I just chatted (online) with touratech. They said this spring kit is targeted at a 200lb payload. I could try to measure (on bike), the wire dia, OD, coil count, etc. if that would be useful.

So when you unload the forks the springs are loose to rattle around in the forks??? I do not want to tell you to start over as I know you spent money. Guess the first thing to do is give me the rear spring rates and start there.

Ok I read the link you sent. The springs are not shorter just very soft in initial 30mm. But no spring rates given.
If you send me the spring I will rate it for you n/c in 10mm increments to see what the heck it is.
So if you are 150lbs the spring works and if you are 250lbs with a passenger the spring works. Simply untrue!
Shortening a bike is expensive so I fully understand why they sell product.
With correct springs, shortening spacers in forks and shock, full service with seals, fluids and chrome tube polishing, vacuum bleed nitrogen all in it costs $600 to $700
To make springs that were soft in initial stroke as they have done, to lower a bike, you need do it with a full range of spring rates. Every 15 to 30lbs or so, different rates.
Maybe that is why they supply the "Lubricating Paste"

Springs free to rattle around at full extension wouldn’t be ideal would it! No, they are wound very closely spaced for the first bit of length, such that the weight of the bike compresses that portion. There is some preload on the spring at full extension, both in the forks and in the shock. It’s not a lot in the rear however; I jacked the bike up just now, to photograph the hyperpro part number on the spring, and found I can rotate the spring with my hand, with moderate force.

I will try to find the rear spring rate. Thank you.

The shock will never ride decent until you have it revalved,I haven't seen any diy shim stacks but I sent mine out and it was the best thing I did for the ride.The shock actually works on wash board and sharp bumps now.

The lube they include is just for the fork seals, behind the dust caps. I believe it’s a synthetic grease.

I’ve been reading that a lot, and agree based on how mine rides. I would send them off after the riding season maybe. Was hoping to do the work myself not so much for money saving, but for basically no down time. On my snowmobiles I would change oil & re-charge the shocks in an evening for example.

edit to add: Those skidoo shocks’ clickers generally covered a wide enough range that I never felt a need to change shim stacks. The skidoo racing manuals had quite a bit of shim stack information, with tables recommending stack make up for various rider weights and conditions.

@Torque .... Might you have recorded the weights of both the forks and rear shock perchance?
I’m working on a plan to ship you my parts for tuning and the 30mm stretch

Cheers!

45 to 50lbs shipped per UPS history. Regarding the stretch I can only get about 12mm more travel out of the stock shock. Just not enough demand for a custom build, shaft etc.

Thanks! Will let you know as my plan develops :)
Appreciate your skills!

The stock shock spring although not progressive has some progression in it. You have to put quite a bit of pre-load on it to get the proper sag height, this could be one reason you feel the harshness. You can go to a stiffer spring, use less pre-load force to get the same sag numbers and in turn be about 15-20% softer in the initial part of the stroke which would help with some of the harshness you are feeling.

I am doing another extension next week and will be going up from the stock 9.5 spring to a 10.7 for a 180 pound rider and see how it feels.

I installed the Hyperpro progressive springs kit which lowers the bike 30mm when under load, same as Touratech. I did this just prior to leaving on a 2100 mile NMBDR ride as I didn’t have time to send my suspension off to get tuned. I rode all of the so called expert sections with camping gear on board. I had to crank up the preload but the suspension worked pretty darn good for me. We rode aggressively on our trip off road and the paved sections in the middle of nowhere we cranked it up and the bike was really stable. It was not perfect by any means but a pretty cheap decent alternative to spending big bucks on a custom tune. That said, I ll be sending my suspension away this winter to get it really dialed in. A side note, I did have to shorten my kick stand with this set up. My buddy was able to help and I now have an adjustable side stand.

Bryan, where are you sourcing the longer shock shaft? Curious to see if someone here does that, as I only could find one in Australia.

Don’t you have shaft stretchers around there? They are usually on the shelf next to the wire stretchers. So handy when you cut a wire a little too short.

These are in the same section as the hole moving tools.

Sorry AdvRonski I will measure some of these other wp shock shafts for you one of these days.

No sweat, George. I'm just curious about other sources for such things.