2018 EC300 Springs Advice

[ssaulnier]

My riding weight is about 102 kg, or 225 pounds so need heavier springs than stock 0.42 kg/mm fork and 5.2 kg/mm shock.

Thinking I should get 0.46 for fork and 5.8 for shock. Primarily tight single track in 2nd and 3rd gear. 62 year old trail riding C pace and sitting about 50% of the time.

Using the stock springs when I preload the shock spring for recommended 35 mm free sag I get 120 mm rider sag which is 20 mm too much.

Do you agree I should buy 0.46 and 5.8?
What suppliers and brands should I be looking at?
Never bought springs for KYB stuff before.

I love my Gasgas and want to spend more quality time alone with her in the bush isolating myself from Coronavirus!

Thanks guys, Steve

 

[swazi_matt]

i think racetech has a spring calculator for weight, it will probably be for kyb on yamaha so you may have to make adjustments based on what rate they have for oem and compare it to gg oem spring rate, then just go up by the same ammount as you would on yamaha

but at 102kg you are about 30kg over the "average" rider so definitley need to go up. I really don't understand why dealers dont insist on selling riders the correct spring when they buy the bike. Its like selling someone golf clubs that are too short. riders go out and complain about the bike not handling well

 

[Gasser Nate]

My riding weight is about 102 kg, or 225 pounds so need heavier springs than stock 0.42 kg/mm fork and 5.2 kg/mm shock.

Thinking I should get 0.46 for fork and 5.8 for shock. Primarily tight single track in 2nd and 3rd gear. 62 year old trail riding C pace and sitting about 50% of the time.

Using the stock springs when I preload the shock spring for recommended 35 mm free sag I get 120 mm rider sag which is 20 mm too much.

Do you agree I should buy 0.46 and 5.8?
What suppliers and brands should I be looking at?
Never bought springs for KYB stuff before.

I love my Gasgas and want to spend more quality time alone with her in the bush isolating myself from Coronavirus!

Thanks guys, Steve

They are my exact spring rates. I am between 95-97 kg nude depending on poo status. Bike handles brilliantly.

 

[GasGas]

They are my exact spring rates. I am between 95-97 kg nude depending on poo status. Bike handles brilliantly.

Less graphic weight description please....... LOL

 

[ssaulnier]

Your insights are greatly appreciated and I got a good chuckle considering Nate?s state of play.

Will ring up the dealer and have him send the 0.46 forks and 5.8 shock spring.

Cheers, Steve

 

[Hooligan]

You are certainly in the ballpark. I am 230lbs and 6'2" and the Racetech spring rate calculator said .45 fork springs and 6.0 shock spring IIRC.

I have the OEM springs in the forks which are .46 (or I have this backwards and Racetech said .46 but the OEM springs are .45? ) Anyway, it is close enough.

I want to say the Racetech calculator said I need the 6.0 shock spring and thats what I have. The OEM one is a bit softer.

Regardless, you will be in the ballpark with the numbers you have mentioned.

 

[gasser]

Your insights are greatly appreciated and I got a good chuckle considering Nate?s state of play.

Will ring up the dealer and have him send the 0.46 forks and 5.8 shock spring.

Cheers, Steve

I just replaced the stock rear shock spring in my 2018 ec300 because I've lost weight. Will sell the 6.0 spring for $70 plus shipping from zip 38506.

 

[ssaulnier]

Update

I bought my springs from matto cycles since they are a supporter of this site.
https://www.mattocycle.com

They supplied Race Tech springs 0.46 for fork with necessary spacers to make them the same length as stock and a 5.8 spring for the shock.

I preloaded the rear shock spring 10mm. Installed sag is 38mm static and 101mm rider sag. Bike handled fantastic on a slippery muddy ride of about 30 miles so I suspect spring rates and sag is correct for my 200 lbs nekked weight (about 220 lbs suited up). Feels better crossing logs too.

I did not measure the fork preload, but 3 of the 6 supplied washers made the Race Tech fork spring the same length as the stock springs so I should have the same fork spring preload as stock.

Now that I have FINALLY installed the correct springs for my weight (40 hours) I can feel that the bike is not using as much suspension travel so rebound is more controlled and suspension action and bump absorption feels much smoother. Bike handling inspired confidence in very muddy slippery conditions even with stock short knob Michelin DOT tires.

Happy Camper here! Thanks for all your inputs. Steve

 

[ssaulnier]

One more detail. When I drained the fork outer oil I measured about 320mm. So I used 320mm of the 5 wt Honda HP fork oil with the new springs.

I did not replace the inner cartridge oil yet since my kitchen pass was expiring near the end of this springs project. Outer oil was pretty clean, but did have some minimal darkening.

 

[5valve]

This seems OK calculator, just enter weight.

https://www.teknikmotorsport.com/complist/gas-gas/ec300/2018/

 

[hannesd]

This seems OK calculator, just enter weight.

https://www.teknikmotorsport.com/complist/gas-gas/ec300/2018/

when i follow this calculators advise, i should have a 50N/mm rear spring, while in the manual my bike should have a 52N/mm spring... this can make somewhat a difference in behaviour of the bike, so i wouldn't follow this blindly... better is to measure and experience yourself what your bike is doing, bottoming out, or not using most of the available suspension travel...
though i won't argue a lighter spring (in my case) wouldn't work, it's still all about personal preference.

 

[Rossik01]

I just replaced the stock rear shock spring in my 2018 ec300 because I've lost weight. Will sell the 6.0 spring for $70 plus shipping from zip 38506.

I know this is from 3 years ago now but I would be very interested in that 6.0 spring if you still have it?