So what exactly is a spring sweet spot...? Reasons to change rear spring..

[arthur]

Hi, I hope you are all having lovely weather. The short story is why change a rear spring? I had the stock spring on set on the fifth ramp. I have been told the stock spring is set for a rider weighing around 165lbs. Anyway, I changed to a heavier spring (1kg/mm) more in line with my weight (200lbs) , and for now it is set on the second ramp.

I know it has improved the handling ( I did it on another bike too), but I don't really understand why, which bugs me. The best rationalle I have heard is that by choosing a spring closer to a riders weight more of the springs sweet spot can be utilized. So if anyone feels like taking the time to explain I would appreciate it. Is the spring sweet spot a bunch of baloney?

Do I need to find the sweet spot?

Basically I was at the ferry terminal talking with a Harley rider, mentioning I had a new rear spring, I didn't know how to explain it and felt a bit silly.

 

Thanks in advane

[Ride365]

It is more than just proper spring rate, there is also rebound/dampening/compression.....but yes the proper spring to begin with makes a big difference in itself. Harleys are heavy ass slow pigs, so they are made/sprung for fat American riders and their fat passengers, sounds harsh but it is what it is. Once you ride a motorcycle with proper suspension settings for you whether self adjusting or not.........GAME CHANGER. 😎

Edited June 8 by Ride365

[piotrek]

Your spring should allow you to set sag (free and rider) with as little preload as possible, beyond the required installed-preload. This will prevent the shock from bottoming out on bumpy roads. You might be able to set sag with a lighter, heavily preloaded spring, but you will be riding the bump stop more often than you might think, making for a harsh ride. I up-sized my spring in two steps (wanna buy a spring? 😁), to land at that "sweet spot", and it made a very noticeable difference. If you're lucky, your damping circuits will be able to adjust within a few clicks.