SUSPENSION
WORKS
Words: Jock McLauchlan
Photos: Andy McGechan/bikesportnz.com / KTM
A good suspension setup is essential
for fast laps, so we asked some of
NZ’s top riders what setups worked
for them.
44 KIWI RIDER
S
uspension action and chassis/
handling have been a huge part of my
motorcycling life. Once I had the basics
of power delivery, tyres and brakes
sorted, suspension performance was
my focus and number one thing. It is
absolutely vital and possibly the single most
important factor of a bike’s performance.
Obviously, power is important, but not as
important as being fit enough to use it, and fresh
tyres are a given. So then, for me, the dark art of
having quality suspension action was the biggie.
There were two main reasons for this. One, I was
always a big bugger, so standard suspension
was always way too soft for me. Two, I wanted
to go faster, but am naturally a lazy bastard, so
wanted suspension that was super-forgiving
and effortless on the body – particularly as I
raced enduros which had big days back then, I
remember the odd 350km-plus day! And back
in that day, 1980 for argument’s sake, suspension
tended to bottom out in a spine collapsing
crunch or it was so harsh it deflected off every lip
and bump, generally beating your body to a pulp
in no time. There never really was an effective in-
between – harsh or bottom out, take your choice.
You young fellas think you get arm pump now?
Well forget it, you are not even getting close
to the Popeye-style, granite forearms, where
you couldn’t even close your hands and they
just fell off the end of the bars... hah, the ‘good
old days’. Add in jack hammer-style vibration
from the 500cc air-cooled two-strokes and you