Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the Precision Concepts FAQ page. Click on a question to view the answer.

Suspension Revalve

Whether discussing a set of forks or a shock, held up by spring or air, all suspension creates damping in a similar fashion. Suspension relies on the hydrodynamics of pushing oil through a chamber. In the simplest terms, this means that as a shock shaft moves through the shock body—which is filled with oil—the resistance generated produces a damping effect. The shock shaft will have a piston assembly affixed to its end. This piston is strategically porous to allow oil to flow through. Atop the piston there are numerous shims of varying thickness and diameter stacked upon each other. As oil flows through the piston, the shims bend in response, creating resistance. The thickness and diameter of the shims, along with their quantity and arrangement, all directly affect how much bending resistance they will have, and the damping feel of the suspension as a result. This “shim stack” is commonly referred to as the “valving” and is the main focus of our suspension revalve. By reworking the shim stack, we can “revalve” the suspension, changing its handling character and customizing it for each client.

There are numerous other factors that have some impact over how the suspension will work. Just a few examples will be the diameter of the fork/shock body, which can change the flex character of the suspension; the internal tolerances of the moving parts, as unwanted friction typically offers a harsher feel and makes the performance of the revalve less predictable for the suspension tuner; the piston design, which will impact how much and how rapidly oil flows onto the shim stack; and many, many more variables. At Precision Concepts, we put in the effort to control as many of these factors as possible. We will hone, polish and replace parts as necessary, all with the final result in mind. That result is customizing your suspension to work for you, our client, so you can better enjoy your passion, ride safer and faster, with the most comfort and confidence possible.

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Suspension performance is one of the most subjective features of a motorcycle. There is no “perfect” set up because what works for one person likely won’t work for the next. Even two riders of identical weight and ability will have minor variances in riding technique. This will make the exact same suspension set up feel and work differently for either rider. The reason to revalve your suspension is to customize it so it works perfectly for you. If you push the front end really hard into corners on the track, you’ll want a stiffer fork valving. If you don’t want to feel the washboard chop on your long adventure rides, you’ll want a plusher set up. If you weigh a hundred forty pounds and ride a 450, you’ll likely need your suspension valved a little softer. Some motocross riders like a plusher feel, while others actually prefer a bit of feedback, or “harshness”, because it helps them better feel the traction and terrain. The point is, suspension set up is incredibly personal. And getting your bike working for your unique size, weight, skill, preferred terrain, etc. can drastically impact your riding experience.

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The quick answer is that everyone can benefit from revalving their suspension. Most motorcycles come from the manufacturer with a generic suspension set up that will work reasonably adequate for a wide variety of riders. It isn’t set up with your unique needs in mind. Personalizing your bike’s handling can be of huge benefit. It can make you feel safer and more confident. It can allow you to charge into the next corner faster, or take some of the fear out of casing that jump. And it can also make the difference during an all-day ride in the desert, improving your level of comfort and endurance. So, whether you’re racing your buddies through the trails; aspiring to be a professional motocross racer; or a weekend warrior who just likes to ride in the hills with your friends, your suspension can surely be customized to improve its performance for you.

Visit our Suspension Revalve page to learn more.

There are some limiting factors that can impact the result of a revalve. The most obvious would be the quality of the suspension and its internal parts. This would pertain to the tolerances and materials used by the suspension manufacturer. It can also refer to the style of fork; for example, some regard the 4 Chamber System (4CS) fork as having limited performance. Suspension is also massively affected by the chassis on which its mounted. If you were to take the suspension off of a Honda CRF450R and mount it onto a Suzuki RM-Z450, the handling wouldn’t even feel like it was in the same universe. These elements may be somewhat out of your control, but there are other factors that are within your control that can influence the handling of your bike.

The rigidity of your triple clamps would be one example of an aftermarket accessory that can change the feel of your bike’s handling. Rigid triple clamps can take a plush, compliant front end and make it feel supercross stiff. Alternatively, an overly flexy set of triple clamps can make the front end feel vague and hurt cornering traction. Another one of our favorite examples is your choice of skid plate. A plastic skid plate will have a negligible effect on your bike’s handling. Do nothing other than change to a hard-mounted aluminum skid plate and the character of your bike can change dramatically. It can make the rear end feel harsher and more likely to deflect over sharp bumps.                                                     

With these thought in mind, it’s important to understand the effect of any aftermarket accessories you may be considering. This isn’t to dissuade you from changing a part or accessory for performance or style, simply to empower you with the knowledge that it may have an effect on your bike’s handling. Our staff at Precision Concepts has decades of experience with the effects of different parts and accessories on handling character and can help you make the right decisions for the performance (and style) of your bike.

Visit our Suspension Revalve page to learn more.

Suspension Service

At Precision Concepts, our suspension service is a refresh of our client’s forks and shock to get the performance and damping back to optimum. A service includes complete disassembly of the suspension. We then clean everything and inspect all of the parts for wear and damage. The fork tube lowers and shock shaft are polished to remove any nicks or burrs. Any worn parts, seals, or fatigued valving shims are replaced. The suspension is then reassembled using OEM parts and high-quality oils. The result keeps your suspension feeling consistent and maintains your bike’s handling performance.

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Servicing your suspension is important to maintaining your ride quality and a consistent handling character. It also prevents excessive wear of your suspension’s internal components. The action of your suspension working while you’re riding creates heat and friction. This combination causes certain parts to fatigue and wear out over time. The oil also starts to break down, which leads to further wear as it loses ideal lubricating properties. This wear and tear is a normal result of riding your motorcycle, but without regular service, excessive wear and oil degradation will cause your suspension to lose its original handling character. It may begin feeling softer and react less predictably than when it was fresh. Having your suspension serviced will bring back the original character and damping of your suspension. It will keep the handling of your bike consistent and help you feel more confident when you’re riding.

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Our recommended service interval for a serious racer, or someone who wants the most consistent performance out of their bike’s handling, is every 15-20 hours of riding. If you’re a more casual rider, having your suspension serviced every 30-40 hours should be adequate. Also bear in mind that excessive storage time causes breakdown as well. The seals and rubber internal parts can stiffen and crack. This can lead to blown seals, loss of oil and changes in damping. The performance of your suspension is paramount to your comfort and confidence on your bike. If it’s feeling a little off, it may be time to get it serviced.

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Ride-Height Modification

A ride-height modification is the process of reworking the internal suspension components to lower the ride-height of the bike. It’s commonly referred to as lowering the suspension. By modifying the suspension internals, we can limit the amount of travel the forks and shock have. The end result loses minimal performance of the suspension action while shortening the distance from ground to seat.

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Anyone who would like their bike lowered to more easily touch the ground may benefit from a ride-height modification. If you’re slightly “vertically challenged”, lowering your bike may improve your stability and confidence while riding.

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The biggest limiting factor of a ride-height modification is that the suspension does lose some travel. At higher speeds, and especially with larger impacts, the suspension won’t react quite the same as with full-travel. What this means in action is that you may not want to hit a set of car whoops in fifth gear, or launch that sixty-foot triple. Aside from the more extreme hits, our modifications keep most of the handling character. So, if you’re playing around in the desert, riding through the trails, or cruising around the vet track, your bike will still handle predictably well.

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There is a special consideration, which applies if your bike has a kickstand. We’ll need to modify your kickstand to match the new ride-height, otherwise the stand would be too tall. If you’re shipping or dropping off your suspension separate from the bike, make sure to send us the kickstand as well and we’ll modify it to match.

Visit our Ride-Height Modification page to learn more.