EnduroCross Is A Real Kick In The Pants

I have a question regarding setting up my stock suspension for EnduroCross. In two weeks I will be racing in one of the support classes for the Mexico round of the FIM SuperEnduro Championship. I rode my bike with the suspension at the stock settings and it didn’t feel too bad except for the rear end kicking up too much on big logs. What changes do you guys recommend in order to find a suitable setting for this race?

Gary Vazquez

Tlaquepaque, Jalisco

Mexico

The KTM 350 XC-F is an outstanding platform for EnduroCross racing. I don't know what your weight/ability level is so it's hard for me to comment on specific settings, but I can give you some insight into how I'd set that bike up for EnduroCross. Overall, I tend to go stiffer in the front end and softer in the rear, so that the back of the bike has a 'dead' feel to it and absorbs bumps, rather than kicking (which, as you noticed, is common when you slam into big logs and such). This 'dead' feel is mainly achieved by slowing down the rebound, which keeps the back end down in the stroke and helps the bike to settle through rocks and logs. You'll know when you've found a good setting because your KTM will actually have improved forward pull/traction and the rear will be less likely to spin. Not as critical but still important is the front end, which I'd set up with stiffer compression (to hold the bike up when hitting obstacles head-on) and faster rebound (to prevent the front end from packing, and to give you some spring/pop for getting over logs). You'll know if you've gone too stiff/fast if the front end is deflecting off of everything. As you would before any race, do some testing to find the right setup for you. If you're around the 170-pound mark and are an average-speed expert, you can probably get away with just adjusting the clickers and using the stock springs and valving on your bike. However, if you're a bigger rider or are blazing fast, you'll want to remain open to the idea of getting some aftermarket help in setting your bike up for the race. —Chris Denison