125-200cc Shock Spring rate help

Hey everybody,
i am settting up my newly acquired 09 Wr125
I feel this little bike is a keeper, already gives a great rider feedback and i am having some good fun with it. Rode it a few hours just to get a taste of it, now i will go ahead and start getting it spot on, both engine and suspension wise.
Being 215lb (before gear) it's obvious the rear spring needs to be swapped out for a stiffer one, wich rate do i need? There must be someone out there that has my same weight, and can share his sag measurments.
I have access to all rates, but before testing i have to pay, and there's no returning, so i'd rather get it right the first time
I am pending towards 6.0, but let's hear you first. Thanks !
Chris

I'm 210lbs W/O gear and use a 5.6 on my 09 WR250. It is set up plush for the woods and I could have gone with a 5.8 and probably been happy as well but a 6.0 sounds pretty stiff especially since your 125 is quite a bit lighter than my 250.

I weigh 185 neked. I ride a WR150 and I use a 6kg spring. It is plush. I set it for 40mm static and I get 103mm rider sag. I use a .40kg fork spring. One lighter than stock. You might even use a 6.2kg. Jay Hall (Halls Cycles) uses a 6.8kg on his and he weighs 215lbs. Be sure to reduce your compression damping and increase your rebound.

Ha Ha, there you have it... somewhere between a 5.6 and a 6.8 will work.

Must say that nobody has asked what his skill level is and or what type of terrain he will be mostly riding on !!
Will be good to see a WR 125 in the X games as thats about the only time a 6.8 would ever be of use lol

I am an experienced rider, started with a little mx back in the day but immediately converted to trail riding. I have been riding for 15 years now. BUT!
Unfortunately i had a pretty bad road accident 6 years ago (got hit on the side and threw into a wall) while riding my Ducati - yes it was HIS fault!- and after years of pain and problems i am on my way to complete phisycal recovery and i am looking forward to regain the confidence i since lost (reason for getting the 125 and stopping the Te570, wich is currently for sale). So right now i feel uncomfortably slow - my head thinks something but my hand does not want to do it. I know what to do,just i struggle to find the balls to actually do it.And i know it.
I want to train as hard as i can, and try and ride as hard as i can, and possibily get at some races next year. I ride mixed terrains, lately there's quite some sand going on , but it's mostly rocky riverbeds, rocky trails, with your usual slick mud and roots here and there and the usual hard-dry terrain that you get in the summertime. If i had to say the most common one i would say rocky terrain.
I just want to have the better handling, confidence inspiring bike possible. I can already tell this frame is the best i have ever ridden, i just want to make it shine as bright as it can!

That's a good point. lol

As far as skill level or riding style goes I'll say that I set my bike up with a Tubliss MT43 and 13:53 gearing for roots, rocks and logs in mostly single track. I use all of my travel landing on opposite side creek banks but that is really more of a function of dampening not spring rate. I'm going after maximum traction and control in the tight woods not high speed desert racing or doing superman knack knack back flips with twists while waving to the crowd or what ever they call them.

Makes no difference. Damping is what is different on skill level and terrain. Not spring rate. Correct spring rate determines sag numbers.

I agree 100% with that statement.

Can you explain to me how if LTR set up my GasGas with a 5.6 and I set up my Husky with a 5.6 and got perfect sag numbers in both cases, how in the world is a 6.8 going to work for a 215lbs guy?

LOL, I never said that Jay had good sag numbers. Only that he was running a 6.8kg spring. Seems a bit extreme to me. If you get good sag numbers in bikes then they must have similar rising rate linkage. Drew Smith didn't think that a 6kg spring would work for me on my WR125/150. BUT, after he checked my sags and rode the bike he had to agree that it worked. He was shocked.

Ok, now i am confused
Guess i'll just try a shot in the middle with a 6.0 and see how she does..

My bet is if you use a 6.0 spring you will have almost zero preloaded to get close on your sag numbers. Why not ask LTR before you order a spring, Les has set up Huskies for a lot of riders.

Okay, maybe this will help what Dwight is saying. I would start with 6.2 spring. Measure the spring off bike. Then install spring. Take your lower preload ring and compress the spring 5mm. Now check your bike sag, then your rider sag. You want the preload ring between 5- 10mm to get your numbers. I weigh 195 and have a 5.8 spring. Which is wrong because I have to crank the preload ring down too far. Make sense? I am probably cranking mine down 20mm to get results. I have to go to a 6 or 6.2.

I must have a rogue 5.6 spring. It's so long I had to compress it a little to get it on the shock. I have about 8mm preload and my sag numbers came out perfect. The bottom line is you're going to have to start somewhere.

That could be. But both of mine go on loose till to tighten the preload ring. I think spring rates too vary from manufacturer. My son has Eibach 43 springs and they feel like 40's. I looked up the numbers on them and they are 43's. His rear shock was like yours and had to compress it to get it off.