How to Adjust the Rear Shocks on a Dirt Bike

Safety is first when it comes to biking.

The suspension on your dirt bike is what carries your through rough and easy terrain. When the shocks on your bike are out of adjustment, your bike's performance speed, maneuverability and physical condition may be at issue. Rear and front shocks are adjusted similarly. The key is knowing where to find the adjustment mechanisms and how tight or loose to adjust the shocks.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Factory settings manual
• Bike supports/stand for stability

Instructions

1. Determine what type of shock system you have and stabilize the bike. Look for clickers if your bike has them. They are shaped like a small circle with a flat groove cut in the middle and can be small or about the size of a coin.

2. Inspect the shocks and fork pieces for any damage and then locate the clickers you need to work with to adjust the rear shocks.

3. Adjust the compression clickers at the bottom of the bike to get better control on short bumps and dips. The rebound adjustor may also need to be slightly adjusted, depending on if there is too much or too little rebound over rough terrain.

4. Locate these two clickers and use a Phillips screw driver to adjust them. Turning the clicker clockwise will adjust it to a tighter setting. Turning counterclockwise will make it more loose or soft, to allow more bounce.

Tips & Warnings

• Knowing how to adjust rear shocks over time is a key part of maintaining your bike. If you do this routinely you lessen the risk of damaged shocks and forks, which can be time-consuming, difficult and expensive to replace.

References

• Famous by Morning: Dirt Bike Suspension
• JC Motors: Dirt Bike Shocks
• Your Adrenaline Fix: Tips for Establishing the Baseline Settings on a Dirt Bike