I saw two predators this weekend, each was in a different town. Both of them had the suspensions set up very stiff and were slow to rebound in the rear.


To those of you who have new predators, is there enough adjustment range in these suspensions? Why do you think they are set up so stiff from the factory? I weigh near 180 and the suspensions barely moved with me jumping on the foot pegs.

No one was around for me to ask questions. One was at the mall on display and the other was outside a dealer that was closed.

The only other concern I had was the shifter needed to be droped down a little. I felt I was extending the range of motion of my foot to far up . Other wise it looks and feels great..

 

compared to my raptor and 250r the suspension is very solid, stiff. I weigh 170 and the machine barely moves when i hop up and down.
In the rough sand going slow it feels very rough, but if you are going very fast then the suspension is great. This bike loves big air jumps. Also the engine really loves to rev, it is the opposite of the raptor. My raptor has incredible torque and not really any high rpm power where as this predator has decent torque but the power really comes on strong in the high rpm. I cant wait to put paddle tires on it. One other thing the brakes are better than the raptor. My raptor front brakes always felt weak, the predator has much more powerfull front brakes.

I set the rear shock to 1 on the rear shock canister, I didnt try adjusting it any since it was so cold out today I didnt think it would matter.

I will have to move my shifter down also. I noticed I was having trouble shifting, having to lift my foot off the foot peg to shift occasionally. It will be simple to correct this by moving the shifter down by one spline.

One other thing.....this machine has a beautiful balance to it for riding wheelies!!!! The power is so smooth unlike the instant torque of the raptor. I was riding a wheelie in 3rd gear and while the throttle was pinned I slapped the clutch and shifted it to 4th and carried the wheelie for a very long time. This machine is simply awsome. All the power of a raptor with stellar suspension. I recomend this bike to people who love to jump and grudge race each other. You will not be dis-satisfied.

 

I left my front suspension in the factory setting just where it was when I bought it.

The rear click 1 and bottom of the rear shock at click 20 (open softest) and turned the upper adjuster to the right (soft) as far as I could with still keeping tension on the spring.

It lowered the rear abit with those settings also making the seat much more comfortable. I weight 130lbs and having been jumping it, running tight woods, and open fire roads and just have to say that it works awsome for me.
I ride very hard and fast and this thing is like a lazy chair it handles awsome the steering is wicked, front end is light enough to bring up at speed, and I can corner like I'm on rails. I'm very impressed. I don't find the front end to stiff in the stock postion either even being a light guy. I kept trading back with my brother and trying my honda 416EX and there's just no comparison you can do everything so much faster and it stay's planted on all four's the center of gavity feels alot lower than the EX. I can rail around corners that'll the EX will be sliding out at less speed.
I even hit some very nasty holes on the fire road the would of left me on my EX walking out of the bushes after it bottomed out. Predator is my new toy, old Honda will have to go into retirement now

 

Pleasure, I also found mine stiff. How much thread is left on your front shocks, I have mine at 2 1/2". The back I did as you did, compression on the first notch, but on the rebound from fully closed I was able to count 54 clicks, but the manual says 20 clicks to the softest setting. Is 20 as far as your suppose to go, or am I counting wrong. Right now it's 30 clicks from fully closed.

 

I only went the 20 clicks, I never tried for more! The top of the rear spring if you turn it up to far there's no tension and you can here and see the loose spring. I'm guessing our front shocks are set about the same, I never turned them at all.

 

I got a good long look at a new Predator on the showroom floor this weekend.... the suspension preload was set up VERY stiff from the factor, or the dealer did it..... who knows

but man, that steering is sweet, and the stance / width looks great..... I bet it is a force to be reckoned with in any situation