I dont really know that much about this sort of thing, but what do those (in my case black and red) things do on top of my suspension forks, you can turn them and they have a plus and a minus on them, are they for adjusting the front forks? If so how should i have them set?

Thanks

They are for adjusting the compression & rebound damping Read this for an explanation of how to set up your suspension.

Edited January 15, 200620 yr by Grib

The one on the right with the "E" on it is rebound damping (E for extension, apparently), and the one on the left is compression damping. Can't help you on settings - I'm still trying to get mine sorted.

I have read through that whole article, and it explains what all the different adjustments do but my front suspension is quite stiff and requires a fair amount of force for it to go down, i find it very hard to load it standing still, i read that i need to reduce compression/rebound damping and this is done with the things at the top? do they need to be set the same? as ive always noticed the left hand one is screwed further out than the other.

Thanks

To be honest if the way the forks are set up feels ok i wouldnt alter them because you might find youself always searching for the right setting never to be satisfied. Why fix what isnt broke.

Nitjay, you can set the comp and extension any way you like. They work loose from each other.

My suggestion is, as you said you find them stiff/hard to let some oil out of the tubes/forks as this is probably causing the harsness. Maybe the former owner poured to much oil in the legs.

Go to the Gasgasusa page and find the exploded view of the forks.

Measure the amount that is coming out and check with the manual how much shld be in there.

The comp and extension screws are not so sophiscated in a trials bike. Hence you almost feel nothing at all changing these settings.

Those adjusters have no real effect, on early gasser forks. Just set both to min - fully towards minus sign. Forks take (I think..) about 300cc of sae 5. If too heavily damped try sae 2.5 or mix of 2.5 & 5. Note air bleeder screw (tiny, prob mullered now) and relase air after riding to save seals. You may want to file groove in plastic adjusters to access screw.

Lastly check forks are alligned - slacken spingle clamp & brace & bounce a few times, then re-tighten.

Right thanks!