Setting sag - the first and most important adjustment

Sag is how far the suspension compresses under the bike's own weight (static sag) and with the rider on board in full gear (race/rider sag). It positions the suspension in its working range - every clicker setting builds on it. Set sag before touching any clicker.

Targets (rules of thumb)

Discipline	Rear race sag	Notes
Motocross / Enduro	100-110 mm (about a third of travel)	Sand/soft ground: run the higher end (+5 mm) for stability
Superbike / track	25-30 mm rear, 30-35 mm front	Measured wheel travel differs from stroke on linkage bikes
Supermoto	15-25 mm road, more for dirt sections	Between the two worlds

Static sag (bike alone) cross-checks the SPRING RATE: if race sag is correct but static sag is too small, the spring is too soft (you preloaded it heavily to compensate); if it is too large, the spring is too stiff. Roughly: MX static 25-45 mm.

Procedure (two helpers make it accurate)

1. Fully extend the suspension (rear: bike on a stand, wheel free) and measure axle to a fixed point on the rear fender vertically above - this is L1.
2. Bike on the ground, helper balancing it upright, rider OFF: measure again - L2. Static sag = L1 - L2.
3. Rider on the pegs in full gear, normal riding posture, bounce once and settle (helper balances; do not touch the brake) - L3. Race sag = L1 - L3.
4. Adjust spring preload to hit the race-sag target. Re-measure after every change.
5. Check static sag last - if it falls outside its window with race sag correct, change the SPRING, not more preload.

Friction makes single measurements lie: measure after lifting and after compressing, use the average.

Why it feeds the engine

LAISA's sag_race_mm factor adds +5 mm on sand/deep-sand/hard-enduro/supermoto-dirt - chassis bias to the rear for stability on soft, loose ground. The baseline shows the target; setting it correctly on the bike is this procedure.

Safety framing: a starting point and a measuring procedure, never a guarantee - verify on the bike.