BEFORE YOU ORDER A STARK VARG READ THIS CRUCIAL INFORMATION!!
Back when we ordered our Stark Vargs (2 years ago) we thought the suspension choice was as easy as choosing your weight. But now that we have them and we've been riding them, WE WERE WRONG and unless you are a legit Pro level rider racing Motocross on your Stark, you should ignore the Stark weight choices and read our advice we have put together for you.
The second our butts hit the seat and we felt the suspension very slowly move we realized, this bike is setup to race! We had racer after racer sit on our Starks and without even riding them every one said the same thing "that feels like Supercross suspension". And our first ride confirmed this, the Stark Varg comes setup for Pro level speeds on a Motocross track! Even Brian a 190lb X-SloPro was breaking out the screwdriver to back out his compression and rebound front and rear to get the bike working to his liking. The out-of-box settings are not even close to what we all wanted even at the motocross track....let alone trail riding.
So....we hit the internet reading every article we can about setting up the KYB SSS fork on the Yamaha's and the KYB rear shock off the Suzuki RMZ250. The suspension reviews on the Suzuki had similar feedback to our first ride and we setup the rear shock with these settings for our 2nd track outing...they were a step in the right direction, but still too stiff and we backed them out even further (#3) during this day.
First 3 Rides Clicker Adjustments
| Ride1 OEM | Ride2 | Ride3 | Ride4 | |
| Shock Compression Low Speed | 14 | 14 | 16 | 20 |
| Shock Compression High Speed | 14 | 14 | 16 | 20 |
| Shock Rebound Low Speed | 10 | 14 | 16 | 20 |
| Shock Rebound High Speed | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 |
| Shock Sag | 103 | 105 | 105 | 105 |
| Fork Compression | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Fork Rebound | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
While these settings were an improvement, it was still too stiff for our taste. Unfortunately it was getting dark and cold and we had to call it a day. So...not being happy we set off to learn more from all the wonderful people and resources on the internet and this is where things get very interesting!
Stark Varg Spring Rates From the Factory
We found a very informational post at ElectricDirtRiders.com where AL_V got this incredible answer directly from Stark Varg:
There are only 3 different actual spring rates, the additional weight ranges are achieved by the "clicker" settings.
| Rider Weight | Shock Spring N/mm | Fork Springs N/mm |
| 143-165 lbs | 54 | 4.6 |
| 165-187 lbs | 56 | 4.8 |
| 187-220 lbs | 58 |
5.0 |
This is incredibly valuable information, now we can compare these spring rates to the recommendations of a trusted suspension company, so we turned to RaceTech and found that they have recently added the Stark Varg to their database and you can plug in your weight, age, riding experience, and type of riding and it will spit out recommended spring rates for you. THIS IS AWESOME!!! For us it told us our springs are too heavy from the OEM! We highly recommend that you hit the RaceTech Website and use their calculator with your personal information to calculate what springs they recommend. From there you can decide which "weight" you want to order and it will arrive much closer to how you want your bike setup.
Here are some examples of how much RaceTech spring recommendations vary based on the inputs for the Stark Varg . Notice that the rear shock spring rate is much more consistent and based primarily on rider weight, but the fork springs are primarily based on the riders speed and riding type and vary greatly.
RaceTech Spring Calculator
| Experience | Type | Weight | Age | Fork Springs | Shock Spring |
| Pro | MX | 155 | <30 | 4.7 (Stark 4.6) | 54 (Stark 54) |
| Intermediate | MX | 190 | 45+ | 4.6 (Stark 5.0) | 58 (Stark 58) |
| Intermediate | Desert | 190 | 45+ | 4.4 (Stark 5.0) | 57 (Stark 58) |
| Intermediate | Enduro | 190 | 45+ | 4.3 (Stark 5.0) | 56.5 (Stark 58) |
| Intermediate | Enduro | 155 | 45+ | 4.0 (Stark 4.6) | 52 (Stark 54) |
| Novice | Enduro | 175 | 30-44 | 4.3 (Stark 4.8) | 55 (Stark 56) |
Conclusion
If you have not yet finalized your order, we highly recommend that you go to RaceTech's Spring Calculator and input your personal riding data into it to see what springs they recommend for you. Then use the charts above to determine which "weight" you should choose in your Varg configuration that best aligns with the RaceTech calculator and your personal tastes in how you want your bike setup. The only people we beleive who will like the out-of-box Varg suspension are Pro level Motocross racers, everybody else will want a softer configuration.
For those of you like us who already have your Stark Varg, keep playing with those clickers (backing them out), and we will do the same. Once we have some settings that we like we'll write another article and create a YouTube for everyone. If you decide you need softer springs in your fork, you can order them directly from RaceTech. However for the rear shock you can probably just set the sag and not have to replace the spring.
Looking for parts and accessories for your Stark Varg? See our curated list of Varg parts.
Do you have favorite suspension settings to share about your Stark Varg? Leave a comment!
2 comments
scott
Actually my Stark was very stiff initially I’m mean it barely moved and I was thinking it was highly over damped, but when I rode it it felt good, but then after a few hours of riding it has broken in ALOT, and I’ve had to go stiffer on compression, that is typical with new suspension so people should definately ride it first for a minimum of a few hours to break in the suspension. I actually might up up on spring rate in the front.
wfopete
For most MX riders and certainly off road riders a revalve will likely be needed. The base valve compression stack is very stiff and like the spring rates, designed for serious MX.