Suspension Vitpilen 401

M

Mefra

new rider
Joined
Aug 19, 2026
Messages
4
Location
Netherlands
So, first topic here, but I have been reading a few topics from this forum.

Anyway, I've got '23 Vitpilen 401 with 2600km on the clock. Pretty much new yet, considering I'm the first owner since Jamuary this year.

Anyway, apart from road riding I use the bike as an instructor for teaching track riding cornering basics on small circuits (think kart tracks, sometimes a bit larger). However during those days I've hit the underbelly plate (at the front to protect the exhaust) a couple of times on the tarmac when hitting a small dent in the tarmac. I'm nowhwre near the limit of the tyres or near the footpegs for that matter. It's quite unsettling when that happens.

Any of you guys experienced the same and if so, how did you solve this?
 
I am assuming you are only scraping on the left hand side of the exhaust protector? If so you could just remove that part.
Screenshot_20260820-085547~3.jpg

It is not really required and you will still have the protection from underneath if you leave the had plastic protector on the right hand side of the exhaust.
If you want to keep that guard in place you can only really raise the front end sag by fitting harder, linear springs. Unfortunately our bikes have progressive springs front and rear which go from super saggy to really hard with no mention of the rate of hardness in the middle. This means you are taking up all of the lowest rate of spring and some of the mid rate just by sitting on your bike. You can preload the rear spring to get less sag but then you are only left with it's hardest rate. The forks have no preload adjustment so you are stuck with what you've got unless you fit harder more progressive springs or fit rings inside on top of the springs.
You could lower the forks in the yokes and increase the preload on the rear to raise the ground clearance maybe 10mm but this may adversely affect handling overall. These are a compromise though and only springs matched to your weight will do the job properly, sorry.
Read up about sag and try to adjust yourself. Just be careful when riding after changing things, go steady and see how it feels.
I would not worry about static sag (the bike without rider) as it will not ride without you on it.
Good luck and ride safe.
 
Just to add I fitted YSS linear springs for a KTM ADV390 in the front and a Nitron shock in the rear of my bike and I ride it hard! I weigh 95kg and have never scraped anything on our rough UK B roads I ride on.
 
Thanks for the thorough replies. Though I am wondering why you correctly assumed it was only the left side. Doesn't appear to be lower or more to the side than the right side.

I'll check the rear for the preload, but i thought I already maxed it. Don't really want to lower the front forks, considering that would reduce the weight on the front and as a result it would have a negative impact on corner grip

I guess better suspension is an option, but if there would be a cheaper solution, that would be preferred. In my old NTV650 I used thicker oil in the forks to make them stiffer. Anyone tried that as well on this model? Might be enough, considering I'm not bottoming the front fork. Though linear springs would be a lot better anyway...
 
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Oh yeah, and I would prefer to keep it, if only for protecting the exhaust in similar situations. Not going offroad or anything, but hitting a dip in the tarmac and banging the exhaust hurts more than the protector
 
Mefra said:
Thanks for the thorough replies. Though I am wondering why you correctly assumed it was only the left side. Doesn't appear to be lower or more to the side than the right side.

I'll check the rear for the preload, but i thought I already maxed it. Don't really want to lower the front forks, considering that would reduce the weight on the front and as a result it would have a negative impact on corner grip

I guess better suspension is an option, but if there would be a cheaper solution, that would be preferred. In my old NTV650 I used thicker oil in the forks to make them stiffer. Anyone tried that as well on this model? Might be enough, considering I'm not bottoming the front fork. Though linear springs would be a lot better anyway...
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The left side does stick out a bit more than the right.

If your shock has max preload you could always try dropping the forks. I know you say you do not want to but if your back end is up in the air I think raising the front by dropping he forks could work. Check how many of the rings are above the top yoke clamp? They are 5mm I think? Just raise by 1 ring, both sides the same and give it a go. 5mm might be enough to give you the clearance you need.
I have 2 rings showing on mine but the springs raised the front sag by 30mm and the new rear shock raised the back as well.
I put 10w oil in the forks after the new spring install as that is what was recommended for those springs on the KTM ADV but that does not have adjustable damping. 10w was too much even with the adjuster backed all the way off and would be very slow damping for the standard springs.
If you are going the consider changing fork oil I would look at linear springs as you are taking the forks out anyway.
Seriously try dropping the forks in the yokes first as it is free and fairly easy to do.
 
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