Building Better Suspension is a motorcycle suspension podcast for riders and professionals, presented by Raceline Industries and hosted by Rob Simmons of DFC Suspension. From sag, spring rate, preload and clickers to valving, geometry, dyno testing, service, pricing and shop practices, Rob explains how suspension works, how problems are diagnosed and why tuning decisions are made. Technical episodes and recurring Industry Editions challenge bad information, guarded knowledge and ego through real methods, evidence and honest conversation.
Publisher
Presented by Raceline Industries, Hosted by Rob Simmons of DFC Suspension
Episode 9 - What Kind of Business Are We Actually In
In the podcast’s second long-form Industry Edition, Rob asks a question the motorcycle suspension world rarely stops to answer: What kind of business are we actually in? He defines necessity, discretionary and luxury industries; separates a parts-counter customer from a service client; and breaks down the differences between an estimate, quote, authorization, deposit and final invoice. Drawing on 22 years in the service & repair industry, Rob examines how professional business practices can strengthen independent shops, improve industry relationships and help suspension reach a broader client base.
Intro/Outro Music: 'Supernova' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au (http://www.scottbuckley.com.au)
29 Sept 2026
Episode 8 - What Clickers Actually Change
In this episode, Rob breaks down what external suspension adjusters physically change inside a fork or shock and how those changes influence damping force and motorcycle behavior. He separates compression from rebound, low speed from high speed, explains why equal clicks do not produce equal changes across different components and shows how dyno testing can quantify each adjustment on a specific unit.
Intro/Outro Music: 'Supernova' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au (http://www.scottbuckley.com.au/)
22 Sept 2026
Episode 7 - Rider Spotlight - Kaiden Carmichael
In this bonus episode, Rob welcomes Kaiden Carmichael to Building Better Suspension for the first Rider Spotlight session. This series gives racers room to tell their stories in their own words, share their experiences, and recognize the people who support them along the way. This episode also marks our first recording with video.
Intro/Outro Music: 'Supernova' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au (https://www.scottbuckley.com.au)
22 Sept 2026
Episode 6 - Preload Does Not Change Spring Rate
In this episode, Rob separates three suspension terms that are often treated as interchangeable: spring rate, spring force and preload. Using practical metric and imperial examples, he explains how spring force builds, why adding preload does not change the rate of a linear spring and why the motorcycle can still feel firmer afterward. The discussion connects preload to sag, ride height, available travel, chassis geometry, linkage leverage and race setup while addressing progressive springs, changing loads and the limits of using preload to compensate for the wrong spring.
Intro/Outro Music: 'Supernova' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au (http://www.scottbuckley.com.au)
15 Sept 2026
Episode 5 - Sag Is a Starting Position, Not Set & Forget
In this episode, Rob explains why sag is the motorcycle’s loaded starting position, not a number you set once and assume proves the suspension is correct. He breaks down rider sag, free sag, measurement consistency, what excessive or insufficient free sag may reveal and why reaching the rider-sag target does not automatically mean the correct spring is installed. He also explains when changes in rider, load or motorcycle configuration should trigger another sag check.
Rob also discusses why the Slacker Digital Suspension Tuner has become his most-used setup tool in the shop and at the track. Slacker does not sponsor the Building Better Suspension podcast, but thanks to Slacker, listeners have access to a special discount through DFC Suspension. Listen to the episode to find out how to claim it.
Intro/Outro Music: “Supernova” by Scott Buckley — released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au (https://www.scottbuckley.com.au/)
8 Sept 2026
Episode 4 - Why Is Suspension Pricing All Over the Place
In the podcast’s first long-form Industry Edition, Rob examines why suspension service pricing varies so dramatically from one shop to another. He breaks down inconsistent service definitions, estimate inclusions, teardown discoveries, parts, freight, labor, equipment, overhead and warranty exposure—and explains why neither the highest nor lowest price proves the quality of the work. The goal is not identical pricing, but enough transparency for clients to compare scope against scope and understand what they are approving.
Intro/Outro Music: 'Supernova' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au (http://www.scottbuckley.com.au/)
4 Sept 2026
Episode 3 - The Rider Is Right About the Feeling, Not Necessarily the Cause
In this episode, Rob explains why rider feedback is valuable evidence, but the assumed cause still needs to be proven. He breaks down how to turn vague descriptions like harsh, soft, fast or packing into useful information by identifying when and where the sensation occurs, establishing a baseline, and testing one controlled change at a time.
Intro/outro music: “Supernova” by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
31 Aug 2026
Episode 2 - What is Suspension Supposed to Do?
In this episode, Rob breaks down the fundamental job of motorcycle suspension: supporting the motorcycle and rider, allowing the wheels to respond to the terrain, and controlling the resulting movement. The episode also explains the roles of springs and damping—and why “good suspension” can only be defined within the context of the rider, motorcycle and conditions.
Intro/outro music: “Supernova” by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
30 Aug 2026
Episode 1 - Suspension Should Make Sense
In the pilot episode, Rob Simmons of DFC Suspension introduces Building Better Suspension and the real-world approach behind it. From technical diagnosis and tuning to inconsistent service definitions, pricing and guarded knowledge, this episode lays the foundation for honest conversations about motorcycle suspension and the industry surrounding it.
Intro/outro music: “Supernova” by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Contact Building Better Suspension
Guest appearances
Books guests
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