A low stiffness, high torsion disk drive suspension having reduced gram load change after backbending and method includes a laminate of a plastic film layer and a plurality of conductors in which the spring portion, the base portion and/or the distal portion are provided with contiguous discontinuities that reduce the vertical stiffness of the suspension with only a low reduction in torsion, and that limit gram load changes by preventing stretching of the plastic film that would otherwise accompany backbending of the suspension.