Ok my bike mechanics are limmited, all of my mechanical knowladge is in automotive. My question is what can I do to improve my front suspension that would be cost effective and easy for me to do to my bike? I am 200 pounds so I am wondering if there is anything simple and cheap other than replacement?
Cheapest easiest front suspension upgrade/Mod?
- Thread starter Jason02R
- Start date
dirt bike dave
Sponsoring Member
- May 3, 2000
- 5,349
- 3
Adding oil will dramatically improve bottoming resistance (you can use automatic transmission fluid). You can stiffen the springs by cutting a few coils off (measure the gaps to make sure you won't coil bind at full travel). Add pre-load with washers or a peice of PVC pipe.
Simple and cheap.
Simple and cheap.
Stiffer fork springs, definitly. I added oil and used heavier oil, but it didn't help what I needed. My biggest problem was that the front end would compress very far under hard braking and only leave me with 2-3" of travel in harsh braking bumps. And in tight corners with all the weight on the front tire it would try and wash out very easily. Going to a 0.40 kg spring greatly reduced the problem.
Cutting and preloading will also work, but you need to do the math to find out how much to cut to get the proper spring rate. I'd rather buy new and have the ability to change back to stock if ever selling the bike.
Cutting and preloading will also work, but you need to do the math to find out how much to cut to get the proper spring rate. I'd rather buy new and have the ability to change back to stock if ever selling the bike.
- Jan 8, 2000
- 3,331
- 1
Changing the fork oil and springs is the first step. A better setup is adding to that Race Tech Gold Valve Emulators.
The KDX's have have ridden with the emulators are noticeably superior to just a spring swap.
The KDX's have have ridden with the emulators are noticeably superior to just a spring swap.
rv6junkie said:
Minor note, the Gold Valve Cartidge Emulators are for the older dampener rod forks (C and E series bikes) not for the newer H series KDX's. The H series KDX's are already Cartridge forks. They just use straight Gold Valves. Either way they are supposed to be a noticable upgrade.
-Maurice
- Jan 8, 2000
- 3,331
- 1
Opps, you are correct. I didn't look at Jason02R's model year...I just assumed that everyone rides old stuff like me:)
css_elfers
Member
- Aug 26, 2004
- 166
- 0
You should chk this guy out " http://www.brucessuspension.com/html/setra.htm" I just got off the phone with him and he used to race kdx's. Hes found a pretty concrete way to make the forks have rebound and compressions settings. The left controls rebound and the right controls damping or something like that. He said it would run about $400 or $500 to do so I opted for the $110 spring change.
Later
Elf
Later
Elf
canyncarvr
~SPONSOR~
- Oct 14, 1999
- 4,005
- 0
A major improvement to be had (and it's FREE) is to set your shock sag. If that is off, an out of balance (front to back) bike may well exacerbate any front-end insufficiencies you have now.
Springs will run you $70 or so. The oem springs (fork) are generally considered to be good for about a 130# payload.
Springs will run you $70 or so. The oem springs (fork) are generally considered to be good for about a 130# payload.
Forks
I'm close to 200 and after blowing my front seals off a 10 ft drop off I had my forks redone by race tech. What a difference. the best money I ever spent on the bike. I went with Eibach 42 springs and race tech Gold valves. It was about $430 a couple of years ago. Have never had a front end problem since!
Eric
I'm close to 200 and after blowing my front seals off a 10 ft drop off I had my forks redone by race tech. What a difference. the best money I ever spent on the bike. I went with Eibach 42 springs and race tech Gold valves. It was about $430 a couple of years ago. Have never had a front end problem since!
Eric
RoostRider
Uhhh...
- Aug 24, 2004
- 107
- 0
Playing with your dampening and fork oil weights is free (well, $5 for good fork oil... I don't recommend tranny oil simply because you don't know the weight should you decide you would like slower or faster dampening)
I don't think it will dial in your suspension to your weight very well all on it's own, but it might suit you good enough... depending on how you ride, what conditions you ride, how seriously you ride, and how much you like to tinker with your bike...
Either way, it is cheap to try, and you should know how to do those things anyways (to properly tune ANY suspension... even if you go with different springs and valves)...
Get a service manual... and check out this site, http://www.dishers.com/hobbies/Repairs/Index.htm for details (someone from these forums I believe, I forget who, but thanks to whoever it was)
I don't think it will dial in your suspension to your weight very well all on it's own, but it might suit you good enough... depending on how you ride, what conditions you ride, how seriously you ride, and how much you like to tinker with your bike...
Either way, it is cheap to try, and you should know how to do those things anyways (to properly tune ANY suspension... even if you go with different springs and valves)...
Get a service manual... and check out this site, http://www.dishers.com/hobbies/Repairs/Index.htm for details (someone from these forums I believe, I forget who, but thanks to whoever it was)