Forks or Shock which is more important?

jfisher304

Member
Nov 15, 1999
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I also say balanced is the only way to go, but on a two stroke I feel a bad shock more than bad forks, but on four strokes I notice bad forks more than a bad shock. I assume this is because you steer the fourstrokes more with the front, and the engine doesn't load the shock in the same way a two stroke does. On a two stroke you spend more time steering with the rear, so a bad shock is more noticeable.
 

2001yz250

Member
Mar 27, 2002
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Since ride quality is the question, I choose the forks because I can always stand up to not feel the shock as much but I can't let go of the handlebars(not intentionally anyway) to not feel the forks. Sure the rear end might not hook up like it should, but quality is the question and I interpret quality as being comfort.
 

Mud

Member
Jan 2, 2002
2
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I think the shock has the hardest job of all like John said chain torque, link, and gearing all play a part in how the weight gets moved around. The shock has to maintain the bike on an equal platform. If the front had drive, different story. The back is simply for complex in the list of duties.

Muddy
 

fishhead

die you sycophant !
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May 22, 2000
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I say for technical offroad tight woods roots and rocks singletrack the fork is the most important. For wider faster stuff the shock becomes a larger part of the equation.
 

russ17

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Aug 27, 2002
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I say shock even for endros gncc ect . Most of the good riders pic the front end over just about everthing they see if possible and the rear hits just about every thing. If you ever listen to them their are always on and off the power but still carry momentum. So I think a shock setup would be more important. But I believe a balance bike would ultimately be the best.
 

MWEISSEN

Whaasssup?
Mi. Trail Riders
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Dec 6, 1999
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Jeremy, you created an animal here! :scream:

My vote - in my opinion the shock is the most important and plays the largest role in turning, traction (both ends!), straight-line stability through whoops, and affects overall suspension balance the most.

It's interesting, I think most people diddle with the forks though!

Here's a suggestion for the next vote - which is more important, proper spring rate or proper dampening?
 

Barbarian

Member
Nov 22, 2001
302
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My vote goes for the shock. Somebody mentioned that on a Mountainbike haveing a front suspension is more important but that is because Mountanbikes have no power and steer more with the front wheel. Also, on a mountainbike you can can bunny-hop stuff and that keeps the rear from having to absorb the hit. Unlike a dirtbike where you can often only pick up the front.
 

drzgod

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Feb 3, 2002
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I rate the shock more important. Poor shock setup effects the performance of the entire bike, including the front fork. Poor sag settings effect the entire geometry of bike, including how much weight is in the front end.
 

LEE BAXTER

~SPONSOR~
Dec 2, 2002
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I feel the forks are more inportent because you arms can not take as much punishment as you legs or butt. Most riders complain of arm pump, you do not get this from a slightly out rear shock. Your legs are stronger than your arms.
 

LEE BAXTER

~SPONSOR~
Dec 2, 2002
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Ok you are getting technical. Your rear shock can control the turning manners of you bike.Too tough rear does not like tight corners. too soft gritt your teeht for headshake ,to extremes this may be but it can happen with wrong advice.
 

dbrace

Member
Oct 30, 2002
277
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Good suspension is a balance between spring rates and damping. If BOTH ends dont work righ then neither end will be working right.
 

Brains

Member
Mar 28, 2002
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While we have all the suspension guru's concentrated on one post I have a question...........my biggest suspension question till date.

I'm the guy throwing flames at the KTM suspension and saying (after 3 weeks of trying this and that) that I was going to sell the bike. Then a week or so back a mate and myself swap bikes - my KTM, his YZ.
He loves my KTM and comes back with stretch marks around his lips from his grin and I am way more comfortable and faster on his YZ.

So I go home even more confused. The KTM suspension can't be all that bad if my mate thought it was so good, where am I going wrong? To add nitro to fire, other mates of mine with the same bike say it is the best thing they have owned. I am not a novice rider and have spent many hours building and riding off road bikes.

Back to the big question………..I know that the bike is not set up right for me, it is just plain unnerving to ride, I can’t blame front or rear………….and here comes the mother of all questions.

How do I go out on a ride and by riding, being observant and taking notice of what’s going on tell what I have to do to the suspension to get it right?

Wheeew, thanks
Mark
 

marcusgunby

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Jan 9, 2000
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brains some riders like a certain 'feel' on suspension and other will hate that same 'feel' if your that unhappy and cant pinpoint the problem i think its best to move on.
 

chadapotamus

Member
Dec 4, 2002
39
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yeah, different bike feel different to different people. No bike is going to feel right for everyone. I'm in the same boat with my KTM. I've had it for 4 months now and the longer I've had it the less I like it. I was going throught the same kinds of questions, "it can't be that bad, some guys absolutely love these bikes." I've tried some different things and I just can't get the bike to feel like it want it to, so I'm selling it. Going with a RM125 when I sell it.
 

flynbryan

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May 22, 2000
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I agree w/Marcus on Brains question. Some people just don't get along w/certain setups. I love the way Yamahas and Hondas feel(I can jump between both w/no adjustment time.), but I can't ride Kawasakis I just can't ride them. Everytime I ride one I feel like my footpegs are on the triple clamps:) I just feel like there way to much weight on the front end and the Kx'x feel to short(front to rear) for me. Although I will say the newer models(99 and up) are better, but the problem for me remains. Brains; I would take alot of time w/the suspension before I sold just from handling traits, but sometimes as stated you just don't get along w/the bike.:(
 

Chief

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Damn Yankees
Aug 17, 2001
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I only had my forks done this year due to $$$. The back was still softer than the front, the ride was better and I had more control, but it wasn't until I tightened up on the rear sag that the forks started to shine. I tend to put a lot of credence in the balance of front to rear. The closer they match, they harder each will work for me. It is such a good feeling to hit the jumps as hard as I like, land as hard as I need to without fear of going over the bars, that didn't start happening until I got them both close to sinking at the same rate. So I guess my answer is "c". You really can't separate the importance of the front and rear suspension.

Joe Chief
 

maco

Member
Apr 16, 2003
101
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Good question-Someone wiser than I said everything follows the front end.For riding singletrack,all I know,tight steering and fork response to terrain is the first encounter.If that goes wrong I go boom.Plus after awhile my arms are asking "what the heck are you doing to me" if theforks are wrong.Course my ohter end has an opinion but there's more padding
 

siskiyou

Member
May 28, 2003
2
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Why is it that the last 8 bikes I have had all had good shocks, but I didn't like the way the forks worked on 4 of the bikes? Is it because a good fork is less important and the factory's don't care as much about them?
 

toodaze

Member
Jan 12, 2002
4
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The shock, no doubt. I have gone 3/4 of a race
with a flat front tire, keep the front end light,
and no problem. A flat back tire, and you're done. The
suspension is the same. Forks are a great creature
comfort, but try riding a hardtail.
 

rfs mike

Sponsoring Member
Dec 30, 2002
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RE: brains2,
I felt the same way. I waited and waited for my new KTM (in 2000) and when I got it I was very disappointed in the way it handled. I worked and worked with it and finally got it rideable but not just right. I was about to get rid of it. I had to be riding it really hard for it to feel good. Sometimes I like to trail ride and it felt like it was all over the place. I talked to some suspension guys and they told me KTM had a bad mid-stroke problem (at least my year) and wasn’t letting it use the full suspension unless you were really on it. Made sense to me. Another problem was I only weigh 150 pounds and it felt like it was never planted on the ground and unstable which took away my confidence and held me back from riding hard enough to get it feeling good. Finally I saved up enough money to have the suspension re-done. Both front and rear. Man what a difference. It feels good. Trail riding or racing. I also came from riding a DR 350 to the KTM and the DR weighs a lot more and that made it feel more planted. Example; A Cadillac verses a small sports car. The Caddie is going to give you a great ride but handle bad where as the small sports car is going to ride rougher but handle better. Anyway, I would work with it some more. Check spring rates. Straight rate or progressive rate, are they right for your weight? Are they set right (clickers)? Check sag (important on KTM). You’re not going to get them perfect everywhere, unless you ride the same exact place every time. There has to be a good balance for all terrain.
Ok, enough already. Sorry I went on and on but this really hit home.
I too think both forks and shocks are equally important to the ride but I tend to neglect the shock more just because my legs add to the suspension in the rear more than my arms in the front. Maybe I should take another look. I may even get a better ride than I am now???
 

Dan105

Member
Aug 23, 2002
193
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Toodaze-- I disagree. I could ride 2hrs on a rear flat if I had too. A front flat is just flat dangorous. no pun intended
 

Jeremy Wilkey

Owner, MX-Tech
Jan 28, 2000
1,453
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I had no idea this thread was going to end up as long and winding as this. A classic at this point.. I'm glad you all have shared.

I think what it comes down too is this.. Major problems front or rear and you can have a bike that is very marginal.. However a shock that is working but working poorly will impact riders overall pace worse than a set of forks that are working but working poorly.. Just my thought on the topic, I may have said that or not already..

BR,
Jer
 
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Shig

~SPONSOR~
Jan 15, 2004
329
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Riddle Me This

Not sure if this thread is still rolling, but without question, I think the fork is most important. Anyone who's ridden a mountain bike knows that a suspension fork on a hardtail is a very functional set-up. The concept of rear-only suspension went over like a lead baloon in the MTB industry. Front suspension makes a world of difference compared to a rigid bike, but the difference between a full-suspension MTB and front-only is much less noticable.

Yeah sure, were talking motorcycles, so here's some more propaganda. The front brake handles at least 70% of your braking, meaning the front suspension is responsible for at least 70% of your stopping control. The front end handles most of the steering duties all the way to the apex (1st half of the corner), more reason for a good front end. Speedway flat-trackers prove that rear suspension is not even necessary for hard packed semi-smooth conditions. Anytime a bike's rear wheel hits a bump, the forces are transferred to the front end, which is why hardtail cruisers with front suspension are so functional. How about drag bikes...they are hardtails with suspension forks.
 
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