It's time for fork springs

Jackpiner57

~SPONSOR~

Aug 11, 2002

356

0

• May 6, 2003

• #1

My riding is very varied. I'll ride tight woods with logs and brooks and mud, and then out into hard rocky terrain. High speed and low.

I weigh 205 without gear.

Any suggestions from somebody who has replaced theirs?

Are new Gold Valves a must after respringing?

I was thinking about .42kg but will they be too stiff for the slow woods stuff?

 

B

Braahp

~SPONSOR~

Jan 20, 2001

641

0

• May 6, 2003

• #2

I'd say .39 Fredette or the .40 xr400 springs. Not a must on the GV's but they are easy to install, and well worth the money.

 

W

wibby

Mod Ban

Mar 15, 2003

997

0

• May 6, 2003

• #3

Here's a site that calculates the spring rate for you http://www.race-tech.com/evalving/English/mctype.asp

For my weight they suggest a .48 fork spring. FRP only goes up to a .42

 

B

Braahp

~SPONSOR~

Jan 20, 2001

641

0

• May 6, 2003

• #4

That chart is useless unless you are into MX.

 

Jackpiner57

~SPONSOR~

Aug 11, 2002

356

0

• May 6, 2003

• Thread starter
• #5

I agree Braahp, I would like to hear from someone at about my weight that has a KDX and springs that work well for the type of riding that I do.

 

J

john hubbard

~SPONSOR~

Feb 23, 2003

86

0

• May 6, 2003

• #6

Hey Jackpiner 57, I'm about 205 as well, and all I can tell you is that I replaced my stock springs on my 02 KDX 200 with FRP .40 springs (15 clicks out) and man, what a difference a new spring makes!!...I don't know much about Gold Valves, but if that makes the ride better then that's great. But for now, I'm sticking with what I have...I'm very happy with the handling on the trail and track~John

 

G

GREER RACING

Member

Jun 27, 2002

19

0

• May 11, 2003

• #7

Contact Factory Connection. They will hook you up with the right springs for your weight, type of riding, riding ability, etc. They have a toll free number. Look them up at www.factoryconnection.com. These guys understand woods riding and they work miracles.

Gary

 

M

Mrobbins

~SPONSOR~

Sep 28, 2002

172

0

• May 12, 2003

• #8

Jackpiner, I weigh 200 lbs. without gear and ride eastern MA rocky conditions on a 97 220. I am a novice who just started enduro racing. Talked with Fredette and they recommended their 0.38 springs. They thought anything heavier would be to stiff for me. Rode on the new springs for the first time at a rock infested enduro on saturday. The bike handled so much better I could not stop smiling for 10 miles. It felt like it was just floating over the rocks and I think I bottom it once in 45+ miles. The best $60 bucks I spent on the bike so far. Based on my experience I would spend a few minutes on the phone with Fredette and trust their suggestion.

 

C

canyncarvr

~SPONSOR~

Oct 14, 1999

4,005

0

• May 12, 2003

• #9

Spring choice using rider weight only isn't the best way to go about it.

Different springs (diff mfg, different length) of the same rate aren't the same.

Riding style and environs are at least as big a factor in spring choice.

I had the advantage of riding two different but similarly modified kdxs and had three different sets of springs in my bike before I made my choice. I would have never made the best choice if I only had one shot at it.

Check out race tech's spring rate guide and you'll likely find a spring 4-5 steps stronger than anyone else recommends.

All that said, for what it's worth I'm 180#, and .40 (530mm) oem honda XR400 springs were my choice. Superior by far to anything else I tried.

.40 aftermarket (eibach) 470mm springs stunk, btw.

...imo and all that.

 

Jackpiner57

~SPONSOR~

Aug 11, 2002

356

0

• May 13, 2003

• Thread starter
• #10

Thanks for all the great replies. I hope the springs I ordered from Fredette will work well for me.

CC, do you know who makes the Fredette springs? Have you tried them?

 

C

canyncarvr

~SPONSOR~

Oct 14, 1999

4,005

0

• May 14, 2003

• #11

I don't know who the mfg is of the springs that frp sells.

There aren't a whole lot of aftermarket mfg. Mine came from mx-tech (the first couple sets). Jeremy now is in cahoots with a different spring mfg.

Then, I don't know who actually winds honda springs, either.

FRP seems to like the 470mm spring length. That doesn't compute in my brain at all.

I say po-tay-toes, you say po-tah-toes.