Rich pointed me over here after I asked him about whether lengthening stock suspension was an option. It came about from talk of how you have lowered the suspension on his YZF and others. So is it at all practical? I imagine (like Rich said) that there would be a whole new set of handling and stress variables on longer suspension, but I was just asking for the taller of us. Modern dirtbikes seem reasonably short to me, so maybe we could take advantage of the ability to have some extra travel. Just a horribly uninformed question.
Jeremy-More Travel?
- Thread starter OldassKDX
- Start date
To the best of my knowledge the only reason that people have their suspension lowered is so they can touch the ground while stradling their bike. For taller people I would think there would be more to gain from lowering footpegs, moving them back a bit, and moving the bars forward. I understand what you are driving at though. With a longer inseam you could concievably get another inch or so of travel. I just don't see where lengthening the suspension would help taller riders. Maybe allow for a plusher ride?
I'd rather see someone come out with a frame stretch kit. that would allow the suspension to stay (relatively) the same while opening up the rider area.
I'd rather see someone come out with a frame stretch kit. that would allow the suspension to stay (relatively) the same while opening up the rider area.
Maybe.
but OaKDX has me thinking about this now. If I can stradle a bike that had 12 inches of travel. Why not go for 13 or fourteen?
The biggest downside that I see right off the bat, is that with additional travel the center of gravity of the bike would be higher too.
but OaKDX has me thinking about this now. If I can stradle a bike that had 12 inches of travel. Why not go for 13 or fourteen?
The biggest downside that I see right off the bat, is that with additional travel the center of gravity of the bike would be higher too.
Lorin
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Jun 25, 1999
- 948
- 0
I would imagine that even adding an inch would create problems with stress points of the forks, etc... I would think that even larger tubes (50mm is already huge) and bigger shock shafts would have to be made to keep stress and flex in line, not to mention the differing geometry created with linkage and shock mounting points. With the larger tubes, you start adding weight, along with re-tooling for differing valves, rods, etc., Kind of like the new 20 inch front wheel. The choice and price of components skyrocket and eventually leaves the customer with less overall choices. Please pardon all of this conjecture, as I am purely speculating at this point. I, for one, dont know that I need more than 12 inches of travel. If the obstacle is that big, I really dont want to rely on that one extra inch of travel to make up the difference. I guess that is part of getting older. One last thing that strikes me: Even if you are fairly tall (I am vertically challenged at 5'9), we will still have to cross the same terrain as you in an enduro, regardless of height. With those darn freestylers hitting jumps in excess of 100 feet and being able to land them, I would imagine that 12 inches of travel will do me just fine.
Last edited:
You can't go very fast with the chain off and wrapped around the swingarm. The older stuff with 13 inches of travel had alot of chain problems. Moving the countershaft/case location closer to the swingarm pivot helped but if you look at how loose the chain has to be on the late KTM's imagine how much looser it would get with increased travel. :eek:
Howerton ran 13" of travel on his works suz and then they went back to 12". Bike did not handle as well with 13" as it did with 12". Also with a longer fork tube, the leverage is greater and more prone to bend on slap down landings. Move your pegs by using Fastway products, change the bar position and bar to suit you. Get a taller seat foam or a Moose taller seat.
Jeremy Wilkey
Owner, MX-Tech
- Jan 28, 2000
- 1,453
- 0
You know the larger wheel with more trail might have worked oout better. The larger wheel was more prone to headshake, however a increase in the tail would have helped I think, and the added traction may have mnade up for the increased energy needed to turn the bars, o-well..
As for the travel, its like you guys said, the design constranatints make much more travel not practical, and its not nesicalry just design limitaions but over all objectives... Mad Mike Jones has longer travel, and this makes sence, he can basically store more energy so he can jump higher without bottoming as hard. Its not a real practical idea, when you have turns and whoops however, but give it time I'm sure where not done moving, but maybe some of the plains that we move on will change..
BR,
Jer
