Suzuki forks breaking

Mosby
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Mosby
Edited Date/Time 12/5/2015 6:59am
We have a 2013 RMz 250 with cracked forks, I think it is a manufacturer defect but Suzuki refuses to help replace them. I've been checking around and several people have had the same problem, cracking inbetween the triple clamps, some bikes with a very small amount of time on them( ours had about 5hrs). Has anyone had any luck in getting Suzuki to help with this problem, if not money wise at least some info on how to make the bike safe? Thanks
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Paw Paw 271
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Paw Paw 271 1/16/2014 9:43am
1/16/2014 9:43am Edited Date/Time 1/16/2014 9:44am
Was this due to a crash? Has the dealer contacted Suzuki? They will normally send a rep out to investigate a claim.
Markout
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Markout 1/16/2014 9:47am
1/16/2014 9:47am
It appears there is a massive dent below the crack? Did you hit something, or crash to kink the tube? No way will a manufacturer pay for damage incurred from an accident.
Mosby
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Mosby 1/16/2014 9:49am
1/16/2014 9:49am
He cased a jump but he didn't wreck. Suzuki investigated and said that since we had had the forks revalved that we were on our own, The other fork looks the same. I know of other sets that have had the problem, it makes you scared to send my son out on it.

The Shop

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Mosby
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Mosby 1/16/2014 9:50am
1/16/2014 9:50am
That is what it sounds like slipdog, hope someone doesn't get hurt before then.
Paw Paw 271
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Paw Paw 271 1/16/2014 11:49am
1/16/2014 11:49am
Suzuki is good about making good on failed stock parts, but once those parts have been modified they will not stand behind them at all. Also if damaged from a crash they will also not stand behind them either.
I have seen Suzuki stand behind and make good on many items and bikes that were obviously abused and did it without question, but I think you are out of luck on this one.
Mosby
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Mosby 1/16/2014 12:16pm
1/16/2014 12:16pm
Your probably right, but it looks like you should be able to change your spring rates and revalve without them using it as an excuse not to stand behind their parts. I know of one bike that only had minutes on it, they were taking the suspension off to send it off to be worked on and the forks were too bent to take out of the triple clamps. Here is a pic of someone else's forks.These were unaltered.
motomike894
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motomike894 1/16/2014 2:35pm
1/16/2014 2:35pm
I had my left side fork come apart inside and ruined it on my 2013 sff fork.

Suzuki wouldn't mess with it and luckily was able to get one thru my suspension guy from Showa Japan took month to get it and was 370 bucks.

My bike had about 25 hours on it here's photo of the Insides.
Mosby
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Mosby 1/16/2014 5:20pm
1/16/2014 5:20pm Edited Date/Time 1/16/2014 5:20pm
Thanks Slipdog, I hadn't seen the other link. Boy 3800.00 in repairs sure ruins the up coming season not to mention we are right where we started, with the wrong spring rates and valving. More money and scared of the bike. I heard one rider had it happen to him 3 different times. I heard of the internals letting go also like the pic above also.I don't think it's the forks themselves, it must be something Suzuki is doing with the triple clamps. .
mxb2
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mxb2 1/16/2014 6:07pm
1/16/2014 6:07pm
Mosby wrote:
Thanks Slipdog, I hadn't seen the other link. Boy 3800.00 in repairs sure ruins the up coming season not to mention we are right where we...
Thanks Slipdog, I hadn't seen the other link. Boy 3800.00 in repairs sure ruins the up coming season not to mention we are right where we started, with the wrong spring rates and valving. More money and scared of the bike. I heard one rider had it happen to him 3 different times. I heard of the internals letting go also like the pic above also.I don't think it's the forks themselves, it must be something Suzuki is doing with the triple clamps. .
find a used A kit.
motomike894
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motomike894 1/16/2014 7:55pm
1/16/2014 7:55pm
Mosby wrote:
Thanks Slipdog, I hadn't seen the other link. Boy 3800.00 in repairs sure ruins the up coming season not to mention we are right where we...
Thanks Slipdog, I hadn't seen the other link. Boy 3800.00 in repairs sure ruins the up coming season not to mention we are right where we started, with the wrong spring rates and valving. More money and scared of the bike. I heard one rider had it happen to him 3 different times. I heard of the internals letting go also like the pic above also.I don't think it's the forks themselves, it must be something Suzuki is doing with the triple clamps. .
I was going to buy a set used forks off any rmz they will all work on a new one then have revalved springs etc but I wanted it to be oem and right too when go to sell it at some point if anyone would actually know better.

So I opted to fix them once I knew I Could get the part.

There was a used A kit on eBay for 1500 couple weeks ago for rmz it was beat up but even so that's a deal.
walter.molloy 1/19/2014 7:05pm
1/19/2014 7:05pm
motomike894 wrote:
I had my left side fork come apart inside and ruined it on my 2013 sff fork. Suzuki wouldn't mess with it and luckily was able...
I had my left side fork come apart inside and ruined it on my 2013 sff fork.

Suzuki wouldn't mess with it and luckily was able to get one thru my suspension guy from Showa Japan took month to get it and was 370 bucks.

My bike had about 25 hours on it here's photo of the Insides.
one of my kids has a 2013 Suzuki 250f and we have encountered a bad fuel pump at 22 hours and at 26 hours the forks did the same this... i did one of my patented fixes before it got that bad... but.. WTF Suzuki???
colson973
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colson973 1/24/2014 9:51am
1/24/2014 9:51am
My buddy posted this last week. 2013 Suzuki

colson973
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colson973 1/24/2014 9:54am
1/24/2014 9:54am
I dont think its the forks since kawi seems to have no issue with the SFF. It has to be something with the flex in the front end or the triple clamp set up. They all seem the break right in between the clamps.
ktm212
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ktm212 1/24/2014 10:20am
1/24/2014 10:20am
They are all breaking/bending in the same spot. It's not showa, kawasaki uses the same fork. It has something to do with the clamps/steering stem seems pretty apparent to me; also super scary.
Bruce372
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Bruce372 2/5/2015 6:34pm
2/5/2015 6:34pm
Is there anyone out there with a kxf running any kind of showa forks and has the time to measure the distance between the upper and lower clamps?

I wonder if Suzuki tried ti dial in some where flex for the steering and runs the lower clamp levels too low???
domoguchi
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domoguchi 2/7/2015 1:26am
2/7/2015 1:26am
That's pretty scary stuff really. I would not want to be on a bike running those suspenders...Suzuki really needs to step up and help all you loyal riders....Glad no one has been hurt by these failure.....good luck
mxrose3
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mxrose3 2/7/2015 8:07am
2/7/2015 8:07am Edited Date/Time 2/7/2015 8:12am
KXF's have a 26.9 degree rake. RMZ's have a 28 degree rake (less steep). Could that have anything to do with it?

Also if you look at the lower triple clamps, they start clamping at a lower point on the forks than the KXF bottom triple clamp. Looks like the engineers need to get back to work.

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nytsmaC
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nytsmaC 2/7/2015 10:39am
2/7/2015 10:39am
All I know is that if this were my bike I'd be furious. Shame on you Suzuki for ignoring the issue and leaving your customers high and dry, there is NO excuse for that.

How many of you guys who have gone through this will ever buy another Suzuki? I know I wouldn't. You would think that Suzuki would not be so short-sighted in cases like these. As long as I'm aware of stuff like this going on, I'll boycott them and their products. All they need to do is show a little integrity here but apparently they aren't capable of that.

Kawasaki dicked me a few times on much smaller issues than this back in the late 90s, early 2000s and enough was enough. Finally after the snapping kickstarters debacle with my brand new 05 KX250, I'll never go green again.
smezmx
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smezmx 2/8/2015 3:28am
2/8/2015 3:28am
That's effin dangerous!! SHAME on you SUZUKI!!!
Grizz
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Grizz 2/8/2015 5:10pm
2/8/2015 5:10pm
Hmm, never saw this thread before. Doesn anyone know if they fixed the 2014's? I wish I didn't read this lmao
Vegas
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Vegas 2/9/2015 8:19am
2/9/2015 8:19am
I was wondering the same thing? Was this just a 2013 issue or were changes made to the '14 forks/triples?
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mxb2 2/9/2015 9:27am
2/9/2015 9:27am
Has anybody actually contacted suzuki?, or just complain on the internet?
sandman768
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sandman768 2/9/2015 10:02am
2/9/2015 10:02am
yikes! never seen anything like this from non collision. I would be suzukis worst nightmare until I had something from them, then, I would sell it & Never, Never buy another suzuki! I had a 2006 yz 450 with Ti rear spring, while riding on a vet track, the spring broke & wiped out some of the shock parts in the process. I got Yamaha on the phone, first round, deny, deny, deny, I was persistant, I got credit at my dealer for a new shock assy, 700-800$, I had shock rebuilt, bought all the new parts it needed & ended up with a 400.00 credit at dealer which I used for that seasons racing expenses. Also had 5th gear on that bike break, not wear out, but break, Took out bunch of other stuff as well, they would not help me with that, but when I ordered all the tranny parts, 5 th gear was on national back order...... Gee, I wonder why? thats when I went back to honda, 2007,2008, great bikes, not so much since, still have my 2013 crf 450, but, f@&%# the japs, I have had 2 KTM xc 300's, still have my 2012 with over 100 hrs on it, cleans up & runs like new! KTM laughing all the way to the bank. I have bought my last new Jap bike...KTM all the way!
colson973
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colson973 2/12/2015 10:02am
2/12/2015 10:02am
Here is my customers 2013 RMZ250 from last summer. In Suzuki's defense he did go over a berm and t-boned another kid on a Honda. But seems like pretty extreme damage even for an impact like that. I find it hard to believe I would ever see a Honda or Yamaha like this.







Tpog496
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Tpog496 2/12/2015 11:11am
2/12/2015 11:11am
colson973 wrote:
Here is my customers 2013 RMZ250 from last summer. In Suzuki's defense he did go over a berm and t-boned another kid on a Honda. But...
Here is my customers 2013 RMZ250 from last summer. In Suzuki's defense he did go over a berm and t-boned another kid on a Honda. But seems like pretty extreme damage even for an impact like that. I find it hard to believe I would ever see a Honda or Yamaha like this.







Ha ha I know the douche he T-boned!
Mosby
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Mosby 2/12/2015 11:32am
2/12/2015 11:32am
Sorry folks I haven't checked the forum in a while. No luck on Suzuki making it good, we are on Hondas now. Anyone can make mistakes, it's how you make good on them that shows your character. Sorry you guys are having problems also.
Bruce372
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Bruce372 2/12/2015 11:45am
2/12/2015 11:45am
Mosby wrote:
Sorry folks I haven't checked the forum in a while. No luck on Suzuki making it good, we are on Hondas now. Anyone can make mistakes...
Sorry folks I haven't checked the forum in a while. No luck on Suzuki making it good, we are on Hondas now. Anyone can make mistakes, it's how you make good on them that shows your character. Sorry you guys are having problems also.
that's what ive always said!..

its a shame they didn't help you out.
Junebug833
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Junebug833 2/14/2015 6:21am
2/14/2015 6:21am
So is this just a case with the 250's? Or is there problems with the 450's also?
Bruce372
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Bruce372 2/14/2015 6:28am
2/14/2015 6:28am
Junebug833 wrote:
So is this just a case with the 250's? Or is there problems with the 450's also?
I think its both, and very rare and very few details.

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