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5/22/2018
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Belleville, IL
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Edited Date/Time
2/24/2020 7:14pm
I picked up a set of “kit” forks a while back and I’m wondering what all of the hype is. What’s makes these so much more desirable?
Also, I’ve seen green, blue and gray fork caps. Seems like the blue caps are 01 and older, green caps are 02-03 and gray are 04 plus? Just an assumption?
If anyone knows anything about them let me know.
Thanks, Drew
Also, I’ve seen green, blue and gray fork caps. Seems like the blue caps are 01 and older, green caps are 02-03 and gray are 04 plus? Just an assumption?
If anyone knows anything about them let me know.
Thanks, Drew
The WP stuff is not poorly made, but it's designed to be inexpensive to manufacture.
More important than which suspension you have is the setting. Good valving in average components is superior to average valving in great components.
Back in 2003 I sent my KX125 suspension to PC and bought every available build option they offered. I spared no expense and I have what I thought was "kit" suspension but they don't have the flush (green, blue or gray) fork caps. I guess what I'm really trying to figure out is what did PC do to a stock set of forks that made them into "Kit" forks. Was this kit only offered to Team Green riders and Pro Privateers as a cost effect solution, do they have a different cartridge, larger piston, mx tubes? What is the history behind the flush fork cap and the different colors?
I know A-Kit/factory suspension has been around forever and was available in the early 2000's but it was kind of reserved for factory riders. Its not like today's suspension market where money can buy you everything and mini riders are rolling around on $20,000 bikes.
I couldn't say what your kit stuff is, but it's entirely possible that it's a closed cartridge or twin chamber style system.
If it's open chamber stuff, they won't be able to do the things hydraulically that a modern production fork can do.
Current PC Showa A-kit stuff is a complete replacement of the damping cartridge in each fork leg. They are 27mm cartridges vs the 25mm production cartridge in the current green, red and yellow 450Fs. They both have a 14mm rebound rod as far as I am aware.
I have a ten year old 49mm Showa kit fork in the shop now, and it's actually a step backward from what's on a current KX450, CRF-450R YZ450F, YZ250F or RM-Z450. Why? All those bikes have the same 25mm cartridge as the old kit fork with a larger rebound rod (14mm vs 12.5mm). That larger rebound rod displaces more oil which theoretically gives more control over the damping to the "base valve" or compression valve at the top of the fork. It's the same idea as a works shock with a bigger shock shaft; it displaces more oil through the adjuster.
For comparison, the SSS suspension in a Yamaha was a 24mm cartridge right up through 2017. The KYB forks from around 2008+ on the KX450F were basically identical forks. The only difference between the two was a stack of shims.
If I were building an older KX two stroke I would be looking for a set of 2012 KX450F forks, or a set of YZ forks.
In fact I picked up a set of YZ forks for my KX500 project... I am currently working on a set of custom clamps to mount them up.
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I would love to find a set of new KX450 forks but they're still pretty new and expensive.
When you say 2013+ SSF I assume you mean the seperate function fork from the KX250F?
In my opinion a single spring fork is better than a single pneumatic spring fork. Steel springs are just more linear than a pneumatic spring, so people who can feel the difference usually prefer springs.
The WP AER, Showa TAC and Showa SFF-AIR all have one leg doing the damping and one leg doing spring force.
One big spring doesn't feel the same as two small springs and one big damper doesn't feel the same as two medium dampers.
The reason we are told that SFF is a good thing is that it weighs less.
The reason manufacturers choose to produce SFF is that it costs less to assemble.
... It takes a whole lot of manual labor to assemble all those small parts in a damper.
What if you could cut your bill of materials and labor down by 25% to assemble each set of forks?
Those 49mm Showa are pretty darned good and yeah, still scarce and expensive as used parts.
In my opinion, the latest generation 48mm KYB "SSS" is just as good on the track.
That and Yamaha's settings are why the YZ still gets reviewed as the best suspension.
With that typed out, does anybody have a set they want to sell? I am looking for both advice and a set of modern forks.
I see a set for 2015 KX45f Showa. Are those not what I want? And do any of the 250F forks work?
From my experience, Ive rode with 48mm kyb (stock 2003), 2012 47mm SFF forks and 2015 Tac forks on a 2003 KX250 and all have done awesome job. I actually love the stock 2003 forks the most. I sent them to ProCircuit in the fall of 2003 for the initial re-spring and re-valve and have been in love with them ever since. All of my fork have been valved and sprung bu ProCircuit for my ability and I have zero complaints. Have you thought about sending your suspension off and having it set up for your ability? The best suspension in the world wont help you much if its not set up properly.
Would love to know what the face shim diameters are on those forks
As suggested those are tech of dayz gone by. During their time they were best.....but as mentioned today production forks are better and the Real Factory Kit suspension is even better. Not the Frankenstein kits that most of the suspension companies offer
There are big differences with the internals of actual Factory Kits and the commercial Kits.
As suggest would be better off with some of today's Showa or KYB production forks
Post a reply to: Kx 125/250 kit forks. What’s the deal?