Posts
4126
Joined
9/7/2017
Location
Palm Coast, FL, USA
Edited Date/Time
8/19/2021 5:29am
I pulled the trigger and got a 2021 KTM 350 XCF it was a demo and I'm getting zero hour stock suspension. I'm coming off a 15 YZ250FX with spring forks so I need an air education.
Most likely going to try it stock for a while but what are the best and most cost effective upgrades? Any good resources just to learn a bit about this suspension?
I'm mostly racing Hare Scrambles and a bit of moto but I'm old and not a high flyer by any means, plush is best.
Most likely going to try it stock for a while but what are the best and most cost effective upgrades? Any good resources just to learn a bit about this suspension?
I'm mostly racing Hare Scrambles and a bit of moto but I'm old and not a high flyer by any means, plush is best.
Happy for you getting a 350. Love mine!
Everyone says that you need to get a few hours on the suspension before having a god base line on what to do depending on your abilities. I re-valved my suspension but am still air up front. I see alot of knowledgeable people go spring. I went with JBI for my suspension mods. I did re-map my ECU at twisted with great results. The REAL upgrade would be a Vortex ECU.
FMF pipe if you feel you need to after that. Enjoy!
Ps, focus on shock setup first.
I just don't know all the different options that I have.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
PS. I'm wanting to try the kreft plush tank... but maybe I'll just do a revalve this winter. Opinions?
Predictable.
Obviously they have been winning but when you are venturing into new territory you do it with some trepidation. You ask questions, you try to learn. You know kinda what I'm doing now.
Was looking forward to reading something about your two stroke.
Yeah I’m sure it’s a great bike,
I’ve heard a lot of praise for the ‘21 MX forks. Not sure if the XCF gets the same updates, or how that would translate to the woods.
Just pissed I clicked and it was about a four stroke
Plus, my AER's don't blow seals like my KYB's did.
Pit Row
The real travesty is he didn’t even post a pic of his new ride 🤷♂️
I should be good then.
As far as pictures I pick it in a week and a half because I'm going on vacation today. Kinda hate that part but I am going to Budds so that makes it worth it.
The AER fork is pretty good for an air fork and a lot of riders don't have massive complaints from the stock setting. Sure it can be better, but it isn't all bad by any means; in fact, most guys are happy on a well set-up version of the AER fork until they ride a bike with a spring fork properly setup for them and remember just how good that feeling is.
Enjoy the new bike!
However, it does baffle me the number of people who chime in with no prior experience on the forks, or having had experience on a different model year, application or displacement (it matters).
You'll likely find the forks on the 350XCF to be more than fine unless you are really picky. Set them dead stock for your weight (find a chart for the air pressure) and ride it. Make sure you fill the air spring up correctly (front wheel off the ground) and set the pressure at the altitude and temp you are actually riding at. Make sure you burp the outers too.
I find these forks to be very good, very versatile and very easy to tune. I'm more of a full time woods guy on a lighter front end (300) so I did pull some of the compression damping out of the forks (added float to the midvalve) which helps with deflection and tracking through square edged bumps. In a 4 stroke application, you may be just fine as is. If I had one compliant it would be to further "open up" the compression valving so they do not spike when I smash I 3-4" rock I don't see. But this is VERY challenging to do with ANY fork.
From an technological and architectural perspective, the product is very very good. WP lacked attention to important details early in the release, but at this point - they really are very good out of the box.
By dropping air pressure, I get a lot of front end dive and changes in geometry of the bike.
While I will drop a handful of psi (3-4 max) for something like a hard enduro where cornering is less important, I can only go so far before its absolutely terrifying from a "Imma go over the bars" perspective.
In order to get the forks to work better in chunder/choppy terrain, revalving is a better option. Again, getting more fluid flow for high speed impacts is what we off road/non -MX guys want.
I'll also agree with the break in needed for these forks. 6 hours and mine smoothed right out.
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