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7/10/2019
Location
Mount Vernon, OH
US
I have a 2019 KX450 and want to get it to lay over in corners easier. I have the forks 6mm up in the clamps now. I'm wondering how far I can go before getting negative effects.
I'm also considering 21.5 or 22 mm offset triple clamps. Can anyone approximate the effects of a different clamp vs raising the forks? I know they're not changing the geometry in the same way but I'm trying to decide if I need the clamps to get the cornering feel I'm after. I want the bike to have more of a front end steering feel similar to a Honda. I love everything about the bike but I struggle in tight rutted corners. I've never used an aftermarket clamp.
I'm also considering 21.5 or 22 mm offset triple clamps. Can anyone approximate the effects of a different clamp vs raising the forks? I know they're not changing the geometry in the same way but I'm trying to decide if I need the clamps to get the cornering feel I'm after. I want the bike to have more of a front end steering feel similar to a Honda. I love everything about the bike but I struggle in tight rutted corners. I've never used an aftermarket clamp.
After a phone call with Ride, I decided to order the 22mm clamps and the link to try. I was thinking 21.5 but they insisted the 22mm was the right choice for the 19 model.
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Having some time on that chassis, I'd try the free fixes first before resorting to aftermarket clamps/link. Currently running 103/104mm sag with XTrigs in the 23mm stock location (didn't like the 21mm offset for faster SoCal tracks like Glen Helen and Cahuilla Creek), at 3mm fork height. If you do decide on the clamps, aftermarket co's may say that it's their link/clamp combo which yields biggest improvements (and they can be right): Typically, the longer link lowers the rear (taking weight off the front) where the new offset clamps flushed to the first 5mm line (or lower) keep the turning precise. Overall, effectively lowering the bike can help for that feeling you're after, but it isn't cheap. Can't answer your actual question of fork height vs. offset, but hopefully this helps.
I got the Ride Engineering 22mm triple clamps and their rear link. I wanted to try them separately but due to lack of time I installed both at the same time. Went to the track with the forks up 4mm in the clamps because I was a little sceptical about how much difference the clamps would make. Sag was at 102 per Ride's recommendation for the link.
I was surprised! The bike turned much better but the front wheel was nervous at times. Moved the forks down to 2mm and liked the balance of turning and stability. When the track got rough, the bike seemed to soak up bumps better and the rear wheel stayed planted where it would usually get a little loose or swap. I wish I could have tried the parts separately but I have a newborn at home so track time is precious.
Overall, I felt like both parts together improved the front and rear significantly and got the bike much more comfortable for me and allowed me to carry more speed into and through corners. I had been struggling with deep rutted corners. My lap times were about 6 seconds faster than my previous best and had less spread. Previously I was lucky to put together a solid lap without jumping out of a rut or botching a corner somehow.
But I had to go in very far, I ended up 7/8th out from
Full hard, I was a weee but over the 180lb limit for the stock suspension, but with the clickers turned in quite far, and the high speed cranked in way further than expected, the bike suddenly fell into line, and handled like a bike should, and gave the confidence to push it.
The yz450f is gone now, that’s 2 months of ownership lol, before realizing, well, it’s just alll aboot the 2 strokes, 2021 yz250, got the suspension dialed in, and as well, oddly enough, I wound up at 7/8th turn out on it as well. Hope this helps
My only gripe with this bike, is that I wish it had more grunt. My 13 kx450 was much stronger than this bike. After reading some of Keefers exhaust/mods testing that hes done to the current generation of kx450, it seems like you have to dump quite a bit of money into the engine just to make it feel a little better.
I was also thinking at triple clams, but they are quite expensive.
You could go to 5 maybe 6mm up in the clamps and see how much that helps, but much more will probably start to cause other issues. I will say that the clamps definitely made a difference for me and were worth the cost. Also, I’m assuming you’ve had your suspension resprung and revalved for your weight. That makes a huge difference in case you haven’t. Both are totally worth the cost IMO.
That low feeling is integral to how the link works so you’ll have to decide if that’s worth it for the benefits you’re feeling. They do recommend more sag than what you’re running so if you haven’t experimented with it, I would try 100 or 102. Sometimes changes have different effects than we think or take time to adapt to.
The takeaway for me is that no matter what you do to a 450, it’s still a 450. The KX is the easiest 450 I’ve ridden by far but it was just the inertia and weight that I struggled with. For me being out of shape trying to come back after 20 years, I’m just more comfortable on a smaller bike. If I get back into it, I’ll be on a 250F.
It’s just that now I can feel some more inertia at the front when turning into berms. It’s less reactive. That’s why I was thinking about triple clamps.
The springs are find for my weight and veteran level.
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