WP 6500 Spring Conversion first ride.

7/12/2023 3:40pm

Would you recommend the 7548 if I found one for $2,900? I'm thinking of going that way instead of dropping 2k+ on the 6500 kit.

I own 4 sets at the moment, so yes.. I highly recommend them. But the valving set-up is the most crucial part. If you can afford to buy a set, get them properly set up for YOU from a reputable WP suspension shop. 
 

honestly, the 6500 kit is good and can be made to work really good, I have no experience with them to compare. I just find it hard to agree that they are equal or even better than the CV forks. I am just not buying that part. 

7/12/2023 3:49pm

Would you recommend the 7548 if I found one for $2,900? I'm thinking of going that way instead of dropping 2k+ on the 6500 kit.

I own 4 sets at the moment, so yes.. I highly recommend them. But the valving set-up is the most crucial part. If you can afford...

I own 4 sets at the moment, so yes.. I highly recommend them. But the valving set-up is the most crucial part. If you can afford to buy a set, get them properly set up for YOU from a reputable WP suspension shop. 
 

honestly, the 6500 kit is good and can be made to work really good, I have no experience with them to compare. I just find it hard to agree that they are equal or even better than the CV forks. I am just not buying that part. 

Yea I would just have REP set them up. Thanks for the feedback!

Bruce372
Posts
6329
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
US
8/9/2023 11:09pm

I've been "doing my own research"...

I've not had cones in my hands, but seen pictures and have had the 6500s in my hands.  They appear to have many similarities, common springs, tooling preload etc. Maybe like an oem showa vs a kit showa?

Here is a spec sheet for spring settings.

Screenshot 20230809 215624 Acrobat for Samsung.jpg?VersionId=7Gcxi6w5QKGzr3Ez58Wrtz8bifwlW0

Bruce372
Posts
6329
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
US
8/9/2023 11:13pm

Screenshot 20230809 231308 Gallery

The Shop

Bruce372
Posts
6329
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
US
8/9/2023 11:19pm

If people want fork spring settings for other size ktm let me know.

Fwiw, they sell a 6500 kit for 950mm ktm aer drop in, and a separate kit for the 940mm husky aer fork.....

But the husky 6500s don't drop in, you have to open them up and put the supplied 10mm spacer under the top out spring and also 10mm shorter spacer on the spring seats.

Richy
Posts
3086
Joined
7/18/2020
Location
UK GB
8/10/2023 12:16am

Not complaining about the prices, but it seems odd you can buy 4x quality, track useable, adjustable height and rebound coilovers for a car for less than a drop in spring kit for a fork.

Much like how a small factory front caliper costs the same as a caliper 6x the size for a legit fast touring car style racecar.

1
Natester551v
Posts
996
Joined
1/11/2015
Location
St. George, UT US
8/10/2023 8:08am
Richy wrote:
Not complaining about the prices, but it seems odd you can buy 4x quality, track useable, adjustable height and rebound coilovers for a car for less...

Not complaining about the prices, but it seems odd you can buy 4x quality, track useable, adjustable height and rebound coilovers for a car for less than a drop in spring kit for a fork.

Much like how a small factory front caliper costs the same as a caliper 6x the size for a legit fast touring car style racecar.

Economies of scale (and of course simple supply and demand).  You should check out MTB components (although to be fair they probably make way more MTB bikes and parts than MX stuff by far, so there's obviously some other market pressure there).

 

Madmax31
Posts
2136
Joined
1/7/2009
Location
Cincinnati, OH US
Fantasy
8/10/2023 8:28am
brimx153 wrote:
I really like the air forks ,

Same here.  I think they are as good if not better than anything I've had in the past including aftermarket stuff.

Richy
Posts
3086
Joined
7/18/2020
Location
UK GB
8/10/2023 8:55am
Richy wrote:
Not complaining about the prices, but it seems odd you can buy 4x quality, track useable, adjustable height and rebound coilovers for a car for less...

Not complaining about the prices, but it seems odd you can buy 4x quality, track useable, adjustable height and rebound coilovers for a car for less than a drop in spring kit for a fork.

Much like how a small factory front caliper costs the same as a caliper 6x the size for a legit fast touring car style racecar.

Economies of scale (and of course simple supply and demand).  You should check out MTB components (although to be fair they probably make way more MTB...

Economies of scale (and of course simple supply and demand).  You should check out MTB components (although to be fair they probably make way more MTB bikes and parts than MX stuff by far, so there's obviously some other market pressure there).

 

With the amount of options in left/right, leading/trailing, piston sizes, which rotor thicknesses to accept, overall caliper size, I think there are so many different even base configurations in, say, Brembo's true racecar calipers (not some OE Porsche or fast Nissan or VW caliper where I'd agree entirely they'll churn out tonnes of them) I wouldn't be sure any of it is made in a volume to negate the massive difference in materials and production time, but I hear what you're saying, but I guess you're right on the number of people buying a factory Brembo for a KTM for example is almost totally limited to pro's or the odd garage queen bike build 👍

The MTB (or bicycles in general) stuff is a law to itself isn't it haha, there's some crazy stuff going on there isn't there and some heavyyy price tags, some mostly justified and some that make you wonder...

Natester551v
Posts
996
Joined
1/11/2015
Location
St. George, UT US
8/10/2023 9:40am
Richy wrote:
With the amount of options in left/right, leading/trailing, piston sizes, which rotor thicknesses to accept, overall caliper size, I think there are so many different even...

With the amount of options in left/right, leading/trailing, piston sizes, which rotor thicknesses to accept, overall caliper size, I think there are so many different even base configurations in, say, Brembo's true racecar calipers (not some OE Porsche or fast Nissan or VW caliper where I'd agree entirely they'll churn out tonnes of them) I wouldn't be sure any of it is made in a volume to negate the massive difference in materials and production time, but I hear what you're saying, but I guess you're right on the number of people buying a factory Brembo for a KTM for example is almost totally limited to pro's or the odd garage queen bike build 👍

The MTB (or bicycles in general) stuff is a law to itself isn't it haha, there's some crazy stuff going on there isn't there and some heavyyy price tags, some mostly justified and some that make you wonder...

Yep - it can get out of hand pretty quickly.  It's pretty funny in the Adventure bike world; I'll see rich old dudes roll up on a $25k BMW R1250GS with $15k in farkles, and they're probably never going to hit the dirt.  BMW (and Ducati, Mercedes, etc.) know their customer base and how much money they can squeeze out of them...

lappedrider
Posts
1542
Joined
8/26/2006
Location
Tooele, UT US
8/10/2023 10:16am

After running Ohlins on my last two bikes, I decided to try 6500’s on my new GasGas.  So far I am in love.  They were installed and tuned by Factory Connection.  

swordfish
Posts
1950
Joined
9/2/2021
Location
Somewhere , AB CA
8/10/2023 11:15am
dirtyrat23 wrote:

Has anyone tried the both KYB and the 6500? Curious on what you guy thought? I heard somebody say the kyb insert was worlds better.

Not worlds better. Similar in my opinion. Some people comment the KYB’s have a slightly more plush feel. 

8/11/2023 8:29am
dirtyrat23 wrote:

Has anyone tried the both KYB and the 6500? Curious on what you guy thought? I heard somebody say the kyb insert was worlds better.

swordfish wrote:

Not worlds better. Similar in my opinion. Some people comment the KYB’s have a slightly more plush feel. 

I had both. I prefer the 6500 all day.  Everyone's different tho

 

1
Bruce372
Posts
6329
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
US
8/19/2023 11:02am

What oil levels is everyone running?

400cc is recommended on the manual, but no range is given.... i started at 375cc and still have quite a lot of travel left.

lappedrider
Posts
1542
Joined
8/26/2006
Location
Tooele, UT US
8/19/2023 11:25am
Bruce372 wrote:
What oil levels is everyone running? 400cc is recommended on the manual, but no range is given.... i started at 375cc and still have quite a...

What oil levels is everyone running?

400cc is recommended on the manual, but no range is given.... i started at 375cc and still have quite a lot of travel left.

Factory set mine at 410cc. The bike rides amazing so I have no complaints.  

1
Bruce372
Posts
6329
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
US
8/19/2023 11:43am
Bruce372 wrote:
What oil levels is everyone running? 400cc is recommended on the manual, but no range is given.... i started at 375cc and still have quite a...

What oil levels is everyone running?

400cc is recommended on the manual, but no range is given.... i started at 375cc and still have quite a lot of travel left.

Factory set mine at 410cc. The bike rides amazing so I have no complaints.  

Yes, I sourced some carts and did my own drop in qnd they are good and I can see more potential also.... lost some weight and got the wrong springs so it's riding a little front high. 

aees
Posts
2724
Joined
8/20/2015
Location
US
8/19/2023 2:00pm
Bruce372 wrote:
What oil levels is everyone running? 400cc is recommended on the manual, but no range is given.... i started at 375cc and still have quite a...

What oil levels is everyone running?

400cc is recommended on the manual, but no range is given.... i started at 375cc and still have quite a lot of travel left.

Run the 400. There is a lot of bikes today that require not using all the travel to be balanced.

If I drop my 6500 to 380, I use all the travel but bike becomes unbalanced and fork not as stable.

Same with my KYB Technical Touch, most of the time 1" left.

Bruce372
Posts
6329
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
US
12/2/2023 10:51pm

Alright,  bringing this one back... is everyone getting full travel or approx 25mm remaining? 

I never get full travel, but have noticed the forks moving in the clamps a bit....

2/24/2024 6:53am

Hello revisiting this topic, I currently have 23 gasgas ex250 with WP aer Forks that were valued for me, B rider woods/moto setup. The Forks feel pretty great but are a little stiff when it gets choppy/rocky. Feel great on the high speed moto style stuff (im a moto guy just got into woods riding in 23)

I'm ready to do the wp6500 kit but now having 2nd thoughts due to weight increased on front end. Is this noticeable, or does the increase in traction counteract the weight increase? 

Post a reply to: WP 6500 Spring Conversion first ride.

The Latest