Investing in my own setup to refill shocks with nitrogen, so I’m going to convert my KTM shocks over to the bladder style. RMATV offers the SDI kits, and the Racetech kit for about $40 more, I was also looking into the K-Tech kit as my friend had one for a couple years on his Husky and never gave him any problems. I’ve seen some of these bladder kits go south and smoke the shock body, so I’m looking for anyone’s long term personal experience with bladder kits on their bikes.
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I can't add anything useful, but I have had two KTMs with the K Tech bladder. Both were already fitted with a good few hours on them, both bikes had quick/competent previous owners, personally I'm mad slow but I am fat, so another vote for their reliability 😂
How could a bladder kit destroy a shock body?
K-Tech is nice and always work with no issues.
I have seen some Lainer kits leaking air.
If you have a shock preload adjuster in might not fit because the canister is larger than OEM
If its 2016 thru 2022, get racetech. They have the most similar size to oem and it makes it easier getting shock on and off rhe bike.
There might be WP aftermarket, harder to find. Racetech one was available from rockymountainatvmc.com
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Racetech Schrader is accessible also, some aftermarket setups use needle septa and that defeats fhe purpose.
On oem, I have removed can, drill, tapped and fitted a Schrader and it works well also, but you have to set piston height and I always forget that measurement
I have used the SDI kit on a couple bikes. Never had any issues.
I have the SDI on my 23 husky and it works great.
I'll throw it out that I have chosen to not use a bladder. I go with the MX Tech Tank (3 bikes with it) with the low-friction seal and the bigger alu piston. I think it's a nice compromise giving better feel and durability than stock w/o the leakdown issues that every bladder has. Discussed this quite a bit with JB Covington (Ride JBI) and he too agreed on this based on how I ride (old and slow) and my preferred maintenance intervals.
I'm not really sure I can tell a big difference in "feel" between stock WP, my setup, or a bladder anyway. I do know the Tank setup doesn't get as hot as the stock one did. More volume/less internal friction I guess. I sure do notice the feel difference between any AER forks (stock and mod) and my MX Tech Lucky setup tho!
We have used KTech and SDI. Both seem to work on the newer bikes well. KTech is a little bigger I believe.
Race Tech units worked great on the 19-22 shock too!
KTech here, no issues with stock or xtrig adjuster
Lanier has a good one for the new gen, i used JBI for my 21 and it was really good too’
If you're up for importing one, krooztune makes a really nice one. They aren't the cheapest but the fit and finish is excellent. I use their bladder kits on the ktm/husky/gas gas 65 mod bikes that we build, as we don't do enough to justify doing a whole production run of them (as AMA stock class rules no longer allow bladder kits) and they always have provided excellent parts. BUT make sure you have an address that can receive DHL shipments, as that's how they primarily ship.
bladder kit is a waste of time and money.
With a bladder kit, we've found shocks run up to 100 degrees cooler on the linkage bikes, it reduces thermal breakdown for the oil, reduces the single highest friction point in the shock, it makes them more progressive, requires fewer tools to service them, and they look cool. If they want any or all of those characteristics, it can be a good option for them. No one bats an eye when someone spends $225 on graphics that last 6 months but a bladder kit is a waste of time and money when the guy literally said he wants it so he can service his own shock? A bladder kit can also expand to accommodate the small air bubbles left behind from hand bleeding (what he most likely will be doing as a DIY guy), and while air in the oil isn't a good thing, a bladder kit will tolerate it and allow him the ability to safely and effectively do his own work without too many special tools for the entire life of the bike or as long as he owns it.
But still over $100 cheaper than the tool needed to charge the reservoir after servicing the shock.
As for the argument of bladder vs reservoir, if the bladder isn't up to snuff, then every Japanese bike made for decades isn't up to snuff either.
I wanted to stay out of this thread.. but can't help myself. LOL..
The WP stuff, while it appears nice on the machining.... has very thin coatings. They wear very quickly. There are some replacement bodies of better quality that MXtech and others offer.... Also, the WP piston... not the best design. The real solution is what Chad Reed and others have/ did do.. have done. Put a KYB upper shock body on that bike... it has the bladder kit, a real collar for the shock spring preload (not this mickey mouse plastic stuff). Put the KYB piston in that body, and use the WP lower shock shaft with the clevis that fits the linkage. Adjust the shock length as needed via spacers so it matches the stock WP shock. I
Now you have something that works. Much better then the WP stuff IMO. You'll have to do some valving.. but it's not rocket science.
That seems a lot more complicated than screwing on a bladder kit so I can service my shit at home like I asked…
I appreciate everyone’s input on their experience with bladder kits, looking like I’ll be able to get the best deal on the K-tech through a local guy.
Pit Row
Can you report back with any difference in feel? I generally like my shock (revalved stock 21.5 FE 450). However, when I’m 10-15 min into a moto, it starts to almost have the same wallowing feel as a flat rear tire. More subtle but it’s there. I’m wondering if it’s heat-related and thinking the stock floating piston might be behind it.
For sure man, probably be a couple weeks but I’ll definitely come back with my thoughts. I’ve felt like I get that chopper’d out feel on mine when I ride longer motos on the track, never notice it riding woods.
I service my WP shocks at home without any special tools and take it to my local shop to charge it for $10. No bladder kit
On the surface it seems that way... but if you can re-valve a shock.. you can do this quite simply. And you end up with a MUCH better product. Longer lasting.
I have used a lainer bladder kit that seems good, and i think it uses an showa bladder.
The WP stuff is fantastic in quality and rideability. Every single proper tuner will tell you that.
Alrighty.... I'll take KYB or Showa components any day of the week over WP products.
And most tuners will gladly disagree with that.
10% of the volume
I put a schrader on my linkage wp shock. I do my own service and revalving. Your selling point is 100 degrees cooler oil. Its a waste of time and money. Piston is easier to service anyways.
Pull Schrader, lower piston through bleed port, reinstall Schrader, bleed shock, remove Schrader and push piston to 10-13 mm from top. Done. Fuck a bladder.
up to 100 degrees cooler operating temp, less friction, more progression, and you don't need to measure anything. Oh, and you don't drive a 1/8 NPT schrader valve into the bottom of the reservoir that leaks 1/2 the time because there's not enough material there to install an o-ringed schrader valve in the bottom. Your schrader may not leak but for me, someone who's had suspension work be my profession for over 15 years now, I see more leak then not and can't in good faith support that idea when I see more failures then successes with them. This dude was just asking what everyone's feedback was for available bladder kits so he could do it himself in the easiest manner possible, to which this is a part that costs less then 1/2 of a graphics kit. If he wants a bladder kit, let the man find what he wants and let him be happy, it's just a $100-150 part and it's his bike.
THIS. Piston is sooo much quicker and easier to service at home with 0 special tools.
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