Hearing Prado already had a shock blow

This is the reason the like button was invented!!!

KTM/WP North America has to get their shit together. Or Pit Beirer has to send some of the European suspension technicians over there the coming month and figure out what they do wrong in NA.

Would a nitrogen bladder failure cause this?  

Agreed unless there is a materials failure causing a shaft seizure not allowing it to fully extend. I've had that happen on an old twin shock application (sighting lap for a Pagoda Hare Scrambles over 40 years ago). Those shocks were old S&Ws on my Can-Am and were notorious for failing and seizing up due to bent shafts, bent bodies, and internal galling.

I would place my money on the difference of AMA and GP KTM Group on shock/oil materials (mostly metallurgy, though). Maybe the GP bikes use a metal alloy that is out of line with AMA rules or even California "toxicity" rules?  Just my Saturday morning ramblings!

No, because even if the bladder totally fails, the nitro and oil mix but the internal pressure in the shock remains the same.   Granted, you'd have totally foamed, cavitated oil and complete loss of damping, but it would not really affect ride height and cause the bike to sag half way down the stroke.

As a side note, the bladder design is pretty universal, time-tested, and not really unique to KTM compared to every other shock.   Not a likely failure point, anyway.

Shock collar failed or lower spring cup?

I wonder how many failures it will take before Balaj pulls the plug on wp and outsources suspension to kyb or Showa. I think it could be coming due to cost at some point anyway. 

If you keep having the same failures, it means 2 things.  Your designers cant design, or the load case they are designing for is incorrect. 

Either way , we have had single shock suspension now, in its current form, since 1981, and you dont suddenly lose the ability to make stuff that works. 

Unless you want to go back to the moon. 

Good to be home, I guess?

Was this Prado riding with his 2024 MXGP suspension?

Since they start SX testing, I think he was talking about the suspension he used in 24 AMA SX at the beginning of the season. 

My guess is that they have a setting they really like, like a setup that works much better than the alternatives.

Could be things like low or high bladder pressure. I know there is WP setups from factory suspension mechanics with really low bladder pressures compared to normal.

Not saying that's the issue, but as big variety as I have seen, wouldn't be surprised they found something really good performance and feeling wise, but it isnt sustainable.

I interpreted it like it was for outdoors, hel felt right at home he said in the interview like everything back to normal, they just threw the stuff on for a day.

bht maybe you are right, might have been referring to both SX and MX. 

Prado was switching shocks during riding SX now someone said in interview, so who knows, maybe new setting failed or old. 

Same for Vialle (decision not to ride the last moto of the 250 Outdoor championship)...

That would be scary as hell having that in the back of your mind racing, especially at their level. No wonder Vialle didn’t want to ride a moto or two. How’s that for some comfort Prado? I bet that didn’t happen at Kawi. 

I thought the shocks were good cause KTM has Herlings on them and they don’t blow out with him?

I wonder if Prado bought some of that “Chase Practice Kit”…yet…🤣

Chase when he saw this thread.

Yeah, unclear at this point. Still was a "funny" unwelcome coincidence.

"Man, this is flawless. Or not."

😄

That was also “biblical” amounts of mud. Still not a good look.

I would guess it was an air shock, or someone was using one of the plastic spring compression adjusters.

It wasnt , and his one the only bike to do it. Twice. 

Well WP makes frames swingarms and so on fot KTM group not just suspension and KTM owns WP anyway. 

In my opinion, you are correct.

The lower perch probably popped off and slid down against the linkage.  
These guys run some crazy spring rates in SX and the forces are very high.

The geometry of the groove for the wire clip on those perches is critical and so is the wire ring diameter.
Likely, something was out of spec and the perch / collar popped off.

This wire clip failure is not an issue unique to KTM.
The same thing happened to Cole Seely on his factory CRF450R at the 2017 MXdN at Matterly and I think HRC had other similar failures that same year.


The pressure balance or oil shearing issues Mark Johnson referred to on PulpMX are entirely unrelated to this type of failure and as you said, the bike maintains approximately the same ride height when the shock fades.

It's ridiculous how long this has been happening. 

I wouldn't risk using that shit if I was 26, 7, or 3.

I concur

It’s time to have the meeting with all the riders at the table saying,”WTF?!” 

In my almost 50 years of riding and racing I have never worried about a shock breaking and I have ridden some real junk over the decades. Hell, did Doug Henry even break his shock?

Roger Decoster, " I see no issues, just ride the bike. The greats find ways to win not excuses. Sexton & Prado should be able to win regardless of the shock. In the 70's we barely had suspension & I won 5x. Figure it out" 

Because. Anybody who was invited to the press-day is a Kiss-arse who is shit scared of having their access denied. 

We see what they want us to see. Nothing more.