Air Forks Really Cheaper

bobojim
Profile picture for user bobojim
Posts
247
Joined
1/27/2015
Location
AU
bobojim
Edited Date/Time 6/4/2016 9:24am
Why does everyone go on about them being cheaper?
Does any one have any hard proof that they are?
Without it I won't believe it.

I can't see how long tubes of high grade aluminium, with very closely machined surfaces, plus various Pistons and caps with lots of machining etc all with further surface treatments and assembly can be cheaper than a coil spring.

Enlighten me?
|
Sheriff245 6/4/2016 5:32am
6/4/2016 5:32am Edited Date/Time 6/4/2016 5:35am
http://www.technical-touch.com/system/files_force/download/file/KITPRIJ…

This is the price list for KYB kit suspension. You can see the PSF fork is about 120 euros cheaper than the AOS. They are cheaper because they have no spring and no spring perch, which add cost to the spring forks. Internally there is not much difference between the two. PSF2s are more simple to build, and probably cheaper too.
Crush
Profile picture for user Crush
Posts
20962
Joined
4/26/2009
Location
Sydney AU
Crush 6/4/2016 5:37am
6/4/2016 5:37am
Straight away you don't have two big ass springs to buy/produce.

You gotta remember, even if it's just a saving of 20 bucks on each leg over 20000 units... that's an 800K saving every year...
resetjet
Profile picture for user resetjet
Posts
2396
Joined
3/16/2012
Location
Tampa, FL US
resetjet 6/4/2016 5:42am
6/4/2016 5:42am
I dont buy it either. However they are lighter which is a big deal. They also have to be well maintained. You are gonna see alot of old dirtbikes 20 years from now that have collapsed forks.
motomike137
Profile picture for user motomike137
Posts
6898
Joined
4/22/2010
Location
Fenton, MI US
motomike137 6/4/2016 5:43am
6/4/2016 5:43am
I totally believe they are cheaper and then spun from a marketing standpoint to make us think they are the "latest technology".

The Shop

See All »
motomike137
Profile picture for user motomike137
Posts
6898
Joined
4/22/2010
Location
Fenton, MI US
motomike137 6/4/2016 5:47am
6/4/2016 5:47am
resetjet wrote:
I dont buy it either. However they are lighter which is a big deal. They also have to be well maintained. You are gonna see alot...
I dont buy it either. However they are lighter which is a big deal. They also have to be well maintained. You are gonna see alot of old dirtbikes 20 years from now that have collapsed forks.
Are the springs considered unsprung weight? Secondly is it any advantage to take that weight away from the front end of the bike or is it a wash?
resetjet
Profile picture for user resetjet
Posts
2396
Joined
3/16/2012
Location
Tampa, FL US
resetjet 6/4/2016 6:16am
6/4/2016 6:16am
You have a river and a lake seperated by a dam. Is the dam part of the river or the lake? I say both.

You can take weight here and add or subtract there to keep it balanced and over the weight limit. My guess is they just made the front lighter, which i think would be a good thing.
rcannon
Profile picture for user rcannon
Posts
357
Joined
2/11/2007
Location
West Jordan, UT US
rcannon 6/4/2016 7:55am
6/4/2016 7:55am
Did you ever hear the Pulp MX podcast when Doug Duback talked about testing the 2000 era Yz's? He said it in a funny way, but Yamaha used his suggestion about saving money and went with a solid white front number plate as opposed to the blue plate with the white sticker. Apparently the cost savings was substantial when multiplied by thousands of bikes.

Now, imagine not buying two springs times 50,000....or more.
mx836
Profile picture for user mx836
Posts
5579
Joined
4/2/2008
Location
; BF
mx836 6/4/2016 8:01am
6/4/2016 8:01am
motomike137 wrote:
I totally believe they are cheaper and then spun from a marketing standpoint to make us think they are the "latest technology".
More pros use them than not and that says something. I don't get all the air fork hate. They may be cheaper, but are lighter, and work good. Plus the fact that you can change your spring rate in a minute as opposed to hours of labor and money spent. Also, the bottoming resistance on an air fork is excellent compared to a conventional spring fork IMO. Tuning options are plentiful on the Showa TAC. Bikes are more than expensive enough and this helps them keep the cost down longer. Unless you are a pro, it doesn't matter.
resetjet
Profile picture for user resetjet
Posts
2396
Joined
3/16/2012
Location
Tampa, FL US
resetjet 6/4/2016 8:05am
6/4/2016 8:05am
Never could figure why they get over $100 for a set of springs. Its crazy. I guess because they can.

Its cool that you can just add or subtract air to get your spring rate. It sucks that you have to fool with it all the time. I like fire and forget.
ratonmacias
Profile picture for user ratonmacias
Posts
1042
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Guadalajara MX
ratonmacias 6/4/2016 8:28am
6/4/2016 8:28am
rcannon wrote:
Did you ever hear the Pulp MX podcast when Doug Duback talked about testing the 2000 era Yz's? He said it in a funny way, but...
Did you ever hear the Pulp MX podcast when Doug Duback talked about testing the 2000 era Yz's? He said it in a funny way, but Yamaha used his suggestion about saving money and went with a solid white front number plate as opposed to the blue plate with the white sticker. Apparently the cost savings was substantial when multiplied by thousands of bikes.

Now, imagine not buying two springs times 50,000....or more.
On a pulpcast Doug Dubach said they were cheaper and not as good as spring.
mx317
Profile picture for user mx317
Posts
4561
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
TN US
mx317 6/4/2016 9:07am
6/4/2016 9:07am
Not only that they have to stock lighter and softer springs in their parts warehouses which costs a lot of money. I think the motive is more about weight savings than saving a dollar as they can just pass the cost on to the consumer.
mx317
Profile picture for user mx317
Posts
4561
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
TN US
mx317 6/4/2016 9:08am
6/4/2016 9:08am
rcannon wrote:
Did you ever hear the Pulp MX podcast when Doug Duback talked about testing the 2000 era Yz's? He said it in a funny way, but...
Did you ever hear the Pulp MX podcast when Doug Duback talked about testing the 2000 era Yz's? He said it in a funny way, but Yamaha used his suggestion about saving money and went with a solid white front number plate as opposed to the blue plate with the white sticker. Apparently the cost savings was substantial when multiplied by thousands of bikes.

Now, imagine not buying two springs times 50,000....or more.
ratonmacias wrote:
On a pulpcast Doug Dubach said they were cheaper and not as good as spring.
Doug works for Yamaha.
gsxr6
Profile picture for user gsxr6
Posts
1956
Joined
9/3/2011
Location
Anderson, CA US
gsxr6 6/4/2016 9:24am
6/4/2016 9:24am
resetjet wrote:
I dont buy it either. However they are lighter which is a big deal. They also have to be well maintained. You are gonna see alot...
I dont buy it either. However they are lighter which is a big deal. They also have to be well maintained. You are gonna see alot of old dirtbikes 20 years from now that have collapsed forks.
motomike137 wrote:
Are the springs considered unsprung weight? Secondly is it any advantage to take that weight away from the front end of the bike or is it...
Are the springs considered unsprung weight? Secondly is it any advantage to take that weight away from the front end of the bike or is it a wash?
50 /50 is what I've been told. Half the spring is unsprung weight?

Post a reply to: Air Forks Really Cheaper