Barcia trolling us about his forks: Air or Spring

tk2stroke
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tk2stroke
Edited Date/Time 2/6/2021 4:35pm
Barcia is being coy when asked about whether he's running air or spring forks, is he trolling us or does the KTM mothership prevent him from telling us he's running factory Xact cone valves.

Check out the 2:10 mark

https://youtu.be/rJjPJffoAqE
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1911
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1911 1/7/2021 8:43pm
1/7/2021 8:43pm
Not sure I will be able to sleep tonight, not knowing?
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Dutch348
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Dutch348 1/7/2021 8:51pm
1/7/2021 8:51pm
Who cares? He might do well at H1, then he’ll start t-boning guys for 8th place like he has for the past five years.
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theycallmeebryan 1/7/2021 9:30pm
1/7/2021 9:30pm
The new WP air forks are really good when set up properly. My AER48s actually perform better than the valved Showa coil spring forks on my Kx450. I have SKF seals in my aer48s, but those AER CV's have much tighter clearances and even less stiction.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 1/7/2021 9:43pm
1/7/2021 9:43pm
Dutch348 wrote:
Who cares? He might do well at H1, then he’ll start t-boning guys for 8th place like he has for the past five years.
So, you don't like the guy?

Got it.

Dry

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Spudnut
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Spudnut 1/7/2021 10:52pm
1/7/2021 10:52pm
Dutch348 wrote:
Who cares? He might do well at H1, then he’ll start t-boning guys for 8th place like he has for the past five years.

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Ryan625
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Ryan625 1/8/2021 12:08am
1/8/2021 12:08am
1911 wrote:
Not sure I will be able to sleep tonight, not knowing?
The suspense is killing me.
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RaceFan
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RaceFan 1/8/2021 12:21am
1/8/2021 12:21am
Dutch348 wrote:
Who cares? He might do well at H1, then he’ll start t-boning guys for 8th place like he has for the past five years.
TeamGreen wrote:
So, you don't like the guy?

Got it.

Dry

For me it's not about dislike as much as reality of watching him race over the years and waning support.
Honestly think that red mist has gotten the better of him over the years and it's become hard to support 'cause it's only a matter of time till it happens again.

I'd like to see him pull off a solid season but I'm not putting money on it.
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Lurk Ing
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Lurk Ing 1/8/2021 1:40am
1/8/2021 1:40am
Dutch348 wrote:
Who cares? He might do well at H1, then he’ll start t-boning guys for 8th place like he has for the past five years.
TeamGreen wrote:
So, you don't like the guy?

Got it.

Dry

RaceFan wrote:
For me it's not about dislike as much as reality of watching him race over the years and waning support. Honestly think that red mist has...
For me it's not about dislike as much as reality of watching him race over the years and waning support.
Honestly think that red mist has gotten the better of him over the years and it's become hard to support 'cause it's only a matter of time till it happens again.

I'd like to see him pull off a solid season but I'm not putting money on it.
He went to team Honda under Bentley then under McCarthy at Yamaha, and he's never been known as a great test rider so I see better things under Harrison/Roger. Worth a loose $50 maybe.
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crusty_xx
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crusty_xx 1/8/2021 4:26am
1/8/2021 4:26am
Dutch348 wrote:
Who cares? He might do well at H1, then he’ll start t-boning guys for 8th place like he has for the past five years.
He's lucky the bosses at GasGas don't have your level of insight otherwise he'd be out of a job
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AH387
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AH387 1/8/2021 4:51am
1/8/2021 4:51am
I was under the assumption that pros actually like the airforks in SX, because of the hold-up / recovery of them? Didn't teams run a KYB air fork in SX for a while too?
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cloud41
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cloud41 1/8/2021 5:07am
1/8/2021 5:07am
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas gas told him to stay hush.
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ML512
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ML512 1/8/2021 5:32am
1/8/2021 5:32am
cloud41 wrote:
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas...
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas gas told him to stay hush.
Star racing is on air forks and has been since 2013.
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AH387
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AH387 1/8/2021 5:53am
1/8/2021 5:53am
cloud41 wrote:
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas...
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas gas told him to stay hush.
ML512 wrote:
Star racing is on air forks and has been since 2013.
Yes, this is what I was also alluding to.
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STLSharky
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STLSharky 1/8/2021 6:07am
1/8/2021 6:07am
cloud41 wrote:
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas...
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas gas told him to stay hush.
ML512 wrote:
Star racing is on air forks and has been since 2013.
Wow really?
scootch
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scootch 1/8/2021 6:10am
1/8/2021 6:10am
What about that Air Shock Dungey was trying that one year?
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Idp57
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Idp57 1/8/2021 6:18am
1/8/2021 6:18am
What is the advantage of air shock?Less weight ,fine tuning,,better hold up....?!Curious to know.
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seth505
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seth505 1/8/2021 6:35am
1/8/2021 6:35am
cloud41 wrote:
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas...
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas gas told him to stay hush.
ML512 wrote:
Star racing is on air forks and has been since 2013.
Didn't you know, the stock Yamaha fork is the holy grail and it can't get any better? Grinning
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WhatsStoppingU 1/8/2021 6:37am
1/8/2021 6:37am
seth505 wrote:
Didn't you know, the stock Yamaha fork is the holy grail and it can't get any better? Grinning
For production bikes, yes. Everyone knows.
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Press516
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Press516 1/8/2021 8:03am
1/8/2021 8:03am
All indications are that he is comfortable on the bike. I think his confidence level is very high and it will translate to running near the front more than he has recently. Expect him to air it out on occasion.... All of which is good for the sport. Who doesn't think there will be a lot of different winners this year?

Also, this year more than most in recent memory is going to come down to the starts. I don't see many riders starting outside the top 10 and charging to the front in these mains. Which contender starts consistent top 5? That guy is likely going to be in the championship hunt...
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LungButter
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LungButter 1/8/2021 8:22am
1/8/2021 8:22am Edited Date/Time 1/8/2021 8:22am
cloud41 wrote:
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas...
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas gas told him to stay hush.
Is this is a similar situation to the Japanese manufacturers and aluminum frames?
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Dirty Points 1/8/2021 8:50am
1/8/2021 8:50am
cloud41 wrote:
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas...
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas gas told him to stay hush.
Why would they change?

It's cheaper, lighter, is one of the better performing forks in the field, and their spring fork was an absolute turd.
vdrsnk04
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vdrsnk04 1/8/2021 9:48am
1/8/2021 9:48am
cloud41 wrote:
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas...
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas gas told him to stay hush.
ML512 wrote:
Star racing is on air forks and has been since 2013.
What you said there is what made me go to kyb kit air forks and they are unbelievable!
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 1/8/2021 10:02am
1/8/2021 10:02am
cloud41 wrote:
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas...
Austrian brands holding onto the air fork like it’s the last piece of bread in a famine. Barcia knows the air forks are junk and gas gas told him to stay hush.
ML512 wrote:
Star racing is on air forks and has been since 2013.
vdrsnk04 wrote:
What you said there is what made me go to kyb kit air forks and they are unbelievable!
I have a 7 year old KX450 with KYB Airs on it by PC...all my friends that ride it say the forks are amazing.

Then I tell them they’re Air Forks!

Silly
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mmcmx
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mmcmx 1/8/2021 10:09am
1/8/2021 10:09am
ML512 wrote:
Star racing is on air forks and has been since 2013.
vdrsnk04 wrote:
What you said there is what made me go to kyb kit air forks and they are unbelievable!
TeamGreen wrote:
I have a 7 year old KX450 with KYB Airs on it by PC...all my friends that ride it say the forks are amazing. Then I...
I have a 7 year old KX450 with KYB Airs on it by PC...all my friends that ride it say the forks are amazing.

Then I tell them they’re Air Forks!

Silly
But I understand that KYB airs couldn't be more diferent than the other airs internally? I mean, my '14 kawi was't bad until heat made presure go up...

With the wp, I never could gel with it. I had a '16 don't know abot the new version.
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 1/8/2021 10:22am
1/8/2021 10:22am Edited Date/Time 1/8/2021 10:22am
vdrsnk04 wrote:
What you said there is what made me go to kyb kit air forks and they are unbelievable!
TeamGreen wrote:
I have a 7 year old KX450 with KYB Airs on it by PC...all my friends that ride it say the forks are amazing. Then I...
I have a 7 year old KX450 with KYB Airs on it by PC...all my friends that ride it say the forks are amazing.

Then I tell them they’re Air Forks!

Silly
mmcmx wrote:
But I understand that KYB airs couldn't be more diferent than the other airs internally? I mean, my '14 kawi was't bad until heat made presure...
But I understand that KYB airs couldn't be more diferent than the other airs internally? I mean, my '14 kawi was't bad until heat made presure go up...

With the wp, I never could gel with it. I had a '16 don't know abot the new version.
The new AER forks are excellent.
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luke11
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luke11 1/8/2021 10:39am
1/8/2021 10:39am
I can’t complain about the forks on my 350, feel as good as anything else I’ve ever run, maybe better. And just pumping some air in/out instead of changing springs is ace.

I might change my mind after having some more hours on them but right now air makes sense.
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J-Mill
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J-Mill 1/8/2021 11:25am
1/8/2021 11:25am
I do not care for the AER air forks... I’m quite confident he is using the 52mm Cone Valve spring forks. They might have a different mid valve than a cone but I’m pretty sure they’re not air....
chasetwo79
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chasetwo79 1/8/2021 11:42am
1/8/2021 11:42am
I swapped out my internals in my 16 FC450 but have left the AER in my 20 and tbh I’ve not had any issues with them in 25 hours on the bike. I told myself that I was going to ride them for a bit before making a plan on what direction to go and now I’m pretty sure I am going to stay AER and change some valving for the mid stroke and that’s it.

I’m a 6 foot, 215 pound, 37 year old Vet A rider who rides just MX and for me anytime I buy a bike I have to swap out both front and back springs and such. With the AERs I can simply swap the rear shock spring and then work with the air pressure on the forks. I’ve done nothing to the forks other than add air and mess with clickers and it works pretty well. Much better than I thought it would.

Air forks are the future and one of the main reasons that the Austrian bikes are so light.
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