Posts
1377
Joined
7/19/2012
Location
Trussville, AL
US
Edited Date/Time
1/20/2016 4:57am
So I was looking at getting a KTM 150 SX for my next bike, love everything about it but always turned off by the bad reviews in regards to the suspension. I always send my stuff off to Factory Connection, was wondering will they still suck even after a revalve? Thanks in advance!
The Shop
Btw, the only other things we found to really make the bike rip were a JD Jetting kit that cleaned up the jetting off the bottom & mid and the bike keeps pulling forever up top. The other minor change that made a major difference was to add a G2 Ergonomics quick turn throttle. The stock throttle pull seemed overly long and the G2 Product fixed that real quick!
Hope that helps! Great bike to say the least!
Switched to husky for this year (4cs fork/new ktm-husky shock) and i'm at the stage i don't want to go out on it. I believe that with work you could get the shock better, although Husky admitted that many pistons are machined too large for the shock body and seizing up - probably why mine feeels so bad), and the forks are horrendous, so harsh on the bumps!
It's a little different to you guys in america where lots of your tracks are like motorways with jumps but not many bumps, compared to the rough tracks i'm riding on in the UK, but i couldnt describe how bad the forks feel.
I now have some aftermarket suspension on the way which i hope will fix the problem!
I think it should be mandatory that when you make a suspension comment on a forum, that you post a video of you riding said suspension. Its 2016, HD cameras on phones now... post it up. I believe that one needs a certain about of basic technique/skill to give credible feedback. But 100% of the comments on suspension are opinion, that opinion I believe is skewed by what they read, viscous cycle.
Everyone has a take on what the solution is ranging from revalve to tossing them. Where you fall on the range is up to you.
Shane
I'd put the WP shock against the KYB any day... It's that good! The 4cs is not as good as the KYB fork but it's not a huge difference on this bike when it's set up correctly. Is it perfect? No, but neither is the KYB forks. If you want Farrari suspension you'll need to get A kit forks. Neither the KYB or 4cs are even in the same ball park as that set up!
Also, video doesn't tell the entire story. So I can show video of suspension tracking perfectly but it may still have a mid stroke harsh feel... Depending on who's tuning your suspension will determine how that can be managed. Also, someone else made a great point in that the 125/150 is a completely different animal than the four strokes and that will certainly have an effect on the feel of the suspension.
I was like chuckdavies up above, where my 250sx forks scared me a bit with how bad they blew through travel on braking bumps and weird scenarios. WP Factory Services revalved my suspension and got me on the right springs and it's much better and no longer scares me to death.
What are the comparisons and deciding factors for those who have tried them all?
I'm personally waiting for the 2017 AER forks...
My personal pick would be the WP A kit CV fork with the revalved stock based shock as a best case scenario when considering best bang for the buck. WP really has it going on right now for sure. Ohlins is a great choice as well but not as simple to get dialed.
Pit Row
Just go with a re-valve (re-spring if they recommend it) and you'll have a great time.
Those guys bleed orange, and will usually defend any and all things KTM...so when they almost universally complain about the forks...that was all I needed to see to not buy a KTM (I just bought a Kawi).
You can buy a Kawi and spend $400 and have them be amazing.
So though everyone revalved their suspension, you can get way more bang for your buck going with virtually any brand buy KTM/Husky.
I have 4CS forks on my Husky FE350S and they are AWESOME. STOCK! Added a bit of rebound and I go up-n-down on compression depending on where I'm at. I'm having the valving from the Husky incorporated in to a piar of 4CS on a new KTM450SXF...and I'll see where that get's me.
Shocks? They've been EXCELLENT. WP re-valve on the SXF and it's as good as ANYTHING I've owned...which includes A LOT of kit stuff from Enzo and PC.
I have a fellow Vital member, Slipdog, rebuilding the Husky stuff right now. He knows how to ride really fast and he knows how to make suspension work for his customers due to all the years he's been screaming around the track -AND- working on how to make his bikes smoother.
Find someone with one that will let you try it out. Do more then one practice session if you can.
I've never ridden a newer yamaha or even one with SSS forks until this year. Rode it at two different tracks, about 15 laps each time. Felt comfortable right away, hit all the jumps. Charging from the first lap. I wasn't blown away with the hype I have heard on here about them. Over jumping and slamming the front end down felt just as harsh as the 4cs. I also thought the 4cs handled the braking bumps better. But it was a 450 and I have a 250 2 stroke so I would like to try a yz250 for a fair comparison.
And before someone chimes in, but wait was it set it up for? No it was bone stock suspension just like mine. I have no problem adapting to any bike I get on, never had that problem of adjusting to new bikes. Maybe that's why I don't think the ktm is "weird feeling"
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