New to Air Forks, Revalve?

usafwx
Posts
1377
Joined
7/19/2012
Location
Trussville, AL US
Edited Date/Time 4/15/2017 1:35pm
So I decided to pick up a 16 CRF250R, found a great deal on one with only 6 hours after riding a 15 I liked it so why not while I'm young.

Anywho, this is my first set of air forks and I'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed coming from my KYB SSS stuff. I understand I need to set my sag first, then my pressures, then try the maps for the engine, then come back and mess with clickers which is intimidating alone to say the least as I'm not good at figuring out what its doing on the track as far as stroke, feedback, etc. I mean I can tell you when its kicking or something obvious like that, but still feel an incoming headache about which clicker for what and when and why.

I've been watching a few videos on them including @ML512 's video on setting them up (by the way just finished your podcast on pulpmx which had some great suspension discussion as well, as always nice work Mike!) and can't make up my mind if I should just send them off to Factory Connection and go from there or try my hand at it and save the dough.

From what I've read here many think revalving is a waste for slower guys, others say its a must, some say its a waste with air forks, just trying to get some opinions being I'm just a C class weekend warrior. Thanks for all the help/responses in advance!

Zach
|
PFitzG38
Posts
1637
Joined
11/6/2009
Location
Newport Beach, CA US
4/15/2017 9:32am
I feel you pain. Try getting a feel for what they are doing before sending them off. A good way to get a feel is to back off your clickers one at a time all the way. You'll feel it. Then go the other way all the way. It's a little easier finding the happy spot that way. Once you do you won't have to go much either way for changing conditions.

Yes it's a little easier said than done, but once you start to learn, riding is that much more enjoyable

Don't make changes in the garage and...........Enjoy the process
usafwx
Posts
1377
Joined
7/19/2012
Location
Trussville, AL US
4/15/2017 9:35am
PFitzG38 wrote:
I feel you pain. Try getting a feel for what they are doing before sending them off. A good way to get a feel is to...
I feel you pain. Try getting a feel for what they are doing before sending them off. A good way to get a feel is to back off your clickers one at a time all the way. You'll feel it. Then go the other way all the way. It's a little easier finding the happy spot that way. Once you do you won't have to go much either way for changing conditions.

Yes it's a little easier said than done, but once you start to learn, riding is that much more enjoyable

Don't make changes in the garage and...........Enjoy the process
Thanks man. I'll admit I've been lazy and just sent my suspension off in the past and bolted it back up and rode. I bet I've wasted a lot of money doing that too. I think I'm just being hard on myself and like you said too worked up about getting it dialed in then trying to enjoy learning how to do it. Thanks!
usafwx
Posts
1377
Joined
7/19/2012
Location
Trussville, AL US
4/15/2017 9:43am
One possible solution: [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/04/15/188204/s1200_airforks.jpg[/img]
One possible solution:


Lol. Honestly I don't think they're as bad as many make them out to be, even ML512 agrees, more complicated yes.

The Shop

PFitzG38
Posts
1637
Joined
11/6/2009
Location
Newport Beach, CA US
4/15/2017 10:14am
usafwx wrote:
Thanks man. I'll admit I've been lazy and just sent my suspension off in the past and bolted it back up and rode. I bet I've...
Thanks man. I'll admit I've been lazy and just sent my suspension off in the past and bolted it back up and rode. I bet I've wasted a lot of money doing that too. I think I'm just being hard on myself and like you said too worked up about getting it dialed in then trying to enjoy learning how to do it. Thanks!
No worries, I'm going through the same thing with my AER48's. I don't even really know where to take a pair of WP forks, but I want to get a good feel for stock before I get them revalved so i can dial them in easier when I do, and feel what I'm paying for better.

Don't be afraid to use more air and back off compression. Thats what finally worked for me. Kind of like going to a stiffer spring and lowering oil. Good luck
moto0852
Posts
944
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Draper, UT US
4/15/2017 10:31am
usafwx wrote:
Thanks man. I'll admit I've been lazy and just sent my suspension off in the past and bolted it back up and rode. I bet I've...
Thanks man. I'll admit I've been lazy and just sent my suspension off in the past and bolted it back up and rode. I bet I've wasted a lot of money doing that too. I think I'm just being hard on myself and like you said too worked up about getting it dialed in then trying to enjoy learning how to do it. Thanks!
PFitzG38 wrote:
No worries, I'm going through the same thing with my AER48's. I don't even really know where to take a pair of WP forks, but I...
No worries, I'm going through the same thing with my AER48's. I don't even really know where to take a pair of WP forks, but I want to get a good feel for stock before I get them revalved so i can dial them in easier when I do, and feel what I'm paying for better.

Don't be afraid to use more air and back off compression. Thats what finally worked for me. Kind of like going to a stiffer spring and lowering oil. Good luck
So I'll just make a little sales pitch for Dicks Racing (MX1 suspension) in Washington Ut. if you have AER 48's.

I have a 17 KTM 300 XC and just couldnt get it working right. I'm 185 lbs. without gear so he put a heaver spring on the shock (which made the forks feel better and more balanced) and revalved the forks to the new specs.

There are 3 iterations of the AER48 setup. The 16.5 F.E. the 17's and the 17.5 F.E. all have changes. Dick updates the internals to what KTM will be using in the 18 production bikes.

(I believe MXA did an article in it's latest edition on his upgrades)

Anyway. It made me love my bike!
OW38B
Posts
3226
Joined
8/17/2006
Location
Coto de Caza, CA US
Fantasy
203rd
4/15/2017 1:35pm
RickA
Posts
244
Joined
12/10/2016
Location
Duluth, MN US
4/15/2017 2:55pm
usafwx wrote:
Thanks man. I'll admit I've been lazy and just sent my suspension off in the past and bolted it back up and rode. I bet I've...
Thanks man. I'll admit I've been lazy and just sent my suspension off in the past and bolted it back up and rode. I bet I've wasted a lot of money doing that too. I think I'm just being hard on myself and like you said too worked up about getting it dialed in then trying to enjoy learning how to do it. Thanks!
PFitzG38 wrote:
No worries, I'm going through the same thing with my AER48's. I don't even really know where to take a pair of WP forks, but I...
No worries, I'm going through the same thing with my AER48's. I don't even really know where to take a pair of WP forks, but I want to get a good feel for stock before I get them revalved so i can dial them in easier when I do, and feel what I'm paying for better.

Don't be afraid to use more air and back off compression. Thats what finally worked for me. Kind of like going to a stiffer spring and lowering oil. Good luck
Don't even think twice. Send them to Craig Decker at Enzo. My AER forks are the best forks I've ever had, period.
tempura
Posts
2079
Joined
5/18/2015
Location
JP
4/15/2017 3:21pm
They're not as bad as people would have you believe, but they certainly are a bit different in feeling. They have a kinda numb feeling compared to spring forks.
On my CRF, I run a little higher in the balance chamber than the inner.
JBecker 72
Posts
1738
Joined
3/25/2014
Location
VA US
4/15/2017 5:48pm
OW38B wrote:
[img]https://racetech.com/images/rt_scs_forkspring_ol_600.jpg[/img]
This is what my 16 KX450 is gonna get.
OW38B
Posts
3226
Joined
8/17/2006
Location
Coto de Caza, CA US
Fantasy
203rd
4/15/2017 5:54pm
OW38B wrote:
[img]https://racetech.com/images/rt_scs_forkspring_ol_600.jpg[/img]
JBecker 72 wrote:
This is what my 16 KX450 is gonna get.
You have "wisdom beyond your years". Cool

Post a reply to: New to Air Forks, Revalve?

The Latest