RMZ450 BFRC Shock swap option available

Phillip_Lamb
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Phillip_Lamb
a buddy of mine did the research. the 2019+ RMZ 250 Rear KYB is a direct bolt on and with the stiff spring and valving worked out of the box.

Complete from the OEM is ~$500


https://thumpertalk.com/forums/topic/1311531-2018-and-up-450-shock-opti…
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slipdog
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slipdog 5/13/2020 9:45pm
5/13/2020 9:45pm
Not a bad price for a complete shock, all things considered.
Ryan625
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Ryan625 5/13/2020 9:55pm
5/13/2020 9:55pm
Any idea it that would swap onto an RM125!?
MXer391
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MXer391 5/14/2020 7:33am
5/14/2020 7:33am
Lots of guys running the KYB 250 shock on their RMZ 450s. Most dealers give you a parts discount if you purchase a new bike so you can get the shock even under $500. There are a few suspension shops out my way that will sell you the complete shock revalved and resprung for your weight also. I haven't rode a 450 with the KYB shock yet but I hear that it is a significant udgrade.
mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 5/14/2020 8:10am
5/14/2020 8:10am
Is the shock really all that bad, or are guys not willing to try to get them to work, much like the air forks?

I know a few guys, ex testers and long time racers, that have no issues with the BFRC shock on the 450.
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GODZILLA
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GODZILLA 5/14/2020 8:15am
5/14/2020 8:15am
What it needs is an air shock filled with helium.
Laughing
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MXer391
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MXer391 5/14/2020 10:53am
5/14/2020 10:53am
I don't know if the valving is off or what but it feel like the back of the bike wants to lift up when you're off the throttle or coming down a hill. I'm not fast so it wasn't the biggest deal for me but I definitely noticed a different feeling. I know that some pro's are running the shock, particularly the Honda and Kawasaki teams in MXGP and AC9, so I'm sure it can be made to work well. I would agree that it is like air forks were and there just isn't enough testing at the amateur level yet. I wouldn't be surprised if the new production 2021 Honda CRF 450 came with the BFRC shock or even a KX 450 in the future. It seems like Showa is pushing development of it, but that's just coming from me looking a pictures on the internet. I'm obviously not an expert or insider.
bh
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bh 5/14/2020 11:12am
5/14/2020 11:12am
The shock has 2 chambers, the inner chamber has holes at the bottom that lead into the outer chamber the piston inside the inner chamber is solid and just moves the fluid. When the shock moves the the chamber one chamber will be sucking in fluid and the other will be pushing. There’s a video mx tech has of it broken down that helps. So mechanical it’s pretty different in how it works compared to a standard shock. (FYI I could be wrong in some of this, I’ve never worked on one. This is just what I’ve gathered from some research.)
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Huckster
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Huckster 5/14/2020 12:41pm
5/14/2020 12:41pm
MXer391 wrote:
Lots of guys running the KYB 250 shock on their RMZ 450s. Most dealers give you a parts discount if you purchase a new bike so...
Lots of guys running the KYB 250 shock on their RMZ 450s. Most dealers give you a parts discount if you purchase a new bike so you can get the shock even under $500. There are a few suspension shops out my way that will sell you the complete shock revalved and resprung for your weight also. I haven't rode a 450 with the KYB shock yet but I hear that it is a significant udgrade.
What shops are doing that?
Ted722
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Ted722 5/14/2020 12:56pm
5/14/2020 12:56pm Edited Date/Time 5/14/2020 1:01pm
mattyhamz2 wrote:
Is the shock really all that bad, or are guys not willing to try to get them to work, much like the air forks? I know...
Is the shock really all that bad, or are guys not willing to try to get them to work, much like the air forks?

I know a few guys, ex testers and long time racers, that have no issues with the BFRC shock on the 450.
Good question. The thought of buying a shock / spring that gets rave reviews vs paying to revalve / possibly respring with mixed results. May not be worth the time / effort for some to get the BFRC dialed-in as it is something that feels “different” from the get go.

The little I’ve ridden my ‘18, it does feel great on corner/chatter exits, but really moves through the stroke (up and down) fairly quickly in rolling sand style whoops.. Braking bump entrances are “lively.”

That’s all before I got the Ride Engineering links to lower the rear. Dramatic improvement on confidence. Shock, by and large, behaved a littler better, but the chassis balance not overpowering the front in high speed corner entrances made a big difference (for me).

So, in a long winded answer, if I’m going to spend (however amount) to revalve / respring my BFRC, I have enough familiarity with a standard shock to know I’d spend a little extra to get the shock behavior I’m more familiar with in 30 plus years of riding full size bikes.

I still haven’t made a decision, but I will do something soon. If I can revalve the BFRC and keep my stock spring for under $200, that’s the route I’ll try first.

$300 or more?

That money’s probably going to a KYB ‘19 RMZ250 shock/spring. Wink
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MXer391
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MXer391 5/14/2020 1:52pm
5/14/2020 1:52pm
MXer391 wrote:
Lots of guys running the KYB 250 shock on their RMZ 450s. Most dealers give you a parts discount if you purchase a new bike so...
Lots of guys running the KYB 250 shock on their RMZ 450s. Most dealers give you a parts discount if you purchase a new bike so you can get the shock even under $500. There are a few suspension shops out my way that will sell you the complete shock revalved and resprung for your weight also. I haven't rode a 450 with the KYB shock yet but I hear that it is a significant udgrade.
Huckster wrote:
What shops are doing that?
PR2 Racing does them. There was another I saw also but forget exactly who. May have been Evo. Sorry I got your PM and tried to respond. Not sure if you received it.
Huckster
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Huckster 5/14/2020 2:14pm
5/14/2020 2:14pm
MXer391 wrote:
Lots of guys running the KYB 250 shock on their RMZ 450s. Most dealers give you a parts discount if you purchase a new bike so...
Lots of guys running the KYB 250 shock on their RMZ 450s. Most dealers give you a parts discount if you purchase a new bike so you can get the shock even under $500. There are a few suspension shops out my way that will sell you the complete shock revalved and resprung for your weight also. I haven't rode a 450 with the KYB shock yet but I hear that it is a significant udgrade.
Huckster wrote:
What shops are doing that?
MXer391 wrote:
PR2 Racing does them. There was another I saw also but forget exactly who. May have been Evo. Sorry I got your PM and tried to...
PR2 Racing does them. There was another I saw also but forget exactly who. May have been Evo. Sorry I got your PM and tried to respond. Not sure if you received it.
Thanks

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