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DrSweden
12/15/2011 5:14am
12/15/2011 5:14am
Edited Date/Time
1/27/2012 8:54am
Can someone explain to me the evolution in suspension tech the last decade? People rave about diff version, exemplified as in the superiority of the KYB SSS, amazing FC revalving. Still I get the impression that every time someone jumps on a mid nineties well maintained bike, they come out saying, the suspension wasn't that bad. I have rode some, owned a 91 CR and I can't really say I would loose a race because of bad suspension?
I remember reading the CR500 vs CRF450 test MXA did some years ago and they felt the 2001 CR500 suspension was pretty decent after all?
I figure there's a difference when you are a A rider, riding SX but how much can you do? Has the configuration really changed? Still oils going threw small holes, springs compress and bushing with basically same materials sliding on similar steel and alumnium surfaces no?
Right springs for your weight, and the right oil amount and viscosity and just go?
Obviously I'm clueless, but I would appreciate if someone could explain it, like how come the 2002 Showa of a CR250 is so much worse than the Showa version on the later CRFs. What did they really do to make it SOOOOO much better?
I remember reading the CR500 vs CRF450 test MXA did some years ago and they felt the 2001 CR500 suspension was pretty decent after all?
I figure there's a difference when you are a A rider, riding SX but how much can you do? Has the configuration really changed? Still oils going threw small holes, springs compress and bushing with basically same materials sliding on similar steel and alumnium surfaces no?
Right springs for your weight, and the right oil amount and viscosity and just go?
Obviously I'm clueless, but I would appreciate if someone could explain it, like how come the 2002 Showa of a CR250 is so much worse than the Showa version on the later CRFs. What did they really do to make it SOOOOO much better?
One of my favorite quotes from Bob Hannah.
Reporter - Bob, did you ever get arm pump?
Bob - Not until they came out with USD forks.
The Shop
Showas Airfork will be cool when it comes out
To say that A-kit stuff isn't the shit though is to admit you've never ridden on it. The high-end expensive as the bike suspension is worth it if you're a pro. That stuff soaks up big hits and square edge bumps like it's nothing. On a normal practice track that's smooth with small berms you'd never tell a difference between A-kit or stock, but on rough ass rutted up tracks at big races that stuff is a dream.
If we were honest, most of us don't have a clue about the fine differences; we don't demand that much.
So to answer Drsweeds question I think suspension in the last 10 years is pretty much the same or can be massaged to feel pretty much the same. Until we adopt some F1 technology we wont be seeing leaps and gains in suspension R&D.
The twin chamber Showa design was actualy introduced by Honda in 1997, not Suzuki in 1994. There have been tweaks since then but it's mostly just valving changes and evolutionary stuff (coatings, different outer shapes, etc). Rebuild kits interchange from 97-07 or something like that.
I put 98 model twin chambers on my 96 CR and with the correct spring rates, they felt just fine. But I'm not a pro and definitely not on a SX track.
Shocks started getting adjustable high and low speed rebound in the mid to late 90s also.
I think a lot of the benefits have just been understanding how the chassis and suspension work together and designing around that equation. That's why the first gen of Honda aluminum frames were so bad to ride.
SFF forks look like a real step forward in design, and I also read that PC is testing an "air fork" with no spring at all. It's also not really air (it's nitrogen I think), so that'll be another special tool/gauge that people will have to buy if this ever goes into production.
I've never ridden A kit or factory stuff, so I can only talk on what I've noticed in production.
Twin chambers were introduced in 97 with the aluminum frame. The design of my 98 CR twin chambers is identical to that of my 2009 RMZ 450.
If you look at the schematic, you can see that's a twin chamber design. "Twin Chamber" means there are two separate oil chambers, right?
I have no idea if the twin chamber design was ever used in a conventional fork.
"Doc, get me back to spring 05, I have to go back and NOT ride a motorcycle. I need to prove somebody right. What do MEAN, the fuckin' DeLorean is in for an OIL CHANGE?!?! NOW, Doc!
Pit Row
Honda introduced the Showa twin chamber in 97. The link will take you to the parts fiche from motosport.com.
http://www.motosport.com/dirtbike/oem-parts/HONDA/1997/CR250/FRONT-FORK-97
Follow the link and tell me that's not a twin chamber fork. I remember rebuilding those SOBs back in 97.
So what that really means as far as the evolution topic is that the suspension technology we are using now goes back even further than I had thought.
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