Posts: 587
Joined: 7/8/2015
Location: IL, USA
Edited Date/Time:
So with the talk of the 49mm showas being cheap A-Kit or derived from A-kit. How does this stack up with the fact that it now has factory coatings on it.
Obviously suspension really depends on personal set up and valving. But how does stock 49mm, the WE 49mm and A-kit compare to each other. Same question with the shock.
Posts: 11502
Joined: 12/28/2008
Location: Wildomar, CA USA
Administrator
Edited Date/Time:
Shocks are still quite different but fork wise...the WE's forks are pretty close to the same as the Kit forks you could get form Showa (PC specs some different parts). The cartridge and tubing is the same, damping rods and pistons are same...fork lugs are different though and there are still some small stuff inside like spring perches and clip height options...but it's pretty close.
But, ultimately it depends on who specs for the forks. Showa's kit forks and Pro Circuit's are actually fairly different at this point.
Posts: 117
Joined: 5/7/2013
Location: Grand Rapids, MI USA
The stock 49mm Showa suspension that comes on the let's say "base" CRF450 is going to have the 49MM fork tubes, but have production based internals for the fork and shock.
The "works edition" Showa suspension has the same internals as the "base" Showa suspension, but will have the fancy coatings that Honda claims to provide better small bump absorption and finer movement. Coming from mountain biking and snowmobiling, Kashima coating and Titanium nitride coatings on shock parts really don't make all that big of a difference for the average guy. Titanium nitride on the fork legs is a hard coating that is used to prevent wear on the shafts. Looks cool, but for the average guy it will just be a placebo effect. Ohh its a different color, has to work 10x better than stock.
Lastly, Showa A-Kit is going to feature the same 49mm forks and coatings on the base and works forks. However, the fork internals and shock internals are where the biggest differences are. The fork is going to have billet bottom fork lugs, a larger piston in the fork, 39mm subtank, and dimple processed outer tubes. The shock is going to have a larger shock shaft diameter, 30mm compression adjuster, and a 50mm billet shock body.
Upgrading to real A-kit is the best option and value. The Works edition is just "pretty" stock suspension.
Posts: 587
Joined: 7/8/2015
Location: IL, USA
Thats what i thought with the shock. I didnt see anything changed that internally. Just coatings.
But you could in theroy build yourself a good set of kit forks as there are options for lugs, perches, clip heights ect ect. Realistically you could send these to PC or FC and have the upgraded to true A-kit (i assume) a reasonable price vs buying a akit for another bike. Are the internals same material as well or different materials for production forks. For the difference in price it seems worth it to have have the upgradeed WE vs standard.
Im intrigued by these forks as i havent gotten my hands on a set to compare them to Akits ive worked on in the past.
Posts: 1625
Joined: 11/4/2009
Location: FM, USA
Posts: 148
Joined: 12/5/2010
Location: Henderson, NV USA
If the dlc and Kashima on the works edition are the same quality as Showa puts in the kxf's then it will be thin and not the best.
Posts: 496
Joined: 6/17/2016
Location: GBR
'15 KXF owner here, forks legs still black as night. My 2009 KXF had it too and that bike was 9 years old when I sold it. Forks in fantastic condition
I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not too sure.
Posts: 1019
Joined: 5/16/2015
Location: AUS
Posts: 1558
Joined: 3/25/2014
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 148
Joined: 12/5/2010
Location: Henderson, NV USA
JBecker 72 wrote:Same. Actually the forks on my 16 450 are Kayaba off an 11 and they look like new still.
That's awesome both of you guys have not had any issues. I have seen quite a few that due have some issues that I haven't seen much on actual kit or coated stock stuff that's all.
As mentioned above the stock 17-18 forks are good in stock condition. The kit shock is better, especially for supercross with the 18mm shaft.
Posts: 331
Joined: 5/6/2015
Location: CAN
I would have preferred DLC rather than the ti nitride coating. DLC is more durable and has a lower coefficient of friction. However, both coatings are better than chrome.
