WP A kit vs KYB spring conversion for AER?

Hammer 663s
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Forest Grove, OR US
10/28/2020 9:27am Edited Date/Time 10/28/2020 9:29am
Braaaphole wrote:
I finally got the bike I started this thread about and got to ride it. I will say that the 20 AER forks are a huge...
I finally got the bike I started this thread about and got to ride it. I will say that the 20 AER forks are a huge improvement over the 17 version I had previously. Despite being too soft, they were nearly as good as the 17 set I had revalved and setup for me.
I will be switching them to the MX Tech Lucky inserts after the first of the year though.
I will warn you - the MX Tech Luckys (I have Gen 1s on an 18 FC350, Vet Int) will give you greater trust in the front tire. You will go faster. You will run out of talent. You will hit the ground harder than your old a$$ can take. Ask me how I know. Smile

Hammer 663s
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RPM68
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10/28/2020 3:56pm
Vann Martin raced my KYB conversion this weekend at freestone and thought it handled way better than his cone valve set up.

2
1
bvm111
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10/28/2020 8:08pm
i’m taking the CV plunge
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10/30/2020 7:47am
I will give you my opinion on the kyb technical touch vs AER. The kyb adds quite a bit of weight. In a good way that...
I will give you my opinion on the kyb technical touch vs AER. The kyb adds quite a bit of weight. In a good way that is. You just hook up better in corners. That's it... That's all I got for 2grand. My AER forks set up by MVR are hands down night and day better. Small chop is non existent and with breaking bumps you feel your arms moving but not the harsh contact with the ground. The AER has amazing bottoming resistance. Best part is with MVR I got the revalve, polished fork tubes, All for $440
Pirate421 wrote:
I may have missed it but what is mvr? Looks like your in TN I’m down in Ky are they local to you? Thanks looking for...
I may have missed it but what is mvr? Looks like your in TN I’m down in Ky are they local to you? Thanks looking for a good place to get my suspension done without breaking the bank
Sorry it took so long. MVR suspension. Marc Hilton is in Hickory,Nc. You can find him on Facebook under his name not the company.
1

The Shop

10/30/2020 7:57am
Braaaphole wrote:
I've got a bike coming that I'll be posting a build thread on later, but the bike is going to be a fun one. I'll save...
I've got a bike coming that I'll be posting a build thread on later, but the bike is going to be a fun one. I'll save the details for later.
Initially it was supposed to come with A kit suspension on it but that deal fell through and stock suspension has been put back on the bike. Now I'm looking into the KYB conversion and that's about $2k and nice used cone valve forks aren't much more at all.
I haven't ridden either, so I don't know the difference. I do own a set of very well setup AER and they are pretty good, but I think I'd still refer a spring fork.
So for those in the know, is it worth it to spend the extra money on the A kit setup or is the KYB conversion going to work as well for me?
Keep in mind, I'm a Vet C rider and don't really race anymore. My kid will also be riding the bike here and there as he transitions off of 85s. I honestly don't need A kit suspension, but this bike is definitely worthy of having them.
I will give you my opinion on the kyb technical touch vs AER. The kyb adds quite a bit of weight. In a good way that...
I will give you my opinion on the kyb technical touch vs AER. The kyb adds quite a bit of weight. In a good way that is. You just hook up better in corners. That's it... That's all I got for 2grand. My AER forks set up by MVR are hands down night and day better. Small chop is non existent and with breaking bumps you feel your arms moving but not the harsh contact with the ground. The AER has amazing bottoming resistance. Best part is with MVR I got the revalve, polished fork tubes, All for $440
Rotaholic wrote:
Sweet, want to sell your KYB kit then?
I just sent them to my suspension guy to see what he can do. I wasn't impressed on how they came originally. I paid too much to give up on them that easily. If I still feel my AER
is better I will sell them. I do prefer the weight so I really want them to work
2
10/30/2020 8:14am
Pirate421 wrote:
My issue isn’t with them being bad by any means. I actually like the AER I can tell that they seem to have a bit more...
My issue isn’t with them being bad by any means. I actually like the AER I can tell that they seem to have a bit more stickiness if that means anything and the initial plushness is what I’m after. Going to keep playing with them though. It seems like when I get them plush on bigger jumps they want to bottom but when I get them stiff enough to not bottom they are a bit Too harsh for the chop and have a dead/hollow feeling. They only have 6 hrs on them so maybe they need to break in more.
I will tell you an old trick to get rid of any sticky feeling. Cut a thin strip out of an OLD air filter. Make it long enough to wrap around the fork leg. ( BUT NOT TOO THICK... YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY ) Pull down the dust seal and dip the cut filter in fork fluid. I ring it out a little then push up around the seal. Then put the dust seal back up. That was an old tip from dirt rider magazine back in the day and I still use it. You can feel a difference!!!
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STLSharky
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Edwardsville, IL US
10/30/2020 1:14pm
Bruce372 wrote:
Lol. Yeah, you guys are right. Dropping $2000 to $3500 on a new set of forks is all thats holding me back from dominating C class.
yz133rider wrote:
Is this your new crusade? Tired of bashing Suzuki’s so now it’s time to bash people for getting good suspension?
Bruce372 wrote:
no, i think its cool people wanna spend their money on the sport..... just find it a bit sad an inexperienced is under the impression he...
no, i think its cool people wanna spend their money on the sport..... just find it a bit sad an inexperienced is under the impression he needs to be doing the same, when maybe a simple revalve and bike setup from a good local tuner would probably be all that he needs.
No its just funny 99.9% of riders I bet dont know how to adjust anything, spend money on the ole shim shuffle
and think they got somethin.
TeamGreen
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Thru-out, CA US
10/30/2020 1:35pm
Just wanted to point out WP is now offering a spring conversion. Not sure its posted in this thread (might have missed it). https://www.wp-suspension.com/procomponents/offroad/xact-pro-7500/ I don't...
Just wanted to point out WP is now offering a spring conversion. Not sure its posted in this thread (might have missed it). https://www.wp-suspension.com/procomponents/offroad/xact-pro-7500/

I don't have the experience on the motorized side that most in this thread do (only 3rd year), but I do have two decades of mountain bike racing & suspension tuning under my belt. Not exactly apples to apples, I know.

That said, I was pretty impressed with my AER forks this year after adding the MX-Tech mid-valve. I'm an off road, "hard enduro" type rider, so my $0.02 probably don't mean much. My valving package is very soft, and not all that suitable for track (though being able to go up in spring rate quickly does allow me to at least ride track). I'm an "A" in off road events if it matters.

I've also had KYB SSS forks (YZ250) and cone valves, though they lacked in tuning IMO. Currently, I'd take my 2020 AER over any other forks I've played with.

Again, off road use - TX300i.
Nice post!

I also like my AER's. I run more air than most folks and I don't seem to have the "harshness" complaints that some folks do. The new mid-valve in the recent Red Bull/Rockstar Editions...and the 2021 production bikes...is really, really good.

My local suspension guy JBi, has a mid-valve that my friends have raved about; so, I'm gonna try that.

When I demo'd the 2020 TE and TX 300i...I prefered the TX for "fast off-road" and I liked the TE for plonking thru wet slimmy logs and rocks...but, it becomes a bit of a handful when you get going fast. The AERs on the TX seemed to work pretty damn well...and...again...I ran plenty of air.
Jeff_Brines
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Jackson, WY US
10/30/2020 1:40pm
TeamGreen wrote:
Nice post! I also like my AER's. I run more air than most folks and I don't seem to have the "harshness" complaints that some folks...
Nice post!

I also like my AER's. I run more air than most folks and I don't seem to have the "harshness" complaints that some folks do. The new mid-valve in the recent Red Bull/Rockstar Editions...and the 2021 production bikes...is really, really good.

My local suspension guy JBi, has a mid-valve that my friends have raved about; so, I'm gonna try that.

When I demo'd the 2020 TE and TX 300i...I prefered the TX for "fast off-road" and I liked the TE for plonking thru wet slimmy logs and rocks...but, it becomes a bit of a handful when you get going fast. The AERs on the TX seemed to work pretty damn well...and...again...I ran plenty of air.
Good feedback. I'm really interested in getting on a 2021. I also like what they did to the air spring (in theory anyway). Having dissembled the fork, the proportion of positive spring to negative spring is where the fork most lacks. 2021 they increased the negative spring volume which should really help the fork initiate a bit easier off the top. I'd also wager running less oil will be a commonality for the off-road guys (and gals).

One thing I really like about the fork is if you do want to noodle around, slow speed stuff, you can pull some air out, open up the rebound circuit and it feels entirely different. This especially works well if your oil levels are closer to 140-150 (less ramp up, less harsh further down)

Big problem is dive, and they aren't awesome when pushing them hard. But that's what higher pressure is for. Wink
TeamGreen
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Thru-out, CA US
10/30/2020 2:01pm Edited Date/Time 10/30/2020 5:59pm
TeamGreen wrote:
Nice post! I also like my AER's. I run more air than most folks and I don't seem to have the "harshness" complaints that some folks...
Nice post!

I also like my AER's. I run more air than most folks and I don't seem to have the "harshness" complaints that some folks do. The new mid-valve in the recent Red Bull/Rockstar Editions...and the 2021 production bikes...is really, really good.

My local suspension guy JBi, has a mid-valve that my friends have raved about; so, I'm gonna try that.

When I demo'd the 2020 TE and TX 300i...I prefered the TX for "fast off-road" and I liked the TE for plonking thru wet slimmy logs and rocks...but, it becomes a bit of a handful when you get going fast. The AERs on the TX seemed to work pretty damn well...and...again...I ran plenty of air.
Good feedback. I'm really interested in getting on a 2021. I also like what they did to the air spring (in theory anyway). Having dissembled the...
Good feedback. I'm really interested in getting on a 2021. I also like what they did to the air spring (in theory anyway). Having dissembled the fork, the proportion of positive spring to negative spring is where the fork most lacks. 2021 they increased the negative spring volume which should really help the fork initiate a bit easier off the top. I'd also wager running less oil will be a commonality for the off-road guys (and gals).

One thing I really like about the fork is if you do want to noodle around, slow speed stuff, you can pull some air out, open up the rebound circuit and it feels entirely different. This especially works well if your oil levels are closer to 140-150 (less ramp up, less harsh further down)

Big problem is dive, and they aren't awesome when pushing them hard. But that's what higher pressure is for. Wink
BINGO!

I learned all those lessons on my 450SXF riding it off-road at a top-secret riding area west of Edwards AFB...during the early days of The Zombie Apocolypse (Remember when NO-ONE was on the road?! I kinda miss that!)
Grinning

This last weekend I rode my SEVERELY UNDERSPRUNG FE350S on a 2 day ride and noticed that even though I'd made a HUGE mistake in -not respringing it- the action of the Explore fork was awesome in the gnarly trials like stuff or SERIOUS enduro challenges. Those forks were also serviced by JBi. I should have paid attention when he hinted at needing to go stiffer...
DOH!
So, they're back in his hands (The forks had 4.4 springs in them...how DUMB am I?)Woohoo
bvm111
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10/30/2020 4:55pm
here are the set i picked up for a great price, they are with Mark at REP to set up for my big ass and ability or lack there of!


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