Posts
130
Joined
2/3/2017
Location
Sanger, TX
US
I just got my hands on a very lightly used '13 KX450 (less than 20hrs).I need to send the forks and show to get rebuilt and revalved, and was curious where you guys send your suspension? I have heard alot of good things about Factory Connection and Pro Circuit but i would like to hear first hand what yall think... Thanks!
The Shop
We have a strange relationship.
Click suspension labs - Bay OTHG
Paw Paw
David
774 Kawasaki KX450F
Factory Backing
Factory Seat
Acerbis
Dunlop
Mx Engine Stands
Matrix Concepts
I'm happy to help with any questions to help you make the decision that feels best to you.
Pit Row
If you do want some work done, Merge would be a good option as you can test it there. If, that is an option. Also, like crusher773 said, the factory connection group in proximity to him, has a very good reputation. As a matter of fact, they do/have done a lot of stuff for the elite pros in the state (like the ones that were on the broadcast tonight, and those injured that were out for the Detroit SX) and not because of sponsorship obligations but because of their end product. Service and quality are what I hear most about them, from anyone who uses, or has used them.
Ive always found it odd, that the better suspension gets, the more people get suspension work done. Just an observation and not directed at you or anyone in particular.
I've ridden a few times with the guy who sets up my stuff and he knew exactly what tracks I go to and at what pace I ride. I'm happy with the finished product.
Pete Payne at Heavy Duty Racing in Stafford, VA.
1. He's been around (experienced) and raced at the expert/pro level in moto back in the day.
2. He's really the one that got Santa Cruz MTN bikes started. Tom Morris had a bike he built in his garage & Paul Macaine's welding shop. Neezer saw it and brought the idea of a bike company to Novak who had money to back the idea (Novak is behind Santa Cruz Skate Boards). Tom would have never got it off the ground like Neezer did with Novak. Neezer was the glue though. Tom told me the story in his bedroom one day.....Many a moon ago. Before he built the first Tazmon bike frame. Sadly Tom had MS and died sometime back.
3. Neezer left Santa Cruz Mtn bikes to work for childhood friend Paul Turner (David Bailey's old mechanic - and a good 2 stroke pipe builder/porter) at RockShocks. Not sure Neezers input into the shocks but he was there with Mike McAndrews. McAndrews was Jeff Wards Mechanic and worked with the Dogger and Hannah too as a mechanic. He started this suspension company called Factory Connection. Have you heard of it? Anyways, McAndrews sold Factory Connection and went to work with Turner to build the rear shocks as I recall. At the time Rock Shocks only had a fork. Neezer was there and involved with all those Rock Shock Products with Turner.
4. McAndrews, Neezer and a guy named Lampman left Rock Shocks as it was running into issues as a pubic traded company (such a company NEVER should have gone public... that's another story). They go to work for Fox Shoxs (Bob Fox) as a team to build a fork for them. Fox at the time only makes a rear bicycle shock. Interestingly enough Rock Shock tried to buy Fox shocks but the FTC blocked it as I recall...... So McAndrews, Neezer and Lampman, who were fresh off the Rock Shock Psylo fork project, go to Fox shocks.
5. Fox shocks doubles in size in a few years. They produced the best fork in the biz.. no plastic parts.. all machined al and cast mag. Paired with the existing fox rear mtn bike shock they get a ton of OEM spec's and Bob Fox’s company grows way beyond the snowmobile biz that was keeping it going. These 3 guys... Bob Fox should be buying them lots of cool shit every year!
More to the story that Neezer can fill in if he wants to jump in... but the bottom line is most suspension turners are clowns. I'm not looking to insult the good ones. And, there are some, but most, are just nuts and have no clue. Neezer has the right background. And he understands mfg'ing product, and knows where/how to get that done too.
Oh.. and there is this kid doing pretty well right now in AMA supercross. He has this dad named John that used to race mountain bikes. Neezer used to do the testing/setup work for John's mtb s when he was at Rock Shocks.
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