Posts: 518
Joined: 5/22/2015
Location: AUS
Edited Date/Time:
To make it quick, I've got my suspension apart, and I'm wondering how you get the outer tubes that dark copper type color that the A-kit stuff is, along with the cool colored inner tubes? kinda like this: 
And while I'm here, whats the deal with lugs? They obviously are removable, but how? And how much would some machined ones cost, if you're able to but them?
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Joined: 11/18/2014
Location: Nacogdoches, TX USA
Posts: 518
Joined: 5/22/2015
Location: AUS
slackinoff wrote:
About $500 to kashima coat the outer tubes, $700 to DLC the inner tubes.
worth it?
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Joined: 11/18/2014
Location: Nacogdoches, TX USA
Ha, not sure. Never done it or rode one with it. I just happen to remember some prices I saw. Those are Enzo's prices from their website.
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Joined: 7/19/2015
Location: Palo Alto, CA USA
$1200 bucks for trick coatings is not exactly a bargain. If your looking for seconds to shave off your lap times it MIGHT be worth the effort?
otherwise if your actually trying to be competitive and go as fast as possible save that 1200 towards a secondhand a-kit
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Joined: 11/30/2013
Location: Portland/Los Angeles, CA USA
poulinaa wrote:
$1200 bucks for trick coatings is not exactly a bargain. If your looking for seconds to shave off your lap times it MIGHT be worth the effort?
otherwise if your actually trying to be competitive and go as fast as possible save that 1200 towards a secondhand a-kit
If you have the money to spare, why not. But like Poulina said, better money spent putting it towards a used A-kit.. If you got lucky to find forks for $3k, your almost halfway there...
There's actually a bunch on eBay now...
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=showa+a+kit&_frs=1
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Joined: 11/18/2014
Location: Nacogdoches, TX USA
Another benefit to A-kit stuff or WP cone valve is that you can recoup allot of that money when you want to sell them.
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Joined: 7/21/2011
Location: Galesburg, IL USA
slackinoff wrote:
Another benefit to A-kit stuff or WP cone valve is that you can recoup allot of that money when you want to sell them.
Not necessarily. True A kit forks can cost upwards of $8,000. After a couple year's riding, you would be lucky to get $3-4K used.
That being said, you could buy a used A kit easily for around $3,500 use them for a couple years, freshen them up and then sell them for close to what you paid.
IMO, the initial depreciation, like anything new, is not worth the cost.
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Like this guy... Spent $11k and now trying to get $5k and they have been on there for a while!
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Joined: 12/6/2014
Location: AZ, USA
Edited Date/Time:
I had my stuff done in Japan, I sold another bike and decided to use that money for my new bike suspension. suspension has about 40 hours on it, but the fork tubes were still in good enough shape that they could apply the DLC. I had everything done. Revalve, all wear part replaced if necessary. Both DLC and Kashima coatings on the forks and shock.
I only did the coatings because with the Yen rate. It was really cheap compared to what it cost in the states. Most of the companies in the states are middle mans and ship it to Japan for being coated anyways. at least the kashima stuff.
sorry i can't let you know if it's worth it or not, i won't get to try it out for another month or so. The company I used is Technix, they are partnered with MX-tech in the states.
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Joined: 1/2/2015
Location: DFW, TX USA
Edited Date/Time:
The showa forks on a kawi come stock with DLC coating. I figured they all were these days. Is it just Kawasaki?
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Joined: 5/22/2015
Location: AUS
Edited Date/Time:
drenmaster wrote:
I had my stuff done in Japan, I sold another bike and decided to use that money for my new bike suspension. suspension has about 40 hours on it, but the fork tubes were still in good enough shape that they could apply the DLC. I had everything done. Revalve, all wear part replaced if necessary. Both DLC and Kashima coatings on the forks and shock.
I only did the coatings because with the Yen rate. It was really cheap compared to what it cost in the states. Most of the companies in the states are middle mans and ship it to Japan for being coated anyways. at least the kashima stuff.
sorry i can't let you know if it's worth it or not, i won't get to try it out for another month or so. The company I used is Technix, they are partnered with MX-tech in the states.
THAT is what I'm looking for!
my forks are actually KYB SSS, and i don't feel like i need A-kit stuff...
Where did you get that done?
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Joined: 12/6/2014
Location: AZ, USA
731chopper wrote:
The showa forks on a kawi come stock with DLC coating. I figured they all were these days. Is it just Kawasaki?
Kawi has a "DLC type coating" it's not the same quality as what suspension companies put on stuff. But probably still better than just chrome.
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Joined: 12/6/2014
Location: AZ, USA
Fresh wrote:
THAT is what I'm looking for!
my forks are actually KYB SSS, and i don't feel like i need A-kit stuff...
Where did you get that done?
It was done by a company in Japan. you can translate their page if you want. http://www.technix.jp/ but MX-tech in the states is the same company.
Like i said i got a really good deal otherwise i would not have done the coatings.
These parts are from a 2014 yz450 SSS is awesome.
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Posts: 915
Joined: 12/6/2014
Location: AZ, USA
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Joined: 10/29/2013
Location: Boulder, CO USA
Fresh wrote:
Can i just get the Kashima, or do they kind of go hand in hand?
you cant put kashima on the lower legs. just fyi
-'09 KX500AF
- '19 KX450F
Posts: 518
Joined: 5/22/2015
Location: AUS
Fresh wrote:
Can i just get the Kashima, or do they kind of go hand in hand?
JBernard_401 wrote:
you cant put kashima on the lower legs. just fyi
i knew that, but is there any point getting Kashima without DLC? Or DLC without Kashima?
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Joined: 10/29/2013
Location: Boulder, CO USA
Fresh wrote:
i knew that, but is there any point getting Kashima without DLC? Or DLC without Kashima?
doesnt matter. they neither are required for the other at all.
like other people said, i'd invest in used A kit. thats what i did, after dumping some $ in my stock stuff to make it look nicer.
-'09 KX500AF
- '19 KX450F
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Correct me if I'm mistaken...
Kashiwa on the uppers or shock body is just for looks correct?
DLC on the lowers or shock shaft will help performance because it has less friction than chrome?
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Joined: 10/29/2013
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CarlinoJoeVideo wrote:
Correct me if I'm mistaken...
Kashiwa on the uppers or shock body is just for looks correct?
DLC on the lowers or shock shaft will help performance because it has less friction than chrome?
no its less friction than type 2 anodizing.
how much? way out of my league to be able to start telling the difference.
-'09 KX500AF
- '19 KX450F
