lets talk suspension.......

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  #21  
Old 04-18-2012 | 04:04 AM
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This another thread by "Skooter" and is a nice tutorial of the "zomby woof" fork spacer technique: https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...spacers-29147/

I know that one day I will eventually get some springs & valving from RT or Moto-pro, as to many people on here have said the handling is night & day after doing the suspension work but hey the spacers will have to do for now

Btw i'm 5 clicks out from the hardest setting & it helped with the nose diving a little!!
 

Last edited by JoelThailand; 04-18-2012 at 05:37 AM.
  #22  
Old 04-18-2012 | 02:46 PM
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for my fork spacer, the shop recommended buying a PVC coupler (1-inch I think) and cutting it exactly in half for two spacers of about 1-inch length each.
 
  #23  
Old 04-18-2012 | 02:56 PM
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Originally Posted by stephenmarklay
I was just playing around in the garage and turned in the rear a couple of clicks each so I am at 8 and 6 clicks. I also did the front at 2 clicks. Is zero clicks a lock out

I actually remember reading that you are supposed to have it raised to do the front so but I did not a few minutes ago. I may redo that in the morning.
Interestingly going from 4 clicks to 2 clicks did seem to increase the perceived rate.
 
  #24  
Old 04-18-2012 | 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted by stephenmarklay
Interestingly going from 4 clicks to 2 clicks did seem to increase the perceived rate.
I didn't lift my front end when adjusting mine... I noticed a difference between 4 and 5 clicks out. A settings of 2 should be pretty stiff!!! You can probably send it off a 50-foot cliff and not bottom it out now...
 
  #25  
Old 04-18-2012 | 03:36 PM
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Originally Posted by rgoers
I didn't lift my front end when adjusting mine... I noticed a difference between 4 and 5 clicks out. A settings of 2 should be pretty stiff!!! You can probably send it off a 50-foot cliff and not bottom it out now...
Its raining today so I am not going to ride it but tomorrow I will see how it feels on the road. It feels like the front to rear is less of a difference where before the front was just down right sloppy. For my riding it is only noticeable when braking. The front dive is very pronounced. Perhaps it will be less so now.
 
  #26  
Old 04-19-2012 | 06:36 AM
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I personally want to relax the clickers down to somewhere between 8-12 clicks & let the forks valves do there job properly. Adding harder springs or pre-load washers will allow this to happen. IMO running the forks a couple of clicks from hardest is not good for forks or the bikes handling.
 
  #27  
Old 04-19-2012 | 09:13 AM
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Originally Posted by JoelThailand
IMO running the forks a couple of clicks from hardest is not good for forks or the bikes handling.
Can you elaborate on this? I don't see anywhere in the manual that says not to and it says adjust for conditions. As far as handling I did find yesterday that the front end has less dive than at four clicks. 8-12 was very sloppy.
 
  #28  
Old 04-19-2012 | 11:38 AM
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Originally Posted by stephenmarklay
Can you elaborate on this? I don't see anywhere in the manual that says not to and it says adjust for conditions. As far as handling I did find yesterday that the front end has less dive than at four clicks. 8-12 was very sloppy.
Just saying, whacking up your clickers to the max to stop nose diving is a very short term fix. As does adding heavier weight oil to reduce fork travel.

The klx is well know for having crappy soggy suspension, even though they are made by KYB. Stiffer springs or big pre-load spacers will stop the nose diving & allow your valves to dampen efficiently over bumpy ground, this I believe will not happen with your clickers adjusted to the max.

I'm no suspension expert & invite anyone else to jump in on this!
 
  #29  
Old 04-19-2012 | 04:16 PM
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With the preload spacers and a few clicks of compression damping, the front end doesn't dive as bad. No way your going to get specactular performance out of these forks, theres no rebound adjuster. Going to kx forks seems cheaper than respringing and gold valves...Read up in planetklx and check eBay
 
  #30  
Old 04-19-2012 | 05:09 PM
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I measured kx250 fork tubes with double chambers and they were around 2mm too large in diameter in order to fit into the stock klx250s triple clamps (2009). Now I wonder if the whole triple clamp assembly (upper and lower w/ steer tube) off of a kx will transfer over to the klx?

Then there is the issue of axle diameter, wheel spacers, brake caliper fitment that I am unsure about compatibility.

I will probably just upgrade the stock klx250 forks/shock (moto pro) and learn to love the new feel vs the kx changeover since I am not really a hardcore rider, yet I do want an improvement over the stock setup as delivered from the factory.
 


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