Forks

[Kennith StycheMember]

I currently have a WR 450 f 07 and after about 10 hrs it began to bottom hard and pack in the forks. I rebuilt the base valves using a dual shim stack set up and race tech gold valves. The forks are performing well at both high and low speed but the bike is still diving a little more than I would like and on large flat landing jumps it bottoms hard. I weigh 93kgs no gear – running 110mm oil height 2.5 w and standard springs. I service them every 20 hrs changing the oil and stripping and cleaning. What would you suggest?

[StuartMember]

On my 09 the front end was bottoming over small erosion mounds whilst stock.

It now runs the Teknik T Valve, standard .46 springs & 5mm preload. I’m also running a Clarke 13.5l tank & weigh 88kg no gear.

The handling is superior, it still bottoms if I land front heavy, asked about .48’s and was told I’d be borderline, with the .48’s being to stiff.

Minimal dive in the front end as well.

[Kennith StycheMember]

Im thinking the heavier springs may be the answer. Im no Chad Reed but I do ride reasonably fast – im trying to find that perfect happy medium. I am happy with the performance in the single but in the faster open section when you hit the big stuff fast she bottoms hard.

[DeanMember]

Motoman, I would add say 10ml of oil thru your bleeder screws andf see if that has an effect. 2.5wt is really light you could experiment with heavier grade oil,im using 5wt in the marzocchi’s. other than that go the stiffer fork springs,they will make a huge difference Im no expert maybe our Technics guru can give some good advice.

Ollie

[Nick DoleMember]

First post…need to get my account sorted :S , but anyway at 93kg you could go up to 0.48kg/mm springs but its not a biggie. It’s the lack of dampening character that’s made the change after 10 hours.

As another person mentioned, we have developed a kit for the WR fork as many people say the same thing,
” best for ever when the bike was new, but then after about 10 hours it started bottoming, then it got harsh, now it’s not that good!”

The fork is a little unconventional in that it uses a poppet valve for the passive (base) valve. Ohlins used this system a few years ago and it was a moderate success, but they dumped it in about 05. They went back to a “contentional” set-up and that’s what we sell for the WR.

Nick@teknik

Sorry i skipped the bit about the gold valves. here is hint, SINGLE STAGE VALVING!!!!! Ditch that wimpy dual stage stuff. You will actually need a bunch of shims to make it work, the Race Tech kit does not have what I think is a good setting. It can be made to work OK though.

[GregMember]

Whats the kit worth to an Old Bull member with our discount of course :laugh:
Is it a kit that can be self fitted or is it better done by you guys?

And welcome mate how about and intro from you and Brad?

TB

[Nick DoleMember]

Intro from me? Ok well most of you have probably guessed i own Teknik Motorsport. I started the business out of the ashes of the Ballards XR’s only workshop in 2001.
I’d had my fair share of suspension experience working at Ballards and i struck up a deal with GB to buy the tooling from the workshop as GB wanted to move away from the service and repair side. I opened up around the corner and have been here ever since.
I’ve been a mechanic all my life, in the automotive and motorcycle industry’s and i’ve always ridden/raced anything i could lay my hands on. From St Ives mini bike club on a borrowed KX80E (84) to a Greg Cady MX school at Failford park in 86. The rod in my YZ125K let go on the last day of a week long school so i had to learn how to split cases and press a crank! Ok for a 16 year old looking back. Then it was onto Hawkesbury club on a few different bikes, eventually an XR600. Renmember when we all had them?
All of our products are our own brand. It’s been a deliberate move on my part as i’m a controlling bastard and i don’t like selling products i don’t like, or disagree with the design.
I’ve known Brad as a customer since 2004. We both decided last year it might be good for both of us to work together. He’s done Finke about 5 times and a lot of trail riding in between so he has a good perspective for our customers, plus he’s bigger than most (175kg ish) so when a guy calls up who is 120kg and asks if we can build suspension to suit him, Brad can give a first hand account of what a good set-up can do for a heavy rider.

Brad and I will try to answer question as quickly as we can. I’m sure there is some post alert i can turn on. Anyone know how to do that? :blush:

Nick

[Dwayne OMember]

Good on ya Nick,
Great to have you guys onboard!!!

Cheers

[Anonymous]

Nick,

I have looked in the back pages and can’t see an obvious way that you can be notified when someone posts in this forum. However, you can get email notifications when someone replies to a thread you have subscribed to which will help alert you to any other replies to an existing thread.

To do this you simply click the red flagged button at the bottom or top of the page.

Hope this helps

[pedroMember]

hi i also have a 07 wr 450 had same problem when new .so i fitted .46 springs 5wt motul oil 95mm spring in.bloody beautifull just floats over bumps and has never bottomed hope this is of some help pedro

[Author]

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