Author Topic: Fork adaption  (Read 1789 times)

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Offline kxraptor

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Fork adaption
« on: November 02, 2009, 01:10:45 AM »
My son and I have 2 500's a 93 and an 01 with stock suspension.Instead of re-doing our outdated suspensions with Race Tech stuff is it possible to adapt later forks from a newer 450 ,kx or other.I dont wanna spend 4-500$ per set of forks and only see minimal improvement.

Offline jfabmotorsports.com

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Re: Fork adaption
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2009, 02:15:18 AM »
I have an '02 YZ426 that has the same style KYB's as your '01 does; Base valve none cartage forks. The rear shock inner workings are also the same between the two bikes, they even use the same rear spring. The YZ will out handle the KX in every instance on a MX track. It is exactly like comparing a Corvette to a Vega. My point is the hardware is the same, the difference is the geometry of the suspension.
    What is the suspension not doing that you want it to do?

JFAB
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Offline kxraptor

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Re: Fork adaption
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2009, 09:11:03 AM »
We have done the correct spring for our bodyweight mod both front and rear.The KX's are ridden in all sort of desert terrain.Mostly sandy,occasionally incredibly rocky.Where the KX's lack is in whoops of all sorts and quick turning in tight situations.We ride with late-model 450 guys and they eat us up in the tight stuff.I figured adapting late model forks and rear shock would help us in putting the 450's back in the dust.

Offline don46

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Re: Fork adaption
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2009, 09:49:01 AM »
If you have access to a lathe you can make 09 forks work, I've used 05 250f forks on an older 500 and am confident that I could install new ones if I had the need. I would say your 01 forks are equivelent to about a 97 98 KX 250. the newer components are more rigid. you could defineately enhance your 93 forks with something newer. As for shocks, about all you can expect over yours are a larger shaft and piston, and while they may work better it may be only because they are newer. 93 is pretty old, so yeah I think you could benefit from some upgrades, primarily because the 93 units are probably worn and the right newer stuff may not be.
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