Navaho6
02-19-2007, 07:38 AM
If you have a KLR, DR or any other bike with damping rod forks, and you ride offroad, you should consider installing Race Tech valves. The difference is incredible.
Shortly after I bought my '06 DR650 I changed the shock and fork springs to suit my weight (160). It was a decent improvement over stock but the bike was still unpredictable in deep sand, over roots, on small jumps and even washboard gravel roads. The bike did not feel "planted".
I soon found out that Race Tech had cartridge emulators for the forks and also a Gold Valve kit for the shock. I had a local Race Tech guy (Shay Racca in Prairieville) do the work last week and took it out Saturday for a test ride.
I am amazed at the difference. Log crossings were a risky move before the mod, even with heavier springs. Now, they're fun!
Before the revalve, jumping the DR with just heavier springs was too much of a challenge. The front was still too soft but rebounded too fast. It was the same problem with the heavier rear spring, and I could still bottom out the suspension on bigger jumps.
Now, the take-offs and landings are easy (very predictable!!). I tried hard to bottom the suspension and couldn't do it. I came close but never felt it hit. Ideally, that's what I wanted.
Potholes and washboard roads are no longer an issue. I went out looking for the worst ones I could find, and I didn't have to look hard here in Louisiana. I used to avoid them because they would slow the bike down and cause the rear to bounce sideways. Now I don't even worry about them. The bike tracks straight and floats across the bumps.
The one benefit that I didn't expect was the much improved steering response on the road. It's so quick to turn, I have to be careful not to whip it like I used to. The front end feels firm and doesn't nose dive during hard braking like it used to.
It was money well spent. My DR is a very capable offroad dual-sport bike now. At 330 lbs it will never take the place of a real "dirt bike" but I don't want it to. I have another bike that's 115 lbs lighter with 10 more "ponies" that's a lot more fun on the trails.
Here are a couple of short clips of the DR in action:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1985728925801923887&hl=en
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8716251534815105134&hl=en
Shortly after I bought my '06 DR650 I changed the shock and fork springs to suit my weight (160). It was a decent improvement over stock but the bike was still unpredictable in deep sand, over roots, on small jumps and even washboard gravel roads. The bike did not feel "planted".
I soon found out that Race Tech had cartridge emulators for the forks and also a Gold Valve kit for the shock. I had a local Race Tech guy (Shay Racca in Prairieville) do the work last week and took it out Saturday for a test ride.
I am amazed at the difference. Log crossings were a risky move before the mod, even with heavier springs. Now, they're fun!
Before the revalve, jumping the DR with just heavier springs was too much of a challenge. The front was still too soft but rebounded too fast. It was the same problem with the heavier rear spring, and I could still bottom out the suspension on bigger jumps.
Now, the take-offs and landings are easy (very predictable!!). I tried hard to bottom the suspension and couldn't do it. I came close but never felt it hit. Ideally, that's what I wanted.
Potholes and washboard roads are no longer an issue. I went out looking for the worst ones I could find, and I didn't have to look hard here in Louisiana. I used to avoid them because they would slow the bike down and cause the rear to bounce sideways. Now I don't even worry about them. The bike tracks straight and floats across the bumps.
The one benefit that I didn't expect was the much improved steering response on the road. It's so quick to turn, I have to be careful not to whip it like I used to. The front end feels firm and doesn't nose dive during hard braking like it used to.
It was money well spent. My DR is a very capable offroad dual-sport bike now. At 330 lbs it will never take the place of a real "dirt bike" but I don't want it to. I have another bike that's 115 lbs lighter with 10 more "ponies" that's a lot more fun on the trails.
Here are a couple of short clips of the DR in action:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1985728925801923887&hl=en
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8716251534815105134&hl=en