MAD TV testing: Re-shimmed vs. K-Tech vs. RallyRaid open cartridge

[Svrider]

4 hours ago, DT675 said:

@Svrider did you do just the forks for that $850? Im really interested in doing some drop in fork carts and a new shock. 

 

I watched the vid above and the KTech looks like a good way to go.  Anybody done both front AND rear and have some more feedback?

Just the forks, with shipping from over the pond, that's what the open cartridge RR inserts cost. I have not done any rear work yet. I recently switched my rear tire to a Dunlop Rally Raid and that has made huge improvements off road, and the rear end doesn't chatter trying to get traction. The other benefit it that on the road, this tire power slides beautifully. Although I don't recomend much hanging it out in the wet, it is a pretty well behaved tire.

[murkus]

23 hours ago, DT675 said:

@Svrider did you do just the forks for that $850? Im really interested in doing some drop in fork carts and a new shock. 

 

I watched the vid above and the KTech looks like a good way to go.  Anybody done both front AND rear and have some more feedback?

 

I did manage to install my fork cartridges.  Install was a nightmare, but the forks do perform pretty well.  And paying for a tech to install them kind of wipes away being a "budget" choice.

Edited January 9, 2023 by murkus

[DT675]

On 1/8/2023 at 10:30 AM, Windblown said:

 

@DT675 - I went with the Ktech valves and springs on the forks.  I'm pleased with the Ktech kit. I suspect one can still bump into the limits of it a little quicker than you can hit the limits of a good cartridge kit but the ride quality of the piston kit is very very good and expands the capabilities of the stock suspension tremendously.  
 

Haven't decided what direction I'll go with the shock yet.  Right now I have it just re-sprung and it's working better than I anticipated so not feeling in a rush to jump into changing it further.  If I do opt to make a change it would probably be to get another shock.  The stocker feels about as good to me as it has any right to. I don't think the valving is all that far off but I'm also not far from it's target weight range so that helps some.  

I’ve also re-sprung both my forks and shock and it make a big improvement.  That’s why I’m a little slow on the next step-  valving. But it does need to be done.  Thanks.

 

On 1/8/2023 at 10:58 AM, Hollybrook said:

I weigh about 225lbs without gear and that led me to follow a different path than @Windblown.

 

From past experience tuning race car suspensions, I have developed an appreciation for balancing damping and spring rates. I needed to go to a 90 or 95Nm rear spring and was concerned about exceeding the stock shock's damping capabilities especially during long bumpy rides.  Also, the small piston in the forks has issues in hard offroad use as does the geometry of the hydraulic bump stop. 

 

If I had bought this bike for mostly road riding or only planned to keep it for a year or two, I would have changed springs and re-shimmed the fork valves as per the excellent instructions on ADVRider.com.  But, I probably will never sell the T7 (I still have my 1985 FJ600 that i bought new) so went with the Rally Raid open cartridges and shock, both sprung for my weight. So far, I am quite happy with that decision.

 

Are they perfect? Certainly not, but they are much better than stock and I suspect better than I would have ended up with if I had gone the modified stock route.  They were also a one and done solution with no fiddling required, leaving me more time to ride. 

Thanks for the feedback.