Your experience - just springs, KTech, Tractive [megathread]

[Depta]

Hey fellow riders! I've been doing my research on this topic on and off for more then 6 months now. Went through all the threads here, on FB groups, watched all YT videos. It's still impossible for me to pick the best suspension upgrade for my riding style. There are just not enough comprehensive comparisons that would describe what exactly do you achieve by each of the upgrades. The most comprehensive one from the MAD YT guys is amazing, but still feel like it's missing a bit.

 

Thus I am asking you to share your own experience. What's the difference between the stock setup and the upgrade you got. Or if you had the luck and try multiple upgrades, feel free to describe those.

• What's your riding style, what did you wanted to achieve with the upgrade?
• Did you achieve it? 
• How is the difference on road? 
• How is the difference off road? 
• Any draw backs from the stock? 
• What are the current bottom necks? 

 

A bit about what I am looking for (feel free to share your opinion on what do you think would work best for me)

I am 100kg without gear. I mostly ride on the road (commuting, trips), but I have the most fun off road. Trying to push the limits. I am not super experienced, but I just love trying what's possible off road. I love to ride fast and also get technical in tough spots. 

 

So my ideal daily trip is to ride 2 hours to get out of the civilisation and then enjoy exploring and riding offroad for another 2 hours and then get back.

 

I would also love to do some amateur rally's on the bike. It's a dream of mine, but maybe a different bike would suite better.

 

I often ride 2 up or with a luggage for longer trips. 

 

Spending $3k on full Tractive upgrade is on the edge what I can bear right now. Tho if it's the only way to get something "meaningful" I am up for pulling the trigger.

I would rather be around $1k if it means I get 80% of the good stuff. 

Last year I tried 690 made to rally bike with stock suspension and man, that was a difference! I get it, 40kg lighter bike, but it was just so different. 

 

Would love to hear any experience of yours and any opinion. And I hope this helps others who are currently looking for the upgrade!

Edited March 18, 2022 by Depta

[JB700]

Great thread topic, just what I am looking for too !

 

I don't want to sacrifice 'on road plushness and poise', for an offroad set up (I doubt I will be riding offroad at more than 30-40mph on fir roads and no single track)

[Ray Ride4life]

Today i will pick up my Touratech World Traveller Extreme set at the suspension specialist where i bought it.

It's made by Tractive and the same but with better warranty and way more service points.

A Touratech dealer is not allowed to work on a Tractive suspension (long story to write up).

This weekend i will install it.

[Depta]

2 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

Today i will pick up my Touratech World Traveller Extreme set at the suspension specialist where i bought it.

It's made by Tractive and the same but with better warranty and way more service points.

A Touratech dealer is not allowed to work on a Tractive suspension (long story to write up).

This weekend i will install it.

Will be waiting for your experience & feedback! Did you go with the closed cartridge for forks? And which rear shock did you choose / which one from tractive Touratech offers? 

[Ray Ride4life]

1 hour ago, Depta said:

Will be waiting for your experience & feedback! Did you go with the closed cartridge for forks? And which rear shock did you choose / which one from tractive Touratech offers? 

Touratech Suspension WTE Extreme - SET for Yamaha Tenere 700 from 2019 | Touratech Nederland: Online-shop voor motoraccessoires

 

[S.Ga.Rider]

I just replaced my springs(ktech front, RR rear) and I am pleased with the results. I can actually set the sag now and the nose dive is gone. I still adjusting the rebound and compression to get it dialed in but for $300 it was worth it.

[Redneckj]

I installed the front and rear springs from hyperPro.  I’m 225lbs ready to ride.  GREAT bang for the buck.   On road plushness is still there.    Off road, it soakes  up the bumps better too.  I ended up with 2-3 more clicks of rebound than Hyperpro recommended on the shock, 2 less on the compression and 2 more rebound on the front than they recommended.  They sent their 10w oil and I used it.   I’ll swap it out for 7.5W motul fork oil next service.  

[Hollybrook]

@Redneckj, what spring rates did you go with?  We are similar weights. 

[Canadian-t7]

A lot of variables go into making a bike good at dirt or road, both isn't an option. I have been building mine for dirt.....so. I'm 6' , 185lbs without gear. I installed ktech springs for my weight the day I bought the bike, so I have zero input on what that would have been like offroad with stock springs, but I'd guess very, very bad. With the springs I rode a couple times in various terrains including single track on  stock tires(they work okay in dry terrain). I changed the rear rim to an 18x2.5 and installed motoz tractionator st tires. With an insane amount  of grip I could ride faster but the stock dampening couldn't cut it. Even with dampening 2 clicks from max hard it bottomed out over small bumps, and whoops. So the suspension went to SSS to get revalved. Now I'd say the dampening is as good as it's going to get. If I set it more then 2 clicks harder then they recommended it's to much dampening, but I do occasionally still bottom out the suspension(only in singletrack, I haven't bottomed it out on fast wide open terrain, even over farely large jumps). I ride pretty hard offroad, but I know this bike can go faster with more suspension travel.  So that's next for myself, but if your not an x- pro racer trying to get a bike to do things it's not meant to do then springs and a revalve will definitely get you 80% of the way there. Majority of offroad riders will not need more then that. I'm definitely happy with springs and a revalve though. On the road I don't have much input as my tires severely limit the onroad handling.  I do know the bike doesn't dive hard on braking and still feels smooth not jarring or to stiff on the road.

[Redneckj]

2 hours ago, Hollybrook said:

@Redneckj, what spring rates did you go with?  We are similar weights. 

The HyperPro set up only comes one way as far as I know.   Call EPM Performance.   They will

order them up for ya.   You won’t need a spring compressor for the forks.     You will need one for the shock.  The tusk spring compressor worked for me.  

[Ray Ride4life]

Hyperpro is a great suspension but only use the rear spring when you're a heavier person.

The linkage on the rear already makes it progressive, adding a progressive spring could make it worse when you're a light to average person.

I went all in with a Touratech WTE set which i'm installing as we speak (tohether with some orher items).

The cheaper options that are still very good and for most people (close to) perfect comes wirh Hyperpro front springs to compliment the progressive character of the rear link system.

[Redneckj]

I like the WTE set that Touratec sells.  That would be a great kit if someone wants to add an aftermarket shock.   
 Being that Hyperpro is a suspension company, I believe their suspension engineers know best if their progressive rear springs are the best way to go or not.   Hyperpro can build straight rate and progressive rate springs.  They choose to include a progressive rate spring with their T7 kit.  

 

  One day I will add a Penske rear shock to my T7. It will have a straight rate spring in it because that is how Penske engineers set up their shocks.    
 

 

 

[Ray Ride4life]

4 minutes ago, Redneckj said:

Being that Hyperpro is a suspension company, I believe their suspension engineers know best if their progressive rear springs are the best way to go or not.

Yes and no.
This information is given by me by the suspension specialist who sells almost every brand including Hyperpro so he doesn't has en reason to exclude Hyperpro.
Hyperpro however is more biased to the road.
I have Hyperpro on my Crosstourer and very happy with that but i use that one mainly onroad with just light to medium offroad.
Being happy with that i also put a set under my XT660Z and was not really disappointed but also not as happy as the CT, that's why i went deeper into this during the interview about what to get for my T7. That guy really takes the time to figure out how you use the bike to get to the best advice, he also wants to know how long you plan to keep the bike.
 

[Ktmmitch]

Tractive Suspension, in Holland, make suspension for us at Rally Raid Products, plus Touratech & under their Tractive label, which all tend to be the same design, with sometimes a few changes for each customer brand.

However, we at RR, have spent a long time developing our high-end 230mm travel Rally shock & closed cartridge kits with top riders such as Pol Tarres, and Rod Faggotter (Australia) for T7 owners to get the best product available for their T7's.

This development work is carried over into the 200mm travel shock & fork options, and we developed a 200mm travel Open Cartridge fork kit specifically for those riders that want a more comfortable, less extreme ride than the closed-cartridges can offer, at much lower cost and easier servicing.

These are available from us at RR, and manufactured exclusively by Tractive for us.

 

 

[Clax]

awesome.  you I get a remote preload adjuster for that shock?

 

ty

C