Springs Only vs Full Upgrade

[jdub289f]

Yet another suspension topic here, but a slightly different one. Out of everybody that talks about what they did to their bike, it's usually one or the other. I'd like to know if anybody has any experience starting with just heavier springs only, then upgrading to full cartridges and new shock. Was the full upgrade a massive difference from just heavier springs? I'm about 225 ungeared, ride a fair share of off-road, and race in A class on a dirt bike. Thanks for the input!

[DanDoesStunts]

The major difference is the valving. Springs just allow correct sag.

[john_aero]

I think for budget minded a spring and K-tech valving is a nice option (this is option ill go for in time)

[Hollybrook]

I am the same weight (225 lbs) and decided to go straight to a full suspension upgrade. My thinking was that increasing the spring rate as much as I needed to would overwhelm the stock dampening. 

[palada]

I did springs first for several months. The forks dove too much on braking and the rear wallowed through every curve on the street. Off road was also bad. 
 

i bought a TFX shock and had K Tech cartridges installed and it changed the handling completely. No more dive or wallowing on the street and it rides reasonably well off road. Off road is still limited, it’s not an enduro or an 890R, but way better than before. 
 

If you can upgrade now, you should. In my case, I was able to reuse the front springs but the shock was different, so a bit of $ wasted. 

[Alan M]

9 hours ago, john_aero said:

I think for budget minded a spring and K-tech valving is a nice option (this is option ill go for in time)

This is what I went for. As well as the bike generally feeling better off road one thing that’s sometimes overlooked with a suspension upgrade is it could be the difference between falling off or staying upright.

 

On Sunday I was out with a friend, he has stock suspension . I went down a steep incline, bike got away from me on loose shale and I hit a double bike size hole at the bottom, suspension bottomed hard but didn’t spit me off. My mate done a carbon copy of me but ended up on the deck clutching his balls and he’s a better off road rider than me.

 

Sorry for the waffle but my point is up rated springs are a bit pointless without controlled damping to match.

[john_aero]

56 minutes ago, Alan M said:

This is what I went for. As well as the bike generally feeling better off road one thing that’s sometimes overlooked with a suspension upgrade is it could be the difference between falling off or staying upright.

 

On Sunday I was out with a friend, he has stock suspension . I went down a steep incline, bike got away from me on loose shale and I hit a double bike size hole at the bottom, suspension bottomed hard but didn’t spit me off. My mate done a carbon copy of me but ended up on the deck clutching his balls and he’s a better off road rider than me.

 

Sorry for the waffle but my point is up rated springs are a bit pointless without controlled damping to match.

100% agree and this is prob first bike have not touched suspension 

 

want make sure I know what I want and need before get them sent to K Tech

 

was quoted €800 for parts and labour to fit ktech springs and valves  to both ends

 

[jdub289f]

4 hours ago, palada said:

I did springs first for several months. The forks dove too much on braking and the rear wallowed through every curve on the street. Off road was also bad. 
 

i bought a TFX shock and had K Tech cartridges installed and it changed the handling completely. No more dive or wallowing on the street and it rides reasonably well off road. Off road is still limited, it’s not an enduro or an 890R, but way better than before. 
 

If you can upgrade now, you should. In my case, I was able to reuse the front springs but the shock was different, so a bit of $ wasted. 

Good info! So far im leaning towards building up the cash a bit then invest in the suspension correctly. One and done 

[Alan M]

21 minutes ago, john_aero said:

100% agree and this is prob first bike have not touched suspension 

 

want make sure I know what I want and need before get them sent to K Tech

 

was quoted €800 for parts and labour to fit ktech springs and valves  to both ends

 

Think I was a similar amount in £.

 

 I only changed the rear spring, I’m a bit of a light weight so opted to keep the front springs standard for now. I prefer a bike on the softer side spring wise for off road.

[john_aero]

4 minutes ago, Alan M said:

Think I was a similar amount in £.

 

 I only changed the rear spring, I’m a bit of a light weight so opted to keep the front springs standard for now. I prefer a bike on the softer side spring wise for off road.

think it was £650 for springs, osrv front valve kit and rear piston with shims. all I stalled and tested but ktech on norther Ireland 

 

 

[winddown]

5 hours ago, jdub289f said:

Good info! So far im leaning towards building up the cash a bit then invest in the suspension correctly. One and done 

 

I lashed out and got the front springs upgraded, better valves installed, and a quality rear shock with a thicker piston.  It does make a world of difference.  Brakes are brakes and engines are engines but tires and suspension is what really connects a bike with the road.  Suspension is also the place where the manufacturers choose to save some $$$, they always have too going way back to the beginning.  I was chatting with a rider at the servo the other week, he was on a euro bike, can't remember what, but it had Ohlins on the back and it was factory installed.  I said that's cool.  He chuckled and said it was only the cheap Ohlins shock and fork setup.  I didn't even know they made a cheap range.  The only bike I have ever owned where I didn't feel the need to upgrade it was the bmw-rr, and just as well because it's all electronically controlled and impossible to swap out without losing the dynamic damping control, which is light years ahead, at least for the street.

 

Here it is if anyone is interested

 

DDC - technology in detail | BMW Motorrad

---

DDC enables damping action of upside-down forks and spring struts to be adapted dynamically to the relevant riding situation – for instance with rapid changes in direction while riding chicanes on the racing track. You...

 

[Noel McCutcheon]

On 4/3/2023 at 7:21 PM, john_aero said:

think it was £650 for springs, osrv front valve kit and rear piston with shims. all I stalled and tested but ktech on norther Ireland 

 

 

@john_aero Hi John, who did Ktech work in Northern Ireland?

[john_aero]

1 hour ago, Noel McCutcheon said:

@john_aero Hi John, who did Ktech work in Northern Ireland?

 

PLR suspension, Clarence is his name.

 

he is also into mx bikes

 

i have not had chance send mine up to him yet

[Noel McCutcheon]

1 hour ago, john_aero said:

 

PLR suspension, Clarence is his name.

 

he is also into mx bikes

 

i have not had chance send mine up to him yet

@john_aero Ah Clarence (Bell) I believe, yes known top guy. I’ll look up him up for doing my stock shock, when me Touratech one comes. Thank you John.

[john_aero]

On 8/13/2023 at 12:43 PM, Noel McCutcheon said:

@john_aero Ah Clarence (Bell) I believe, yes known top guy. I’ll look up him up for doing my stock shock, when me Touratech one comes. Thank you John.

 

I need to get mine off and sent up to hi at some point too