Forks question - Is stock that bad?

A service reference
rhody_romes
Member
Posts: 18
Joined: 10:25 am Jun 07 2016
Country:
Location: Rhode Island

Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by rhody_romes »

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the KDX and I want to get my suspension set up correctly. I see a lot of KX fork conversion threads. Are the stock forks that bad? I'm a C rider who rides only single track trails- lots of rocks and roots and some harescrambles. I'm not fast and I'm fine with that. I plan to get new springs to match my weight and revalve the forks. Will that be enough for what I'm doing?
2000 KDX200
Dekon
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 674
Joined: 07:54 am Jun 26 2012
Country:
Location: Rhode Island

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by Dekon »

I don't race but once I got the proper springs for my weight, it made a huge difference in the handling of the bike. It was so much more balanced. A lot of people like to go to USD forks because there is less under hang with them.
sarrant
Member
Posts: 463
Joined: 02:47 pm Aug 10 2012
Country: USA
Location: Sac, Ca

Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by sarrant »

Properly sprung stock KDX forks sound perfectly fine for your needs and, quite frankly, for anybody who doesn't find them to be a limiting factor of their speed.
User avatar
Jaguar
Supporting Member
Posts: 590
Joined: 01:32 am Jul 03 2013
Country: Paraguay
Location: Paraguay
Contact:

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by Jaguar »

stock forks are just fine for everybody but pro racers as long as the right weight fluid is in them (I used 7.5wt) and the right strength springs are in them.
But I don't like the stock rear shock and replaced mine with an Ohlins shock which I loved.
Performance CDI -- KDX motocross mods -- the SR KDX -- expansion chamber analysis---> http://www.dragonfly75.com/moto/
User avatar
doakley
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1241
Joined: 02:58 pm Mar 10 2016
Country:

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by doakley »

I'm a slow C rider myself. Put the right wgt springs in and play around with the fork adjustment and you'll be just fine. I haven't tried the shim mod yet but plan to. I had a bigger problem with the rear. I sent my shock to FRP and let Jeff Fredette rebuild and revalve it. Then I set the sag correctly and it made a HUGE difference. Much better control and tracking. I'm in love with the bike now.
rhody_romes
Member
Posts: 18
Joined: 10:25 am Jun 07 2016
Country:
Location: Rhode Island

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by rhody_romes »

Thanks for the responses!
2000 KDX200
User avatar
SS109
KDXRider.net
KDXRider.net
Posts: 5770
Joined: 05:11 am Aug 23 2009
Country: USA
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA
Contact:

Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by SS109 »

Personally, I find the front forks dangerous if your a fast rider. They have way too much flex and the lack of rebound control just makes the problem worse. However, if you are literally just trail riding and/or riding really slow technical terrain, they are pretty good.
Youtube Channel: WildAzzRacing
AZ State Parks & Trails OHV Ambassador - Trail Riders of Southern AZ
Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
'11 GasGas EC250R
User avatar
kawagumby
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 927
Joined: 10:09 am Nov 30 2006
Country:
Location: California

Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by kawagumby »

I agree with SS109 100%. I am no pro-racer but the fork flex of the stock forks, with correct springs and gold-valves, caused a crash that changed my life forever - by throwing me off and over a cliff. Now that I'm older the pain from that get-off dominates my life. And that crash was a direct result of the forks flexing on a square-edged hole (at speed) and snapping back causing me to lose control. The USD forks I have installed on no less than four different bikes are night-and-day better, control-wise. No longer is flex an issue and the precise steering the USD forks provide is simply not possible with the stockers. I won't ride a KDX without USD's on them.
1994 KDX200, Beta 200rr, yz125, yz250, kx100 modded for adult, gasgas contact 250.
canamfan
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 444
Joined: 09:55 pm May 08 2011
Country:
Location: butler mo USA

Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by canamfan »

I had showa conventionals on mine for awhile. I like the stock forks better but I don't ride the high speed stuff like in the dessert. My previous 200 h series had gold valves and .42 race tech springs with race tech 5 wt oil. They were really plush. At 200#s I think I might need heavier springs maybe .44 as I smashed the forks all the way down on quite a few g-outs in some hare scrambles & I am not fast by any means. I think the stock forks will work good for what you want but if you decide to go high speed you might consider an upgrade. Jeff Fredette could sure fly on those stock forks.
Bitteeinit
Member
Posts: 360
Joined: 11:44 pm Jul 12 2014
Country:
Location: Cambodia

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by Bitteeinit »

They most certainly need to be reprung. The forks are way too soft otherwise (I'm only 190 with kit on). I had a 93 SR model with USD forks. New springs made a night and day difference. $100 well spent. Beyond that depends on the type of riding you do. I actually really liked the shock. Felt nice and soft, picked up bumps easily. With new springs I was able to ride much faster, and now i'm even faster on my WR450F, mainly because if the increased stability at speed. Even when going slow, the stock springs would just sink in with every bump.
spl383
Supporting Member I
Supporting Member I
Posts: 143
Joined: 06:05 am Apr 02 2013
Country: United States
Location: Carrollton, TX

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by spl383 »

I also think the stock forks are fine after being resprung. Everything I ride is tight woods, I hardly ever hit 4th or 5th gear.
lucy
Supporting Member III
Supporting Member III
Posts: 198
Joined: 09:58 am Jan 05 2016
Country:
Location: Orlando, Florida

Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by lucy »

I have never seen a photo of Jeff Fredette riding a 200/220 with USD forks.

'Nuff said.
User avatar
C George
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 550
Joined: 04:50 pm May 09 2013
Country:
Location: Vermont

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by C George »

Jaguar wrote:stock forks are just fine for everybody but pro racers as long as the right weight fluid is in them (I used 7.5wt) and the right strength springs are in them.
But I don't like the stock rear shock and replaced mine with an Ohlins shock which I loved.

Where did you come up with an Ohlins rear shock ?
05 KDX-220R / 06 KDX-225R / Maxima 927 / Millenium Tech / Ron Black / PC , FMF / Many 220 engine mods / 40 + yrs. of riding dirt bikes 🤟🤟
User avatar
Jaguar
Supporting Member
Posts: 590
Joined: 01:32 am Jul 03 2013
Country: Paraguay
Location: Paraguay
Contact:

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by Jaguar »

EBay of course. Ohlins from a 2002 GasGas 200 EC has the same length as the KDX shock.
Performance CDI -- KDX motocross mods -- the SR KDX -- expansion chamber analysis---> http://www.dragonfly75.com/moto/
cornishwrecker220
Member
Posts: 743
Joined: 06:37 am Nov 22 2009
Country:
Location: united kingdom

Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by cornishwrecker220 »

KDX forks work fine for trail riding, the only real downside is they start to get out of shape if your speed increases drastically over the rough stuff ..if you find them a little too soft then replace the OE springs for a pair of XR400 items & see how they feel before spending $$$$ on a KX fork conversion....the only other downside to the OE KDX forks are the under hanging lower fork leg which I found a pain especially in deep rutted washed out single track goat trails....they would strike sticking out rocks & catch roots etc which can, & will either stop you dead or snatch the handlebars right out of your hands !
User avatar
SS109
KDXRider.net
KDXRider.net
Posts: 5770
Joined: 05:11 am Aug 23 2009
Country: USA
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA
Contact:

Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by SS109 »

lucy wrote:I have never seen a photo of Jeff Fredette riding a 200/220 with USD forks.

'Nuff said.
And Jeff wasn't normally flying in 5th and 6th gears racing ISDE's. Plus, he isn't just an average guy. Jeff was an elite racer and one of the best ever so, yeah, he can/could do things on inferior equipment that us mere mortals can only dream of.
Youtube Channel: WildAzzRacing
AZ State Parks & Trails OHV Ambassador - Trail Riders of Southern AZ
Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
'11 GasGas EC250R
jjavaman
Supporting Member II
Supporting Member II
Posts: 342
Joined: 11:20 pm Jul 23 2013
Country:

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by jjavaman »

Hi, I did the shim stack mod (very easy to do) and being a slow old light weight guy, I'm loving them!
97-220 with a PC pipe. 2015- RB carb and head mod
sarrant
Member
Posts: 463
Joined: 02:47 pm Aug 10 2012
Country: USA
Location: Sac, Ca

Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by sarrant »

lucy wrote:I have never seen a photo of Jeff Fredette riding a 200/220 with USD forks.
Here's one, not that the style of forks matter much with regard to his riding level:
Image
sarrant
Member
Posts: 463
Joined: 02:47 pm Aug 10 2012
Country: USA
Location: Sac, Ca

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by sarrant »

Jaguar wrote:EBay of course. Ohlins from a 2002 GasGas 200 EC has the same length as the KDX shock.
Makes sense that it would fit. Didn't Gas Gas copy the KDX chassis pretty heavily for their bike?
User avatar
Jaguar
Supporting Member
Posts: 590
Joined: 01:32 am Jul 03 2013
Country: Paraguay
Location: Paraguay
Contact:

Re: Forks question - Is stock that bad?

Post by Jaguar »

I have no idea but if money wasn't an issue I'd get a Gas-Gas for my next bike. A riding buddy had one and man was it sweet.
Performance CDI -- KDX motocross mods -- the SR KDX -- expansion chamber analysis---> http://www.dragonfly75.com/moto/
Post Reply