Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1088954
14 Trail Rider Got to love evolu on in off-road motorcycling and we've been very fortunate to have seen some giant strides in recent years. Tire technology has come a long way with the new gummies for technical terrain and now we're ge ng familiar with fuel injected two strokes. Compe on between manufacturers is strong, and we as racers and riders are reaping the benefits. Suspension upgrades have always been a heavily debated topic. Casual trail riders tend to leave their stuff stock and adjust clickers to their taste. Heavier riders require s ffer springs to keep ride heights and rear suspension sag in check. Heavi- er riders on an under sprung bike can result in a quick trip to the forest floor. It all goes back to how serious one takes the sport of off-road riding. Last fall, we took delivery of a new 2019 KTM 300TPI. Having been fans of the KTM product for literally decades, we instantly fell in love this new model. In fact, I'd been accused of actually gloat- ing over how well I liked the bike and I wasn't kid- ding, it's the best out of the box KTM I've owned to date. As we racked up miles and added gear (along with a few extra winter pounds) I'd found the limits of the stock suspension. To be honest, I feel we're all somewhat guilty about lying to ourselves when it comes to upgrading spring rates. Well, I'd lied to myself a bit too long and decided to place a call to our buddy Drew Smith at Works Enduro Rider and see what he could do with our KTM's WP XPLOR fork and PDS shock. Having been at this game long enough, I knew that just throwing heavier springs on top of stock valving wasn't a wise decision. Having just turned 57 years old, I'd like to limit my trips to the forest floor so we opted for the full Monty so to speak. During our KTM 150 XC-W build (Every Op on Available), WER was chosen to lower and revalve the forks and shock. Along with taking a full two inches of travel out of the suspension, Drew installed the K-Tech bladder system in the shock. The difference was felt immediately, compliance over sharp-edged trail trash was much improved over the piston design of the stock reservoir. We like products that deliver and thought this me around we'd opt for K-Tech's ORVS (Off-Road Valve System) for the WP XPLOR forks. KTM WP XPLOR Fork Upgrades K-Tech's ORVS Performed by Works Enduro Rider