Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1521336
June 2024 25 With the suspension now upgraded, revalved, and sprung for my geared-up weight, it was me to hit the trail for a proper evalua on. My first observa on was an increase in seat height as a result of the s ffer springs. That's fine with me as I'm not a short guy and appreciate the increase in ground clearance/foot peg height. Once on the trail, the difference in how the bike behaved was remarkable. Gone was the harsh- ness that had been bea ng up my wrists and the bike was much more planted without a hint of deflec on. I'd imagine this improvement is a result of proper springs for my weight and correct rear suspension sag se ngs. It's also quite plush in the sno est of terrain. I've always found it interes ng how s ffer springs can actually deliver a so er ride. The reason behind this phenomenon is if the rider is too heavy for the stock springs, the forks are much deeper into the stroke. With progressive suspension valving, to combat bot- toming, the deeper you push into the fork travel, the more aggressive/s ffer the valving becomes. Basically, in stock form, I was riding too deep into the stroke, into the firmer valving, delivering a harsh ride. Anoth- er bonus is how well the bike tracks and turns with the sag now set for my weight. With the stock shock spring, sag was way off, and the forks were raked out greatly affec ng turning while also deflec ng unex- pectedly on hidden rocks and roots. It's always fun when a project delivers such great results. In this case, I'd like to thank Drew Smith at Works Enduro Rider for his exper se in the field of off-road motorcycle suspension. A 20- me ISDT/E compe tor and R&D team member for Suzuki and Honda, Drew fully understands the dynamics of off-road suspension demands and needs. A man at the top of his game, Drew goes the extra mile when it comes to custom tailoring a suspension package for his custom- ers. Drew asks lots of ques ons concerning rider weight, ability level, and terrain. He takes this informa on and applies his proprietary valving to the components installed. Whereas some suspension shops might install suspension up- grade kits with valving right out of the box, Drew custom valves these components to fit each and every customer's needs and he certainly nailed it on this project. The end result is a bike that's enjoyable to ride by being predictable, plush, and safe. The bo om line for this rather comprehensive suspension upgrade might not be as much as you'd expect. Shipped to our door, this package was under $1900 and we feel that's a bargain compared to other op ons currently on the market. This package hugely transformed the bike as in stock form, I'd been riding defensively and that's never a good situa on. With the full K-Tech WER suspension package, my new ride now begs to be pushed while riding confidently! Huge thanks to Drew Smith at Works Enduro Rider and Skip Dowling at K-Tech for all their help and exper se in helping with this project. It's people like you that make this sport so fun, enjoyable and safe. K-Tech Front Fork ORVS System Part # 117-600- 023-005 $511.50 K-Tech Fork Springs Part # 435-470-46 $134.40 K-Tech ORVS Shock Piston/Valve Assembly Part # 217-600-046-014 $158.75 K-Tech/Kashima Shock Body Part # 211-305-025 $191.92 K-Tech Reservoir Bladder Conversion Kit Part # 211-900-105 $123.88 K-Tech Rear Shock Spring Part # 59-225-75