KTM forks on a BMW: Garage Night Episode 11 WATCH NOW!!

The last time I wanted a shock absorber I asked for a white power shock,
the shop droid said "WP suspension?" and I said why use the abbreviation?

I hadn't realized they'd officially altered things, I'd just assumed it
was the current trend to 'acronymize' everything...


G-S

 

So you don't think it's possible that (a) someone could have
damaged their forks, or (b) simply want to change the characteristics
of the front suspension?

One of the more popular mods for my own favorite bike (Suzuki SV)
is the installation of "emulators" (little cartridge-like gadgets that
change the forks' response - see http://www.racetech.com/ and
search for "cartridge emulators" for more). Since their installation
requires removal and reinstallation of the forks, a video on
"fork replacement" could be a useful help for many folks.

Bob M.

 

In this case, the intent was probably to make the bike more
dirtworthy. If the travel and fork length were increased, a
longer pair of rear shocks would also be appropriate.

 

Hi Waz. Good stuff again from guys!

Say... just taking a shot in the dark here but, there was a funny
video uploaded to UTube a little while ago. It was done by a guy who
made an automatic garage door opener for his bike. His voice sounded
exactly like the main narration/tech guy you had in your previous
videos. Was it you who filmed that?

You ever going to do a garage night on a Harley subject?

 

BTDT. We don't need no steenking warranty.

 

Dude! I'm not going to put a lot of effort into looking up the design
concepts involved in the BMW fork versus the WP fork to tell you what
the advantages of each design are, but you really should read up on
motorcycle technology so
you can have a clue as to what's going on with the more sophisticated
products.

Kevin Cameron's book on sportbike technology is at Google Books, so
you can read up on damper rod vs. cartridge forks and adjustable
rebound and compression damping.

 

Just curious, Don - what would you think would be
a particularly "Harley" subject?

Bob M.

 

You asked, I answered. I keep forgetting that you're
now well down the path to the Dark Side.

Bob M.

 

Pick up truck maintenance?

N/

 

To answer Datesfatchicks et al, yes the idea is to make the bike more
dirtworthy, and to have better suspension, and the K*ntucky Fri*d
Wh*te P*wer suspension is better.

Oh and Rkleinsch ... just the one shock on the rear of these bikes!
I'm pretty sure the rear has already been changed to WP - there's two
F650s in the garage with a lot of swapping of bits between them so I
lose track.

Touratech sells a bolt-on kit that I think uses 43mm WP forks but we
decided to go our own way and save some bucks.

Waz
http://www.garagenight.tv

 

How do you hold your fork? Unh, scratch that. I don't want to know.

 

"Care and maintenance of tassels"

"Corners, and why you should avoid them"

"Essential gifts for the road captain in your life"

"How to use an angle grinder to disassemble your motorcycle"

 

Hey Don,

No, not us with the garage door video.

None of us are Harley guys, I'm afraid, so not much chance of a Hog
special. Sorry to disappoint - I hope you won't hold it against us.

And we wouldn't want to reignite the whole chain vs shaft vs belt
drive debate of a while back (oops, maybe I just did!).

Fatchicks, are you the same guy who wrote 'death is possible' when we
showed how to replace a drive chain a while back???

Waz
http://www.garagenight.tv

 

(c) took it apart, "just to see what it looked like" and screwed it up
trying to get it back together.

 

Gawd; that takes the gâteau!

 

No, even I can manage to install new ones. Unless you mean dismantling
the forks themselves - I could do it but I'd be bad at it.

 

Apropos, a colleague of mine has this as his Facebook status message today:

"... is doing the motorcycle test today, and is really really nervous...
The bloody Harley Davidson just wouldn't go around corners"

Made me laugh, but I already teased him enough about his choice of bike,
and I don't want to make him nervous so I didn't bite. I'm crossing my
fingers for him - he's a very nice guy. And Geneva needs more wobbly
Hardleys.

 

How about, "Maintaining a Macho Image While Biting Weinies"?

 

Tons of potential subjects, Bob (that might broaden the site's
viewship, which is why I suggested it) since, as a group, Harley
riders probably do more tinkering (yes, much of it daft) with their
rides than any other.

One example? Installing a lowering kit - something done quite
frequently.

 

When I speak of "shocks" plural, it's my age talking.

And the original 650 wheel wouldn't have worked because
it couldn't accommodate the wheel bearings required for
the new axle or some other reason ?