- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
[video=youtube;FDRhvmoB9lE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDRhvmoB9lE[/video]
The KTM 4CS fork thread...
- Thread starter Vonski
- Start date
Vonski
nothing to see here...
- Location
- Payson, Utah
I believe stillwell can make 4cs work along with kreft and a few others. They'll all be in the $1200 to $1500 range though. Alan did the susp. on my old bike's open chamber forks.
Vonski
nothing to see here...
- Location
- Payson, Utah
After more than a year of complaining about my forks, I'm finally doing something about my 4CS dilemma. To be fair, Notch Peak did a re-valve that helped a little. About 6 months ago I reduced the spring rate and fluid level, which also helped a little. However, finding a permanent solution has been long overdue.
Sure, at any time I could have sent them to Kreft or Stillwell. I've ridden bikes with 4CS forks that have had work done by both companies, and they corrected the issues with hard edge bumps and hack that these forks are known for. Unfortunately, this will set you back $1200-$1500 by the time you pay shipping. Of course, it only goes up from there if you opt for DLC coatings or other extras.
A few of the fancier (and more costly) options were WP tubes/shafts with Showa internals (requires machine work), WP tubes/shafts with Ohlins cartridges (no machining required), and KYB SSS forks using custom triple clamps/Yamaha front wheel/oversize disc conversion (to make up for losing the Brembo brakes). People are trying some unusual stuff out there, but those are some of the more common ones I've read about.
I've had to be patient, but I finally got some used WP CC forks from a '13 450sxf off of ebay. I know, there's nothing real exciting or exotic about swapping WP forks for another set of WP forks, but I know it will work good and the math makes sense.
You'd think a set of newer WP CC forks would be easy to get ahold of, but there aren't a ton of newer ('10-'13) KTMs being parted out yet. Also, people on ebay have apparently decided that these forks are made of gold. Sure, there's plenty of pre-'10 forks out there, but they still want plenty for those too. OC forks are bit cheaper, but not by much. For comparison, you can find good Showa and KYB forks for $300-$400, and plenty of them.
Anyway, by the time my '13 forks have new springs, seals, fluid and re-valved, I'll have $900 into them. Anything I can get for my 4CS forks will reduce that amount too. That is, if I can get anything for them.
Sure, at any time I could have sent them to Kreft or Stillwell. I've ridden bikes with 4CS forks that have had work done by both companies, and they corrected the issues with hard edge bumps and hack that these forks are known for. Unfortunately, this will set you back $1200-$1500 by the time you pay shipping. Of course, it only goes up from there if you opt for DLC coatings or other extras.
A few of the fancier (and more costly) options were WP tubes/shafts with Showa internals (requires machine work), WP tubes/shafts with Ohlins cartridges (no machining required), and KYB SSS forks using custom triple clamps/Yamaha front wheel/oversize disc conversion (to make up for losing the Brembo brakes). People are trying some unusual stuff out there, but those are some of the more common ones I've read about.
I've had to be patient, but I finally got some used WP CC forks from a '13 450sxf off of ebay. I know, there's nothing real exciting or exotic about swapping WP forks for another set of WP forks, but I know it will work good and the math makes sense.
You'd think a set of newer WP CC forks would be easy to get ahold of, but there aren't a ton of newer ('10-'13) KTMs being parted out yet. Also, people on ebay have apparently decided that these forks are made of gold. Sure, there's plenty of pre-'10 forks out there, but they still want plenty for those too. OC forks are bit cheaper, but not by much. For comparison, you can find good Showa and KYB forks for $300-$400, and plenty of them.
Anyway, by the time my '13 forks have new springs, seals, fluid and re-valved, I'll have $900 into them. Anything I can get for my 4CS forks will reduce that amount too. That is, if I can get anything for them.
Cascadia
Undecided
- Location
- Orem, Utah
Congrats. I'm excited to go riding with you again without excuses. My ears hurt more than my hands do after a ride with you. 
Vonski
nothing to see here...
- Location
- Payson, Utah
Congrats. I'm excited to go riding with you again without excuses. My ears hurt more than my hands do after a ride with you.
I know, right?
anderson750
I'm working on it Rose
- Location
- Price, Utah
I am going to go the huck valve route with the 4cs on my 350. I have been talking with Jesse at the Dirt Lab up in N. SL and am going to give him a shot at doing mine. The huck valve is not the only thing he will do to the forks, but is the major component of reducing the harshness.
Cascadia
Undecided
- Location
- Orem, Utah
I've heard good things about huck valves. I plan on doing it on my next bike. Not sure it would help Von too much though. His bike weighs less when he's on it.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
I haven't been displeased with my forks, but it's hard to set them up to do both high speed and low speed plushness. It seems like it will do either one if I set the clickers but not both as well as I'd like.
If I set it up for heavy rock it blows through the travel too quickly on hard hits.
If I set it up for heavy rock it blows through the travel too quickly on hard hits.
Vonski
nothing to see here...
- Location
- Payson, Utah
I'm gonna have him revalve these CC forks and see what he says about a huck/cone valve setup. I talked to him about 4cs options awhile back, but he didn't sound like he had worked with them much at that time, so I passed.
anderson750
I'm working on it Rose
- Location
- Price, Utah
He has done a few sets in the last couple of months and one of them was for a friend of mine. He seems to be happy with them. Lack of time spent with the fork is the main reason why I am not having Pete do the 4cs for me. With him being in California, I don't want to deal with having to ship them to get changes made.
rholbrook
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Kaysville, Ut
Stillwell did mine on my 300, granted its not the 4CS but either way, I like my setup. Fits this old fat guy well.
anderson750
I'm working on it Rose
- Location
- Price, Utah
Dropped my bike off at the Dirt Lab today...........I will report back sometime in the future.
Vonski
nothing to see here...
- Location
- Payson, Utah
Cool, I'll be dropping off my stuff tomorrow or Thursday. I better call him and make sure he's there (New Year's eve and all...).
So, you going with the mxtech huck valves? That's what my plan is, but just the regular CC ones. I don't think that's necessarily the direction Jesse wanted to go with mine, but that's what I'm thinking I want to do.
anderson750
I'm working on it Rose
- Location
- Price, Utah
Yes I am doing the huck valves. He is also putting in a new type of resevoir piston SKF sent him out to try. I am being a guinnie pig for the new part for Jesse.
rholbrook
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Kaysville, Ut
Let some of us Davis Co boys know when you guys will be here and lets do lunch or breakfast or ????
Cascadia
Undecided
- Location
- Orem, Utah
Paul and Von, hopefully they get it figured out for you cause my bike will have 4cs later this year. I'd like to not be the Guinea pig like Von and Luke were on the 14's
Vonski
nothing to see here...
- Location
- Payson, Utah
The work that Paul is having done will be the most beneficial to those of you getting new KTMs/Huskys in the future. I'm simply going the old school route and plan on transferring my '13 forks to my next bike KTM or Husky (regardless of axle size changes).
I saw Paul's sad, leg-less bike there on Thursday.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Paul are you doing the MX tech style with the asymmetrical system with huck valves?
It sounds pretty awesome to be able to control both high and low speed compression and rebound.
Seems like the bottoming control systems on both Kreft and MXtech are basically the same.
But they use different base valve control ideas.
Kreft, I think, converts it back to a compression and rebound clicker control on both forks
It sounds pretty awesome to be able to control both high and low speed compression and rebound.
Seems like the bottoming control systems on both Kreft and MXtech are basically the same.
But they use different base valve control ideas.
Kreft, I think, converts it back to a compression and rebound clicker control on both forks
Last edited:
anderson750
I'm working on it Rose
- Location
- Price, Utah
I put about 40 miles in today on my new suspension done by the Dirt Lab. Overall, I can say that it was money well spent and the forks with the MX Tech hardware are great in the rocks at all speeds and the re-valve that Jesse did on the rear shock is great also. I would say that this set up on the 4CS is right there with the cone compression valves from NOST that I put in my CC forks that were on my 300.
Cascadia
Undecided
- Location
- Orem, Utah
Good to hear. Thanks for being the Guinea pig for when I get a '17 with 4cs.