KX60 Shock Choices?
Dave Dude
Hey Dudes,
My son is in bad need of a replacement shock for his 85 KX60. The
Pro-Circuit shock is too expensive($500+) and so is the Ohlins, so that
leaves Works. I am not considering a stock shock, I want the handling
advantage of at least the Works unit with remote bladder. Looks like
that will run me about $260 or so. I would like to hear testimonials
from users of theses shocks, or any suggestions. Thanks.
Dave Dude
96 YZ250
Lil Dave
85 KX60
Genevieve
83 JR50
TMaxel
In article <35742E...@resbld.csc.ti.com>, Dave Dude
<cha...@resbld.csc.ti.com> writes:
>
> My son is in bad need of a replacement shock for his 85 KX60. The
>Pro-Circuit shock is too expensive($500+) and so is the Ohlins, so that
>leaves Works. I am not considering a stock shock, I want the handling
>advantage of at least the Works unit with remote bladder. Looks like
>that will run me about $260 or so. I would like to hear testimonials
>from users of theses shocks, or any suggestions. Thanks.
>
Whelp, your not going to like to hear my testimonial... :-)
Tyler has rode KX60s with the Works shock (revalved and setup for an aggressive
rider at 68 lbs), a Works shock (stock, no mods, just the preload adjusted)
and a bike with the Ohlins shock (setup for a 65 lbs aggressive rider).
He didn't like any of them, he felt they were too stiff. Tyler is 67 lbs. He
liked the Ohlins the best, but I am like you... Too expensive! Hey, if I'm
going to have to pay that much, I will just skip the 60 and go to the 80, which
has suspension WORLDS better than the KX60.
Now, Tyler is a jumper... He loves SX style tracks. I had two Works shocks
for his LEM, one was redone by Works (revalved and setup for a 65 lb aggressive
rider) and one was "stock". He actually liked the "stock" valving with a stiff
spring (there is only a soft, medium and stiff spring for these shocks). I
basically wasted my money on the revalve job, because I setup the "stock" shock
myself!
Now... Again from experience... Tyler was bottoming the KX real bad, he was
timid and not jumping doubles on the KX that he was doing on his LEM. I
finally (should have done it a long time ago) bought the stiffest springs for
the forks and shock, Kaw OEM parts. I just did it this past spring and he
instantly began riding harder and jumping more. I don't have a spring
compressor, so it was a job to swap the springs, but not too hard.
Wel, Tyler liked the stock shock with stiffest spring... Now the problem came
up.
Everyone around us (aggressive riders) has two bikes, one with a stock shock
and one with an aftermarket shock (a mod and a stock bike). The reasoning is
that you have to be able to ride a stock shock bike to qualify for LLs...
There is DEFINATELY a difference in the two bikes! They most generally use the
stiffest spring on their stock shocks. But, eveyone that had these two setups
were blowing the shocks out when their boys rode the stock shock bike... In
fact, Ames kept two extra stock shocks on hand as spare parts.
This past weekend Tyler's shock blew (boing, boing, boing). I borrowed a stock
shock with the medium spring set to the stiffest preload. Tyler liked it. So,
I am kind of back to the drawing board... I am sure I will stay with the stock
shock ($150 new), but I am not sure if I will run the medium or stiff spring.
Tyler made a comment this past weekend at Kenworthy's... He said "You know, I
think I am getting too big for the 60. It just seems too small when I jump".
Now, my first reaction was COOL! Get off the 60 and just run 80s. But, he is
a tad (just a slight tad) small for the 80 yet, even though that is what he
rides 90% of the time. And, he still has 3 yrs to race the 60... He is NOT
too big for it physically, it just kind of tells me that he likes the
suspension on the 80 better.
TMaxel
RM 250, #53, Me *** Special thanks to Jeff @ MX South!
M...@pipeline.com
RM 80, #44, Tommy *** Cycle Emporium
KX 60 & RM 80, #35, Tyler *** And thanks to SKAT Racing!!!
1-800-624-7528