Posts
8256
Joined
2/13/2013
Location
University Heights, OH
US
Fantasy
2212th
Edited Date/Time
9/1/2018 6:10am
I was watching the Transworld 450 shootout and they were saying how the new Honda band Kawasaki "works" style forks were not as good feeling as the Yamaha. Over 10 years of the SSS stuff being praised and no other manufacturer has it. Does Yamaha have a patent or exclusive agreement with KYB on the units?
I believe TM runs the same KYB forks as Yamaha, but what really makes them great ont Yamahas is the setup. The new Showa 49's can be made to work just as well.
That being said the new production Showa 49mm A-kit forks & shock on an 18 CRF450r purchased are just as good IMHO. I'd imagine that reputable suspension companies like FC has had a couple of yrs. now of R&D & could make them even better.
The Shop
TM has used the same exact forks but with their own setup in them for years. The TM valving, up until recently hasn't been near as good.
BTW: SSS stands for Speed Sensitive System....the valving is based on the speed of the fork slider travel, not position sensitive like 90% of the other systems spec'd from other mfg's are done as.
I am considering buying a set of YZ kyb SSS forks BUT they are becoming harder and harder to get since everyone wants to put them on their project bikes etc...... If I could replicate that valving spec on the 07/08 KX450 fork, id be on hog heaven.....the idea is to do it myself and not have to send the forks out to have work done to them.
I still to this day have NO idea why most dudes send their Yamaha KYB SSS forks out to be "revalved" they are nearly perfect straight from the factory, so much so it almost feels like theyre cheating with having such a great set of forks right out of the gate but how much can a suspension tuner actually improve over something that is already so perfectly set up? Sure they can do springs but why do so many of you send out your Yamaha forks to be revalved when they come dead nuts on from the factory?
Pit Row
The showa 48 spring fork is a showaba - clone of the KYB SSS
And the new "works" showa 49 spring fork is very similar to the KYB SSS in design.
The SINGLE biggest difference in feel - was chassis between those bikes - and shock settings and influence on the front.
The settings between the crf - yzf-and kxf werent that far apart at times
If he keeps complimenting me like that I may just let him get to 2nd base behind the bleachers at the pep rally for the homecoming game!
Post a reply to: Why does only Yamaha have SSS suspension?