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Fully adjustable cartridge retrofit for Forks $400


pattonme

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This service replaces the OEM damper rods innards with 4-valve, 20mm cartridge system recycled and adapted from common sport bikes. I prefer to work with Showa parts but can also use Kayaba. I do a complete tear-down, inspection, and clean the stanchions. The valves come with an in-house shim stack suited to your weight and spring selection. Standard service includes replacing worn or wrong-sized bushings and installing new oil seals. They are shipped back wet (except international) ready to bolt on and ride.
 
[pre]
Standard Invoice (USD)
[ul type=disc]
[*]Cartridge retrofit (GSXR parts) 365
[*]Fork bushings (lower) 7
[*]Fork seals (oil) 12
[*]Fork oil (7w) 10
- 10w in hot climates
[*]Shipping (CONUS, ground) FREE
[/ul]
 
Options
[ul type=disc]
[*]Sonic Springs 75
[*]High-flow pistons (4) 50
[*]Fork bushings (upper) 7[*]Fork bushing kit 22
- 38-6096 (FZ07/EX650)
- 38-6090 (04+ SV650)
- 38-6110 (-02 SV650)
[*]Fork seal (dust) market
[*]DIY parts kit -75
- read https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/180639/cartridge%20installation.txt
[/ul]
 
Credits
[ul type=disc]
[*]existing GVE -50
- get back some money when upgrading to the real deal
[*]spring exchange -50
- swap one rate for another. Must be known brand and clearly stamped to indicate rate
[*]Re-use prior fork-cap -75
[/ul]
[/pre]
 
Example ZX6F parts and retrofit bits
zx6f%20option.jpg
 
Example GSXR parts and retrofit bits
gsxr%20option.jpg 
 
High-flow pistons
2015-07-20%2021.19.11.jpg
 
The 'other' guys pistons
2015-07-20%2021.36.06.jpg
 

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A note about logistics. All you need to do is send me your forks. Wet is fine but heavy leaking will get you in trouble with your postal carrier. I replace the seals but will re-use the wipers if they aren't all torn up.
 
As I posted http://fz07.org/post/30480, the bottom bushings from the factory will get destroyed in about 3-5000 miles. Properly fitting replacements will be installed while I have things apart. 
 
Gun cases work if a bit over-kill (http://www.amazon.com/Plano-10470-Guard-Single-Rifle/dp/B0029KH9FS) is probably worth the cost. Both the USPS and FedEx have heavy triangular tubes, 1 leg per. If using USPS, they won't insure the 2 boxes taped together unless you wrap it in another box or brown paper to hide that fact. Please ship insured to at least replacement cost ($550 to buy new OEM from eg. Ron Ayers).
 
If you have a hard deadline, just coordinate with me beforehand so that I have all of the parts made up and reserved so it's only a matter of assembly. I can turn that around in a day or two. Yeah it's still a week of downtime (3+3+2 days). Or if you want it lickety split, buy yourself a round-trip ticket to DCA and bring them with you. I'll have you back on the afternoon flight. My normal turn-around varies from 2-3 weeks depending on life and backlog. I get orders for SV650 and Ninja 650 too and this is a part-time hobby, not my day job (sysadmin).
 
I use Paypal's invoice capability to keep track of things. 
 

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Working with Matt to get this done on my 300 then I will most likely pull the trigger on my fz. Will update once we get this done.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest unknown

Looks like I'm the first in line to get this done. I just dropped my forks off to him and should have them back in a week or so. Can't wait to see the difference on the road :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

@unknown has his forks in hand. He asked for a "how it's made" peep show, so a few random pics I snapped.
 
Completed fork cap
 
20150414_144922.jpg
 
Grinding the staked nut off.
20150414_120914.jpg
 
Nice shiny bore
 
20150414_001319.jpg
 
 
Bolt with compression needle
 
20150415_092616.jpg

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Guest unknown

 
I installed them last night and forgot to snap a photo of them completed off the bike. I will have a ride report up later today but just from moving the bike around to work on it and snap photos, I can tell how much less bouncy the front is already.
 
zAT91dd.jpg
 
 
BIKjNyN.jpg
 
 
h0iNmkP.jpg
 

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Guest unknown

The compression adjustment is on the bottom of the fork. @pattonme , correct me if I'm wrong but you drill through the fork and install the compression adjuster in the bottom right? Unfortunately, to make on the fly adjustments, you will need either a fork or stem stand and then remove the axle pin to make the adjustments.

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@unknown
> you drill through the fork and install the compression adjuster in the bottom right?
 
I don't make ANY mods to the fork lower. I can't for the simple reason that I can't fixture the part accurately enough to do it (well, more like I didn't want to build the jigs), and you can't add external adjustments to a fork that doesn't have the oil passages drilled. Therefore all the magic is in the bolt (scroll up for pics). Back when I started this, nobody but me had adjustable compression on a retrofit that didn't entail taking the forks off, turning them upside down, and replacing the integrated bolt+needle with another that had a different taper. I'm very curious what Traxxion has done since then on the AK-20.
 
> Unfortunately, to make on the fly adjustments, you will need ... a stem stand and then remove the axle pin to make the adjustments.
 
If you want R1/GSXR convenience, well, you'll need a front-end swap. Compression adjustment is by far the least important of the 3 tunables. If the shim stack and bleed holes are right (and they are, *grin*) you only need to tune compression if you're looking for that last bit of stability under threshold braking.

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Guest unknown

Gotcha, I never noticed the holes in the bottom of the fork when I removed them so I just assumed you drilled into it to get the compression adjuster in there.
 
I'm about to go out on my first ride on them here in a minute!

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Guest unknown

Oh btw, as far as customer service goes. He hand delivered these to my house which was an hour away from him. He really went above and beyond for me!
 
And he put up with my constant pestering :D
 

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Guest unknown

So the new forks are awesome so far! They front end dive is completely gone now. I still need to make some changes to the settings yet, but I will do that asap. They feel very planted through the turns and it really highlights how soft the rear truly is. I will post another review once I get back from the track and really have a chance to put this setup through the paces. So far I'm very happy with it and would recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade their suspension without breaking the bank.

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So the new forks are awesome so far! They front end dive is completely gone now. I still need to make some changes to the settings yet, but I will do that asap. They feel very planted through the turns and it really highlights how soft the rear truly is. I will post another review once I get back from the track and really have a chance to put this setup through the paces. So far I'm very happy with it and would recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade their suspension without breaking the bank.
I am doing Shenandoah on April 26th. Hope to see you there. I will have my 300. If I had more space on the trailer in would bring both bikes. The fz will kill Shenny.
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Guest unknown
So the new forks are awesome so far! They front end dive is completely gone now. I still need to make some changes to the settings yet, but I will do that asap. They feel very planted through the turns and it really highlights how soft the rear truly is. I will post another review once I get back from the track and really have a chance to put this setup through the paces. So far I'm very happy with it and would recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade their suspension without breaking the bank.
I am doing Shenandoah on April 26th. Hope to see you there. I will have my 300. If I had more space on the trailer in would bring both bikes. The fz will kill Shenny.
Awesome! I'll see you there. I'll be with a group of supermoto guys. 
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  • 3 weeks later...

Dropped off my Ninja 300 forks on Tuesday. 100% confident in his abilities after spwaking with him for 45 mins about his process and how suspension works. Now it is a waiting game.
 
Good thing I have my fz. Once I get the forks back my fz forks go straight to Matt.

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I completely rewrote the first post to simplify and clarify. If you read carefully, you might spot a new incentive.

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howlinhoss
@unknown has his forks in hand. He asked for a "how it's made" peep show, so a few random pics I snapped. 
Completed fork cap
 
20150414_144922.jpg
 
Grinding the staked nut off.
20150414_120914.jpg
 
Nice shiny bore
 
20150414_001319.jpg
 
 
Bolt with compression needle
 
20150415_092616.jpg
 
So correct me if I am wrong. In the rare case you want to adjust compression, it can be done without opening the forks? It looks like you can adjust compression by first removing the front wheel/axle then turning the compression needle in or out.
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correct, just pull the axle out of the way. You can leave the wheel, calipers, etc as-is. When I get around to doing a SFF (single-function fork) which has just 2 pistons instead of 4, then all adjustments can be made from the fork caps. More convenient for sure, but I have to work out the shim stack needed to handle the higher pressures.

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