pop wrote: I bet you didnt know that the 2013 model Honda CR450 has air forks, no springs, get in line with the rest of them David
Looks like it's time for the bad ideas from the past to come around again. One of the Ossa MAR's that I just finished for a customer has had the springs rerplaced with air and the action is horrible as it was back in the 70's when I tried it on my MX bikes. I'm surpised nobody has mentioned that gas in these shocks should be nitrogen and not air. It probably doesn't make a lot of difference but the air will oxidise the oil to a small degree reducing the service life of the oil. Most of the emulsion shocks that I have rebuilt over the years like Falcons, the US Works Performance and the original Fox shocks have all been charged to 150psi. As David said earlier he uses 80psi of air to good success.
pop wrote:I bet you didnt know that the 2013 model Honda CR450 has air forks, no springs, get in line with the rest of them David
Looks like it's time for the bad ideas from the past to come around again. One of the Ossa MAR's that I just finished for a customer has had the springs rerplaced with air and the action is horrible as it was back in the 70's when I tried it on my MX bikes. I'm surpised nobody has mentioned that gas in these shocks should be nitrogen and not air. It probably doesn't make a lot of difference but the air will oxidise the oil to a small degree reducing the service life of the oil. I think all the MX bikes will be runing only air in the forks for 2013. Tricub, you cant just take the spring out and pump some air in, you also have to play with the oil level and weight also. As for the "bad ideas" maybe true, just look at the 4 stroke motor, got rid of that for 30 years and now its back better then ever.
pop wrote: I bet you didnt know that the 2013 model Honda CR450 has air forks, no springs, get in line with the rest of them David
Sounds like the manufacturers are running out of new ideas. Lets try and guess the next big idea to entice people to buy new model MX bikes (after gas spring forks of course) hmmmm... what about 23" front wheels? That hasn't been done since 1979 and what a raging success that was (not)
pop wrote: I think all the MX bikes will be runing only air in the forks for 2013. Tricub, you cant just take the spring out and pump some air in, you also have to play with the oil level and weight also. As for the "bad ideas" maybe true, just look at the 4 stroke motor, got rid of that for 30 years and now its back better then ever.
Glad I won't be bying one. As for the four stroke taking over again just ask the young guy's bying a used MX'er how much it costs to rebuild their motor after the 20hr service life for the valves is up and it's had a valve let go! I went through the hole air fork setup back in the 70's racing MX and you could get them ok but change the oil and get a few more or less CC's in there and the setup was different. We were always stuffing around with the pressure. My later Maico had springs and air pressure and I guess it wasn't to bad.
Any sort of air pressure in forks doesnt seem that great an idea to me as air pressure increases with heat, so the feel of the forks will vary. This is the reason why some forks have bleed screws on the top nuts to release air pressure, and they do seem to work more smoothly after pressure has been released.
FM350 wrote:Any sort of air pressure in forks doesnt seem that great an idea to me as air pressure increases with heat, so the feel of the forks will vary. This is the reason why some forks have bleed screws on the top nuts to release air pressure, and they do seem to work more smoothly after pressure has been released.
Perhaps I don't ride well enough to notice the diffrence. The RL forks as I have them set seem quite smooth from start to finish.
Don't let competition get in the way of having fun.
RL forks used to be fitted with very low rate springs, and relied on air pressure being added to adjust the spring rate to suit personal preference. Never seemed to work that well, and removing the soft springs and fitting those of the correct rate, with the right length pre-load spacers, will improve forks noticeably.
TriCub wrote: Glad I won't be bying one. As for the four stroke taking over again just ask the young guy's bying a used MX'er how much it costs to rebuild their motor after the 20hr service life for the valves is up and it's had a valve let go! I went through the hole air fork setup back in the 70's racing MX and you could get them ok but change the oil and get a few more or less CC's in there and the setup was different. We were always stuffing around with the pressure. My later Maico had springs and air pressure and I guess it wasn't to bad.
I went thru the same thing basicly. BUT, for an old twinshock I think runing very soft springs and air or no spring and being able to adjust your rake is a good thing. and also puting some pressure on the seal lips.
get in line with the rest of them David
