What forks to buy?

[sam93]

Hey miniriders,
I am currently riding with USD forks from an Atomik Nitrous which are okay but need something more adjustable and better all around. Im only spending around $300 so below is a list that i can choose from, what is the best? pros? cons?

Forks:
-Marzookie replicas (Duel adjustable)
-Genuine DNM Hornet: Same as the forks on the RevMX (Duel adjustable)
-As02 Replicas

Riding: Motard

Bike: CRF50 Style

Thanks everyone!

 

[Barnesd09]

Just play with the fork oil weights and volume for the moment. You can get them dialed in okay just by adjusting the oil.
Once you are a wicked rider then go and spend some decent money on forks like genuine GPX blacks or Marzoochi shivers so you can get the exact fine adjustment to suit each track condition and your riding style.
Getting the replicas will probably send you backwards with too many adjustments, and you will have to get the right amount of oil in them to begin with anyways.

 

[sam93]

Thanks Barnes, Ill have a play with the oil...Ill buy some next time im out and have a chance.
So the DNM Hornets are no good are they? i thought they would be better then the GPX forks...

 

[sean01]

DNM hornets are good shocks, and probly better than gpx forks..

but i dont think they make them in the shorter variety (crf50 style) i could be wrong tho

 

[sam93]

They come in:
645mm, 700mm, 745mm, from what i have seen so i would go the 645mm or the 700mm

 

[CosmicY2K]

I just got my dnm m-200 735mm and matching HRC rear shock for my atomik bigfoot; best money i have spent yet

 

[sam93]

How much did you pay Cosmic? You got that ebay package yea?

 

[CosmicY2K]

Yeah $650 for front forks and rear shock

 

[CosmicY2K]

Hey can anyone tell me how much fork oil to put in each forks leg, 735mm travel dnm m-200, what weight fork oil? I weigh 85kg. I am hoping that the forks have the correct volume in them now so when I drain them I can measure what was in them

 

[rach88]

Sam I have as-02's pay rip to rebuild them. Rebuilt n forks all for 150. I'm sure if you ask nicely rip would possibly teach you how to rebuilt the forks.. He he. Since mine were rebuilt there heaps better.

 

[Barnesd09]

Drop the forks out on the clamps and unscrew the top. Be careful as the spring will have a tiny bit of load on it and it will pop off, so as your undoing the last bit by hand put a rag over the top and hold the rag down on the leg with the other hand.
Once its off, pull the spring out and put the bottom in a cup and let the attached oil drain off.
Look down inside and you should be able to see the oil level.
Get a steel rule and poke it down inside to measure the level from the top (when fork is at full extension)
Tip it upside down and drain it off, you will need to 'stroke' the fork a few times just to be sure all the old oil is out.
Then tip it the right way up, and fill it up, once the oil is back up to the level you measured with the old oil, 'stroke' the leg a few times more to make sure oil is through all the valves and to remove any trapped air.
Check you level again and top up or remove as necessary.
To remove oil I'd suggest getting a 50mL syringe and carby overflow tube attached to the end to suck it out.
Let the fork sit for a few hours as there may still be a bit of air trapped.
Put the spring back in and screw the top back on.

Tip: If you can, measure how much you oil you put in. as if you have the volume right, next time it will make it much faster to change oil and you will know how much should be in there and if you have lost any.

From here you will need to go out and test ride, if its to soft add some oil. too hard take some out.
If it rebounds too fast add high weight oil, if its too slow, add a lighter oil.

You can mix oils too if you are finding that the oil just isn't quite right . Say 50% 5w and 50% 10w you get a 7.5w oil.

You will no doubt have to go through this process even with a new set of forks that have all of the adjusters on them. As with a china engine, the oil in the forks is S**T!

 

[sam93]

+ Reps barnes! Thanks for that step by step process...What oil should i try?

 

[oldhack]

barnesd: Awesome info mate! I will use this to sort out the forks on my Nitrous. Cheers for taking the time out to do the step by step.
oldhack.

 

[jmadden91]

Great post barnsed + reps mate. Thanks for the info

 

[DvDRip]

Barnesd09 that method only works for nasty non adjustable USD's like DHZ/pitpro/atomik type forks
real forks a lil more complicated than that

 

[Barnesd09]

Barnesd09 that method only works for nasty non adjustable USD's like DHZ/pitpro/atomik type forks
real forks a lil more complicated than that

You are definatly right about the real adjustable forks being a bit more complicated.
Sam has the non adjustables, and changing the oil is the only way so make them perform better than what the china factory is pumping out.

Rather than spending a couple hundred on a new set hoping they will be better, Spend $20 and play with the junk you've got and learn a thing or two about how things work so later on when you do get a real set, you know what part is doing what and when you adjust something you know what you are doing.

But, that said. With a real set the valving, adjusters and all the little bits n pieces inside are very delicate and is something that you would send off to suspension specialist.

 

[rossetti]

Also if ya put thicker oil into the non adj forks I've been told by andy at eastcoast that you need to put in heavier springs, because the springs can't handle the thicker oil and they become very unresponsive and real spongy.

 

[krazed0451]

Also if ya put thicker oil into the non adj forks I've been told by andy at eastcoast that you need to put in heavier springs, because the springs can't handle the thicker oil and they become very unresponsive and real spongy.

That shouldn't be an issue... Sam (, Oldhack and myself) will be using a lighter oil than stock. The stock oil is too thick, causing the unresponsiveness you mentioned

I'd prefer to have soft responsive suspension any day; I can upgrade after I get the most out of the cheapies

Once you start looking into re-valving/new springs etc, you may as well upgrade to a decent set of adjustable forks...

 

[sam93]

Krazed is right, stuff doing spring when i can get dnm m200's for around $300 haha. '

Are you going to give the lighter oil a go Krazed? How about you tune yours and then i can copy what oil you used haha.

 

[krazed0451]

Yeah, I think until I can afford to upgrade the forks (I still need to buy leathers and a helmet so I don't ruin my road gear) I'll be running some lighter oil... I might hassle Barnesd to give me a hand, otherwise I'll just get stuck into it myself, I can't see it being too difficult

I'm suck of listening to the valves struggle to process the oil that's in them stock, and I've only ridden the bike for less than one tank of fuel... Thankfully I don't have to worry about the stock rear shock as it will be swapped out soon (I've wound the spring up a little tighter in the mean time)