Adventure bike suspension

[rholbrook]

We have talked about dirt bike suspension tuning but have not talked about Adventure bike suspension. I blew the rear shock out of my KTM 890 Adventure R. We have been trying to cover as much territory as possible in 3 days Today was 202 miles but I lost the shock on the way up Engineer Pass from Lake City. The Colorado 500 was going on this week and there was a group of dirt bikers in that and we wanted to make sure we beat them up and over and back down the other side on the Ouray side. Yesterday we were going to ride it from Ouray to Lake City but a UTV accident closed it.

Anyway, that trail is getting pretty hammered and we were loaded heavy and pounding it hard. We did beat them down. Harrison’s front fender came loose and they passed us at one point while we got it out back on but we caught them and passed them about 3/4 of the way down. We were at the trailhead when they pulled up. It felt good but my shock has oil all over it.

Who is recommended for rebuilding adventure bike suspension? I know I can buy the Rally R suspension straight from KTM but $6K is outrageous in my opinion. One of my friends has done that but when I rode his bike on White Rim, I didn’t get off of it thinking it was worth $6k. In fact, I wasn’t even thinking it was worth $2k. We are in Ouray and planning our ride to Telluride tomorrow. We may take the BDR or just hit the asphalt. We will decide over breakfast

 

[anderson750]

I don't know anybody that specializes in the adventure suspension, but I would recommend Kevin at MotoXperts in Spanish Fork for rebuilding it. The DC Sherco team is sponsored by Precision Concepts for doing all the race set up, but we have been taking stuff to Kevin for services work

 

[Gravy]

Kevin at MotoXperts.
Josh at AlpineXC
Or
Donnie at D&K/ Division Suspension
All three are great.
Donnie is probably closest to your house and you can come by and say hi and I'll let you try my Desert Sled.

 

[rholbrook]

I called around and no one had the rear spring or could get one. Front springs, valves and shims were not an issue, just the rear spring. I decided to take matters and my internet prowess into my own hands and found a place with the correct WP spring for my portly size and got it on hold. I called Donnie at D&K and told him who had the spring and asked if he wanted me to get it coming or if he wanted to. He said he would order it, I gave him a deposit and a week later, I loaded it up on this sweet deck lowering trailer and took it to him. He said it should be done by the middle of next week for sure. We will see how it feels but it will be sprung for 230-250lbs. Normally I have 20-30lbs of Moskomoto Rev bags and my gear on it so I should be right in that ball park.

I need to get a few more rides in in the next month if anyone is interested. My riding and playing will end abruptly for a few months in the middle of October. Sucks getting old but fingers crossed I will come out the other side ready to go.