Heading back down from a ZipTy Racing project, we decided to drop off my WP Parallel Trax shocks for service and revalve/respring. So we (Andy FE350S race modded and myself) walked into Husky US HQ to ask where the WP Factory Services building was located and to, well, to really walk into the Husky US HQ and check the classic bike line up (ain't going to find any Italian Huskys in that line up...oh well..) and to say we have been there!! saw more sprinters then countable on my hands, Husky along with private Husky race team vans along with Factory Rockstar team vans and one factory bike being rolled in. note KTM HQ is on the other side of the lot separated by a fence but shared with open gates. One of the Husky guys hopped on his scooter and led us to the WP shop a few building down in the cul de sac. I wish I had my go pro on to show the face of the factory services consulting tech when he saw my shock, with the factory services sticker marked in handwriting he instantly recognized and with Sutherlin written on it. Anyway long story short he brought out the other tech (who was the one did my ex-GS shock) . Then after much consultation, Andy who was going to resell his Trax got sold on doing the same service and on his a reconfigure of the Trax system and he went out and brought his in as well. When Andy brought his in, it was the one that initial contact tech had serviced with the label in his handwriting....so we ended up bringing the Trax shocks home for service and revalve..... He mentioned that his initial surprise was that we were delivering GS (now factory KTM) shocks to him when the factory race shop is supposed to be the "owner" of those shocks, until we clarified they were from his personal privateer purchased 2013 season equipment. Oh yea and no photos as usual for me...... I cant wait to finally have the thing dialed in for me-----my first taste of real custom set A-Kit suspension. PS the Tech asked about our feelings on the 4CS......I told him both were deconfigured....and I asked him how they were getting along with better set ups and his was a strong Yes, they have them pegged for a good set up. Understand he mentioned that they meaning him along with other WP guys are the ones that designed the system.
more, after I mentioned the de-configure and base valve addition to my 4CS he looked at me and said those should be interesting to work on when you bring them in.........I already know he/WP Factory services will probably never see my reconfigured 4CS forks, unless they come up with some 4CS drug that gets all the raves. more more (the WP Tech)after mentioning that they have fixes/settings for the 4CS he shrugged and in an off hand way pointed towards the factory race shop and said but they don't use or like them........(cross my heart on that one)
Are they embarrassed to display the Italian Husqvarna bikes that sometimes beat the KTMs and always looked much better doing it? The Italian era is a significant part of the Husqvarna history. They're idiots to ignore it. But then, they were idiots to toss every single design in the trash bin when they bought Husqvarna, too... Way too much not invented here syndrome... aka oversized egos.
Speaking of wasted technology, did BMW retain the CTS technology that was on the 449/511's or is it something that can even be pattened ? Just curious as I thought it worked good on gnarly hill climbs and step ups. Sorry for the mini hijack of your fork discussion, Robert. Btw, did you see any left over Bergs at the Husktoomva plant? They should not have shit canned the 70 ` motor concept, imo. Maybe they'll bring it back someday, who knows. Maybe my 570 will be a collectors item.
cmon really KTM has brought KTM to the top tier of all offroad racing Husky brand included. Huskys are now all over the racding scene winning and placing. The last top tier Husky racing top tier level competition bike was the Xlite series with 3 world championships in enduro, and Meos bike in particular was about 25% oem the rest was full factory custom , Juhas probably closer to standard but even then lack of mx power kept them off the mx/mxgp podiums,all the other models even the 2 strokes (except the last of the 125/144 with no real racing home anyway) were engineered for trail or ds bikes . (only place offroad KTM havent dominated with racing machines is trials (i speak offroad) but this is a visit story not a beef on new bikes over dead end series machines .....
Just got the email from factory services, called in and paid- shocks will be shipped today....may be able to have it in for a sunday morn ride. wooo hoo A kit for a C kit rider......
No matter how anyone feels about KTM its cool to walk into corporate with a factory level shop and then get escorted to factory services so they can work on your stuff. Good luck doing that with any other company. Kinda jealous
I think you misinterpeted my post. I have no beef with KTM nor am I a KTM hater. I mean what that company has done over the past few years is nothing short of amazing. They rule the off road world these days and they're winning races everywhere.Even in formula 1, (X-Bow) Husqvarna's racing team is back in the spotlight and they actually have an MX team now,although they are KTM's with different color plastics at least they're back in the spotlight and they're selling a lot of bikes. It's all good. I think it's safe to say that if KTM hadn't aquired Husky there might not be Husky today as BMW clearly wasn't in it for the long haul. Back to my post, I was just genuinely curious about ideas like CTS or 70 degree and will it ever resurface again...probably should've started a new thread, sorry about that.
no worries back on topic- my Trax shock is reinstalled, BTW as I have learned on the 2T its about a 10 minute job!!! bike up on stand remove fork bolt at link let it hang, remove lower shock screw, remove upper shock screw. during these removals raise and lower rear wheel to free up space and movement of the shock, also to get even more clearance pop off the seat and right side side cover. Play around moving suspension around to free up shock and lift it right out and up from the right side, drop in new shock and reverse process- cake. ride check in the morn----as it is seems that they set it up with not much preload alot of sag....I will adjust as needed. Also they installed a 5.7 spring on mine (215) as well as on Andys (190) his came set with 10mm preload mine with 8mm preload on spring.....strange to me. Also from riding this shock with the original 5.4 spring I know that i cannot ride one of these bikes with alot of race sag....I nned close to 100mm---maybe can get away with 105?? its like 115 right now --sounds like a PDS setting.
Wow, you dropped them off Wed and you're going riding tomorrow? That's pretty danged cool to have instant factory support!
It was easy on your 310 too. Pull mine out through thw swingarm. You're x-lite-er bike is still cool though Really looking forward to your opinion on the well set up shock and if you think its worth the cost of admission if you were to order one from them (and not steal it from a factory support rider lol)
this shock is stupid good... i cranked in 10mm of preload--about as far as will go for now. i added 3 clicks to the reb to slow down and stop me from being tossed over the bars i also opened my HSCD 4 clicks. More slight adjustments as i go more with it. Tonight we did a 25 mile hardcore loop, lots of elevation with AA waterfall stuff in tight arm scraper trails. Big notice is under acceleration up loose softball sized rocky hills the thing just stays in line. slower reb is like glue up and onto big rocks, then under gas is just finds traction, a littl hard to explain, but really noticeble. Anyway having A kit shock is insane. Forks are soon to go back up to ZipTy Racing for newer upgrades and mods plus a good service.
