WP 4CS Fork better than Xplor 48?

[o313]

I have a 2014 Husaberg FE501 with 4CS suspension that was IMO mediocre compared to the open cartridge WP fork of the same generation. 1 week ago I purchased a 2018 300 XC-W and the initial feel was soft but not too shabby until I tried to dial some compression damping and NOTHING at all even at full +. I mentioned something to the dealer and they said "call KTM 1-951-600-8007" so I left a message and received a call back that went something like "Yeah they are sucky but thats the direction KTM went" and when I said I get the valving could be improved but the real issue is the adjusters should be on a keychain instead because they would do the same and be even more available to the customer, his response was "Sorry KTM hates its customers, CLICK".

 

I had Kreft go through my 4CS and the results were stellar but this is an issue of KTM pawning off non-working garbage on its customers. Anyone else feel like the adjusters are just for show on the Xplor 48 fork and that the 4CS (as hard as this is to say) was better?

[KennyMc]

I had ENZO do my ‘16 Husky 501 FE 4CS forks. They were night and day better, best fork I’ve ridden.

 

I had a ‘17 300 XC-W and the Explor were good at the slow stuff but not very good at the bigger/faster stuff. And you are right, the adjusters seemed more or show [emoji51]

[mog]

Fit the base bolt from an exc and you have adjustability back

[o313]

2 minutes ago, mog said:

Fit the base bolt from an exc and you have adjustability back

Is it that simple? 

[o313]

6 minutes ago, KennyMc said:

I had ENZO do my ‘16 Husky 501 FE 4CS forks. They were night and day better, best fork I’ve ridden.

 

I had a ‘17 300 XC-W and the Explor were good at the slow stuff but not very good at the bigger/faster stuff. And you are right, the adjusters seemed more or show

I think the 2019 adjusters are going to be a decal or sticker.

[mog]

Yes but you fit it in the rebound side of the fork I believe

[ssilver07]

1 hour ago, mog said:

Yes but you fit it in the rebound side of the fork I believe

Sorry but its not as simple as just fitting the base bolt with compression adjusters. 

 

Yes OP you are correct when you say the adjusters are pretty much for show on the new xplor forks. I think Kreft and Stillwell performance even have some graphs to show that there is roughly a 3% change total from full out to full in although I could be off on that percentage. I let my local suspension guy fix my xplor forks and shock at the same time. He basically did the same "A" kit that Stillwell performance does and similar to what Kreft does. HUGE difference!!! I agree we as consumers should not buy a $10K bike and then have to spend another grand on their short comings in the suspension area just to get the bike to perform like it should. 

Edited March 28, 2018 by ssilver07

[o313]

27 minutes ago, ssilver07 said:

Sorry but its not as simple as just fitting the base bolt with compression adjusters. 

 

Yes OP you are correct when you say the adjusters are pretty much for show on the new xplor forks. I think Kreft even has some graphs to show that there is roughly a 3% change total from full out to full in although I could be off on that percentage. I let my local suspension guy fix my xplor forks and shock at the same time. He basically did the same "A" kit that Kreft does. HUGE difference!!! I agree we as consumers should not buy a $10K bike and then have to spend another grand on their short comings in the suspension area just to get the bike to perform like it should. 

Thank you and I understand that sometimes forks need springs and or valving but having to spend hundreds or thousands just to get the ability to adjust a fork is criminal. KTM should market the fork as non-adjustable instead of treating us like arsS holes, how much did we pay for clickers that add weight to the fork for no discernable adjustment.

[tigertiger]

Future Shox in Phoenix did my 4CS and Explor and love them. Give Bob a Call. Very reasonable cost

[Guest]

This echos how a lot of people feel. The forks are fine for slow speed stuff but fall in their face at mid to high speed anything. The clickers don’t do squat. I’ve read for hours on here and vital and have come to the conclusion that I’m not sure what to do, lol. On one hand I don’t want to throw good money after bad, and invest any money in the various fixes by stillwell or others. On the other hand dal Saggio has the sphere kit solution which could be run and removed and used on a different bike or sold and the bike put back to stock. 

 

Ive literally read for hours on this subject and if money was no object I’d go dal Soggio sphere. With the luck mxtech kit a close second.

Edited March 28, 2018 by Guest

[95jersey]

Air fork all the way.  Sell your explorer and get the air forks.  You think a revalved 4CS is good, you aint tried NOTHING until you tried the air fork.  I had Kayaba SSS with $1000 into it that didn't feel as good IMO.

The only reason I bought the XC/TX model was for the air fork and for once my gut feeling was right.

[o313]

49 minutes ago, 95jersey said:

Air fork all the way.  Sell your explorer and get the air forks.  You think a revalved 4CS is good, you aint tried NOTHING until you tried the air fork.  I had Kayaba SSS with $1000 into it that didn't feel as good IMO.

The only reason I bought the XC/TX model was for the air fork and for once my gut feeling was right.

You are smarter than I am! 

I should have known better and bought the XC or a SSS Kayaba bike, at least the forks are adjustable. People are saying that the Xplor is "good in slow stuff" but I call BS, they only work for shite in slow stuff and the rest they are an old mattress.

[retroone]

17 hours ago, o313 said:

I have a 2014 Husaberg FE501 with 4CS suspension that was IMO mediocre compared to the open cartridge WP fork of the same generation. 1 week ago I purchased a 2018 300 XC-W and the initial feel was soft but not too shabby until I tried to dial some compression damping and NOTHING at all even at full +. I mentioned something to the dealer and they said "call KTM 1-951-600-8007" so I left a message and received a call back that went something like "Yeah they are sucky but thats the direction KTM went" and when I said I get the valving could be improved but the real issue is the adjusters should be on a keychain instead because they would do the same and be even more available to the customer, his response was "Sorry KTM hates its customers, CLICK".

 

I had Kreft go through my 4CS and the results were stellar but this is an issue of KTM pawning off non-working garbage on its customers. Anyone else feel like the adjusters are just for show on the Xplor 48 fork and that the 4CS (as hard as this is to say) was better?

I bought a 2018 TPI 250 and the forks are awesome and the adjusters work super good . I can feel every click when I ride. ???? I got lucky ????

 

[tigertiger]

My xplore forks were awful: No adjustability, no rebound, big time brake dive. With a revalve they are NIGHT and DAY, all for $150 (I did not need new springs) 

I can go as fast as I dare and they never let me down, and ride really really rocky stuff too. I love them now. 

[o313]

Just now, retroone said:

I bought a 2018 TPI 250 and the forks are awesome and the adjusters work super good . I can feel every click when I ride. ???? I got lucky ????

 

You can feel an actual difference while riding from the individual compression damping clicks?

[mog]

Sorry but its not as simple as just fitting the base bolt with compression adjusters. 
 
Yes OP you are correct when you say the adjusters are pretty much for show on the new xplor forks. I think Kreft and Stillwell performance even have some graphs to show that there is roughly a 3% change total from full out to full in although I could be off on that percentage. I let my local suspension guy fix my xplor forks and shock at the same time. He basically did the same "A" kit that Stillwell performance does and similar to what Kreft does. HUGE difference!!! I agree we as consumers should not buy a $10K bike and then have to spend another grand on their short comings in the suspension area just to get the bike to perform like it should. 

To get adjustability it is that simple ,to get them perfect will require more work I agree

[Sycamore]

19 hours ago, ssilver07 said:

Sorry but its not as simple as just fitting the base bolt with compression adjusters. 

 

Yes OP you are correct when you say the adjusters are pretty much for show on the new xplor forks. I think Kreft and Stillwell performance even have some graphs to show that there is roughly a 3% change total from full out to full in although I could be off on that percentage. I let my local suspension guy fix my xplor forks and shock at the same time. He basically did the same "A" kit that Stillwell performance does and similar to what Kreft does. HUGE difference!!! I agree we as consumers should not buy a $10K bike and then have to spend another grand on their short comings in the suspension area just to get the bike to perform like it should. 

I had stillwell do my xplor and for 400 bucks I got the best suspended forks I've ever been on.  

BTW so long as people are different there are going to be short comings to every bike on the market.  I know some who LOVE the stock xplor's also some that love their stock AER's.  They complain about other things though.  lol

[o313]

I have the bike at dealer and they, added oil, moved the fork up in the clamps, and confirmed settings/sag all the way around. The fork dives like crazy and the compression clicker does absolutely nothing. The dealer guys were trying out the 2 stroke XC-Ws forks and all exhibited the same non-functioning adjusters.

Anyone swapped to an AER fork to a 2017-2018 XCW? Thoughts?

The AER is an inch longer, does that interfere with anything?

Edited March 28, 2018 by o313
added question

[retroone]

10 hours ago, o313 said:

You can feel an actual difference while riding from the individual compression damping clicks?

I'm 165# and run the compression and rebound all the way out and back in 2 clicks (front and rear it's that balanced for me) when Gnarly single tracking. 4 in on a little faster single track. Out in southern sand woops 8-10 clicks in. So yes I can feel an actual difference. I can tell if I miss counted the clicks and stop and recount. But it all can be in my head ??? I like to use all of my travel when I ride... I remember back in the Penton days Lol

 

[o313]

3 hours ago, retroone said:

I'm 165# and run the compression and rebound all the way out and back in 2 clicks (front and rear it's that balanced for me) when Gnarly single tracking. 4 in on a little faster single track. Out in southern sand woops 8-10 clicks in. So yes I can feel an actual difference. I can tell if I miss counted the clicks and stop and recount. But it all can be in my head ??? I like to use all of my travel when I ride... I remember back in the Penton days Lol

 

You seem too be the odd man out although if you ride in the bottom 1/3 of the travel then the dampers may actually have slightly more effect according to the fork dyno data online.