17’ up KTM500 Suspension

[SteveThe Snakes]

Well I just had my suspension redone. Actually he puts in different valves and if you weigh more a different mid valve in the forks. It’s like they say you don’t know how bad or good suspension is until you ride one that works. I weigh 165 without gear so the stock suspension and springs weren’t bad. I didn’t complain just rode the bike.  But my son was taking his to get done on his 300 and asked if he wanted to take mine down also.

I had felt his 500 that was done previously and was quite impressed as he weighed more but the suspension was very plush. So likely that was one of the big reasons I decided to get it done. I also knew it could be improved greatly but I am not one to let someone make it worse either. 

Ride report: The suspension is extremely plush and takes bumps and hits without kicking the crap out of you. It is very pleasurable to ride the bike for a very long time. It used to ride lower in the travel on the forks so you would get to the harsher mid valves. Now it rides up in the stroke and you get the soft part of the forks. So I’m very happy with it. 

The guy that did it is Jim Martenson that runs Konflick suspension out in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. I have actually ridden with him in the past. Good guy and a good rider and apparently knows his suspension well.  

 

Edited October 2, 2019 by SteveThe Snakes

[Burnrider]

Good for you. It makes riding easier and more fun.

[twp8357]

I have been riding 500ish  KTMs for about 19 years now and initially I put lots of money into bigger motors thinking that was the way to catch up with some very fast riders I learned to ride with.  After crashing and breaking lots of bones I decided to start having my suspensions done.  First, Javier of Trail Tricks fame did a couple of my bikes and I finally caught and passed some of my fellow riders.  Currently I have a 13 350 that Allan Stillwell did his A+ kit on($3K) and my 15 500 has an entire Ohlins suspension that Dean Burke worked up with Huck Valves($5.5K)    It seems like a lot of money but it has been worth every penny.   You can ride faster and more comfortable and with my Renazco Racing Seats I have been able to ride events like the Big Bear Run (12hrs) or the LAB2V Iron Man style where I do 950 miles in 2 days.  Now, at age 62 I am no longer interested in 12 hours stints but I will still have my suspension done.   Kreftmoto just did my GFs 19 350 EXC-F and also lowered it with a complete re-valve ($1.6K) and it rides super plush.  I am sending my 2020 Six Days suspension to them and expect to get a really nice ride for under $2K.

 

Pro Tip:  If you do take the plunge, be sure to put all your gear on including filling up your hydration bag and then get on the scale.   You will be amazed at what you actually weigh and this number is critical for the suspension tuner to get you the right springs.   My GF was off by 20lbs and I am not allowed to post her ride weight  ?

[KennyMc]

Well I just had my suspension redone. Actually he puts in different valves and if you weigh more a different mid valve in the forks. It’s like they say you don’t know how bad or good suspension is until you ride one that works. I weigh 165 without gear so the stock suspension and springs weren’t bad. I didn’t complain just rode the bike.  But my son was taking his to get done on his 300 and asked if he wanted to take mine down also.
I had felt his 500 that was done previously and was quite impressed as he weighed more but the suspension was very plush. So likely that was one of the big reasons I decided to get it done. I also knew it could be improved greatly but I am not one to let someone make it worse either. 
Ride report: The suspension is extremely plush and takes bumps and hits without kicking the crap out of you. It is very pleasurable to ride the bike for a very long time. It used to ride lower in the travel on the forks so you would get to the harsher mid valves. Now it rides up in the stroke and you get the soft part of the forks. So I’m very happy with it. 
The guy that did it is Jim Martenson that runs Konflick suspension out in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. I have actually ridden with him in the past. Good guy and a good rider and apparently knows his suspension well.  
 

Don’t let Anvil see this post....

[SteveThe Snakes]

Nothing wrong with the top of the self suspension. Though it is very costly. 

Almost all of the 17’ up 500 riders in our group have had their suspension done. One of the riders weighs about 230 and had his stock Explore forks done by a suspension guy that started with the earlier years internals as that was suppose to be good set up. He hated it and went back and forth spending a ton of money on them. So I have been lucky to see lots of different set ups by others. Most of them felt harsh so I knew who not to use. (No names) But obviously not the guy I used.

The 230 lbs riders Buddy was selling a 450 race bike with the cone valve forks on it. He ended up trading his forks and giving him $1700. he rode it this last weekend. He is now happy and didn’t even re-valve or spring it. It was set up for a 175 lbs pro motocross rider. 

All I can say is his old forks sure weren’t done well. But it is harder to get good suspension done when you weigh more. 

A lot of people are now using Del Saggio internals. Konflick uses them for the mid valve. My sons 300 was done with the mid valve. I think he has about $900. Into it. He is a expert and raced it in the sprint Enduro last week and did extremely well especially since it was his first time there. He said the suspension was working well. I have about half of what he spent in mine. But I can say good suspension is worth every penny and highly recommended. Especially so if you weigh over 165 lbs. or ride extremely fast. The stock springs and valving really don’t work well. But it’s way less noticeable if you don’t weigh much. 

twp8357 is right always state your weight with riding gear. But a good suspension guy will ask you about it. What is also extremely important is to not exaggerate your riding abilities or how fast you ride. 

[SteveThe Snakes]

2 minutes ago, KennyMc said:

Don’t let Anvil see this post....

Hahaha I don’t think it would matter. He is down to the hardest enduro ever. That’s where you have to get off the bike and push it through the boulders. ?

[KennyMc]

Hahaha I don’t think it would matter. He is down to the hardest enduro ever. That’s where you have to get off the bike and push it through the boulders. [emoji23]

He’s a non-believer...but to your point, he doesn’t spend much time actually riding the bike. Is the new suspension lighter? That may be a selling point ??

[Ultra61]

215lbs I am, and I had my suspension done and I am very happy .. had another shop do mine because my guy was swamped w work, and I can be impatient.. mistake, mistake, I am happy now.

IMO .. I like what Steve said.. "he rode with" the guy that ultimately did his suspension. Picking a guy that knows suspension and rides or ridden in the terrain you’re on mostly.. I believe is very important and my builder does to.. I had Factory Connection do mine in my impatience, which is just down the road. They took my info over the phone in MA and then sent the info to a satellite which are employees and know nothing about our terrain and just do what they are told. We have another builder in our area that shows up and Motocross tracks and the guys love him at the track. He uses my guy for Enduro bikes and understandably why, he does not ride on my terrain.

[Mike in Fresno]

My 17 suspension is due to be delivered back to me tomorrow from Kreft. I sent it there to get it shortened due my to 5-8 height and getting old and not so limber now. I read the threads of lady dentists and others about the magic Kreft can do so I chose them. Mine is also about $1.6K to get done and more for for the shipping back n forth. Hope to ride in the next two weekends. I had Javier-Trailtricks- do two prior bikes and am still happy with them. I see he is back/still in business and wouldnt hesitate to get work done by him, but I thought he had moved back to Europe. I am intrigued by the price and performance stated here for Konflict.

[twp8357]

Mike is going to thank me pretty soon but not the same way my GF did  ?   I am sending my Six Days off, perhaps on Friday as I take off for a hiking adventure.   If you read some of the reviews on KTMTalk where there is a specific section just for suspension, you come to find out that Kreft is at the top of the game with the Explore Forks as he makes a bunch of his own parts for the mid valve.   

[SteveThe Snakes]

2 hours ago, Mike in Fresno said:

Javier-Trailtricks- do two prior bikes and am still happy with them. I see he is back/still in business and wouldnt hesitate to get work done by him, but I thought he had moved back to

The word I heard was his past wife passed away. He is remarried now and in Colorado I think. But prior to him going back to Argentina he took a few people’s suspension. I have heard another sketchy deal also. But not first hand knowledge other than one bad deal that a friend had. 

[Mike in Fresno]

I have pm'd him on other site and he is in Colo

[SteveThe Snakes]

23 hours ago, Mike in Fresno said:

My 17 suspension is due to be delivered back to me tomorrow from Kreft. I sent it there to get it shortened due my to 5-8 height and getting old and not so limber now. I read the threads of lady dentists and others about the magic Kreft can do so I chose them. Mine is also about $1.6K to get done and more for for the shipping back n forth. Hope to ride in the next two weekends. I had Javier-Trailtricks- do two prior bikes and am still happy with them. I see he is back/still in business and wouldnt hesitate to get work done by him, but I thought he had moved back to Europe. I am intrigued by the price and performance stated here for Konflict.

Let us know how the new stuff works. Did you shorten it a inch?

I just lowered my seat at 5’7” it’s a bit high. 

[Airboss/oc]

On ‎10‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 11:14 PM, twp8357 said:

I have been riding 500ish  KTMs for about 19 years now and initially I put lots of money into bigger motors thinking that was the way to catch up with some very fast riders I learned to ride with.  After crashing and breaking lots of bones I decided to start having my suspensions done.  First, Javier of Trail Tricks fame did a couple of my bikes and I finally caught and passed some of my fellow riders.  Currently I have a 13 350 that Allan Stillwell did his A+ kit on($3K) and my 15 500 has an entire Ohlins suspension that Dean Burke worked up with Huck Valves($5.5K)    It seems like a lot of money but it has been worth every penny.   You can ride faster and more comfortable and with my Renazco Racing Seats I have been able to ride events like the Big Bear Run (12hrs) or the LAB2V Iron Man style where I do 950 miles in 2 days.  Now, at age 62 I am no longer interested in 12 hours stints but I will still have my suspension done.   Kreftmoto just did my GFs 19 350 EXC-F and also lowered it with a complete re-valve ($1.6K) and it rides super plush.  I am sending my 2020 Six Days suspension to them and expect to get a really nice ride for under $2K.

 

Pro Tip:  If you do take the plunge, be sure to put all your gear on including filling up your hydration bag and then get on the scale.   You will be amazed at what you actually weigh and this number is critical for the suspension tuner to get you the right springs.   My GF was off by 20lbs and I am not allowed to post her ride weight 

good god man did we grow up together or ? same 62 here and know what a good suspension should feel like

[twp8357]

1 hour ago, Airboss/oc said:

good god man did we grow up together or ? same 62 here and know what a good suspension should feel like

I rode my new 500 Six Days about 20 minutes and already the suspension is boxed up and heading to Kreft tomorrow while I go on a hiking vacation.  Bike feels light!!!!  Nice and Quiet too!

[Airboss/oc]

quiet is good

[SteveThe Snakes]

12 hours ago, twp8357 said:

I rode my new 500 Six Days about 20 minutes and already the suspension is boxed up and heading to Kreft tomorrow while I go on a hiking vacation.  Bike feels light!!!!  Nice and Quiet too!

Nice let us know which suspension you prefer out of the high dollar ones. But of course most of it is in the tuners hands. 

[bkoz]

@SteveThe Snakes

It's good you finally figured what you are missing suspension wise on these bikes. 

KTM missed the mark with their money saving wannabe single function forks.  And the PDS has need massaging for the last 20 years. 

[Dixie Normus]

On 10/2/2019 at 7:16 AM, SteveThe Snakes said:

Hahaha I don’t think it would matter. He is down to the hardest enduro ever. That’s where you have to get off the bike and push it through the boulders. ?

I found the solution for the WP suspension problems. 

[SteveThe Snakes]

1 hour ago, Try Again Sonny Boy said:

I found the solution for the WP suspension problems. 

I really like that bike. They designed it so you can dent two mufflers not just one. Dent it again Sonny Boy! ?

Edited October 5, 2019 by SteveThe Snakes