Difference between USD forks and upgraded stock forks

[sbabs]

Regarding my XR400; How much better would USD forks, say from a CRF250 be, over respringing and valving my stock forks? I do have a brace as well for the stock forks.

The reason I ask is because there is a major cost difference. I know the USD forks look way trick, and I could probably sell the stockers for something so it might not be that much of a difference, but I am not that mechanically inclined and would have to get help in making this happen.

I am asking mostly because I have to make some suspension mods, it's obvious to me now that this is the only real area of need on my bike. The power and low end is quite ample, and I will crash much less often once my suspension is right. That in turn will make me less in need of eStart. As it is, my bike starts relatively easy so I just need to not crash.

I just don't want to have as much money in my 400 as it would cost to buy a CRF450X.

[creeky]

Check out Drew Smith's suspension service at www.werproducts.net for the best in XR suspension mods.

[sbabs]

Hmm, no answer in any way to my question, but a shameless plug nonetheless.

[creeky]

Hmm, no answer in any way to my question, but a shameless plug nonetheless.

Sorry, I guess that I should have elaborated. It is my experience that the stock fork legs can be made to perform better than USDs and WER does the best job.

[sbabs]

That's good to know. Has anyone else had a similar experience, or different?

Thanks

[mookymoo]

WER does the best job.

Why is their website broken?

Has been that way for a couple of weeks. I thought they had gone out of business...

[Rockjockey]

I had the suspension work done on the stockers and they were as good as the stockers could be (which was nice), but after the switch to the 04 CRF forks with the Factory Connection re-valve and the addition of the Air Cells it is like buttah compared to what I had. If I had it to do over again I would have saved the money I used on the stock set up and just gone for the twin chambered inverted forks up front and saved the money spent on the stockers. The best you know is the best you've ridden. A set of Ohlins front forks could have been had for the money I would have saved. If you do it get the most up to date forks you can afford, and try to get the entire front end.

[simmo400]

Just my thoughts. I have E-Start so can recover on hills and after crashes a little easier! As for suspension I too thought long and hard about changing to USD forks but decided that if I wanted to go down that path then I should buy a bike that comes out with USD and sell my XR. I love my bike and just do not want to part with it. So I have upgraded my suspension and believe me each change has made a vast improvement over stock. IMO there is nothing wrong with the suspension on the XR for what it was intended for. I have no trouble with any nasty bad habits now my suspension is just about sorted and I find I am riding much faster than before and importantly in control. Dont go over board on spring stiffness, revalve for plushness, set your sag correctly (important) and presto a great quality good handling bike that will do most things well.