Gold valve questions

[redrider2500]

Ive decided once i have the money i want to put in the racetech gold valves in my forks and shock on my 2007 kx450f. Im just wondering if its something i can handle on my own, ive done fork seals, but thats all. But im also one who likes to learn by just doing it, i like to be the only one who works on my bikes. So im just looking for tips and tricks, anything to watch out for, any advice is welcome.

Thanks

[Jeekinz]

What type of riding do you do? I have them in my 05 KX250, still trying to dial them in. I think I'm just battling too soft valve stack, so the next revalve I'm going stiffer 4-5 steps. My friend has a bone stock 07 KX450 and the suspension on that is nice. It's a touch soft as it gives a false sense of what I'm riding on, but generally feels pretty good.

If you're riding woods they should be fine right out of the box with your given settings. I ride MX and cant seem to keep them from blowing through the stroke. Woods is tits, I can make it feel like a Caddy no prob. Forget any large whoops or jumps.

[motodude79]

I never put gold valves on a dirtbike but I did put some on my gsxr 750 trackbike. I have done fork seals and springs many times on my own but I would never try putting on the gold valves on my own again. I ended up sending them to a shop to get the shims done. Putting in the valves is no problem but figuring out how to do the shims is not that straitforward. There are a million ways to do it depending on how you want the bike to handle and your weight and everything. I sent it to a suspension shop and they did a custom shim stack for my style of riding a weight. Cost 150.

[redrider2500]

ok thanks, and i was planing on doing them because im like 280 and when i get it stiff enough for my weight so that i wont bottom, its just to harsh on any small bump or normal riding on the trails, i ride mostly mx and it works great for jumping except it beats the crap outa me on anything else, i just need a smoother ride with good bottoming resistance. maybe ill just send it in for a revalve and order spring and stuff on my own and just give them everything and have them put everything in during the revalve.

[dkbl5]

GV kits get you tearing into your stuff = good. But you do yourself a disservice by taking out OEM pistons and converting the mid. If you're not up for LOTS of time/testing/trial & error then send 'em out. My 2c.

[Chuck.]

If your running MX why would you fuss with the mid valve. Maybe for trail riding?

[Rockyracer]

Race Tech will give you initial settings but after that it is up to you, and their settings are far from perfect. You will do a lot of expermentation, but knowledge does not come without a price, money or time.

[dkbl5]

If your running MX why would you fuss with the mid valve. Maybe for trail riding?

The base stacks they provide assume: Their GV piston, and compression side of mid converted to check valve. Also from there you cannot compare stacks apples to apples with anything but the same.

[Jeekinz]

GV kits get you tearing into your stuff = good. But you do yourself a disservice by taking out OEM pistons and converting the mid. If you're not up for LOTS of time/testing/trial & error then send 'em out. My 2c.

Yes, I've taken my forks apart easily 20 times in the past year. I've learned A TON. But even that ton is only a drop in the bucket. Learn how to reuse your fork oil. lol

If your running MX why would you fuss with the mid valve. Maybe for trail riding?

The MV was one issue I never got a straight answer on. The GV instructions say to convert it, and I got 50/50 advice from people to convert it or not. I called RT twice about it and the first thing he asked was my weight (165) and said to leave it alone.

If you do convert it, you will need to order a checkplate because the GV kits don't come with one. At least mine didn't.

Race Tech will give you initial settings but after that it is up to you, and their settings are far from perfect. You will do a lot of expermentation, but knowledge does not come without a price, money or time.

The initial settings (Digital Valving Search/DVS) were sweet on trails. Way too soft for track, even whoops. I've changed oil levels, stacks, MV conv then back to MV. Right now I went up one spring rate and stacks similar to the original DVS, but it's still too soft and I'm bottoming on large whoops and small 20-30' doubles. I'm going to give it 1-2 more revalves then might throw the towel in if I'm not close.

[racerx936]

When you call Race Tech make sure you ask for ROB BROWN. Super cool guy, tons of knowledge and customer service that is second to none !!

[BoNalls]

Gold valve installation is very easy. Race tech provides instructional walk through dvd's that will help you along the way. Installation can be done with basic hand tools. As far as setting the valving once and never getting help again, thats just bs. Racetech is more than willing to help their customers over the phone to make sure they get the best suspension possible.

[thestuz]

MY RT KIT WAS GOOD.

if your not happy with the rt settings, what makes you think youll be happy with a suspension shops settings?

its a learning game.