Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

After the Gumby's forks finally decided to give the game up on the weekend I found myself looking for a suspension place. Opinions on suspension guru's are like arseholes (everyone's got one) but I'm glad I listened to Rob(racer) on Saturday. I took the forks out to Sean at SOS suspension on Monday and what can I say. The bloke is one of the most helpful people you could find. He gave me a number of options to fix the forks up (It has another problem in that the black coating on the left leg is screwed, $728 for a new leg but that's cheaper than getting it recoated though). You can tell just talking to the guy that firstly he knows what he's on about and secondly he loves working on bike suspension. Note for Dave (Madkaw) he knows about stiction problems on Crim forks.

He's pretty busy at the moment but said he'd get them back in a couple of weeks (timing of the leg from Japan will be a problem though). When you see his workshop though it is awesome. The place is like an operating theatre.

The downside from my point of view is that he's sold me on doing a full suspension upgrade on the Gumby including a new Wilbers unit for the rear (rebuilt by him to suit my weight and lack of ability as well) so I'm going to be up for some cash but he reckons he'll get the Gumby turning like a 600

Have to agree with you here,brilliant bloke and knows what he's on about. He even speaks commoner language. Got a new rear shock through Sean and he walked me through the entire process using words I could understand. I now have a bike that handles better than it should.


Steve

gen, ebay has a set of gumby forks, last time i saw them they were 99c...

Sounds like a plan. Sean just rang me and guess what? One of the top legs is totally stuffed. Run out of 7mm and a stress fracture under the triple. Another $500.

Wattie wrote:gen, ebay has a set of gumby forks, last time i saw them they were 99c...

Just had a look at them. The left one (which is the lower part I need looks pretty munted up).

Talking to Sean he said kawasaki internals were really good but all of the current model top fork legs are like butter so there's a fair chance if they've had any sort of impact they're probably stuffed. I might keep an eye on them and make a bid at the end. I have to order my shit pretty well straight away though becuase it's three weeks from Japan

bugger. i think even glen at all fixed purchashed a set of forks with munted bottoms and used the tops on his.

maybe time for full ohlins R&T forks Glen...


oh, ask him whats its worth to make my gumby cart my lard ass around better? i dont think i want a wilbers, i had a bad expierance with a wilbers owner once...

Ha yes I remember. He does both Ohlins and Wilbers but reckons the Wilbers are much better in terms of quality and the results he can get out of them for the same price. Maybe our mate at Boomerang was right

So what was the cause(s) of the problems Glen?

It was a stat w/off before Wardy got it so I'd say the forks have always been damaged since the event that wrote it off. From the marks on the bike I'd say it's been trowelled through some kitty litter during it's life so it probably end over ended or something. Not a great result but at least after spending a baziliion dollars on suspension it should feel a heap better.

dun ya hate it when ya go in for one thing and end up doing 5 things and spending 5 times the money you allowed i always do it lol

atleast now its going to be kick ass ay

Glen Glad you remembered, I forgot all about the suspension conversation go Sean the gentle GIANT

Latest Update.

On top of one lower forkleg being rooted ($728) plus one top forkleg that is bent and cracked ($500), it also appears there's a better than fair chance the bottom triple clamp may be twisted. Cost of a new one $800, Ebay from the US $200 landed (thank you ebay). What a bloody nightmare. Had I known it was all screwed I could've just picked up a full set of forks and triple second hand for probably less then I've already paid. Lesson 1....wait unti everything is sussed before you start ordering parts. Oh well..... Once it's done the suspension will be worth more than the rest of the bike. Lesson 2 If i ever need to buy another tracky it's going to be a Gumby so I can keep all the bits.

Through all this though I've spoken to Sean at least a dozen times and he's absolutley awesome to deal with. Once I get the triple he'll make sure it's all aligned properly and then once the bikes back together he's offered to come out to the Creek and get it set up properly.