2013 husaberg/KTM 4CS Forks

[v-tec]

Hi all,
Have been looking at the new husaberg te 300 , for 2013 they are fitted with the 4CS forks, as is the 2013 KTM six days,

Now can anybody give me some true feedback on these forks, as i have been told that the fisrt thing to do with the new bike is to get rid of the forks, as they are crap and over complicated,
The 2013 ktm exc non six days still has the older style oc forks that are apparently the ones to have,

Just seems madness to buy a new bike with crap forks ?

Thanks for your input
V-tec

[cjBERG]

Well first of all the EXC's and XCW's come with OC forks not CC forks. I have a new berg with the 4CS and a '12 with CC forks. The '12 forks were the best stock forks of any bike i've ever ridden and most people that rode the bike would agree. In comparison the 4CS are somewhere between the CC and OC forks. They are actually better in the rocks, roots and logs than the '12 forks but not quite as good as the '12 CC in the bigger MX type stuff. The only thing wrong to me is that the 4CS ride a bit too low in the stroke. I am debating a revalve but do not want to lose the benefit in the rocks and roots. They are also designed to be easier to work on than the CC forks.

[v-tec]

Thanks for that, When you say they ride low in the stroke ,what do you meen, is this a bad thing, do you think these forks are a deal breaker,
i do 50% enduro and 50% trails,
Do you think people are making coments about these forks without any experiance of them.

v-tec

[cjBERG]

I mean when going down hill or riding the front brake they tend to stay a few inches down and are reluctant to rebound. I loosened the rebound clicker and it helped some. For the average enduro/trail rider they are really good as is with the proper spring for your weight and are the opposite of a deal breaker. For me, they work better than the Marzocchi equipped bikes I've ridden. Some of the A/AA guys like the '12 forks better in stock condition but I have heard that the 4CS with a little work can please everyone.

[rgranger]

Could it be you need a little more pre-load on the front. My '09 has a 22/24 nut on the top of the forks that adjusts pre-load. Apparently a lot of the guys that I ride with that have KTMs didn't know this, so I am just tossing it out. I think 1 turn = 1mm preload.

[Filberto]

you are correct,
1 full turn= 1mm pre-load, with a total of 10 turns of adjustment (10mm of preload)
i need to do somemore testing here in the east, but I know that one of new current tuning trends in California is to run a stiffer spring and to stay at 5mm and under on preload. Buddy with the 08xcw ktm 200 has those adjusters, and I always thought they were the greatest because you could change preload. I know its metric but you could use either a 13/16 i believe it was the 15/16 wrench on it. This may sound funny, but Dont use an impact on it. When they have been all they way out they can take some effort to move, but once they stop (going clockwise) dont crank on em any more.

[Filberto]

I rode all the 2013 ktms at highland park(big ktm dealer here in the southest,U.S) last summer with the idea that I wanted a 250 or 300 2 stroke. Started with the 150,200,250,300 xc or xcw, cant remember. Then I rode the 4-stokes, 250xcfw, 350xcfw, 350 had a recluse, im 5'9 215lbs,(wife grew up in Manchester, 63.5cm 27stones, something like that? I didnt like the suspension on the 2sstrokes at all, 350 felt really good and I loved the 250f, but I wanted a 2stroke. So last fall at the last enduro of the National Enduro Series in Maplesville Al, they had the new bergs, the 250f was ok,350 was so so, didnt like the 500 at all, way undersprung, but guy with me who weighed 165lbs loved it, the 250- 300 suspension felt nite and day better than the ktms. I dont know if it was because they were blue, or the plastic subframe, i know that ktm used the push pull forks in the 90's and nobody liked them, but these bikes felt great to me. I never been inside them and ktm/berg guys (same guys at both demo day rides) hadnt been in them either. I personally like the fact that you dont have to lay down on the ground to make, comp or reb changes. Im a vet "B" rider and Ive been doing suspensions for 19yrs. But everybody has their own personal liking, you may hate them?? Do you ever here from James Dobb? Last summer at the "Tn knock out" after race it started raining and i found myself under the ktm tent with Paul Whibley, Russel Bobbit and Mike Brown, Nice group of guys.