There's nothing better than telling someone what's happening on the track and having them fix it for you with minimal guesswork. We've all been there, spinning suspension clickers helplessly and wondering just how the hell to get it all back to stock settings.
Victorious in the ever-important suspension wars was again the brand-new KX-F. In a ground-breaking move for the company, Kawi used Showa components on its '06 250F. Apparently one big change was enough because the engineers stuck with their longtime suspension partner, Kayaba, on the 450. Public Relations man Russ Brenan assured us that it was a decision based solely on the findings of rigorous performance testing during Kawi R&D sessions. We absolutely loved the Showa stuff on the 250F, but since we don't have the opportunity to try it out on the 450F, we'll just have to accept his words as the truth.
A 48mm Air-Oil Separate (AOS) Kayaba inverted fork handles all duties up front, and handles them well. There weren't any reports of unpredictable behavior which turned out to be a consistent theme with the Kawi. The fork refused to dive excessively under hard braking, which the Kawi is exceptionally good at, no matter how ham-fisted we got at the lever.
Softening the compression three clicks from stock accommodated my slower pace with much more comfort than the standard fork settings. As Kawi's technician, Spencer Bloomer pointed out a flaw in my jumping technique, an additional three clicks of rebound was all it took to level out my front-end-high flying style. Ah, the beauty of a knowledgeable suspension guru. Thanks, Spencer. Because the method wasn't Kawasaki-specific, it has and will continue to lessen my boner-airs on all brands.
Consistency was again the name of the game on the rear end with the UNI-TRAK linkage system bolted to a Kayaba shock featuring new high-speed compression adjustment. Performing excellently all the way around the track, most notable of the KX-F's shock was its steadfastness on jump faces. Being able to charge rutted takeoffs or tackle kickers on jump lips gives riders the confidence to try more obstacles and the ability to be successful.
Suzuki received good marks from our testers for its Showa suspension components. Up front we battled the steering geometry, but once that was hashed out, the fork worked awesome.
As the primary interface between a rider and the terrain, the KX suspension was a smashing success. Kawasaki did a phenomenal job matching the suspension, chassis, and motor to give riders the ultimate control under all circumstances. Overall we definitely weren't disappointed with the KYB components; we just wonder what the Showas would have been like after such a strong showing on the little KX-F.
Often times a bike will get a bad rap as having sorry suspension because of a tendency to headshake. Unfortunately, the Suzuki did suffer from a nasty affliction, but it was no fault of the 47mm Showa. In stock form, the fork protrudes significantly from the top of the triple clamp, noticeably more so than the rest of the machines. Suzuki technicians were quick to recommend dropping the fork to a lower height for a little extra rake to produce added stability. I couldn't stop grinning like a fool on the first lap out after making the adjustment. Just 6mm lower and the entire nature of the bike was changed. Not only was the headshake almost entirely gone, but the bike cornered with more authority and never felt skittish mid-turn. Don't assume that the handling slowed down, because it didn't, it was actually easier to turn in because the front end had more feel and improved traction.
Once performing correctly, the fork was great at absorbing the jumps, but our faster riders complained of it bottoming too easily. Going to a heavier spring rate from the stock .46 kg/mm would likely turn this fork into a near perfect system for heavier or more aggressive riders.
Airbox? What airbox? The linkageless shock design lays more vertical than traditional Japansese suspension and tucks up under a unique fuel cell/airbox arrangement.
Two turns out on the shock's high-speed compression and one on the low-speed allowed for the RM-Z to settle into turns and soak up braking bumps much better. The rear handled the rough stuff well when under power, but bounced and deflected occasionally once the top-heavy weight transferred to the front upon braking.
"The Suzuki is very good through acceleration bumps and through braking bumps," said Rondon. "It tends to soak up everything."
Showa is owned by Honda, so it's no surprise to find its stuff on the CRF, too. We judged its equipment to be very good as well. Our test riders all appreciated the red machine, but we couldn't seem to agree on the suspension performance. The lightest of our trio found the CRF to be uncontrollable at times in the whoops, while Mandahl and I each praised the straight-line stability.
One thing that separated the Honda from the others in my book was the worn-out feel that allowed the suspension to move a little too much in its stroke. Adding compression damping to the fork didn't help, and neither did softening it. The adjustments would alter bump absorption, but failed to eliminate the jittery feeling the made it seem as though the internals were clapped out.
If any bike had the opposite feel it was the ATK. Beautiful, gold Ohlins components graced the front and rear and felt extremely solid.
"Ohlins are usually known for their tighter tolerances," said Tom Watson of Watson Performance. "It's usually pretty good stuff."
Even though he's improving, Hilde is still our Novice tester. His low-level skills were maximized by the Kawasaki and its predictable suspension.
Indeed it was. The initial impression a rider gets from merely sitting on the bike is that the front and rear units are on the stiff side. Once moving, though, the fork does a surprisingly good job of handling sharp hits and jump landings, and things are very similar out back. The linkageless design bolts the shock directly to the beefy aluminum swingarm, laying the shock at a sharp, vertical angle.
Considering the weight being suspended by these components, the Ohlins did a very good job of keeping things nice and smooth. Bottoming out was the biggest problem, and though it didn't happen often, when it did the result was much more harsh than with the Japanese bikes. In direct contrast to the exemplary mating of components on the Kawasaki, the Ohlins componentry was dealt a harsh blow simply by being attached to the rest of the bike.
Suspension Ranking
Fork:
1. Kawasaki
2. Suzuki
3. Honda
4. ATK
Shock:
1. Kawasaki
2. Suzuki
3. Honda
4. ATK
