No matter how hard Joe pushed the front end, the BBR SP-5 Fork took the punishment and gave predictable feedback.
The BBR machine entered the competition with the weight of hefty expectations riding on its capable shoulders. We had tremendous success with their components in our first Mini Moto project, and once again we found that the bigger aftermarket accessories were as good as the smaller bolt-on components.
Holding things together on the BBR machine is the Super Pro CRF/XR50 Frame. The 6061 aluminum frame and swingarm are said to be five times stronger than the stock XR50 backbone, but weighs exactly the same. Suspending the aluminum swingarm is a super-sick Elka shock designed specifically for the BBR Super Pro frame that is fully adjustable, utilizes standard valving shims, provides 6 inches of travel, and retails for $1,699.95.
Up front we outfitted the BBR machine with a SP-5 Fork Kit, which comes complete with 27mm conventional forks and a full BBR handlebar kit. With five inches of travel, the front end does a phenomenal job of taking the abuse of big jumps, yet still provides ample feedback in and out of rutted corners.
The chassis of the Sano is equally impressive on paper. We fitted our red, white, and blue Sano machine with the Sano Factory Kit1 which includes a 4130 chromoly frame, long-travel swingarm, a fully adjustable iShock with adjustable preload and rebound damping, and a Sano Bombshell fork. The kit retails for $1999.95 and includes a front disc brake and brake assembly.
The most impressive component of the Sano chassis kit is unquestionably the Sano Bombshell Long Travel Fork, which is arguably the sickest in the industry. Offering up full adjustability and 6 inches of travel, the inverted fork certainly adds an aesthetic appeal that few other manufacturers can match. Not only is it a vast improvement over the stock fork, it actually weighs a pound less than the XR50's stockers.
While the Sano suspension was very good, it didn't quite measure up to the BBR's link-less KTM-style shock and swingarm set up.
Out back the beefy aluminum swingarm is suspended by a limited edition iShock with 6 inches of travel. Fully adjustable for preload and rebound damping give a tremendous amount of flexibility and allows riders to dial it in for their specific needs.
On the track, both aftermarket kits paid major dividends by improving stability and handling capabilities. Good thing, with the money we dropped to put these two together we would've been very disappointed with anything less. Whoops, dips, and most undulations were transformed into soft butter thanks to the aftermarket suspension components.
While both kits are very good and improve the handling, the BBR setup is more accommodating to taller riders. The BBR chassis kit increases seat height to 29 inches (on ten inch wheels), which is three inches taller than the Sano setup. A closer examination of the frame/shock components reveals two different suspension philosophies.
The BBR Super Pro Frame utilizes a KTM-style linkless rear suspension design, which positions the shock vertically. On the Sano Factory kit, the rear suspension is a modified version of the XR50 stock suspension layout where the shock is secured to the swingarm's top U-brace. Subsequently, the shock is positioned horizontally and ride height is reduced by a few inches.
The different design philosophies made a difference on the track as our group of testers found out while riding at John Lawton's newly expanded test track. However, it seemed BBR's suspension philosophy might be the superior design, especially when landing big jumps.
"The BBR suspension set up was the best in my opinion," said our resident backflip specialist, Dustin Kuykendall. "The Elka shock worked flawlessly in the corners, straights, and especially when jumping. I could launch that bike as far as I wanted and it always soaked up the big hits when I landed."
