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Xplor Forks - DIY 15min revalve ! Testers needed.

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First note Suspension101 is now a two person team. My son Enzo has joined me and is doing a great job. I am blessed indeed.

We have been working on a fork base valve for several years now. Kepple, Nantista, Fred Goldberg, Andy Nichols, Ricky Johnson and more have been our testers. Some of the guys here have one of these builds in an earlier form or another. Oh ya, Kenny had a really early prototype on his 300. Well, 5 years, it is time.

We plan to roll out the new product called the "GOBBLERS" in a couple months. The reason for the name is a couple of the test riders came in and said they just gobble up the bumps.                               The Gobblers leap frog suspension performance, have "massive" adjustability, and ease of installation, in one tidy DIY package.

Looking for a few people that want to try them out for a week or two, no charge. Just bring your Xplor forks in and we can install them in about 15 minutes. We do not even have to drain the oil.

Go ride them and in return post your impression of the product.

We can uninstall them in the same amount of time.  If you want to keep them you will be really well taken care of like 25%.  This is not about selling product so much as it is about getting public perception of the product. This is for stock or re-valved Xplor forks by the way, it works on them all.

Thanks again,

George & Enzo

 

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Congrats on getting a new teammate!

I am not a guy that rides enough to test (but what a great offer!).  I do appear to have blown forks (204 miles) in my 2019 and would prefer to have you look at them instead of having the shop look.  Can you give me an idea of what these "Gobblers" would cost (PM if you prefer)?

Thank you, and congrats again on the new addition!

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You do not have to be a tester. Your the target audience. If I do your service I will put them on. Go play and give your opinion. No worries, no pressure, no problem. It is actually 30% not 25 just to make an even number.  $300 instead of $429 but I want to make one thing clear. You are not obligated to buy them. I want more than anything, for you to post your opinion. Would you consider it a value? Just be straight up. I will be expecting to install your stock base valves after your feedback. Two three weeks I do not really care. I am already selling two to three a week now from word of mouth. It is going sell but I simply have to do my homework. I have a new website being made, ecommerce. Also having some video's made. Then they are going to do a test market ad campaign so we can get an idea of how many units we will need to keep from running out. So just doing due diligence.

 

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Thank you, George.  I should be able to bring the bike down one day next week.  Would you please send me your address and/or contact info?

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Passion, knowledge, I hope you guys kick ass with this!! Congrats 👍

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Thanks Kato, you more than most, know about passion.

Yes, it is what I think about most moments, of every day. And like it!

 

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Thank you for helping the off road community, and offering this awesome opportunity to SDAR members!

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George, you did the suspension on my '15 500Exc and it was amazing. I just traded it in for a '20 model that comes with new valving.

With all this heat, and now a new job starting in a week I don't know when I'll get the chance to ride again. If you'd like , you're welcome to ride my bike for a bit so you can compare stock to your set-up.

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Hey George,

Congrats on your " New " partnership.  Secure your seatbelt, be prepare for a rocket ride.

     Dave

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On 9/19/2020 at 9:37 AM, Ptkatoomer said:

George, you did the suspension on my '15 500Exc and it was amazing. I just traded it in for a '20 model that comes with new valving.

With all this heat, and now a new job starting in a week I don't know when I'll get the chance to ride again. If you'd like , you're welcome to ride my bike for a bit so you can compare stock to your set-up.

Very kind of you to offer your bike. Congrats on the new job as well. My brother Gio has a 500exc. We already installed the first production prototypes on his. He said they are every bit of his Yamaha SSS forks except more plush. His Score Baja team mate John Griffin heard the conversation and just smiled when Gio said that. That was yesterday as they left to go pre-run for the Baja 500. His smile was silent and skeptical at best. So I said what are you running on your REM Glen Helen motocross bike. A KTM SXF with KYB SSS forks was his response. So I threw it down and said I have a proposition for you. I will throw a set of Xplor open bath forks together with the new adjuster. If you find the fork to be on par or better than the infamous KYB SSS forks, you in return have to post your experience on a noted website as you eat maybe a touch of crow.  Keep in mind this is not a motocross fork, the KYB is a motocross fork. The valve will have the exact same stacks as I am putting on Simicrintz bike next week. If it even comes close I will be very pleased. A single track fork that can handle the Glen is not normal.

Dave, Rocket ride is right. Right now we are simply having a great time Enzo and I. Being older I am more patient now and he is putting in the effort. We just picked up a new Handy lift for him and already had set up a full work bench. He is banging out Re-valves, using the Lathe to modify the parts and all in. CNC Haas Vf2 in the near future and more. Rocket ride is apt.

 

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Having difficulty visualizing how this part attaches to the Explor fork.  Best guess is at bottom of the polished leg in the aluminum casting that holds the compression adjuster on a PDS system. Having looked at the parts explosion does not help much. The parts diagram seems to show two springs and two valve stacks. I thought the Explor system had only one of each.  🤷‍♂️

Thanks for any Light on the subject.

P.S. Correct me please, I am thinking there are two valve stacks. Rebound in the top and Compression at the bottom. This Blue part is the compression function, correct?

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The prototype on my 300 is so good I’m almost scared to mess with it. 
But I will. 
Call me when your ready for it George. 

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1 hour ago, Bagstr said:

Having difficulty visualizing how this part attaches to the Explor fork. 🤷‍♂️

 

I suspect you’ll have installation instructions, complete with images, in a week or so 😉

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1 hour ago, Bagstr said:

Having difficulty visualizing how this part attaches to the Explor fork.  Best guess is at bottom of the polished leg in the aluminum casting that holds the compression adjuster on a PDS system. Having looked at the parts explosion does not help much. The parts diagram seems to show two springs and two valve stacks. I thought the Explor system had only one of each.  🤷‍♂️

Thanks for any Light on the subject.

P.S. Correct me please, I am thinking there are two valve stacks. Rebound in the top and Compression at the bottom. This Blue part is the compression function, correct?

Bottom of fork is correct. One check valve on top "return" for oil to get back in. Stack at the spring is compression. Hole at tip of stem bleeds past piston and out side hole shown.

What it comes down to is this is the only fork adjuster that has two compression adjustments. One is high speed and one is low speed. Yes just like a shock. Change the high speed on a shock and it makes a major change by putting pressure / pre-load on a spring which in turn is putting pressure on the shim stack that covers the piston orifices that restricts or holds the fluid back. The low speed adjuster simply opens an orifice or valve that allows more or less fluid to flow past the high speed adjuster spring, shims, piston etc. That is until this low speed bleed orifice is unable to handle the amount of flow and is overwhelmed and then it is all about the high speed circuit taking control.

Not to worry Kenny this allows us to "nail" the set up so much easier. Your 500 was not as good as your 300 and that is highly unlikely to happen again due to the external adjuster.

This unit improves every bike we have installed it on but still testing. Other companies re-valves included. It improves stock forks as well. But when I install the sprung mid and this unit it gets crazy good.

 

By the way the Genius guy is an artist. Real deal. Those pictures are great. Thank you!

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would this be applicable to the 1290 SAR?

Might help to know what bike models those forks come on. I have no clue.

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On 9/23/2020 at 4:08 PM, Bagstr said:

Having difficulty visualizing how this part attaches to the Explor fork. 

 

image.jpeg

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3 hours ago, DSM8 said:

would this be applicable to the 1290 SAR?

Might help to know what bike models those forks come on. I have no clue.

They fit from about 2004 to today open chamber forks for the off road bikes and older adventure bikes like the 990s. The Adventure bikes starting with the 1090-1190-1290-790 they changed the lugs and the adjusters do not fit.

I have to build the 1290R suspension by hand and it works well with some pretty aggressive riders. We also for those that want it all do a 990 cartridge conversion that is quite good as I am able to build a sprung base like the Gobbler but have to do it internally so no external adjusting. It works pretty well though.

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On 9/23/2020 at 5:25 PM, hobiee said:

It's all about the flow man,  the flow.............

Its all about the "FLOW CONTROL"

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So, I guess the Explor systems are Open Chamber as well as the PDS.  

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So Giorgio,  are these latest "base valves" going to be added into my WP Factory Cartridge/Spring Kitted AER 48 forks to further enhance them? 

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The Xplor forks are using the same upper aluminum tube and lower chrome tube since I believe 2007. Before 2007 differences but interchangeable.

The open chamber forks of past had mid valves in both forks and never reached their potential. Make it adequate for the masses and sell. Tuners did not have anything either, until the sprung mid valve big improvement and now we have the Gobblers taking them to another level yet.

How to change an open chamber fork into an Xplor fork.

1. Omit base valve adjusters at bottom of fork. Trouble is the only known way to get true compression adjustment in this  fork is with a base valve adjuster on the Bottom of the fork.

2. Omit the mid valve on the left fork and install an orifice valve. More likened to a damper rod fork of old. Soft on top with a highly progressive damping spike

3. Drill holes in the left cartridge body to allow free flow of fluid into and out of the cartridge. Negating the possibility of a mid valve / rebound circuit. Maybe they will feel some comp adjustment range this way. Not!

The rebound damping has been moved to a single piston on the right fork. So your reb adjuster has 1/2 the effect and more cavitation as only one piston. Your comp adjuster is a placebo adjuster that has little affect at all.

The gobbler puts the base valves back in play with way more adjustment than before so it is a solid improvement for trail riding in addition to bringing in more plushness due to the design. But if you are going to go race pace high speed in Baja or Dist 38 racing then the missing parts noted above should be replaced and the holes plugged in the cartridge. This because when you have a very high speed compression event the pop off valve allows the fork to blow through the stroke and then the holes in the orifice valve become overwhelmed with too much fluid flow and hydraulic lock occurs.  Exactly like the bikes of old that were too progressive. That is why they changed to the more expensive mid valve system years ago because they had too much progression.

When we tune an open chamber or Xplor fork that has been brought back to open chamber specs combined with the Gobblers. I am getting texts like yesterday. I just put three hours on the bike and WHOOO Haaaa. Oh Yeah, Its amazing, the plushness and lightness even when using most of the travel!

This is by far the best fork I have ever built. Too bad Noah got picked up by Husky as he helped develop this system and now he can't used it.

On another note I think Husky all the way up to the top, Roger is going to realize what they have in Noah, not as a rider, we all know his riding abilities. But as a tuner.  Thank you for all your help Noah, we had a good run! Miss ya.

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Robert,

Your fork is a full custom fork, one of three built with Noah getting the other two. First race with them won a Worcs event.

Gobbler will not fit that fork as your base is off the wall kinda crazy hand made different. And now the season is upon us so you may have to wait a while till we make the next run of improvements.

My suggestion get some xplor or open bath cartridges and build the Gobbler system and it will be better better than what you have.

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George, are you saying your Gobbler is A good enhancement to a revalve or is it stand alone? When you revalved and sprung my previous 500 with your "ENDUROCROSS " settings it really was good.

I'm no racer anymore but it was still fairly supple yet allowed me to charge hard when I wanted to in both the desert and singletrack.

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