After taking the Showa BFRC shock apart and reviewing the design first hand the MXT crew had a chance to ride the bike at our local track this past Sunday. 

I was very curious how the shock would respond on the track. So our initial thoughts were, the shock has a very fluid and plush feeling – while comfortable likely does not offer sufficient control for very aggressive riding. We will need to spend more time making adjustments before we can say for sure. The shock was certainly never harsh so I think concerns over the twin wall design having enough flow rate can be put aside.

As I've tried to describe the shock to friends and non-tech types perhaps the best way to describe it is a shock that features the adjusters right on the main piston. So instead of the piston moving through the oil, we push the oil through the valving mechanisms. It's a clean, intuitive and "simple" design.

Some immediate thoughts and bullet points:

• The actually working volume is quite low. 
• The "pressure piston" or "pump" is 42mm. (About the size (2mm larger) than a typical 85cc bike.
• Almost all big bikes now feature 50mm Pistons.

The BFRC can't use anything that big because with a twin wall the OD of the body tube would need to be huge.

The adjusters feature only turns and no clicks. Given that they adjust such a significant volume of oil (pressure) the quarter turn to half turn suggested increments are noticeable.

The preload is a plastic and pinch-lock ring style.

We will be working with the bike extensively in the coming weeks. Keep checking back for more!

JW

First of all MXT has many options for riding performance. One major question that needs to be answered is whether or not you want spring or air forks? MXT was also the first in the industry to offer spring conversions, in fact they continue to be highly successful while also receiving great reviews! We also offer the most trusted air forks on the market. Either way you decide, you can be assured that we back our products and think you'll be as excited as we are.

So what is new?

The MXT PSF2 System dual spring conversion, it includes an optimized Huck Valve and new compression and rebound adjusters. Plus, it is ready to install. This is an excellent option if you want to get to the track and ride a trusted spring fork.

For KTM & Husky riders, the MXT LUCKY 4CS System offers the best evolution in design while being over a pound lighter than a stock 4CS fork. The drop in system has an increased cartridge volume, a redesigned Huck Valve, new adjuster and reduced friction machining. MXT has been changing 4CS forks to benefit riders since the beginning, and with the LUCKY System we continue that support.

Trail riding KTM & Husky riders, we just finished off a season supporting many off road riders, including the MCS Suzuki team and rider Ricky Russell#212. If your bike has stock Xplor forks, chances are you'll find the limitations of pushing stock suspension. The MXT XPLR System takes a direct approach to the needs of off road riding. Our unique drop in cartridge system has been designed to easily, and it is 1.5 pounds lighter than a stock 4CS fork. Lighter weight means less fatigue and better handling. This system includes a Huck Valve at no extra charge and a leaf spring mid-valve. We are confident this is one upgrade worth getting.

Arc Levers, Crankworks, FMF, Heavy Duty Racing, Magiksc Graphics, Motostuff, Rekluse, Service Honda, Xtrig.

Just look at that bike shine, but don't worry, it isn't just for looks.

How did it happen? MXT bought this Honda 250 4-stroke to aid in the development of the MXT TAC-R air suspension system. After we made the best works air suspension system around, it was time to sell the bike... But then we remembered how much fun we had working with AJ from Service Honda on the Service CR500 project. It didn't take long to see how this could be converted to a 250 2-stroke fire breather!

Due to very wet local conditions, our first ride was at LTMX. This sand track was super deep and challenging – it got the usual things with a new bike: A couple heat cycles, air filter check, tire pressure, and setting both the sag and fork pressure.

Every rider was impressed with the bike's overall feel: equal to a Honda or KTM, and noticeably lighter. We rolled onto the track and let it rip! The Kawasaki 450 was different than our last KXF, easier at turning an inside line, the engine is familiar where the mid-range is really strong, yet the clutch seems a little weak. (The Rekluse Torq Drive is the absolute best option on all of our Japanese bikes.) While the mid is strong the top end seems to come up short, and the brakes seem dangerous – especially when compared to our KTM and Honda test bikes which all have MOTOSTUFF oversized rotors.

About the suspension.

In the sand, the bike was very rideable and balanced, allowing riders to feel comfortable almost immediately.

In the fork, a bigger air piston improved the physics by supporting equal mass with a lower pressure, this will allow us to do more with the new design. While the "friction" in the fork was noticeably better than the 15 & 16, we are looking forward to testing the SKF Glide kit when it becomes available. The biggest issue we see up front is that the fork bottoms metal to metal easily, and will need an MXT Huck Valve. Additionally, a TACR system will help manage the air spring characteristics even more effectively than the smaller version on the older KXF fork. By going to the larger size, Showa was able to reduce the reservoir size giving the fork a better feel and more control, making this a perfect candidate for the MXT TACR system.

The shock had good movement and worked predictably. It was a little loose after bigger rollers on corner entry, but in the soft deep conditions that was about all we got out of the initial testing.

Whenever it stops raining, we will be riding the bike in hard dirt, which will be very informative.

We are giving "The Bike That Builds Champions" two thumbs up!  

This is the first true innovation of the off-road air fork that helps manage the hyper-progressive nature of all production air forks. The MXT TAC-R system has been in development for an extensive period of time. The stock Showa TAC system required MXT to log countless hours in all riding applications as a way to truly deliver works level performance.

All air fork systems currently work by using single volume pressure regions. Air pressure changes depend upon the position of the stroke to change volume. This is similar to a hyper progressive spring rate, where the air spring is the largest contributor to net force, and the most changed as a function of position.

MXT saw a need to create a more linear force instead of the stock progressive characteristic. We created this by incorporating an additional compression region. The new high pressure region is positioned above the main pressure region and is separated by a piston. As the main pressure region increases, it reaches a point at which the separation piston starts to compress. This effectively slows the rate at which the volume change accelerates. MXT engineered this to occur in the middle of the stroke which limits the progressive nature of the air fork. Finally, near the end of the stroke, the compensation effect of the high pressure region stops. At this point the pressure dramatically rises to the benefit of maintaining the original air spring effect which allows for excellent bottoming control.

Installation: Follow the OEM service guide for removing OEM components. Install the TAC-R system following similar OEM methods. IMPORTANT: Remove or reduce standard oil fill volume by 18cc of fluid. Start by charging the TAC-R system high pressure to 300 PSI, then charge all other regions to the baseline pressure.

High Pressure Region: (Red Cap) The pressure being used to compensate for volume change in the fork. Start by charging the TAC-R system high pressure to 300 PSI.

Mid Pressure: (Silver Cap) traditionally the “high pressure” region. When installing the system you will need to remove 18cc from the oil volume to compensate for our systems volume. Set the mid pressure to the standard baseline pressure.

Low Pressure: (Blue Cap) Space between the fork tubes and the cartridge. On some models it’s used while on others it does not get utilized. Set the low pressure to the standard baseline.

To watch the installation video go to: MXT TAC-R system Installation Video

WARNING: The MXT TAC-R system requires the use of the SKF Glide Kit. The SKF Glide Kit reduces stiction and improves the sealing of the MXT TAC-R system. These are key functional points that will not be optimum without the SKF Glide Kit. 

WARNING: The Showa TAC, and MXT TAC-R system uses high pressure air to manage the spring rate of the fork. Exercise extreme caution when working on air forks. Never disassemble the TAC-R system. Contact MXT for service.

In 2016, the manufacturer altered the reservoir to a simpler design in order to reduce costs. The parts use a production grade plastic-free piston with a non-finished inner diameter. This positioning of the parts is within a very narrow tolerance, and if not treated correctly, the shock will eventually fail during operation. This limited margin of error causes tuners to struggle in effectively managing the pressure rise characteristic for different conditions.

Solution:

MX-Tech (MXT) saw a need to improve upon the stock design. MXT set out to improve the physics, construction and materials to achieve true works results. The Tank reservoir is engineered to effectively increase performance! With more tuning options, including the precise placement of the reservoir piston, the Tank is much easier to service with a higher standard of quality. The Tank System features a 2mm larger piston, reducing both temperature change in the shock and the impact on rod charge, effectively accomplishing the mission.

Here is a check list of key points that make the Tank right for you:

• Slower piston and overall movement optimizes O-ring gland design. The incorporation of a piston ring results in greater compliance, traction, and comfort for the rider.

• A standard positioning nipple is featured, allowing for precise measurement and placement of the shock. Tuners now have the option to control volume change on the gas side with consistent, repeatable builds.

• Removal of the end cap is via circlip design, allowing for the cylinder to remain in place during routine piston servicing.

• High quality stainless needle type fitting is easily configured within the system, creating a compact, and 100% reliable design.

• Fits 2015.5 and newer KTMs and Huskys using WP shocks

ORDER THE TANK NOW.

Update:

MXT is having great success and feedback from customers who have deployed the Tank at the track. Our goal is to offer the best "works" products – always pushing the limits of technology. This is why we have decided the Tank deserves the ultimate in performance coatings! You can now upgrade the Tank to a Kashima coat finish.

Kashima coating improves the surface characteristics of moving parts. In particular, rubber to metal contact “stiction” is greatly reduced. This advantage comes at a price, but then again so does the ultimate works performance.

Below is our most recent ad in Motocross Action magazine - Check it out in the April or March print issue!

 - We love KTM dirt bikes! - MXT has consistently purchased KTMs.

 - KTM has led the push in technology among dirt bike manufacturers... A huge gain for customers.

 - The WP AER48 air forks have the greatest potential among air fork technology - especially with MXT AR48R modifications.

Yes it is true, there are multiple stories across Europe and in the US where a KTM isn't "ready to race" because of a fork failure. The suspect is a faulty quad ring that leaks air from one chamber to the next - which ultimately cause the forks to stick in the down position. The rider then has no choice but to have the forks serviced. In some cases WP air forks have been sent to a WP authorized dealer upwards of three times to fix and re-fix the problem before being able to ride. We can speculate about the problem, but look to the folks at WP for an official explanation and perhaps some tips on what to look for. Be prepared to live on the edge of technology, we have confidence an OEM solution is coming soon!

Below is yet another instant fork failure with brand new WP suspension.

Below is the suspected culprit, a "quad ring" failure, but WP isn't saying and nobody knows for sure. This one came right out of the bike from the above photo taken 10/20/16.

Some humor... Keep it real people, you may be one of the lucky ones!

Below is from the original post from 2015 - where we felt obligated that our customers be informed and to know what to look for, especially since this has largely gone under reported in the industry.

AER48 Update

Generally we have been very pleased with the overall performance of the WP air system compared to the other air offerings from KYB and Showa.

We have always heard stories about air fork failures with the resulting collapse of the suspension. The WP AER48 was generating the same type of stories out of Europe and we remained somewhat skeptical until it happened to our stock WP AER48 fork.

Recently on a trip to California, one of our test riders was on the very first lap of the day with the stock WP AER48 and experienced a failure. Thankfully, he was just rolling around the track to get a feel before he fully committed to race pace... He now rides a Yamaha.

So let me start by saying, yes, you can regulate the return of the rod charge and effectively adjust a segment of the rebound damping in this way. That is what we are doing, and this is what others have successfully done for a long time, sometimes without even knowing it.

I first heard about experiments with return circuits in the 90's after a phone conversation with Ross Maeda. The story went (forgive me if I overlook a detail Ross this was a long time ago). Ross made a mistake on a build in a fork, and he noted the fork worked much better from the rider’s feedback perspective. He did not expect this as it was a simple change. When he inspect he discovered his check valve had been limited. He told me that he thought this was crazy, and I agreed. But, as history dictates, he tried it again. Later, it became a mod he did. After that it appeared in KYB production parts. No one mentioned this as being a radical idea, and many tuners scratched their heads (myself included). I took notice when Showa started copying this in TC forks.

The watershed moment came to me when KYB introduced the PSF 1 fork. I was always left with the question, where does the rebound damping come from on this fork? The midvalves have massive holes in the piston! Try drilling 2 x 3mm holes in each of your traditional fork pistons and see what you get!

And then it occurred to me, the low speed rebound actually comes from the return circuit on the compression adjuster.

So presently the design is regulating a percentage of the positive force of the reservoir against the shock rod (rod charge). This is a small force, and it’s not the same as the potential force adjustment possible in the clevis. In a practical sense it adds control in the very lowest speeds and loads during the transitions to compression and rebound. In R&D applications we have perhaps even gone into negative territory. Without pushing limits one cannot know the boundaries. While this is not something we sell as a solution I’ve been curious from an investigative standpoint. We can do this because we have the main piston ultimately limiting the speed of return and unlike a compression force; the rate of return is essentially fixed. Our risks are far lower and it’s easy to know your upper limits of velocity as it relates to rebound.

Thanks for reading.

Jeremy Wilkey 

UPDATE: As usual we always anticipate the arrival of current issue of Motocross Action magazine! The February issue pretty much has us stalking the mailman.

500 AF Developments:

Many of our Facebook followers have noted the attention that our recent testing of the Service Honda CR500AF captured. It was a fun project and by the end several younger generation testers who had never ridden a 500 got to experience it. Some vets, myself included, got reacquainted with why the 500’s are so awesome.

We quickly got a fresh perspective! Here’s what we noticed: The latest Honda geometry combined with the 500 engine configuration made the bikes’ natural bias was very front heavy, particularity the cranks center-line relative to the front wheel and swing arm pivot

Our modifications focused on bringing about a change in bias, changing the TAC forks to an easy to manage and reliable spring set up using our TAC Conversion with Huck Valve.

For the rear end the same basic goals continued with a Merge Knuckle to drop the bike and modify the motion ratio shape. This lowered the rear, improving corner entry, but keeping enough stiffness in the valving via motion ratio for good center out steering and bottoming control.

We added in our Enzo Racing inspired compression adjuster to improve adjustability and traction.

The last piece of the puzzle came from X-trig. We felt that moving the offset, decreasing the trail, and stretching the bike forward from the center-line would benefit the heavy steering feel. We used the ROCS (a work of art) system that not only allows an adjustable offset but also improves the feel of the bike through optimized flex characteristics.

The Bullet points look like this.

• Change in chassis bias, via springs, motion ratio and triple clamp offset.
• TAC air fork converted to MXT TAC Conversion with spring and Huck Valve.
• MXT High and low speed compression adjuster for improved traction, feel and tuning.
• X-trig ROCS clamps for improved feel and precise control.

You can purchase the products mentioned in this article by following these links!

Merge Racing Knuckle

X-Trig ROCS Triple Clamps

MX-Tech High and low Speed Compression Adjuster 

MX-Tech TAC Conversion

Motocross Action Magazine