2012 Models

[twowheels]

More gas, taller flame

...wasn't it the Italian union that threw the last load of new Husky's in the lake at Varesse just before the world-wide press intro?

... then what they dragged up, dried off, and tried to sell looked like a caricature of a motorcycle

(just kidding guys, its Saturday night and things are slow)

 

[Bobt250]

I'm confused about the Zoke forks. I've heard that the forks are way too soft and as someone just said, they are way too stiff.

I have an '11 EC300 and I don't know what flavor of Zokes are on it but HANDS DOWN these are the nicest, plushest, basically perfect forks I've ever had in 40 years of riding.

I'm confused.

 

[mrkartoom]

I think they are talking about the 48mm CC Zokes that now come on the Race models as being way stiff. Lots of feedback on how stiff they come delivered. You would have the 45mm open version.

 

[GMP]

Yes, the new proposed 48 closed cartridge forks. Honestly, valving is not a concern for me. I revalve everything anyway for the rocky stuff here, as I'm sure mrkartoom and the other NETRA guys here understand. So to start off with stiffer springs which I need anyway would put me ahead. I think that if your the type of rider that is willing to pony up the $$ for a race model, tuning the suspension is not an issue. For the masses who will ride a stock bike, at least for some time, the standard bike is in the ballpark.

 

[Ud_luz]

What I recken is I can joke around with guys here I have known for years with more than 4 posts. As long as its kept PG rated, does not personally attack a member, and does not get out of hand, there is nothing wrong with some good witty banter. Seems to have worked OK so far, and keeps things lively.

Also, while most of my statement was indeed humor, the part that you obviously took offense to is indeed fact. Some of my best friends are union and if I can have both serious and humorus discussions with them, I will not be schooled by you.

As far as my discipline goes, if you feel it is inadequate, I suggest you start a poll. If it swings in your favor, I would be happy to quit and never be heard from again here. If not, well, enjoy Cafe Husky.

Mod TT for a while. You get this on a daily basis.

Oh, and I wholeheartedly agree with you.

 

[Clay]

They'd better substantially re-valve the 48 Zokes. They are ungawdly stiff- Suitable only for a very, very fast (and bigger than average) rider.

At this point I am completely befuddled on what to buy.

Rick,
I'm a little confused, too. We haven't gotten any bikes into the US yet with the new 48mm Zoke fork. Have you ridden another brand with that fork?
Clay

 

[AZRickD]

I wasn't commenting on the new (and improved?) 2012 48mm Zokes. I haven't ridden the 2011 version, but a friend from California rode a bike with them installed (pre-revalve, as I understand) and described them as unfun.

I'm hoping that Gas Gas Euro gets the message and gives us something that is at a different starting point.

 

[Clay]

I'm not sure how your friend would have ridden a 2011 with this fork since we have yet to get a 2011 with the new 48mm Marzocchi fork into the US yet. Only the Race models are coming with this fork in 2011 and we have yet to get one. It may turn out that he is totally correct. The fork may be way stiff OR it may be way soft. Who knows...it could be spot on. My request is that we wait and ride one before commenting that there is a problem with it.
Clay

 

[ScottyR]

I wasn't commenting on the new (and improved?) 2012 48mm Zokes. I haven't ridden the 2011 version, but a friend from California rode a bike with them installed (pre-revalve, as I understand) and described them as unfun.

I'm hoping that Gas Gas Euro gets the message and gives us something that is at a different starting point.

The only guys other than the Factory Team who are running the 48mm Twin Chamber forks are the Zip Ty Racing Team. They have been developing the fork for the last 2 yrs and they are very confident in its design.

I have heard rumours that Cervantes prefers the 48mm Zoke over the TTX and has decided to run them in his race bike.

 

[AZRickD]

It wasn't on a GG, and he didn't mention twin chambers. I'll have to look him up and get details.

If this is truly new and improved, I'm all for it.

 

[ScottyR]

It wasn't on a GG, and he didn't mention twin chambers. I'll have to look him up and get details.

If this is truly new and improved, I'm all for it.

Unless your buddy is Ty Davis, he hasnt ridden a bike with the new 48mm forks.

 

[AZRickD]

He e-mailed me. It was a 48mm tube with TTX internals made up by a suspension friend. He's thinking it was a Sachs tube, but he's not sure.

 

[ScottyR]

They arent the new 48mm Zokes.

They are Ohlins TTX inserts stuffed in either Sachs or KYB outer tubes.

Lets wait for the new forks to actually be ridden by a normal person before we pass judgement on them.

 

[Clay]

He e-mailed me. It was a 48mm tube with TTX internals made up by a suspension friend. He's thinking it was a Sachs tube, but he's not sure.

When I got my 2010 Nambotin, it had TTX internals in Sachs outers and it was waaaaay harsh. I have been told the 2011 Nambo will have different valving.

From what I have been told about the 48mm Zoke closed cartridge fork, it is a totally new fork that has not been on a production bike in the US yet. It is also the fork we plan to use on all of the 2012 models in the US. I believe it will be a good fork for the majority of our customers but some riders will have to re-valve because of the conditions they ride in. I don't think any stock fork works in New England!
Clay

 

[compmoto]

what he said ...

Yes, the new proposed 48 closed cartridge forks. Honestly, valving is not a concern for me. I revalve everything anyway for the rocky stuff here, as I'm sure mrkartoom and the other NETRA guys here understand. So to start off with stiffer springs which I need anyway would put me ahead. I think that if your the type of rider that is willing to pony up the $$ for a race model, tuning the suspension is not an issue. For the masses who will ride a stock bike, at least for some time, the standard bike is in the ballpark.

I haven't had to touch a thing on the 2010 300 I'm riding. Except for adding the Scorpion rad guards, and Acerbis handsavers ...

 

[mrkartoom]

When I got my 2010 Nambotin, it had TTX internals in Sachs outers and it was waaaaay harsh. I have been told the 2011 Nambo will have different valving.

From what I have been told about the 48mm Zoke closed cartridge fork, it is a totally new fork that has not been on a production bike in the US yet. It is also the fork we plan to use on all of the 2012 models in the US. I believe it will be a good fork for the majority of our customers but some riders will have to re-valve because of the conditions they ride in. I don't think any stock fork works in New England!
Clay

+1

It's funny I can be complaining about how harsh a set of forks are and an owner somewhere else is telling me how plush they are lol. I'm resolved to the fact I have to send every bike's suspension out. Although these Sachs are feeling pretty plush in my driveway.

 

[Bobt250]

I don't like closed cartridge forks. I think they have more stiction. Perhaps that's one reason why I like my '11 EC so much. I came off of a bike with closed cartridge forks that I never could make as nice as what I'm riding now.

Just my opinion.

 

[GMP]

Many people say that. I have very little time on them, and none were valved right for me anyway so results are inconclusive. The 45mm GG Zokes are the closest out of the box forks to being acceptable in rocky New England and North Jersey. You can actually ride the stock bikes, which is amazing to me considering the crazy valving. This place will make you hate your fork you thought was the bomb. I like everything about the Shiver fork except its durability. I had to have my uppers re-anodized (T3) this winter despite meticulous maintanence, care with the clamp torque, and alignment. I had the soft alloy damper rods coated as well. For this reason I want to move to a different fork on my next bike. 2011 race, 2012, or even a 2010 Sachs reworked by Les is not out of the question, depends what is there when the cash frees up.

 

[mrkartoom]

Many people say that. I have very little time on them, and none were valved right for me anyway so results are inconclusive. The 45mm GG Zokes are the closest out of the box forks to being acceptable in rocky New England and North Jersey. You can actually ride the stock bikes, which is amazing to me considering the crazy valving. This place will make you hate your fork you thought was the bomb. I like everything about the Shiver fork except its durability. I had to have my uppers re-anodized (T3) this winter despite meticulous maintanence, care with the clamp torque, and alignment. I had the soft alloy damper rods coated as well. For this reason I want to move to a different fork on my next bike. 2011 race, 2012, or even a 2010 Sachs reworked by Les is not out of the question, depends what is there when the cash frees up.

These were some of the problems with the 45mm Zokes that the suspension tuners I had pre-purchase discussions with eluded to, Les being one of them. They both steered me towards Sachs due to the build quality. I heard Marzocchi thin-walled those uppers and some guys leave out one of the lower clamp bolts to alleviate the problem.

 

[GMP]

All true. The wall at the lower clamp area is 1.5 mm less than that of a Husky Zoke. Why? Maybe to use the old 57mm clamp design they had for the WPs, or they thought some added flex would be good. Me thinks the prior. Its not only the clamp torque, but the flex introduced, and you can't do much about that. Dispite the wear the fork performed flawlessly before I tore it down. All is back to new now, even better with nice hardcoat damper rods (that were also obviously wearing and fouling the oil) and feels fine bouncing off stuff in the yard.