The Makings Of A Great WP Pro Component Settings On The KTM 450 SX-F (With REP Suspension)

Let me preface this article with how much I like to ride the KTM 450 SX-F. But… Yes, of course there is always a “but”, right? I like a lot of things about the KTM 450 SX-F, but the stock suspension isn’t one of them. The AER fork is a slight headache for me as it’s stiff as hell when new, then once broke in, moves more in the stroke, yet still gives a harsh mid stroke feel on braking bumps. Not as much as in year’s past, but it still isn’t a spring feel. Raising the air pressure only makes the harshness worse and decreasing air pressure allows the fork to ride too low in the stroke for my taste. I am a front end steering rider and that means that I really like a spring fork feel. Now, I have tried some other companies spring conversions and although better than the AER fork with front end traction/feel, I just wasn’t sold on the performance it gave me on rough tracks. After doing some of these tests, I then resorted to a WP Cone Valve fork. Now I am not going to sit here and tell you that slapping on a set of WP Pro Components is the answer to your front end problems, as I did have to go through several setting changes in order to get a feel that I personally liked. I thought why not walk you through some of the process to create settings as well as tell you about the latest one I have on our 2021 KTM 450 SX-F test machine. 

You know who helped me get to this blend of KTM comfort and performance promise land that I am in? Mark Johnson at REP Suspension. I am a serious pain in the ass when it comes to KTM suspension, probably because I love that damn Yamaha KYB/SSS fork so much (yes, I know there are KYB conversions and we are going to test one soon, don’t yell at me). Although Mark made my WP Pro Components better than my stock stuff the first time he did it, I felt like I wanted more comfort on rough tracks. I complained to Mark that my rear end always felt too low under acceleration and the front end still had a firm feel on slap down hits through my handlebars. I complained. He listened. That is what great suspension tuners do. They listen to the customer. There are several companies like this out there and REP is one of those companies. Mark emailed me one night about a setting he came up with, that he thought I might rather enjoy. I honestly thought what I had was decent, but as one old test rider once told me, “you’re only as good as what you try right” and I am in the business to try and relay that back to you all right? So I immediately got excited about another suspension test that could really be “THE ONE”! 

I met Mark at GH one Thursday and we literally stayed there all day. This is nothing new, but as a guy who has been doing this 20 or so years, I still love it! I wanted to make sure that I left GH near dark and when the sun decided to set behind the hills of Glen Helen, I wanted to make sure that I had comfort along with performance, before I gathered my things and left. This is the only way I can sit here and type to you all and say if it’s better or not. When you move from a stock WP AER fork to a WP Pro Component set up you will immediately feel a heavier turn in, yet will receive more front end traction. It’s a give and take and I will gladly take a heavier steer in (area 1 of the corner) for added traction. I don’t have near as much of a problem with the rear of the bike, but the stock shock, once hot, fades away into oblivion and gives no real damping character at the end of a longer/rough Moto. I wanted consistency, comfort and traction. Is that so much to ask from a bike? The Kawasaki gives it to me. The Yamaha gives it to me. I want the KTM to give to me as well with WP components on it! 

As usual I make sure that each test is a blind test. I make damn sure I know nothing about what Mark and the REP crew do to each setting and that I am going strictly off of feel when riding. I make sure I hit the same lines on the track through out the day for consistency and that ensures proper feedback to the REP crew (as well as you the reader). When all was said and done, what REP gave me was the best setting I have ever felt from any KTM set of suspension I have tried. Oh and I have tried a lot. Is it the best suspension that I have ever met period? No, but it was the best KTM stuff I have tried, hands down. I was starting to consider that the WP Pro Components were just built for performance and not comfort, but Mark and the guys proved to me otherwise.

 The WP fork with the REP setting not only had hold up, but had comfort as well. Most of the time when you go to an A-Kit style fork, you will lose comfort and gain performance, but both of those categories went up equally for me. RARE! This has only happened twice in my time of testing! Using a 4.8 N/mm spring rate along with the parts listed below gave me great lean angle traction (off or on throttle). The downside to my previous CV fork setting was that if I loaded the front tire on lean (under throttle) the fork deflected and felt harsh. The new updated setting felt more supple initially and progressively had more damping feel as the fork went down. There was no unexpected stiff shelfs in the travel as the fork moved and in return, that gives the rider better feel to the front wheel/tire. AKA more tire contact patch! Boom! Gone is the harsh slap down feel to my hands and that increased my ability to be more confident in how hard I can push into/through jumps because I know that if I wanted to overjump a section (on purpose or maybe by mistake) I could do it without an issue. 

The WP Pro Component shock has always been a struggle for me to set up. I always felt like my rear end was too low and when I managed to get the rear end up, it was god awful coming out of corners (harsh and wasn’t fun on my back). Although I gained consistent damping feel over a longer Moto with the Pro Component shock the comfort was difficult to find at times. To help this I ran REP’s knuckle without the longer rods, along with a sag setting of 98mm. I wanted to change the curve of the linkage ratio to help acceleration comfort, but try to keep that rear end up under throttle. This did get me slightly more comfort, but felt like it pushed on the front end too much once transitioning off the throttle. Mark suggested that I try a 1mm longer shock shaft and that really changed the character of this bike. Once I had the chance to ride with that, it altered my outlook on how the KTM’s ride attitude could handle rougher style tracks. The rear end stayed up higher in the stroke and for my 5’11 front end steering frame, this was a game changer. The KTM became more balanced on throttle and allowed me to accelerate harder/sooner out of choppy corners. I now could get my sag numbers back to normal range (103-105mm), which left me with a balanced feeling coming into corners (off throttle). Having this 1mm longer shock shaft also allowed me to run REP’s longer pull rods, which increased rear wheel traction and took some bite/harshness out of any initial braking bump hit. 

Now on to the question that I will get asked after this is published… Keefer, I just spent 11K on my KTM and now you are saying to purchase 5K on suspension  as well as put another 800.00 into those Pro Components? Holy shit! Yeah, I know, right? However, it’s crazy how many people actually do this. So to cater to those people as well as to others, I will also be doing a stock re-valve story just like this one coming in the next few weeks. So hold tight! Not everyone has the money for Pro Components and I am not blind to that fact. I really wanted to get this article up because I had my doubts about these WP Pro Components at times and get tons of emails about them. Mark and the REP crew worked their asses off to make me happy and it took me a while to get there, but hopefully with all of my testing that I have done, as well as REP’s work, you all will benefit from a one and done setting! 

Below are the parts that REP incorporated into my WP Pro Components and what each part’s purpose really is: 

  Fork:

1. Cone Spring Perch System $349.99

Gives more bottoming resistance/progression allowing for a softer more plush setting to be utilized for better top of the stroke feel without losing bottoming. (The concept comes from KYB which I have played with a lot).

2. Low Speed Valves $120.00

Allows us to valve the flow of the needle and is fully tunable to each rider. Riders typically comment less front dip/more controlled front under braking.

3. 13 Degree cones $160.00

WP only makes 3 degree options 15, 11 and 8. Mark makes 13 as well for MX/Off-Road and 8 for SX. This helps bridge the gap between the degrees to get a specific damping the rider is looking for.

4. Low Friction O-Ring Kit $11.99

Lower cartridge friction compared to the standard o-rings that come in the fork.

Shock:

1. Trax LSV $250

Similar to the fork LSV, it gives REP another shim stack to play with, that normally is not in the shock. The shim stack controls the needle flow and is fully tunable. (This is the part that I felt gave firmness without taking away comfort). It also majorly decreases hysteresis, or pressure differentials, in the shock, which results in a more consistent feel and performance in the shock. 

2. Shock Spring Thrust Bearing $62.99

Springs naturally want to turn as they are compressed which causes binding. The bearing is fitted on top of the spring to allow it to turn and can be put on without the damper being disassembled.

3. RCU Spacer $21.99

REP has spacers made that go on both sides of the shim stack that are surfaced ground to be more flat than production. The spacer makes for a more consistent and predictable build as far as dyno and rider feel is concerned.

4. 1mm Longer Shock Setup $112.99

Helps balance of the bike for most riders, but also gains comfort as it puts the linkage into a softer part of the stroke.

Chassis:

1. REP MW1 Knuckle $299.99

Price jumped from up from the last write up I did because they now build them with OEM Bearings and seals.

2. 149mm Pull Rod $219.00

It’s longer compared to the standard 148.2mm for the flatter leverage curve Mark was looking for, also built with OEM bearings and seals.

Ride Engineering Split Triple Clamps (KTM/Husqvarna)

The stock KTM/Husqvarna clamps are too stiff for me! What about you? Well, if you’re here reading this, chances are they might be too rigid for you as well!  It’s odd because most other manufacturers OEM clamps are on the soft side, but the Austrians had something more rigid in mind when making these stock clamps. So in search of other options besides an X-Trig ROCS or a KTM Factory Edition clamp, I went out and tried Ride Engineering’s new split clamp. When Ride Engineering set out to build the KTM clamps, they’ve been designed with four goals in mind: 1) Optimize body position: (Bar position 3mm back from stock). Ride Engineering also offers optional offset for their bar mounts providing 4 bar positions as measured from the stem hole: 6mm forward, 9mm forward, 15mm forward & 18mm forward (using stock bar mounts your positions are either 7mm or 17mm forward); 2) Flex: this new split design made from 2024 aluminum is said to provide better comfort; 3) Improve the handling with a new gull wing design; 4) Place the upper pinch bolts in the front and allows for different aftermarket handguard mounts. Each set comes with a frame mounted hour meter relocation bracket so that you can retain your OEM hour meter. So how did they perform on the track? We break it down for you here. 

The stock KTM triple clamps are stiff natured and can make your orange bike feel rigid/harsh. My goal for this test was to find less front end vibration through the bars, more front end comfort, as well as try to get a more precise front end feel through corners, without getting added rigidity on hard pack/rough straights. Basically get a more compliant KTM 450 SX-F, but that is sometimes tough to do right? The good news is that this is exactly what I found with the Ride Engineering Split Clamps. The Ride Engineering clamp on the KTM 450 SX-F provided enough flex on small bumps, which gave me less of a stiff feel through the bars, yet was also stiff enough to give me a positive front wheel lean angle through flat corners. The Ride Engineering clamp is most noticeable when diving deep into a rut where there is a huge load put on the front end, forced by the rider. The chassis positivity through this area is much better than the stock clamps. The stock clamps have a tendency to give the rider a rigid feel when weighting the front end (although slightly more positive feeling), deflection on de-cel bumps and vibration that is not very friendly. The Ride Engineering clamp gives the front end more tire contact patch feel because it allows the front end to absorb more of what the track is offering the rider. Going firmer on the triple clamp can give a rider more positivity at times, when leaning into a corner, but in this case, I felt like I could get into a corner much easier with the Ride clamps. Straight line stability is improved because of the bump absorption character of the Ride clamp and vibration is also down which gives the bike a tighter, less clapped out feel. Also do yourself a favor and get rid of those stock Neken handlebars. Buy some Pro Taper EVO bars and thank me later!

Compared to a factory KTM clamp (that comes on the Factory Edition) the Ride Engineering clamp does have a little more flex to it than the KTM FE clamp. The two share the same split design, but offer different flex characters on the track. The KTM FE clamp does have a slightly firmer feel, which does help area 2 of corners when pushing your front tire/front end hard while banking off of ruts. The KTM FE clamp does give a little more positivity in that area, but in all other areas of the track the Ride Engineering split clamp just has more comfort.  I tried the Ride Engineering Split Clamps with the stock mounts and the rider triangle of the bar mount position on the clamp wasn’t an issue for my 6’0 frame. I also have tried the Ride Engineering bar mounts, so if you’re taller and looking for more room, you might want to look into a set of the two piece bar mounts from Ride as well.

A lot of back to back testing went down against the KTM Factory Edition clamps in order to figure out how much flex was too much or too little.

Ride Engineering offers two offsets (22mm and 20.5mm), comes in four colors (black, orange, silver, LE blue) and redesigned with a 90mm span to accept the stock bar mounts and mounting hardware. The $689.90 price tag is also not as steep as some of the other clamps in its class and to me Ride Engineering is one of the few aftermarket chassis part companies that actually test their own products. To have an owner that rides his own parts, then makes an educated decision on if it’s better than stock, is pretty damn cool. You can check the Ride Engineering Split Clamps out at ride-engineering.com. 

If you have any questions about these clamps, or any others for that matter, or maybe want a discount code, hit me up at kris@keeferinctesting.com. 

FMF 4.1 Full System Vs. Akrapovic Evolution Full System Vs. Akrapovic Slip On

We recently received the 2020.5 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition and after dissecting it for a few weeks, we thought we would test a couple different muffler systems on it. We wanted to see if we could improve upon the KTM Factory Edition’s delivery. The KTM comes with an Akrapovic slip on we thought since we have never tried one of their full systems, we would give that a go as well as an FMF 4.1 RCT full system to see how each compares to the standard Factory Edition set up. Just in case you were wondering, we also compared each muffler to one other and give you a breakdown of each category below. 

FMF 4.1 RCT Full System ($1049.00):

With the FMF system installed you will not be getting increased bottom end pull on the KTM, but you will be getting a little more bottom and mid-range RPM response (or throttle crack for you newbies). I noticed the added RPM response more out of corners (versus the Akrapovic) and the FMF system makes the KTM engine character slightly more free-feeling and exciting. I also appreciate that I am not getting any added de-cel popping (or lean sensation) with the FMF system. The KTM ran just as clean with the FMF system on then it did with the stock muffler. Where you will notice the most improvement with the FMF system is through the mid-range. The mid-range “meat” you will get out of the FMF 4.1 system is downright impressive. Rolling the throttle on out of corners and accelerating you will notice an increased pulling power that wasn't there with the stock muffler. 

Whether you're coming out of a corner in second or third gear, you will notice some extra torque feel getting to the next obstacle. With the added mid-range meat of the FMF system it really helped some of the gearing issues I had on tighter, less flowy tracks I tested at. Gaining some mid-range let me use third gear in some corners that I wasn’t able to with the stock system. With the stock system I would roll into these corners in second gear and have the right amount of "pop" to get me out quick, but I had to shift early once exited, to keep the rear wheel from spinning. Third gear was too tall of a gear to get me out of the corner quick, but provided less wheel spin on the exit. It was always a struggle for me to decide on which gear to use when being pressured from behind, by another rider. 

With the FMF installed I could easily use third gear and have enough "pop" to get me out of the corner in a hurry, yet it kept the wheel spin to a minimum by being able to use a taller gear. The FMF’s 4.1 system made me think less and twist the throttle harder, something I like doing. I didn't get any more top-end with the FMF installed, yet it didn't take any away from the orange machine. I did notice slightly less over-rev with the FMF system (from stock) when I got lazy.

Akrapovic Evolution Full Muffler System ($1299.99):

The Akrapovic Evolution full muffler system has a similar character to the slip on version that comes with the Factory Edition, but with added bottom end roll on and mid range. If you’re expecting a ton of added RPM response (excitement) from your full system compared to your standard slip on, you will be disappointed. You simply will not be getting that much added rpm response with the Akrapovic full system. Instead of a smooth roll on that the FE comes with it now has a little more pulling power in second and third gears and pulls those gears much longer.

Mid range pulling power is increased and the muffler pitch is so quiet you never really feel like you’re “on the gas”. The mid range pull is much more linear and longer than the standard slip on and being able to shift a little earlier with the full system makes it easier to ride in softer conditions. I had a hard time with the KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition at softer tracks not recovering, if I shifted early out of a corner. With the full system at the same track I was able to shift into third and not have to worry about covering the clutch as much. 

Top end and over-rev is where this Akrapovic Evolution system shines. Adding top end and over-rev to the already very capable Factory Edition only makes this machine more fun to ride. Again, I can’t stress on how deceiving this system is because of it’s quiet nature. I really had to focus in and feel how quick I was going from point A to point B on the track because the pitch of the muffler never sounds “racey”. However even with its quiet note, the Akrapovic full system lets the KTM pull so much farther that it almost feels like a swapped to an aftermarket ignition. The connection to the rear wheel with the full system is unmatched and even though it may seem like it’s not very responsive, the KTM with the Akrapovic full system allows the rider to get on the gas sooner through corners.

If you’re reading this and wondering why you can’t simply purchase an Akrapovic headpipe for your Akrapovic slip on, the answer is they will not mate up. The Akrapovic slip on has a smaller diameter OD, (where it meets the stock headpipe), so purchasing just the headpipe will not work.

Akrapovic Vs. FMF:

Below are your typical engine categories and which muffler is best in what area. 

Bottom End: FMF

Mid-Range: FMF

Top End: Akrapovic

Over-Rev: Akrapovic 

RPM Response: FMF

Rear Wheel Connection: Akrapovic

Weight: (Akrapovic 6.2 lbs.) (FMF 6.9 lbs.) (Standard FE 8.1 lbs.)

Which One Should You Purchase?

If you’re looking for more bottom end excitement or rpm response look towards the FMF system. If you’re looking for the lightest muffler available and want more top end/over-rev you will love the Akrapovic. Cost is also a factor to me, so if I am looking at the most bang for my buck, the FMF is less money and I’m getting a good performance gain compared to the standard Akrapovic slip on that comes on the FE. The FMF muffler stands up to more abuse as the Akrapovic can look hammered quicker. That being said I was super impressed with the connection that the Akrapovic had on dry/slick tracks, so depending on what conditions you ride could be a factor in your purchasing decision as well.

SKF Linkage Seals Part Numbers (KTM 450 SX-F/Husqvarna FC450)

The new 2020.5 KTM Factory Edition and Husqvarna Rockstar Edition come with updated SKF seals in the linkage for less friction and actually do make a little difference on the track. With the updated linkage seals the rear of these new 2020.5 bikes feel freer and give less harshness to the back of the bike on square edge acceleration bumps. The action of the shock feels smoother over bumps and when I rode a standard 2020 KTM back to back with the 2020.5 KTM, I experienced more of a forgiving feel, on throttle, over bumps, almost immediately. I didn’t notice a huge difference between the old seals and the new SKF seals on de-cel as most of the benefit was on throttle sensation only.

If you’re not in the market for a new Husqvarna or KTM 450, but still want to upgrade your linkage on your older white or orange machine, we thought why not give you the part numbers to make it easier for you to order.

Part number: 79104082032

Description: Seal triangular

Quantity: 4

Part number: 79104082030

Description: Seal triangular

Quantity: 2

WP XACT Pro Components Real World Review

When deciding to spend a few thousand extra dollars on suspension for your ten thousand dollar KTM/Husqvarna, you want to know if it’s going to make a difference immediately. Is it going to make me a better rider? Will I be able to ride faster with it? Do the WP’s XACT Pro Components that much better than stock? These are a few of the questions I get when the consumer is trying to make a decision on getting a set of WP XACT Pro Components. I have pounded hundreds of laps and a ton of hours on the stock WP AER fork/shock as well as the XACT Pro Components (on the 2020 KTM 450 SX-F and Husqvarna FC450) to see if it’s worth the risk of your wife losing her mind when she sees the charge on the bank statement. 

What Are WP XACT Pro Components and what are the differences between older WP Cone Valve/Trax components? 

WP's Pro Components line is aftermarket suspension designed for riders who want the highest quality components and are willing to pay a reasonable amount of money for them. Pro Components are manufactured to tight tolerances using high quality materials, fine surface finishes, and low-friction coatings. This reduces friction compared to WP’s OEM suspension components, and is perhaps their most significant advantage. In fact, to achieve a similar feeling of stiffness to the OEM suspension, all Pro Components required much stiffer damping. The additional stiction in the OEM components is all due to friction. Friction is perhaps the one thing in suspension where no compromise is involved: less friction is always better. When setup appropriately for the rider, Pro Components can deliver high confidence at high speeds.

The Xact Pro fork is the next evolution in "Cone Valve" technology. It retains the same Cone Valve technology and is available in three basic variants: closed cartridge with coil springs, closed cartridge with air spring, and open cartridge with coil springs. The Cone Valve itself is nothing too extraordinary as it's simply a shimless mid-valve. The cup-in-cone valve actuates via a coil spring, providing the variable orifice function that shims normally handle. The Cone Valve spring rate is linear, unlike shims which are more progressive. Also unlike shims, it does not have a maximum safe deflection distance. It can be setup stiffer and with less float than a shimmed valve without getting too much of a rigid handling ride.

The Xact Pro shock features an updated version of the Trax mechanism used in previous Trax shocks. WP’s Trax system is created to reduce rebound damping when the rear wheel is off the ground, helping get the tire back to traction as quickly as possible. The Trax system is now externally adjustable with a screwdriver, which makes the Trax function much easier to use and understand. The shock uses the same high-end construction as the Xact Pro fork and as a result, it sees a similar reduction in friction compared to OEM shock. It uses a nitrogen bladder instead of a piston separator, which has lower friction, but can require more frequent services compared to WP’s traditional piston separator setup. As with past Trax shocks, it separates high-speed compression and low-speed compression into two separate adjusters instead of one dual compression control (DCC) adjuster. The Trax shock shaft includes a rebound separator valve, which isolates compression and rebound adjustments, and increases low speed compression damping at the mid-valve (which can aid in pressure balance)

 WP’s XACT Pro Components are usually found on all of my KTM’s and Husqvarna’s I race with. Why? I get more consistency and performance out of the XACT Pro Components than that of the stock AER fork/stock WP shock. I tested the stock suspension settings on the 2020 KTM 450 SX-F back to back with the WP Pro Components and came away with this opinion: 

On The Track:

The first thing I noticed when I go out onto any type of track with the XACT fork is that the KTM turns slightly slower than the AER fork on initial lean (into corners), which is exactly what out of the KTM. The KTM does have a slightly rigid feel to it and can be a handful when riding fast, choppy tracks. You can actually feel the extra weight right away (in the front end) compared to the stock AER fork, but it wasn't a bad feeling. I was just surprised I could feel it as much when entering corners. Usually I run the fork flush on previous Cone Valve forks, but with the slower turn in feel and a the longer length of the new style XACT fork I went with a 5mm height. Along with the extra weight feeling however I gained more front end traction through every corner (especially flat corners). The XACT fork leaves you with a more front tire contact patch sensation on lean angle and you can start your lean earlier in ruts without getting the high front end, vague feeling like you do with the AER fork. With the AER fork I get some pushing in the front end through the middle to end of corners, which made makes me roll off the throttle to try and compensate. With the XACT fork I can lean in the corner and the fork stays planted, which lets my front end settle and bite. The WP XACT fork also feels less active on braking bumps. I am able to jump in and out of bigger bumps that each track I tested at offered, without having the fork rebound too quick and be too active. If I wanted to pound through the bumps, the fork had better damping control feeling through the middle to end part of the stroke. 

The most notable change was to my wrists when over jumping/flat landing with the XACT fork. I could get more aggressive with obstacles and have the bike settle into corners better in areas of the track I wasn't able to with the stock suspension. The downside to the XACT fork is that it can make the KTM feel like it has less flex up near the head tube area. This feeling is not as rigid as a Honda CRF450R, but it does give you a firmer feel through your hands on small bumps, compared to the AER fork. The key to the WP XACT fork is getting it set up for you. WP does a great job of getting you the XACT fork with a “ballpark” setting, but going through an authorized dealer that can set it up for your personal needs is the best way to ensure your investment works the best. I tested the XACT fork with their customer setting and although it was better than stock, I could have used a little more hold up on hard braking or when their was deeper braking bumps.

The XACT shock holds up better than the stock shock for me on high speed compression and you are able to get more aggressive around the track. I can hit the faces of jumps harder and the KTM did not give me an empty/low feeling sensation that the stock shock sometimes gave me. In order to combat that feeling with the stock shock I would have to crank in the high speed compression so much that I would lose the comfort coming out of corners (and rear wheel traction). The XACT Pro shock provides you with more high-speed damping and you still get a decent amount of acceleration comfort on choppy corner exits. I also noticed a little more connectivity to the the rear wheel (when hard on the gas) on flat corners with the XACT Pro shock compared to the stock shock. The XACT Pro shock is firmer so there is less wallow in the rear end when accelerating, so the rear of the KTM 450 SX-F tracks straighter and doesn't upset the KTM’s chassis as much at speed. “Balanced” is a great word to describe both ends of the KTM, but I did notice the harder I pushed the more it rewarded me. If I tried to ride smoother/slower, the action of the shock wasn't quite as comfortable as the stock shock. This XACT Pro likes to be pushed and will reward the rider that is aggressive because of its much more consistent nature (compared to the stock shock). Again, going to a WP authorized dealer and having it set up for you is key. Thinking that you’re just going to go purchase A-Kit level suspension, slap it on, and then magically be in heaven on the track is completely foolish! Get it set up for your weight, riding ability, and the type of rider you are will ensure that your money is spent correctly. 

Conclusion:

Do you “need” these WP Pro Components on your machine? If you’re a casual rider, of course not. However if you’re a KTM/Husqvarna rider and race consistently, I think the WP Pro Components are worth the price. For around $3499.00 for the fork and $2199.00 for the shock it’s an investment that you should take seriously. If it was me, had one bike, was on either a KTM or Husqvarna, I would invest in a set of WP Pro Components because when I ride/race, I want the most consistent feel I can get. I also know that if you are the type of rider that gets a new KTM/Husqvarna every couple years, you’re able to roll these WP Pro Components over to your new bike. This is an investment that you can continue to roll over with each passing model year. I think it’s safe to say that KTM or Husqvarna will not change their motocross models until the year 2022, so your WP Pro Components will fit at least until then. Even if KTM/Husqvarna change their machines drastically, chances are these newer WP Pro Components will bolt on. 

FAQ: 

“Keefer, have you tried a set of standard re-valved WP AER forks and shock”? The answer is yes and although the comfort was improved (over the standard/stock set of suspension), the consistency just wasn't as good as the WP Pro Components. I would say that a set of stock re-valved stuff will definitely be good for your local racer that simply can’t afford new Pro Components. Companies like Race Tech, Kreft, and Enzo all have very good re-valved stock suspension settings. 

“Keefer, is there something I can do about the rigidity I am gaining with the WP XACT Pro Component fork”? Yes, going to a WP/KTM Factory Triple Clamp will help with some of the rigidity that the stock clamps come with. Also, you can go to a bottom triple clamp torque spec of 9N/m. Both will help with comfort on braking bumps, slap downs, as well as get you less rigidity feel through your handlebars. 

If you have any questions about this test, feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com 

Ride Engineering Axle/Axle Block Kit For KTM/Husqvarna

KTM/Husqvarna uses an axle that resembles a bolt with a nut on one end. Although it’s nice not to have to mess with the left side axle block when putting in the axle through the swingarm, it’s not so friendly on the rear end of the bike while you're riding. Why? Because when you’re heavy on the throttle coming out of corners the rear end of your machine will squat under load putting force on the axle/axle blocks that sometimes can make the shock feel rigid and harsh. If the axle blocks can’t semi float (when hitting bumps under throttle) there will be some added rigidity put on the swingarm. Although crazy to think about little things like this can make a noticeable difference with the handling of your machine. 

Ride Engineering makes a KTM/Husqvarna axle/axle block kit that eliminates the one-piece axle/axle block on the KTM/Husqvarna. Instead, it uses a Honda CRF450R rear axle combined with special CNC-machined axle blocks that slip into the KTM/Husqvarna swingarm. However, you will need the special axle blocks to properly space the borrowed Honda axle. The Ride Engineering axle blocks retail for $54.95, and they offer Honda rear axles for $44.95, but how do they work? 

I am not going to sit here and blow smoke up your asses and say everyone that has a KTM/Husqvarna are going to feel this modification. Could I feel the difference when going back to back with the stock axle/Ride Engineering axle block kit? Yes, I could, but to me I only could feel it when coming out of corners with square edge as well as fast choppy conditions. After installing the Ride Engineering kit the rear of the bike felt more compliant and had less spike/harsh feel. I could feel more rear wheel traction immediately out of corners as the rear of the KTM/Husqvarna stayed straighter under throttle. I also felt like I could stiffen up my shock’s low speed compression because I had a free-er feel to the rear of the bike under load. To me a modification like this is worth it because I can actually feel more comfort. I had some of my less sensitive test riders help me with this test and one of them couldn't feel a thing, so installing the Ride Engineering Axle Block Kit should be based on how sensitive of a rider you are. 

The Ride Engineering Axle/Axle Block Kit does not add weight to the machine and in fact weighs a couple grams less than the KTM/Husqvarna axle, just in case you’re on a diet and counting your grams. The Ride Engineering axle blocks themselves come in black or orange and have a unique design that allows easy chain alignment with tabs that have markings that can be easily seen and measured off the end of the swingarm. The blocks are also 2mm shorter than stock for more gearing options.  

If you’re a sensitive rider and can feel your way around a motorcycle fairly well this Ride Engineering axle/axle block kit is a great way to get more connection out of your orange or white ride. Head over to Ride-Engineering.com to check them out.