Maxton Suspension

[Dr.D]

Dang that’s some high dollar stuff. Is there nothing that works for less?

 

[Tal]

Yes there is Doc....Progressive for one, make real good Fork springs for a lot less but it comes down to which you prefer I guess...

 

[Dr.D]

Yes there is Doc....Progressive for one, make real good Fork springs for a lot less but it comes down to which you prefer I guess...

Oh I like the expensive stuff but really need to buy everything I like. I’ll be reading and researching. Thanks for your postings.

 

[Tal]

Oh I like the expensive stuff but really need to buy everything I like. I’ll be reading and researching. Thanks for your postings.

Correct...my Ride is only a year old...to the day in fact, and in that time I have changed and added sooooo much stuff...its an addiction Doc...the only cure is ...????..not sure actually...
Last year , just after xmas, I had 13 visits from courier drivers in quick succession delivering stuff!..like a kid in a lolly shop I was!

 

[Steel]

That expense is because you are looking at complete fork internals. If you just change springs (Progressive or Wilbers are about $105) and increase the weight of the fork oil, it will improve handling noticeably, but not as much as a complete custom designed system. Do you need the extra? Probably not, that's something only you can decide.

 

[Tal]

Very True Steel...that's what i'm doing with progressives...they're heading my way as we speak...

 

[albertaduke]

I think its VALUE-ADDED TAX...something like 20%...could be wrong tho....

you are in the ballpark with 20%

 

[barbagris]

"sorry, we will no longer ship to US" due to excessive litigation, or our liability laws, I don't remember exactly how they worded it, legal BS, though they worded it very politely.

This is still in place - as I know of other small companies in the EU that have taken the same decision. To commercially sell in the US the company needs a special liability insurance - which for companies that will not sell many items is ridiculously high. It is basically an import tax. It is NOT turnover dependant.

I KNOW THAT : In at least one business sector the cause was US export restrictions. So EU (and oddly NZ) companies started making said parts - but way better and cheaper. Also a fair amount in Turkey (though really from Russia) - same quality as US but MUCH cheaper. So on went the insurance as tariffs would mean all sorts of trade agreements falling apart and we can have big business affected can we?

 

[barbagris]

Do you need the extra? Probably not, that's something only you can decide.

So here's the thing. I was very undecided when I did the change and it took me several years to decide. I have a reasonable understanding of what is right/wrong as I work in a M/C workshop most Thursdays and am often involved with the fiddly adjustment stuff rather than heavy work. And before the R3 a fair few of my bikes have had adjustable suspension or have been modified.

As Scott knows, there is a guy called Blaine who is a suspension expert and he fitted (Ducati iirc) innards into his forks. My epiphany came when I visited DMX suspension (which is just down the road from me).

I asked what they could do for me and they said nothing, but asked if I knew what was "wrong" - The boss took the R3 for a short ride and said - "The forks innards are shyte". Springs are too soft and the damping is poor. He mentioned heavy oil but implied it would improve one bit but make the other harsher. Sorry I ca't remember which way round.

We both looked high and low for some used innards on ebay etc - and after a year I contacted Richard at Maxton as they worked out cheaper. When DMX fitted the Maxtons for me - replacing all seals etc (btw there is a HEAVY DUTY seal from Ohlins that is a direct fit and better/cheaper than the Kayaba original) - they took one look at the now removed Triumph "dampers" and started to shake their heads.

You don't have to use Maxtons - but I would strongly suggest going to ANYBODY who builds suspension to order and talking to them. And fit good dampers. R3's are heavy and have fairly heavy unsprung weight values too. This requires a different approach. Any decent suspension place will understand. 1/2 tun on the rebound damping adjusters made a huge difference (10-15 kmh faster in bends) - Do you NEED it? - maybe not, but once you have it - You will not want to be without it.

I already had Fournales rears on or I might well have ordered a matched set from Maxton.

Personally I'd rather spend the money to fully use the power there is than add more and "flubble" around bends.

 

[Tal]

I Have "Flubbled" around the bends and this is why i'm now updating the suspension.
I guess its got a lot to do with the type of roads that we ride on. We are still undergoing a lot of rebuild after some pretty sizeable earthquakes which have made potholes and wallows in a lot of our major roads....doesn't take long before the body is feeling it on a long ride. Any improvement on the suspension is a plus in my book.