RUST #49

ADVENTURE
If you’re just trail riding for a few hours
at a time, or simply cynical about KTM
dealers now offering credit of up to £5k
on WP suspension products, the answer
as to which of the ‘new’ systems on offer
from WP is the most impressive is really
quite easy. And I didn’t need to throw a leg
over the bikes at their press test day, held
at Hit the Dirt in Swaffham, to come to my
conclusion. It’s a simple fact: more money
equates to better suspension. No surprises
there!
I’m ‘lucky’ to be 75kg – right on the
money for the 14 year old boys that KTM
set their springs and valving for, so it
should be suitable. It is generally accepted
that if you want to ride at any pace you’re
going to need to stiffen the whole thing
up and sort the valving for your weight,
so most often this calls for a change in
springs, and generally whilst you’re in
there, the ‘pistons’ (the orifice plate that the
fluid passes through) and the shims (the
thin washers that deflect and allow the oil
to pass through this orifice).
The last few years I’ve set my bikes up for
big rallies; stiff and fast and set for decent
rider plus bike weight to allow for nav gear
and some additional fuel. Not dissimilar to
what the really quick riders are doing with
their enduro bikes. I’ve then just ridden it,
very rarely messing with the clickers even.
The issue is when you want to set yourself
up for a given track or scenario. In enduro
there tends to be a lot of variation, so it’ll
always be a compromise, especially if it’s
a decent, long lap hare & hounds event. A
pro back in the day would have a guy to
pull their forks down at the track and I dare
say they’d get a very fine fork with custom
shim stack setups. The reality of it is this
isn’t for everyday or everyone. In general,
one of the biggest advantages of all of
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