Marzocchi Shiver on XChallenge?
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i have done this swap on a mates bike and it works very well.you need to remove the cast alloy fork bottoms and swap them for the originals,the bmw fork bottoms will then need to be machined to match the shiver ones to accept the damping adjusters.this entails a full strip down of both sets of forks but i would guess that you would want to fully service the shivers prior to fitting anyway.a quick search on advrider will find you plenty of reading on the subject.if you are not tecnically competant with access to a machine shop this will not be a job you can undertake at home.if you have any specific questions ask away and i will try to answer then.mike
i have done this swap on a mates bike and it works very well.you need to remove the cast alloy fork bottoms and swap them for the originals,the bmw fork bottoms will then need to be machined to match the shiver ones to accept the damping adjusters.this entails a full strip down of both sets of forks but i would guess that you would want to fully service the shivers prior to fitting anyway.a quick search on advrider will find you plenty of reading on the subject.if you are not tecnically competant with access to a machine shop this will not be a job you can undertake at home.if you have any specific questions ask away and i will try to answer then.mike
A friend is currently getting this mod done to his but has been told that the top clamp is 1mm bigger and it's not going to clamp down that far.
If I am to understand correctly the WP 43mm forks are 1mm smaller than the standard X forks but these seem to clamp up ok.
Anybody else shed any light on this?
IJGser
Registered user
As Mikeyboy says it can defo be done but you need the correct shivers 54mm top and 57mm bottom other wise you will need to modify yokes.I located some from a gas gas 450 fse so far so good will report more when I've tackled some more technical and fast riding. Mikey boy is the man if your stuck thanks to my little project and mechanical ineptitude he is more knowledgeable with the Xchall than BMW.
If you can source/afford the factory shivers then do. But don't park next to me if we ever meet!
If you can source/afford the factory shivers then do. But don't park next to me if we ever meet!
There are variations in the tube diameter on the shivers depending on the donor bike and you have to machine the tubes down to fit or swap the internals to the standard tubes though I'm told they are quite weak. Lots of info about this over on advrider , a very long thread on xc front suspension
rudiemoto
Registered user
this is mike54 bike
molly did the yokes
wp fitted
molly did the yokes
wp fitted
rudiemoto
Registered user
dave kitson has xc with wp
he is a very clever chap
a rear subframe
dave is a ture bike tester
Nice pics
Which seat is that?
Which seat is that?
That is not an X though is it? Looks like a Husky.
IJGser
Registered user
I couple of questions about the above bike
1) is that seat custom and if not what is it and how much of a improvement?
2) did he paint the tt tank (hard to tell in pics)
1) is that seat custom and if not what is it and how much of a improvement?
2) did he paint the tt tank (hard to tell in pics)
WP 4357MXMA go straight into the triple clamps. You need to fabricate a new plate to mount the brake caliper and turn down the axle (by 1mm if I remember correctly). Because the WP forks have 300mm travel you may want to set them slightly proud of the top yoke but it depends on what rear shock setup you have.
Erik @ hotrod welding does the caliper adapter plate or you can use one from certain KTM's.
Erik @ hotrod welding does the caliper adapter plate or you can use one from certain KTM's.
That's kitos bike, I think,
The last time I saw it the tank wasn't painted and I think he got the seat done at Tony Archers.
If it is him and his bike,I'm sure it is, he's thinking of selling it http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...le-wanted/bmw-x-challenge-south-america-66631
These forks are the correct size for the yolks http://www.wrs.sm/it/sospensioni-fo...marzocchi-shiver-45-gas-gas-cross-motard.html
The last time I saw it the tank wasn't painted and I think he got the seat done at Tony Archers.
If it is him and his bike,I'm sure it is, he's thinking of selling it http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...le-wanted/bmw-x-challenge-south-america-66631
These forks are the correct size for the yolks http://www.wrs.sm/it/sospensioni-fo...marzocchi-shiver-45-gas-gas-cross-motard.html
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Or buy a KTM 950SE caliper mounting bracket.
It is Kito's bike, and it is for sale 'possibly' as a going concern in South America.
The seat is a Tony Archer number, but it needed some fine tuning as Kito was not happy with the first attempt IIRC.
The TT tank has not been paint, just a few splatters of muddy-slip!
About £52 IIRC.
After trudging through about 30 pages on XC front suspension on ADVrider, i came to the conclusion that if "improving" on the standard suspension, the best way forward were either 48mm WP's or the new 50mm closed cartridge marzocchis. while the 43mm WP's almost fit straight into the existing clamps, the consensus was they didn't have the spring rates available that the latter forks have.
But to stir things up further, a little digging revealed that kayaba's do a big fork as well (fitted to yamaha wr450 IIRC), and as i understand it, these are very tune-able, yet under-rated forks.
I was looking for kayaba's, but i found some near new 48mm WP's from an enduro R first, which being a bike of similar weight to the XC, ment they were likely to have original spring rates that might be close to those actually required, and also being local and from a trustworthy source made them a no brainer really.
I got hold of some secondhand ktm EXC yokes from a guy on the KTM forum, and got the local machine shop to turn the stem down so the XC bearings would fit. All in, it took me about 4 hours to swop the front ends yesterday. All that is left now is to make brackets to fit the speedo, headlight and ignition switch.
IIRC, The feedback on the original ADVrider thread about the 45mm shivers, were that they weren't as good an option as others available.
HTH
I understand fully what you are staying but one of the mods that is recommended for the KTM 690 is to change the forks for 48mm exc forks.
I had a 690 and did the exc fork mod and it was an immediate and noticeable improvement.
I suppose the 690 forks will be an improvement over the standard Xchallenge forks but then anything is!
I had a 690 and did the exc fork mod and it was an immediate and noticeable improvement.
I suppose the 690 forks will be an improvement over the standard Xchallenge forks but then anything is!
Well the good thing about going the WP route is the number of options it opens up regards fork legs.
If i find i can't get on with the enduro r forks, all i have to do is change the legs, not go through the hassle of changing the whole front end again, and due to the numbers around, it shouldn't be to difficult finding the legs i want.
I'm already having thoughts about closed cartridge sxs forks
, but they can wait until after i've sorted the back end-unless the current forks are really shite?nathan
IJGser
Registered user
Agreed that shivers aren't the top spec route but the improvement is worth it when you consider the cost and relative ease to perform the swap. It was going to cost in the region of £700 to repair and refurb the Xchall originals!!!
You can get different springs for the shivers but we couldn't find a identifying mark to ascertain what we're in the donor set. windwave are the UK importers for Marzocchi too be honest not the most helpful or enthusiastic folks.
You can get different springs for the shivers but we couldn't find a identifying mark to ascertain what we're in the donor set. windwave are the UK importers for Marzocchi too be honest not the most helpful or enthusiastic folks.
As some know, I have fitted the WP forks to my XC from a KTM 690eR, and I have been very impressed with how they have performed.
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