Revalve

[minutiesabotage]

This may sound like a dumb question, and since every serious racer does it, obviously there is a good answer, but what is the point of revalving a set of forks?

It seems to me that most bikes have enough adjustments to make them both way too soft and way too stiff. The only thing I can think of is a different damping curve to compensate better for small vs. big imperfections in the road.

I have asked around and the best I get is "It gives you more control" or worse: "It makes it better"...so yea, hopefully someone with some experience can chase my ignorance away.

[The Snowman]

It's a whole package. Racers usually replace the springs as well as the valving.

While factory suspensions are decent, components, like those made by Race Tech, are more precise and offer a much better ride and adjustments than stock components do.

[butcher bergs]

In addition to 97BladeRider's comment, I'll add that the way they do that is by precision machining their parts....something an OEM doesn't do simply because mass-production doesn't allow the extra time to de-bur and create matched sets of springs/ valves, etc.

[minutiesabotage]

It's a whole package. Racers usually replace the springs as well as the valving.

While factory suspensions are decent, components, like those made by Race Tech, are more precise and offer a much better ride and adjustments than stock components do.

I was kinda hoping to get a bit more technical than "better ride and adjustments"

Edit: I think Bergs answered as I was typing.

[wookie]

Also, if you weight 250+ (i.e., wookie weight) revalve/respring can change the suspension into a range more appropriate for your weight.

[The Snowman]

I was kinda hoping to get a bit more technical than "better ride and adjustments"

I tried.

[butcher bergs]

Don't be so hard on yourself Chuckles.

[minutiesabotage]

Haha, sorry, I did not mean that in a bad way.

[wookie]

I was kinda hoping to get a bit more technical than "better ride and adjustments"

Technically it is vodoo magic.

See the high priestist at GMD and remember to bring lots of bucks for sacrifice.

[richw]

I inquired about such race tech and they said their
gold valves eliminated the adjustability

t or f ?

That's why I didn't

[eboos]

Call Peter at GMD Boston and ask him your questions. My best answer for you would probably fall into the "it makes it better" so I will refer you to this website.

[SSearchVT]

For the track - it makes sense to have someone go through the forks and shock and tweak them to balance the bike out to the rider/track/riding style combination.

For the street - after making sure the sag and spring rate are correct for the rider I believe that there is enough adjustment through oil weight, compression and rebound knobs to accomodate most people. Put a passenger on and everything changes.

The track is a controlled surface for the most part, while the street is random (heaves, bad pavement, etc).

[Pittenger5]

Also, if you weight 250+ (i.e., wookie weight)

Or 145 (dollar bill weight)