WP fork for Ten - .: XT660.com

Jami · # 1 09-09-11, 06:14

Hi all

I'm thinking on putting a better front fork on my Tenere. The plan is to find a complete, second hand front end from some KTM and use that. Since there are people here who've already done it so I'd like to ask a few questions:

- What KTM/WP fork to use? Meaning what KTM models should I look for from the salvage yards?
- What modifications need to be done to make it fit to a Tenere?
- Did you use the KTM brake caliber on single disc with the original master cylinder and that worked fine?
- Does it have to be a KTM/WP? What other choices (with easy modification) do I got?

Cheers,
Jami

JMo · # 2 09-09-11, 06:37

Best thing to do is to PM Stoic Bloke, and/or read his Heroes-Legend 2010 thread about how he fitted a KTM front end (off a 625/640 I recall) to the Tenere...

Bear in mind you really want to get the forks from a 640A/690 or 990 Adventure, rather than an EXC as the spring rates will be closer to what you need for a 180+Kg bike, or at least factor in getting the forks 'tuned' once you've built the bike up.

I'd also suggest going to OTR and simply buying their complete kit - it's not cheap of course, but is all brand new parts, has the correct springs and damping set-up already, and bolts on in a couple of hours... it also meets TUV homologation, which might also be a factor in Finland?

You can of course make anything fit with a bit of work, but when the WP fork kit is available off-the-shelf, or secondhand parts arguably the most widely available, it makes sense to use those, together with the associated wheel/hub/disc etc dimensions...

Have fun!

jx

Jami · # 3 09-09-11, 06:48

Thanks JMo, I didn't know there was a thread available. I'm gonna check that out.

The OTR set is too expensive IMO when I can do it myself.

Jami

uberthumper · # 4 09-09-11, 10:39

This is Bernard's thread if you've not found it already:

http://xt660.com/showthread.php?t=14756

I'm currently trying to decide which way to go with converting mine. The bolt-on solution is all very nice, as long as you have about �2500 sitting around - bearing in mind even if you buy the kit you'll still need to find a front wheel and disc from somewhere. If you're in a hurry (lets say, hypothetically, you've already sent your entry in for the Heroes-Legend

), then I agree the kit would make some sense.

More tempting for me is to go to OTR for the yokes, and put the rest of the front end together out of 2nd hand KTM parts. Ok you're then going to have to have the forks resprung and revalved, but it's still basically a bolt-on job with no machine-shop requirements. And I'd guess it would come out about half the cost of the full OTR kit.

I have (and/or have access to) the expertise and machinery to do something a bit more clever, either making KTM (or KLR, as Bernard did) yokes fit with a custom stem, or even making a set of yokes. But I'm not sure I could make it pay off cheaper than the 'middle' solution above, and it would certainly take longer.

uberthumper · # 5 09-09-11, 11:16

On the subject of KTM forks, rather than brand new WP forks, I guess the question is "how old can you go?", or "is it worth paying more for 2009 ones over, say, 2004 ones?".

I know at some point they changed the axle diameter (2003 at the latest AFAIK), so you'd want to be later than that, but is there any discernable difference over, say, the last 7 years? Bearing in mind they're all going to be miles better than the Yamaha forks.

Older is of course cheaper, and you're going to have them apart to be rebuilt anyway so they'll have fresh oil/bushes/seals as necessary.

Finding a set from one of the bigger bikes would probably be good, but they don't seem to crop up that often, whereas there's always EXC/SX forks on eBay.

On the subject of things that are available, does anyone know if the supermoto variants have shorter travel forks, or if they're just sprung/valved differently? If they do have the full travel of the off-road versions, then a set from a 640 supermoto might not be a bad starting point - lighter bike, but set up stiffer than you'd want for dirt riding. Put that on a heavier bike and it might be in the right ballpark. Maybe

A final thought is that, since practically everything KTM is interchangeable, once you are set up with yokes to take WP48 forks, it's pretty easy then to 'upgrade' to the latest super-wizzy enduro forks, or put an LC8 twin-disc set in, or even go back to OTR for a brand new set.

Jami · # 6 05-05-12, 17:15

Hi

I've been postponing this project for a while but now I've finally found myself a WP MXMA4860 fork from a 2004 Husaberg. Still thinking whether to use the Husaberg's T-clamps that came with the fork and have a new stem made or go for the ones Off-The-Road is selling. Difference being that the Husaberg's T-clamps have a 22mm offset compared to OTR's 25mm, which is the original. Doesn't sound a big difference to me but some say that even a millimeter is a lot. Does anyone have experience on this, using a shorter offset in a Tenere I mean?

I'll be sending the fork to the WP importer here in Finland for complete tune-up and service. I've talked with them on the phone and they said something that there might be a problem getting springs that are stiff enough. They claimed that WP stopped making springs stiffer than 48 kg/mm to MXMA4860 fork. Whether 48 is enough or not, don't know. The original is 44 kg/mm. So once again, does anyone have any good opinions on this? What do you other Tenere-with-a-WP-fork riders have?

As always, I'll be using the bike in touring, tarmac and off-road so the tune-up of the fork should be a compromise. I prefer the bike to be good in everything so it doesn't have to be perfect in everything.

Jami

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