Inverted forks vs regular forks

Hi all,

I am looking for pros and cons of inverted forks - and also would like to learn how would inverted gixxer forks swap on SV650 benefit the SV's ride? By the way, I have a K6 pointy.

My intent is to put a compiled list of my findings (from this forum and other places) out for others like me who might have the same question.

Cheers

[Stuuk1]

Having riden on both types, I have no idea what the difference is.

I wouldn't even know what differences I would be looking for..

Perhaps I don't ride enough?

It's gets me from A-B... Perhaps I don't care.

I understand this doesn't help you in any way... Sorry


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.192294,0.725658
Member of the 1 litre club...

apparently sv forks are crap(not my words but you owners) so every one replaces them with usd forks, but in all
honesty most people wont notice the difference between a good pair of right way up forks compared to usd forks,
and a lot of the time people change them more for bling than handling

[NTECUK]

The original thought behind USD was that they flex less under breaking and loads .

Unsprung weight is less on USD forks.

yep all to do with unsprung weight.

Originally Posted by MotorPsych

Hi all,

I am looking for pros and cons of inverted forks - and also would like to learn how would inverted gixxer forks swap on SV650 benefit the SV's ride? By the way, I have a K6 pointy.

My intent is to put a compiled list of my findings (from this forum and other places) out for others like me who might have the same question.

Cheers

Hi Mate

Assuming both forks are of equal quality, there would be no difference in suspension performance. But forks on a motorcycle are an structural part of the chassis and this is where USD (inverted) forks have an advantage over regular forks.

During hard corning and more so under heavy braking forks have to deal with extreme load, this load is usually concentrated near the bottom yoke and can cause a slight flex in the fork. USD forks bolt to the yokes with the thicker part of the forks (the leg) and therefore offer greater rigidity and more resistance to flex. This can also provide better feedback and generate more confidence for the rider.

But you would only notice the difference if you were riding extremely hard, probably on a track.

The only other benefit of using USD forks from a GSXR would be so that you could use the GSXR radial brakes which provide much better stopping power.

Originally Posted by Stuuk1

Having riden on both types, I have no idea what the difference is.

I wouldn't even know what differences I would be looking for..

Perhaps I don't ride enough?

It's gets me from A-B... Perhaps I don't care.

I understand this doesn't help you in any way... Sorry


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.192294,0.725658
Member of the 1 litre club...

Still helps Stuuk1 - at least it tells me that in normal road riding there isnt any difference....

Originally Posted by Searley

Hi Mate


During hard corning and more so under heavy braking forks have to deal with extreme load, this load is usually concentrated near the bottom yoke and can cause a slight flex in the fork. USD forks bolt to the yokes with the thicker part of the forks (the leg) and therefore offer greater rigidity and more resistance to flex. This can also provide better feedback and generate more confidence for the rider.

But you would only notice the difference if you were riding extremely hard, probably on a track.

The only other benefit of using USD forks from a GSXR would be so that you could use the GSXR radial brakes which provide much better stopping power.

Thanks Searley; that makes perfect sense....

As for the rest of sv650ers, keep those comments coming about inverted forks....

[Sid Squid]

In theory USD forks are stiffer than RWU, in practice the difference is hard to detect in anything other than racing circumstances, and even then only when put to a proper test by somebody truly capable.

On an SV the advantage is that most - but not by any means all - USD forks are simply better and more finely constructed pieces of suspension technology, any extra torsional stiffness they may have is unlikely to be discovered when bolted to an SV used on the road.

Unsprung weight: I haven't found a USD road fork where the unsprung weight is lower, none of the commonly used front ends that end up on SVs are anyway. Unless you know of one I haven't been able to find of course.
Bear in mind the slider - the major unsprung part - of a RWU fork is aluminium, the slider of a USD fork is steel. I suspect that spiffy-squillion-qiud race forks are made of some unobtanium alloy or pixie dust or something - but I haven't, unsurprisngly, had the opportunity to weigh any of those.