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My 2002 RM125 Showa shock is on it's way to MX-Tech for Jeremy Wilkey to modify. When I first asked Jeremy if he was interested he said "Oh yeah, it would be a sweet set-up!", especially for the type conditions I ride in that the Showa has a great HS comp circuit. The KDX is definitely not an MX suspension, that is obvious with the forks. But since I put the 03 KX USD forks on I have been going way faster and pounding the crap out of it, because now I can, and the rear is really lacking in the high speed stuff like whoops. If I were still riding slow trails in the mountains of WA I doubt I would be doing this. Jeremy has a plan to make this Showa not only 1 1/4" shorter, but shim stacks and valving that will cover all my concerns "wants". I'll let ya'll know how it is in a coupla weeks.

Sweet!

I too am starting to have issues with speed and the rear shock... so I will be watching this thread.

The Showa shock bolts up to the H KDX mount points but is just too long in the stroke department?

For those of us that may be going shopping....what Showas work?

I don't suppose a Showa off an old KX500 would be any good for example. Any new(er) RM? 125/250s the same? Year preference?

Any of that come up in discussion with Mr. Wilkey?

I know the 01-02's will work once shortened. The Showa has a little over 5" of travel and the KYB is about the same. The Showa body is 1" longer and overall it is 1 1/4" longer. The clevises are the same but the top mount is narrower on the Showa which is easy to spacer. I didn't ask Jeremy about any others. I wanted the adjustability that the Showa has in the additional HS compression circuit as well as it won't fade. It is just a better shock. I don't know why the KYB's fade but I think it is safe to Ass-sume that the valving is not as complex as the Showa. I don't know if a Honda Showa off a CR will work. I was going to send my KYB in anyways to be re-valved so the cost of the re-build and valving is a wash. I'll pay some extra in the machining cost which will be over $100. I'll use the stock RM spring and set the race sag to 4" and see if the static sag is between 20-30mm. That will be a determining factor if I should use a different spring. Jeremy did agree that our changes in the front using USD forks did obviously improve the front and overall balance, but I am sure there are some like me that are going way faster because the forks are eating everything so nicely. The rear on the other hand is not up to that same task.

I just have to pipe in on this.

I just tried the KX shock and one thing is the stroke is to long for the KDX it jacks the geometry of the bike but you can really fly with the front and rear conversion. end result I had to take it off and was thinking today of shorting the stroke. so bradf please do us tinkerers a favor and let us now how it turns out. if you could give me his number that would be great.

MX-Tech Jeremy Wilkey
Toll Free #: 877-850-5114

just talked to Jeremy, nice fella, I cant wait to find out what he does to it. I have a 98 KX shock and a 2003 RM 125 showa, so it will interesting to see the out come.

Krazy,did you send both shocks in to Jeremy?

no I am waiting to see what he determins on yours the showa is a much larger shock than the 98 KX so I will wait and see.

Got the shortened and modified shock back today. The 5.0 spring is due in tomorrow. By Friday I should be a testin!

The Showa is on with very little tweaking/diddling/cussing. I can't ride till next week cuz of hunny do's. Jeremy at MX-Teck simply shortened the shaft. He also put in his GNCC type valving with his piston. Since it was time for me to rebuild the shock anyway the total cost was $31 for the shock on e-bay, $109 for the spring as the one I got had a 4.3., and $70 for MX-Tech extra work on the shaft. I'll letcha all know how it rides next week.

$245 for the revavle and rebuild. Jeremy's proprietary valving and piston combos is well worth a buck-2-eighty in my book.

In the year I've been here I have only rode the Apalachicola NF, Ocala NF and up by Abbeville, SC. My wife's family lives in Anderson, SC so we go there a lot. There is also a great place in N. GA called Durhamtown Plantation.
I'm going to test this on the whoops and fast trails here as that is the main reason I went this route. Jeremy says I wanted the best of every world, MX, SX, and GNCC. But so do a lot of riders that do trails and fast stuff like GNCC. The HS circuit will definitely take care of all my current concerns on the whoops and fast hard hits. The rest of the circuits each will handle the slower stuff. All in all, with the USD forks, it has to be better in the HS stuff as the KYB doesn't have any circuit to deal with it. I'll probably have to redial the forks to compensate for the change in the rear. Without the USD forks I would have never known I needed more HS help.

How do you figure a Ohlin shock would rate?

From what Jeremy said, the choice of the particular Showa I got was real good because the lower mount (clevis) and top mount (eye) were very close fits. The other part that made this so doable was the simplicity of shortening the shaft as the Sowa was only 1" longer it didn't need much work. Shorter would have been impossible. If the body would have to been shortened that would be significant additional cost. If the Ohlins has the same ends, and app. 5" metal to metal travel, and can use roughly the same size spring (61-67 mm x 265 mm) then it would be a good candidate. Jeremy also has some great proprietary GNCC valving and piston options for the Showa.

The way I look at this mod is that the only additional cost was the bid, $31, and the $50 for the shaft shortening. There is a good possibility that if the shock comes off a 125 then the spring will be too light. To restate the obvious; for normal trail riding this mod is not needed. It is great for fast 3rd gear and higher riding over very rough terrain, whoops and jumps. It is the additional HS circuit that makes it better.

I think I am going to gold valve my KYB first. Cheaper and not much to be said on the subject on the forum except Ski said it works pretty nice.

Also may go ahead and buy a slightly heavier spring for it.

I'll get it balanced somehow....

Hey man, just a thought....That guy in Bloomington does race tech stuff (parts are same $ as mail order), and offers lifetime revalving if you don't like it. Apparently he's pretty good at it...

I looked for his shop last time I was in Bloomington and couldn't find it. He's right on 51 right?

Race Tech makes shock lowering spacers... so my question is... why get it cut down if you can get the kit for $30?

Lowers the shock from 1 to 4 inchs.... It limits the stroke just like cutting the shaft down.

http://www.racetech.com/shopping/shopdi ... ng+spacers