150F/230F Wanted: BBR springs for my CRF230
- Thread starter JohnnyBgood95
- Start date
I ended up having Bruce Triplet rework my front end with a revalve and spacers, and ordered a Hagon rear shock as well. Now I just need to try it all out
$140 for the front forks, which included air valves to let air out (I am sure not needed, as Honda didn't put them in from the start)
$460 for the Hagon rear shock, which seemed quite reasonable compared to the others being offered, and people had some very good things to say about them.
I also picked me up a BBR triple clamp off of eBay for $110
$460 for the Hagon rear shock, which seemed quite reasonable compared to the others being offered, and people had some very good things to say about them.
I also picked me up a BBR triple clamp off of eBay for $110
When I looked at what they used to retail for I thought the triple was a good deal, plus it raises the bar 1.5" I think, and I have the option to raise the forks as well. The schrader valves are for removing air that happens to make its way in as I am riding, adding air would make it too stiff as per Bruce
the xr's from time to time had the valves. my xr200 does. bruce maybe right about it making it too stiff for you. usually i decide that, maybe you can too. most of the air you get is simply air that warmed up. the smaller volume forks like yours and the stockers on my 200 can get affected and need then bled after several minutes of hard riding.
BBR does get some pretty impressive prices. Not sure what all you were looking for, but when the xr200 i have came along my biggest complaint with it (and my xr250's too) was that not only were they sprung too light for me, they had forks that flexed more than I had become used to. Sometimes it is nice because it is gentler on your wrists on a long ride. The xrs have a steep enough steering head that they will turn well and can be lots of fun, but if you stretch them out to get some travel out of them they are more flexy yet. i have some of the longer travel ones sent on the xr200 and for someone in the 160 lb range they flex way too much. in the past we have put ones off of an xl600 etc onto the 200 and it made a pretty big difference, but didnt have the damping action that the cartridge forks have. So since I had put 43's on my 250 and had a set of 41mm cartridges to donate to the 200 it was an easy pic. yours of course has the brake i wanted all along.
They tell me yours will take the same xr250 aluminum swingarm that mine will get too. then a disk back there just "happens". Kind of a never ending cycle.
BBR does get some pretty impressive prices. Not sure what all you were looking for, but when the xr200 i have came along my biggest complaint with it (and my xr250's too) was that not only were they sprung too light for me, they had forks that flexed more than I had become used to. Sometimes it is nice because it is gentler on your wrists on a long ride. The xrs have a steep enough steering head that they will turn well and can be lots of fun, but if you stretch them out to get some travel out of them they are more flexy yet. i have some of the longer travel ones sent on the xr200 and for someone in the 160 lb range they flex way too much. in the past we have put ones off of an xl600 etc onto the 200 and it made a pretty big difference, but didnt have the damping action that the cartridge forks have. So since I had put 43's on my 250 and had a set of 41mm cartridges to donate to the 200 it was an easy pic. yours of course has the brake i wanted all along.
They tell me yours will take the same xr250 aluminum swingarm that mine will get too. then a disk back there just "happens". Kind of a never ending cycle.
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Upon further thinking about this air valve thing I have, there is no cartridge for the air to go into, it is just the shock body, so I think if I added air it would blow my seals out. He told me not to add air, so I wont.
As for the BBR triple, I didn't even think about lifting it and giving it more wheel base. I'm glad you mentioned it. Well, if nothing else I can raise the bar with it, and it looks pretty trick I guess... I wish it were a color other than gold, but I guess too I can always sell it. I will not be putting a swing arm on this bike, I do want to keep it fairly low key, so unless someone gives me one, I am keeping this
As for the BBR triple, I didn't even think about lifting it and giving it more wheel base. I'm glad you mentioned it. Well, if nothing else I can raise the bar with it, and it looks pretty trick I guess... I wish it were a color other than gold, but I guess too I can always sell it. I will not be putting a swing arm on this bike, I do want to keep it fairly low key, so unless someone gives me one, I am keeping this
You are correct in being careful with adding air. I have seen apes take a bike to a filling station and use the hose. you can blow past the seals at about 70 lbs. 3-4 make a pretty big difference. I know "bruce" must know EVERYTHING. I may have been pumping them up before he was born (1974). Back when we had some pretty wimpy seals air conversion kits were the rage. Add schrader valves, throw away the springs. Guys you never heard of like Brad Lackey and John Desoto were winning races here and abroad with bikes which were springless on both ends. Maybe you have heard there are air forks back in vogue. Anyway, dont let the fact you spent a fair some with someone keep you from doing some free experimenting. My advice is get a reliable air source to tune with. Small tank, good gauge, and the way you add air is to pump up the tank to the amount you want to add to your forks (one of those compressors that goes into the power point on your cage will work). then transfer air to the forks. test your results.
Never under emphasize the looks angle.
Wait, 'bruce' said not to. (what was that mommie said about staying away from the water, dont climb trees, stay away from girls, and by ALL MEANS, don't ever get on a motorcycle.) Anyway, enjoy it, you spent enough.
Never under emphasize the looks angle.
Wait, 'bruce' said not to. (what was that mommie said about staying away from the water, dont climb trees, stay away from girls, and by ALL MEANS, don't ever get on a motorcycle.) Anyway, enjoy it, you spent enough.
Cheers bruvjust consider dba to be that antethesis to your manual, and that page that tells you not to change anything!! 
The coolest thing about your project and it actuallynot having an end is that the engine will outlast everything and if you are like me 13 years after getting my xr250 i still have it and still use it and still modify it. its had usd's and all sorts of things as far as engine upgrades and back again. I have always had real race bikes sitting right next to it, but just the the cr500 that donated some forks to it, its still here when the rest of come and gone and will continue to do so. it is still more useful as a tool than any of the others.
so even though you could get more for less than you are spending, in the long run you can keep this one like a familiar old gf you can always call and ,,,oh well you know the scenario I hope. makes a great buddy bike that you may or may not be willing to loan out like or unlike said old gf.
just remember there is a wealth of experience all over the place where those are concerned and parts caches are just as abundant.
The coolest thing about your project and it actuallynot having an end is that the engine will outlast everything and if you are like me 13 years after getting my xr250 i still have it and still use it and still modify it. its had usd's and all sorts of things as far as engine upgrades and back again. I have always had real race bikes sitting right next to it, but just the the cr500 that donated some forks to it, its still here when the rest of come and gone and will continue to do so. it is still more useful as a tool than any of the others.
so even though you could get more for less than you are spending, in the long run you can keep this one like a familiar old gf you can always call and ,,,oh well you know the scenario I hope. makes a great buddy bike that you may or may not be willing to loan out like or unlike said old gf.
just remember there is a wealth of experience all over the place where those are concerned and parts caches are just as abundant.
Brad could shoot his own foot pretty well. At least he wasn't boring.