TBT Suspension/Smart Performance
Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 9:34 am
Background..I contacted Terry Brumley a few weeks ago and talked with him about options for my WR450. The bike is waaay too soft stock and undersprung as well. Terry does suspension work out of his shop on Springfield and is a dealer/tuner for Smart Performance Inc. We spoke of skill level, terrain that i ride and of course my weight. He made the order and got my set up built and delivered. I drove to his shop on Friday and was able to see and somewhat assist with the installation. Not many folks in this field are willing to have a customer standing by and over thier shoulder while doing this type of work. Terry is a class act and I truly enjoyed the whole experience.
On to my test ride at Chadwick 45mins after having the bike completed....A true and total transformation has happened! I got in 35miles of south Missouri rocks/roots/whooped out puddles after getting the suspension done and back on the bike. We set the sag in the shop before I loaded up. I rode less than a 1/2mile and knew I had made the right decision. The bike is like nothing else I have ridden. Small roots up to 3in diameter all but disappear, anything bigger you feel but nothing harsh transmitted through the chassis or bars to me! The level of hookup provided from the rear shock being so much more planted is amazing, actually putting a trials tire on with this could be too much traction..I was able to charge through areas that i would have been death gripping before. There are large puddle sections at this area, that have 6-7 consecutive rollers/whoops to them. I went back and forth upping my speed into the middle and upper 30mph range and it just ate them up, never blowing through the stroke, all the while reacting and keeping the wheels on the ground and maintaining forward momentum...I am blown away at how well it works, I didn't want to stop riding. Small chop and "trail trash" is nothing to bother with any longer, I found out quickly, I didn't need to worry about what the bike was hitting, nothing upset it and the front and back both worked together! I can't say enough about the customer service and willingness to help me understand all the components that went into this work. Anyone shopping or considering a suspension upgrade i would urge you to contact Terry! Thanks for reading. Jason
On to my test ride at Chadwick 45mins after having the bike completed....A true and total transformation has happened! I got in 35miles of south Missouri rocks/roots/whooped out puddles after getting the suspension done and back on the bike. We set the sag in the shop before I loaded up. I rode less than a 1/2mile and knew I had made the right decision. The bike is like nothing else I have ridden. Small roots up to 3in diameter all but disappear, anything bigger you feel but nothing harsh transmitted through the chassis or bars to me! The level of hookup provided from the rear shock being so much more planted is amazing, actually putting a trials tire on with this could be too much traction..I was able to charge through areas that i would have been death gripping before. There are large puddle sections at this area, that have 6-7 consecutive rollers/whoops to them. I went back and forth upping my speed into the middle and upper 30mph range and it just ate them up, never blowing through the stroke, all the while reacting and keeping the wheels on the ground and maintaining forward momentum...I am blown away at how well it works, I didn't want to stop riding. Small chop and "trail trash" is nothing to bother with any longer, I found out quickly, I didn't need to worry about what the bike was hitting, nothing upset it and the front and back both worked together! I can't say enough about the customer service and willingness to help me understand all the components that went into this work. Anyone shopping or considering a suspension upgrade i would urge you to contact Terry! Thanks for reading. Jason
