In case you’re out there for a well-priced cartridge equipment for beneath a thousand U.S. {Dollars}, this is able to be my guess. I put down some cash in an effort to set up this equipment for my 2020 KTM 790 Duke, a bike with no adjustability within the fork and solely preload within the rear. After using it for some time, I felt that it was excessive time for a bit extra funding, understanding that I used to be going to maintain the bike for a very long time.
I discussed in my proprietor evaluate of the 790 Duke that the fork was sorted for a non-adjustable setup. Moderately sharp with quantity of plushness, it was respectable and you possibly can say a notch above different competing fashions with non-adjustable fronts. Nevertheless, to deliver it to the following stage, I took the plunge.
Don’t get me flawed, the inventory suspension of the KTM 790 Duke was already sorted sufficient, and one of many higher non-adjustable setups that I’ve tried, however this was simply one other world away when it comes to distinction.
My perspective
I am not likely into lap occasions on the circuit on the time of writing. I exploit my motorbike nearly each day and I take it out on twisty roads and occasional trackdays. Most of my observations for this evaluate had been collected on less-than-stellar roads each of the straight and twisty selection.
The worth proposition
With some analysis on-line, I used to be capable of finding Andreani Misano Evo Cartridge kits for about $500 USD to about $600 USD relying on the retailer. On my facet of the fence, within the Philippines, the equipment ran me 39,000 PHP, which is about $690 USD. As for the opposite choices when it comes to pricing, I might have gone to Ohlins for the improve, however I’d be spending north of $1,000 USD or thereabout. Different manufacturers like Showa weren’t out there to me, at the least based mostly on the chums that I hold within the trade. Lastly, I might have gone to YSS for the equipment, however the Andreani equipment appeared like a greater worth to me on condition that it was geared towards quick and sporty using, at the least based mostly on the preliminary analysis I did previous to the set up.
So an in-between possibility it’s, and an in-between possibility I went with. One of many extra premium efficiency outlets in my space, MPH 2.0 Motorsports, spoke to me about actually testing it out, and the store supplied me full assist when it comes to any questions, changes, and how-tos I wanted. I do know my means round shocks and dampers, however these guys had been actually in a position to dial in the appropriate settings for me. For one thing like this, I like to recommend that you simply seek the advice of the professionals as a result of it might probably make or break your expertise when you’re simply wrenching and not using a clue. Expensive, sure, however effectively well worth the funding.
Out of the field, into the tubes
At this worth level, I’ll admit that I used to be moderately impressed on the packaging of the equipment. I respect particulars like this and I assumed I’d point out what you get within the field as effectively.
Dampers, high hats, springs, directions, and no instruments. Clearly, it is not a straightforward do-it-yourself deal out of the gate. Additionally, you will must rebuild the fork for this, so I obtained 7.5W fork oil from Liquimoly, to go along with the equipment. The choice was made as per the advice of MPH 2.0 Motorsports’ expertise with the kits for Philippine street circumstances.
The set up was fairly simple so far as fork rebuilds go. Take out every leg, unscrew the highest hat, previous cartridge out, new cartridge in. Oversimplified, positive, however this course of takes an skilled hand to do proper. It additionally gave me the prospect to check it to the inventory non-adjustable cartridges of the 790 Duke. Submit-install, the seat top and the suspension journey within the entrance elevated by about two inches. Sadly, I didn’t get to verify the delta between the inventory and Andreani setup, however there was a noticeable enhance in seat top after all the things was stated and completed.
I’ve to say that the WP set does have good {hardware} because of progressive springs and quite a lot of journey, credit to KTM and WP, however evaluating the Andreani spring to the WP spring, it’s a single-rate and stiff. The dampers on the Andreani equipment had been extra strong and had extra complexity to them, so I used to be extraordinarily excited to experience it after the set up. Plus I get to (kinda) see some fancy high hats on my bike.
The primary few miles
For the break-in, I used to be instructed to only experience like regular, however really feel the suspension. After dialing all the things in and getting my sag good, it was off to the twisties to get a really feel for a way the suspension was dealt with.
Straight out of the gate, all the things felt sharper. Three key advantages of upgrading your entrance suspension embody a greater steering really feel, a extra planted entrance, and higher braking. One of many cons of the KTM 790 Duke was its brakes. It’s radially mounted, KTM-branded, and with a radial grasp cylinder, however reviewers, myself included, discovered the brakes to be moderately gentle and form of imprecise, primarily as a result of inventory suspension setup. The improve helped out with that immensely and there was little to no fork dive, and the texture on the lever was a heck of lots higher in comparison with earlier than.
Diving in
The worth proposition with Andreani is that they provide high-end setups for a moderately reasonably priced worth. After getting a maintain of the {hardware} in hand, I can say that it has a really sturdy really feel to it, and one which I discover matches as much as among the different cartridge kits I’ve held in hand up to now.
On the bike, the standard of the damping and the experience is on par with high-end setups on among the dearer bikes I’ve reviewed. Maybe the closest expertise that the Andreani setup jogs my memory of proper now’s my memorable encounter with the KTM 890 Duke R with its totally adjustable WP setup. Dialed into its sporty settings, the Andreani setup jogged my memory of the sharpness that was current within the Duke R.
Dialing it in
Undoubtedly, the largest profit that this equipment supplied to me was the pre-load, rebound, and compression adjustability. Proper off the bat, I knew that this equipment might be just about something that I wished it to be, whether or not it might be arrange for touring, sporty using, or readjusted simply to match the street circumstances, rider weight additionally considered.
After the preliminary break-in, the entrance finish felt agency, sporty even, a world of a distinction in comparison with the inventory suspension which felt a tinge too gentle on the bumpiest of roads. With the cartridge equipment, issues obtained much more constant. The entrance finish didn’t really feel as bothered by bumps in comparison with earlier than, and the entrance finish felt planted, to the purpose the place the bike felt heavier to tip into corners. After a little bit of adjustment, I discovered that I might be extra aggressive with my countersteer whereas retaining stage of really feel on the bars.
Following that, tried a extra plush setup. I diminished some stress on the compression facet to present the entrance finish a bit extra compliance for bumpy roads. On that finish of the spectrum, the Andreanis carried out very well. “For racing use solely” the field stated, nevertheless it was able to dealing with tough asphalt and less-than-perfect tollway pavement.
Verdict: Well worth the improve
The checklist of upgrades on my KTM is moderately lengthy in the meanwhile, however I believe that the fork is certainly a high one when it comes to the price-to-satisfaction ratio and my favourite modifications to the bike. You can say that the exhaust gives quite a lot of smiles per mile, and also you’d be proper, however so too does the fork, and it provides a brand new dimension of adjustability and efficiency to the experience. Practical and enjoyable in a single moderately well-priced bundle.
I used to be on the fence concerning the suspension improve, I’m not going to lie, however now I really feel lots higher about it. For one, it unlocks a stage of consistency that I’ve been wanting from the bike. Second, it provides me settings to mess around with to actually hammer dwelling my desire for a given experience. Lastly, it makes all the things round it means higher than earlier than.
Do I like to recommend this improve? Nicely, provided that your motorbike has a non-adjustable fork. I’ve tried going with thicker fork oils with different bikes up to now to restricted success, and there’s solely a lot you are able to do with an oil change right here.
17 Pictures
In case you do have a bike with an adjustable fork, I like to recommend that you simply get it tuned first to your weight, then get a really feel for its traits. In comparison with different adjustable fronts on bikes that include it from the manufacturing unit, I really feel that the Andreani equipment is a notch above when it comes to really feel and consistency. Other than that, there’s additionally the truth that you get all the way down to the millimeters with the Andreani equipment moderately than large clicks. That additional adjustment decision will turn out to be useful for actually getting your settings down precisely. All of that for about $600 USD? It is price it, however matching this with a completely adjustable rear shock? Expensive. I’ve to say, you are not compromising a ton by going with this value-packed equipment.
