ASK THE MXPERTS: THE AIR APPARENT IS SO APPARENT TO EVERYONE

Most unhappy air fork owner focus too much attention on the air pressure instead of the damping. Once you find the proper air pressure, focus all you attention on the clicker on the right fork leg.

Dear MXperts,
I have a KTM 250SXF, and I have struggled with the WP XACT air forks since the day I bought it. I have tried every air pressure possible, and none of them work. The forks are either too stiff or hang down and are then too stiff. What am I doing wrong?

You are focusing on the wrong aspect of the WP AER air forks. Too many KTM, GasGas and Husky owners think that the air pressure is some miracle elixir. It is just a replacement for the coil springs on a conventional fork. You never saw riders in the past come into the pits between motos and scream that they needed to change their fork springs. That is because once you get the proper spring rate in your forks, you don’t need to mess with them anymore. It is no different with an air fork.

The air fork’s air pressure is not a replacement for adjusting the damping with the clickers. The air in an air fork is just a spring, albeit an air spring. Once you find the proper air pressure for your weight, speed and track, you will only have to adjust the air pressure to compensate for rising ambient temperatures (by resetting the air pressure back to your perfect psi). Too many riders focus on the air pressure—this is wrong. Set the air pressure and focus on the clickers, fork height and fore/aft balance.