CounterShox was kind enough to send out a unit for MX Tech Talk's resident test rider Chip Connell to try out and get a feel for the product. Chip tested the unit at Arizona Cycle Park and gives you his thoughts!
Bike Tested:
2017 Yamaha YZ250
Installation:
By no means was the install on the unit rocket science - pretty straight forward. However, upon opening the retail packaging, you'll see the unit and hardware. I was not sent any directions. Again, no biggie, as the install is simple. However, considering the location and positioning of the unit on the fork, tested torque specs, etc. could be a nice touch. To go a little further, where the unit is positioned on the fork will play a big role on the center of gravity of the bike itself. I initially made the mistake of having the unit in a pretty parallel facing with the fork - straight off the front. It tucked in nicely behind the plate, and I ran a moto. Instantly felt off balance/center and top heavy in turns. Stared at the front end a while back on the stand, ran it by my wrench (Ryan Wilson - Factory Edge Motor Tuning), and adjusted the unit in towards the stem. It hovers right around the stem as you turn the bars, and again fits snug and comfy behind the number plate. I did trim a piece of number plate that would normally rest against the fork (used a pair of side cutter pliers and snipped it right off). Back on the track, immediately felt better regarding the bike's center of gravity and overall feel - back to a balanced feel.
I believe since doing my install, I've seen an install video from the guys at CounterShox where they also twisted the unit in towards the stem as we did. That's great, but it just would have been helpful to have a single sheet with some basic info. I feel pretty sure that since I've been aware of the product, I've seen photos of a couple of different locations used in mounting. However, I feel sure only one makes sense.
Performance:
This unit is pretty interesting and absolutely works as intended and implied. I will say it's heavier than I anticipated it being (I'll call it 2lbs, unverified), however it's almost like having an extra fork to counterbalance the action of your front end. Quality little piece of equipment and nice hardware to complete the package; I haven't had to make an adjustment since making the change after the initial ride. And obviously, it's nice that it looks trick.
Noticeable Differences:
Noticeably smoother fork action/feel through chop and bumps. I still need to make a trip to another track as unfortunately AZ can be minimal on the gnar-gnar stuff at times/places, which is where I really want to check it out. But, the location I've tested it a couple of times still gets some nice ruts and decent chop. I will say I've always felt the front end on the YZ250 could feel a little dodgy and quick, and the unit almost gave a stabilizer effect. You could also feel a bit of extra inertia/english in the air, likely partially due to weight, but you can tell there is more than just the weight of the unit at play; whips were a little harder to lean into but actually felt even better once you got under the bike. Overall a more planted and consistent feel up front, which helped keep minimize any extra aggravation from the rear. Love this thing.
To learn more head over to CounterShox.com and check out their website.
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