[snowskilz]

For those who are intersted these forks are rad. I got to ride the gsm(upside down gold fork) on saturday and its super plush. The fork is still in the prototype stage, but kowa is on the right track with this fork. Its completely air sprung so you can scratch the heck out of the stanctions and never have to worry about oil leaking(like my avy). Kowa actually scratched a line in the kashima with a die grinder and the seals still work great. The trail i rode it on was a normal dh trail with lots of fast action but no big drops. I'm 230 and the fork was super stiff. of course in the parking lot test its flexy but on the trail its super stiff. But again when under sag there's more overlap and the fork stiffens up. Additionally the travel adjust is super sweet.

One of my buddies picked up the regular kowa back in august and has had nothing but good things to say about it. He went from a boxxer team to the kowa and doesnt care to look back. It is noticeably stiffer then his boxxer and feels uber plush. I have only played on his bike and not taken a full dh run but the regular kowa feels pretty darn good too.

Again anyone interested should contact joe and pick one up. These forks are great for the money and are definetly under rated in the U S .

 

[Beast]

As seen on Mr. Boom Boom Buell's bike . . .

 

[Iridemtb]

2 words... Bling Bling.

 

[Mike Buell]

As seen on Mr. Boom Boom Buell's bike . . .

Picture that with a black rotec frame/gold graphics and gold I-9 wheels, I'm usually don't care much about what my gear looks like, but if that bike was a chick I would totally hit on her.

 

[Mike Buell]

Seeing how that is my brothers bike I got a chance to ride the fork, felt pretty dang terrific, was a great match to a new pushed roco. We'll be running Kowa next season and if the availability is there it will probably be the inverted one.

 

[dexter]

damn that fork looks nasty especially on the front of the rotec. what the weight boys?

 

[CovicRacing]

damn that fork looks nasty especially on the front of the rotec. what the weight boys?

The final production weight will be around 3.2kg or 7lbs. The gold one in the pics weighs in at 6.8lbs but it is a very early prototype.

BTW, the gold ano is only one possible color for this fork, Kowa has not made up their minds about the final color yet.

 

[Mike Buell]

damn that fork looks nasty especially on the front of the rotec. what the weight boys?

That one is a proto, we weighed it with an uncutt steer tube it was 6lbs 10 Oz with my fish scale.

 

[CovicRacing]

Here is some new Kowa eye candy. Its their new 200sx DH fork, hot off the presses...

6 lbs.
200mm adjustable travel
Ti hardware throughout
Air sprung

Enjoy!

 

[Udi]

Looks nice, couple questions on the 200sx -

1. What is the air spring system - pos/neg air seperate or auto equalizing of both chambers? Looks like the latter but I'll ask anyway.

2. What damping adjustments are available? lsc/hsc/reb etc. Also, is the damper a sealed cartridge - and if so, is air seperated via IFP/bladder (ala TPC+) or gravity (ala motion control).

3. What's the axle to crown height @ 200mm travel?

4. Stanchion diameter = ?

5. Any pics on a scale?

 

[S.K.C.]

Nice forks guys!

A few questions though:

1) What is the wall thickness on the stanchions of the GSM (inverted fork) -compared to a Marz. Shiver-
2) Wall thickness on the stanchions and lowers of the 200sx DH? -compared to a Boxxer-
3) Adjustments? Hi/Lo speed Compression, Rebound, Preload, etc.
4) Small bump sensitivity and adjustability?
5) Bottom out feeling / adjustability?
6) Stanchion diameter on the 200sx and the GSM?

Just wonderin'



EDIT: Crap - Udi beat me to most of this by a minute... great minds think alike my friend.

 

[BRIANBUELL]

After qualifying 3rd in Keystone on the inverted fork, I was sold! Its the real deal, and that air fork should be extremely sick! Look for me on the Rotec this weekend in Angel Fire sporting the inverted once again...watch out!!! I'll be donning a few outfits this weekend, see you all there!

 

[snowskilz]

200sx is 35mil stantions and the gsm is 40 mil stantions axle to crown is pretty much the same as a boxxer.

on the 200sx the wall thickness is the same as a 888, now thats by just looking at it. i didnt take the cool measuring thingy to it.

i believe the air cartridge is auto adjusting. Both air valves are side by side, my buddy matt puts 40 lbs and 50lbs in the chambers.

 

[CovicRacing]

Looks nice, couple questions on the 200sx -

Thanks! I will do my best to answer your questions.

1. What is the air spring system - pos/neg air seperate or auto equalizing of both chambers? Looks like the latter but I'll ask anyway.

I think the best way to describe it would be an auto equalizing system as you suggested. There are two air chambers seperated by a piston. When the spring is filled with air the two chambers fill equally. The travel can then be adjusted by changing the position of the piston via the knob on the top of the left leg.

2. What damping adjustments are available? lsc/hsc/reb etc. Also, is the damper a sealed cartridge - and if so, is air seperated via IFP/bladder (ala TPC+) or gravity (ala motion control).

There will actually be two versions of this fork, one with hydraulic compression damping and one (cheaper version) without. Both forks have hydraulic rebound damping via a modified open bath damping rod system, so no sealed cartridge here. Both forks also allow you to change the progression of the air spring by varying the pressures in the individual air chambers which essentially gives you the ability to tune your small bump sensitivity on one end and your bottom out on the other. Then adding the hydraulic comp on the high end model will allow further fine tuning. Kowa's previous generation air spring called the FPC (floating piston chamber) did the same thing but relyed on a addtional coil spring to provide the progressive feel.

3. What's the axle to crown height @ 200mm travel?

Sorry I have yet measured this distance but I believe snowskilz is right, former boxxer riders report similar height.

4. Stanchion diameter = ?

35mm

5. Any pics on a scale?

I do but not with me, I will have to post this later when I get home.

Thanks,

 

[CovicRacing]

Nice forks guys!

A few questions though:

1) What is the wall thickness on the stanchions of the GSM (inverted fork) -compared to a Marz. Shiver-
2) Wall thickness on the stanchions and lowers of the 200sx DH? -compared to a Boxxer-
3) Adjustments? Hi/Lo speed Compression, Rebound, Preload, etc.
4) Small bump sensitivity and adjustability?
5) Bottom out feeling / adjustability?
6) Stanchion diameter on the 200sx and the GSM?

Just wonderin'



EDIT: Crap - Udi beat me to most of this by a minute... great minds think alike my friend.

Thanks for the compliments!

I am not quite sure about the exact stanchion wall thicknesses of either of these new forks. I have not thought to measure these in comparission to the competition, but I will try to do this soon and report back.

Damping/sensitivity and adjustability question covered in the previous post (I think) if you need more info I will be happy to try to answer...

Stanchion Dia: 35mm and 40mm respectively.

Thanks for your interest!

 

[muddy beast]

This fork sounds sick...any chance you think it would be a good freeride/DH fork as an alternative to a Boxxer Team or 888 RC2X?

If the price is right, for shop employee's, I think this Kowa will replace my dreams of owning a Team.

 

[snowskilz]

the a to c on the 180 is 540 with lower crown set at the lowest setting.

 

[CovicRacing]

This fork sounds sick...any chance you think it would be a good freeride/DH fork as an alternative to a Boxxer Team or 888 RC2X?

If the price is right, for shop employee's, I think this Kowa will replace my dreams of owning a Team.

I guess it would make a good freeride fork if you like using dual crown forks for that purpose. FYI, Kowa also makes a single crown version of this fork. It has all the same features except it only has 180mm of travel and is lighter (2.3kg, 5.1lbs). Here are a few pics:






PM me for employee purchase info.

Thanks,

 

[MCSinCO]

What is the model # for the single crown above?

 

[snowskilz]

What is the model # for the single crown above?

160ss i've got one on my brocket and its sweet rode up with 120 travel came down with it at 170. the fork is rock solid and im a 220 lb dood. would of been jumped and hucked a bunch more but i ripped my der clean off my bike

 

[MCSinCO]

Cool. I am about 225#. How much did it cost?

 

[snowskilz]

Cool. I am about 225#. How much did it cost?

I got it at a super deal because it had been laying around for a while(i think it may have been a display fork for the msc races) Shoot joe an email he'll hook you up with a good price. I think retail is 899. Are you in colorado?

 

[Fulton]

all of a sudden the other "old" names fall: "Tech In" "MSC"
t.b.c.

what about the White Brothers "180" air sprung fork?
with amazing 2,8kg?!?! released in 2005 (i think)...

i say: too many CNC'd parts make a light weight fork flexy.
you need cast and forged parts (RS, Zokes, Manitou)
i heard they work (for hardly a decade now, almost unchanged)

too many cnc'd parts make a light weight fork too $$$

 

[muddy beast]

I dont recall if this was asked or not, but what is the availibility to repair and replace common internal and external parts on the fork in a shop? Any chance, if you guy's were to disappear off the face of the earth, other fork parts from other companies would be able to fill the void?

Because obviously being able to replace crutial parts on a fork is a must.

 

[MCSinCO]

I got it at a super deal because it had been laying around for a while(i think it may have been a display fork for the msc races) Shoot joe an email he'll hook you up with a good price. I think retail is 899. Are you in colorado?

Yes, live in the Springs and could drive to pic one up from Joe. I am going to Japan next week, so might look there first. Japanese usually pay full retail for everything in Japan, but maybe a shop might have one sitting around collecting dust too.

 

[wujj]

If you're going to Japan, might want to check out Tech-In. Tech-In is way more popular in the Japanese DH scene than Kowa.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikedaily/sets/72157602398968845/show/

 

[MCSinCO]

Thanks. I'll check out Tech-In too.

 

[MCSinCO]

WOW. Just visited the Japan site for Tech-In. NICE...but pricy $1,300-$3,000. Would be cool to see those inverted forks in the US. I won't be racing, so want something I can pedel up hill with. I think the KOWA 160ss is more what I am looking for now.

 

[Ithnu]

I saw this thread, so I thought I throw up some pictures of my Kowa.

 

[juk_lano]

Any news about '09 forks Covic Racing?

 

[mann]

Hi all

I've been privileged enough to have been able to run Kowas on my bikes.
The local dealer in Singapore is currently in Japan to understudy and undergo a test for Kowa fork/shock rebuild.At the same time he'll be trying to get some of our orders in.
We're looking at getting our hands on the 200SX,GF,200Si and a couple of 160ss.
The only problem is the 200SX and GF have the same internal parts and at the moment the parts list is incomplete thus meaning the forks won't be out anytime soon.(still trying to get the Japs to complete the list while his he's there)

I've run the 180sf+fpc on my 08 DHR and the fork feels extremely plush.However getting the air pressure right is a little tricky.
The 160ss is a fork that must be on every riders list.I've run it on my Commencal Meta4X did everything from trailriding to light DH.

I can't really describe it in technical termsoster_oops: coz I ain't that good at technical stuffs.But coming from a guy who's used Boxxers,Manipoos and FOXes the Kowa forks are spot on.

We're also trying to get hold of Kowa's rear shock.
I will update you guys when my buddy gets back from Japan.

Cheers
Mann
Zumbi Cycles
Delmatic Racing

 

[mann]

Kowa replacing other forks

Some action pics