Kowa is working on a new DH fork
CIMG2077 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
CIMG2077 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
New Kowa prototype DH fork
- Thread starter Trekrules
- Start date
Hate the look - welcome to '99. I will assume they are doing damper testing before making an effort on the chassis.
I wonder if they will call it the Coke or Gism or something similarly awesome?
I wonder if they will call it the Coke or Gism or something similarly awesome?
looks like a Pace circa 99. With hardtailhack's experiences, I won't be buying one anytime soon.
Does it look like that thing has more than 8" of travel or is it just me?
Would be crazy to introduce anything more than 8" considering how specific DH geometry has become lately.
Would be crazy to introduce anything more than 8" considering how specific DH geometry has become lately.
considering the costs of casting fork lowers... this is the obvious answer.
I'm sorry Kowa, but if you are going to send your fork out for testing to someone who can't be bothered to cut down their hydraulic lines i'm going to draw inferences based on that about their ability to develop a data set on suspension.
Chocolate stanchions, man I'd have to paint the lowers tan and do a chocolate/peanut butter theme.
I'm sure it will be good, the lowers are a bit interesting, 2 skinny archs vs, 1 solid bigger one. I'm sure the 2 is a bit stiffer for twist being they have some spacing between them. I think it has potential, kinda dig it.
I'm sure it will be good, the lowers are a bit interesting, 2 skinny archs vs, 1 solid bigger one. I'm sure the 2 is a bit stiffer for twist being they have some spacing between them. I think it has potential, kinda dig it.
The lowers look like old boxxer lowers. and the uppers are different
I think they look like crap. IMO
I think they look like crap. IMO
I had one Kowa fork. It was crap.
Not sure why there is any excitement about this one. Do they have some secret great history I don't know about?
Not sure why there is any excitement about this one. Do they have some secret great history I don't know about?
that's kashima
How do you figure?
The Kowa that I had was built with crap bushings and a suspect damper at best. Wasn't flexy, but hardly amazing in any regard. Had the Boxxer brake mount too, which was stupid. Had adjustable travel from 170 to 0, but you couldn't have it at 170 because it tops out so you had to run it at 160. Honestly, what the hell do I want with a fork at 0 travel? The crown would actually touch the seals.
All this shows me is another taiwan company that barely gets what real suspension and mountain biking is about, and instead designs stuff based on what the internet tells them. Its clueless.
So how exactly does this fork have ANY rep for being even somewhat good? At least SUNTOUR and X-FUSION have proven they can make good stuff and deserve some rep. These guys....i have my doubts.
The Kowa that I had was built with crap bushings and a suspect damper at best. Wasn't flexy, but hardly amazing in any regard. Had the Boxxer brake mount too, which was stupid. Had adjustable travel from 170 to 0, but you couldn't have it at 170 because it tops out so you had to run it at 160. Honestly, what the hell do I want with a fork at 0 travel? The crown would actually touch the seals.
All this shows me is another taiwan company that barely gets what real suspension and mountain biking is about, and instead designs stuff based on what the internet tells them. Its clueless.
So how exactly does this fork have ANY rep for being even somewhat good? At least SUNTOUR and X-FUSION have proven they can make good stuff and deserve some rep. These guys....i have my doubts.
It's not new. It's CNCed lowers on a 200SX. They were going to release it, but I think they're working on the damping more. Kashima alright "you saw it here first" with Kowa.
i keep confusing kowa with showa...
looks more like Godiva....that's kashima
I think that's exactly what they are betting on. One of those "owa" suspension companies that knows what they are doing right? I have the diagrams for their stuff from a few years back, just simple ported dampers like the older pre-motion control boxxers. Other companies were using far better valving at the same time. Nothing special. Doesn't mean they can't come out with something good, but I wouldn't go out of my way...