[doug80638]

Hold on and let me be the guinea pig. The Wildcat Trail's rears will work on our trails..that's confirmed.

Bandit sent me a n invoice in response to my inquiry.

$105 for the set of rear springs.
$12 shipping.

Hard to resist.

[NMKawierider]

Well, they don't have anything that will work for the front. I have contacted 4 other places and all either are not interested or have nothing..or want me to custom order a full shock set.Those Elka Stage-1s are looking better and better. I haven't given up looking yet..

I paid my friend 110 for the two I got so..not bad. If your your trail has dual rate springs that are getting pretty rough, the Bandit "Medium" rear springs for the Wildcat Trail will work and is an improvement. The fronts are a problem...at the moment

[atvpro46]

NMKawierider, I sent you a email back.

[NMKawierider]

Well, thanks to Ted at Bandit the fronts will soon no longer be a problem. He is going to special-order some 11" 175lb springs for our Zforce Trails. It will be 6-8 weeks before they come in so hang on guys..those Elkas can wait. He said as a package deal for all four the cost should be close to the same as the Wildcat trail's. This is a major cost saving for all of us. Spread the word people..

 

[doug80638]

Awesome!!!

<Tips hat!>

BTW: I pulled the trigger. Not soon enough for the the next ride, but perhaps the one after that.

Thanks for all your efforts!

[NMKawierider]

Thank Bandit Suspension for stepping-up. They were the only ones that would...and did. Ted also said they would be happy to custom build a complete shock set for our CFMs and that they use even heavier-duty sized parts then Elka and can usually beat Elka's pricing. I know my friend with the new Wild Cat put a set on his and loves them. And they do look like a competition-grade shock. On his rear shocks Bandit did something I hadn't seen before. Like our trails, his OEs didn't have piggie-backs (I don't think anyway) and there may have been a problem facing the tire or straight back. Bandit placed them at a 45 between the two points...and it works! Never saw that before.

Some pics:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=577647529298879&set=pcb.2161954537463336&type=3&theater&ifg=1

[NMKawierider]

Awesome!!!

<Tips hat!>

BTW: I pulled the trigger. Not soon enough for the the next ride, but perhaps the one after that.

Thanks for all your efforts!

BTW you are going to love those new rear springs. Changes the the ride completely back there..just gota get the fronts to match...lol

[doug80638]

I was surprised when USPS delivered the springs yesterday. Fast shipping and delivered on a holiday!

At any rate, they are installed. I set preload to 3 7/8 inches of thread resulting in 11" of height at the receiver hitch. The rear end has suspension now; moves freely and rebounds smoothly. I might even have to tighten up the compression settings now that there are springs that actually work!

The adjustment process will start anew for the next ride :-)

Some pics:

https://imgur.com/mHkJ5Yu    Spring compare
https://imgur.com/BTd15Hk    Spring on shock compare
https://imgur.com/FkvzYMq    Mounted

[NMKawierider]

Man..from what I can see your old springs were worse then mine were..just look at the wear rings between the coils on the light ends. Wow...you are going to like the hell out of the new bandits. I can't wait for Ted to call and let me know the new fronts are in.

[doug80638]

First ride with the new rear springs today and all I can say is "YEA!".

That back end used to pogo worse than the front, stiff and hard. That behavior is GONE. The front stiffness and rebound is much more noticable now that the rear is smooth and compliant.

I rode a rail trail with lots of whoopty-do's and other assorted bumps. I drove the Z hard into all the whoopsies. The front would dig in and pop up as it always has, but the rear just kind of floated behind without adding much of anything in the way of discomfort. I'm far more impressed than I thought I would be. Best C note I've spent in a long time.

I'm very much looking forward to the availability of replacement front springs!

[NMKawierider]

First ride with the new rear springs today and all I can say is "YEA!".

That back end used to pogo worse than the front, stiff and hard. That behavior is GONE. The front stiffness and rebound is much more noticable now that the rear is smooth and compliant.

I rode a rail trail with lots of whoopty-do's and other assorted bumps. I drove the Z hard into all the whoopsies. The front would dig in and pop up as it always has, but the rear just kind of floated behind without adding much of anything in the way of discomfort. I'm far more impressed than I thought I would be. Best C note I've spent in a long time.

I'm very much looking forward to the availability of replacement front springs!

Same results for me. Can't wait for the new fronts. It's going to almost like having Elkas..for only a couple of C-notes...lol

[Diver]

Awesome!!!

<Tips hat!>

BTW: I pulled the trigger. Not soon enough for the the next ride, but perhaps the one after that.

Thanks for all your efforts!

I will do the same , waiting to see if you like them,,lol. From what im reading you are impressed.

[doug80638]

I am certainly pleased with such a relatively low cost solution when compared to buying new shocks. (I
pinch my pennies whenever possible). If you are handy enough to swap your springs then it's a no-brainer upgrade.  I hope Bandit makes a killing selling these things as they deserve it.

I'm now perplexed at what the engineers at CF-Moto were trying to achieve with their spring choice and wonder if the EX would benefit from a swap.

[REDRIDER]

I am certainly pleased with such a relatively low cost solution when compared to buying new shocks. (I
pinch my pennies whenever possible). If you are handy enough to swap your springs then it's a no-brainer upgrade.  I hope Bandit makes a killing selling these things as they deserve it.

I'm now perplexed at what the engineers at CF-Moto were trying to achieve with their spring choice and wonder if the EX would benefit from a swap.

Have you ever ridden in an EX? Mine is quite smooth, I don't have much complaint about the suspension. I'm sure it could be better for racing. One of the guys on here races his and after a ton of mud cakes on and a lot of woops it gets lazy I guess. For normal riding they are pretty damn good. I've never bottomed it out or pogo sticked or anything

[doug80638]

I never have ridden in an EX. That's why I was just wondering.

Glad to hear it's only the trail that has the issue.