Andreani Cartidge Fork Kit

[Antarius]

Just a heads up. I finally found a drop in cartridge kit that isn't $1500 (Ohlins) for our bikes.

Essentially it replaces ALL of the internals of our forks with a true cartridge valving and dampjng setup, like a modern fork has. You get individual adjustment for compression, rebound and preload. In short, I've been looking for something like this for a long time.

Locally, in California, Spears Racing is a supplier and they're about $900. I've found them for about €400 online at another place (link below).

Anyhow, local race team (Spears) says they're absolutely quality components and I beleive them. When I actually buy them I'll report -- but I expect them to be leaps and bounds better than any emulator setup currently available.

https://www.omniaracing.net/en/andr...or-fork-honda-nc700x-nc700s-2012-p-19771.html

Anyhow, just sharing.

 

[L.B.S.]

Awesome, thanks for keeping a lookout for this stuff

 

[Juggler]

There is a so called cartridge emulator for front fork:
????? Honda - PM-Garage
It is not a real cartridge but it is as close is it can gets for less than $100 usd.
Many of us installed it and it works pretty good!

how to install
????????? - PM-Garage

 

[Antarius]

Ya, thats an emulator. Plenty of emulator options out there.

I contacted omniracing and they told me $60 USD to ship. So total is around $500 instead of $890 if you buy from a US distributer.

 

[djsb]

Is this fork cartridge kit any good? Does it work OK on your bike? I looking to fit a full cartridge kit to my NC750X but not sure about the quality of these Andreani kits. How easy are they to fit and adjust? What range of spring rates are available? Any more information would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[kpinvt]

Ya, thats an emulator. Plenty of emulator options out there.

I contacted omniracing and they told me $60 USD to ship. So total is around $500 instead of $890 if you buy from a US distributer.

I just checked the web site and those parts are on sale at 384 Euros which equals $414.93 US dollars. You guys have to stop posting about this stuff or I'm gonna go broke buying farkles for this bike.

 

[Disastrous]

Any reviews yet?...or do I have to be the lab-rat?

 

[L.B.S.]

Any reviews yet?...or do I have to be the lab-rat?

:Ahnold:

Do iiiiiit!

 

[Disastrous]

I just may...unfortunately I am not knowledgable enough to give an accurate review/comparison of my efforts once completed.

 

[L.B.S.]

Don't count yourself short; truth be told there are less than they think there are, who truly qualify to be able to make profound judgments, myself right at the forefront, lol

IMHO it can be very much a personal thing, with many possible outcomes in the like/dislike/indifferent categories.

 

[Disastrous]

I'm not even totally sure I need something like this. I'm currently making sure what all I would need for replacement parts (bushings, rings, seals and what-not) as well as tools. I've discovered there are many cheap ways to seat the new seals without the specialty tools. I was just hoping someone had already been down this road.

 

[Vnc]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Disastrous]

Vnc, do you think this could be accomplished with a pipe cutter?

So,... I don't own a lathe, but, I happen to have a really awesome Dad/retired tool+die maker with a bench grinder. He just slowly grinded away the corner of the crimp all the way around the tube until there was a visible change and then just pounded the inner bushing from the other side forcing the weakened crimp to break out. He then used a curved file to remove the burr and all was perfect.

 

[Vnc]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Antarius]

Awesome update.

 

[JoeTx]

Plan on ordering mine this week along with a Wilbers rear shock, keep ya'll posted.

Edit #1 Just ordered my Wilbers, emailed Andreani

Edit #2 Cartridges on the way

 

[fred_jb]

Ok,... I purchased this andreani cartridge kit about 4 months ago and finally got around to installing it about two weeks ago. The instructions are in broken italian/english/pictures. The hard part was to remove the inner bushing without the lathe that the instructions assume that you own. The instructions tell you to separate the inner and outer tubes like you would do if changing out the seals and bushings. After separating the tubes, you'd put the inner tube in a lathe and remove the end crimp of the tube to dispose of the inner bushing and the associated piston and valving hardware. Then, you just reassemble the tubes and drop in the andreani cartridge.

So,... I don't own a lathe, but, I happen to have a really awesome Dad/retired tool+die maker with a bench grinder. He just slowly grinded away the corner of the crimp all the way around the tube until there was a visible change and then just pounded the inner bushing from the other side forcing the weakened crimp to break out. He then used a curved file to remove the burr and all was perfect.

Assembly of the original bushings and seals was easy using a two inch pvc pipe. Cut (with a hacksaw) about six long slots in the end of the pvc pipe and use a hose clamp to then vary the size of the fingers that you made of the end of the pipe. This variable sizing pipe then can push the seals and stuff in.

I used 5wt Silkolene pro rsf in the compression leg and a mix of half 5wt and some left over 7.5wt in the rebound leg. I've ridden the bike just about two hundred miles and feel that both legs are too dampened. I've had to back off on the adjusters from their factory 4-turn out settings to get the ride softer. Since installation, I have researched more and my next fork fluid will be bel-ray hvi 5wt which will be more like the recommended ohlins (19cSt at 40C) oil.

Even though it's early in the sorting out of my settings, I find the suspension definitely better than stock. The quality of the kit is premium. I've heard that andreani and ohlins were partnering in the past, and these kits look almost identical to ohlins except for color.

Thanks for your post on this which inspired me to do my own installation of the Andreani cartridge kit. I've also installed a Wilbers 641 replacement rear shock. Links to posts on these here:

Front: Andreani Fork Cartridges now fitted - Mechanical Items - The Honda NC Owners Forum

Rear: Wilbers 641 rear shock now fitted - Mechanical Items - The Honda NC Owners Forum

Fred

 

[JoeTx]

Thanks Fred got my stuff in and your post is right on time. Next weekend I am going to install everything You and Vnc really got me fired up about tackling this thanks.

 

[draco_1967]

That's it, I'm saving up my pennies now!

 

[fred_jb]

Good luck with your installation Joe. Your cartridges look quite different to mine - I wonder if they have changed the design? The top metal section is shorter and the spacers look longer. I wonder if this means you won't need to use a spring compressor?

Fred