Technical Touch KYB Conversion Kit

What it is

• Complete kit including all KYB internals, fork springs, and custom lugs.
• Uses stock inner and outer fork tubes.

Replacing air forks with coil springs is all the rage at the moment and one of the less expensive options is to convert WP XACT forks to KYB spring forks through the Technical Touch KYB Conversion Kit. The kit includes everything needed, including springs, to convert your air forks to coil spring forks, just using your stock inner and outer tubes from the WP bump sticks. The total kit costs $1,750.00, and the labor by TCS Powersports costs an additional $200.00+.

How it works

• Increased comfort and small bump compliance.
• Controlled bottoming resistance.
• Planted feel.
• Heavier components offer slower steering characteristic.

Air forks are much lighter and it’s felt while riding. The lightweight forks can tend to deflect and dance at higher speeds, but can be easier to change directions, turn down, maneuver on corner entrance or in tight, twisty terrain, and loft around. Spring forks are heavier and that weight presents a planted and stable feel, front end traction, but with slower turning qualities and more effort to move around.

I tested the 2021 GasGas EX250F with a Technical Touch KYB Conversion Kit prepared by TCS Powersports and matched it with just a stock revalved shock. The KYB converted units by TCS Powersports gave the GasGas a Yamaha-esque feel through the front end. It offered a supple feel from the small bumps through the handlebars that Yamaha and their KYB units have graced us with over the years – though it doesn’t have a complete Yamaha feel. That suppleness offers comfort and increased front-end traction in corners, allowing me to easily and more consistently lean in corners – especially those with nothing to bank off of. 

Through the mid-stroke and into the bottoming, the forks are smooth and progressive. The air forks, particularly in stock trim, really struggled in the last ⅓ of the stroke and didn’t have much hold up for faster riders. The KYB units have that bottoming resistance needed at the end of the stroke and are more confidence inspiring. Even with valved air forks, I’ve generally struggled to get the same bottoming resistance without bringing on harshness more than with spring components, though that is in some of the most demanding and rough off-road conditions that most will generally never ride in.

The heavier spring forks up front use the weight of the components to drive through bumps under acceleration, not dance and deflect around them. The added weight also offers stability and slows down the steering characteristics, which is better or worse depending on rider preference. I prefer the added weight and stability of a heavier front end which is one of the biggest advantage of this system for a rider like myself.

Overall, as the speeds and intensity increase, I favor spring forks and these KYB converted units over the stock AER forks tremendously. It gives me a planted bike that is more stable, corners better, and offers more comfort. However, in trail riding situations or in tighter terrain, the air forks work really well and are sometimes preferred for their lightweight and easy maneuverability. The KYB units cost a pretty penny up front, but there is a resale value and you can generally transfer them from bike to bike, even when the newest generations receive heavy updates like they have for 2023.

With time on both, we'd lean towards these KYB units over the more expensive WP XACT Pro Cone Valve components. These cost a fraction of the price and are very competitive against the likes of cone valves. The cone valves have a firmer feel throughout the stroke, though not necessarily harsh, feeling more performance based in progression. Contrarily, the KYB units have that softer, more supple feel throughout the stroke that boast a little more comfort. Both are good in their own way, but so are air forks.