PRODUCT REVIEW: KREFT PLUSH TANKS

PRODUCT: KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas “competition” models come stock with the XACT/AER48 air spring fork. Many riders who buy these bikes are unhappy with the feel of the air spring, especially in technical off-road terrain like roots or rocks. This is due to the air spring having a “hyper-progressive” spring curve, which means as the fork compresses, the spring rate increases exponentially. (Conversely, a coil spring has a linear spring curve.)

The Kreft Moto Plush Tank addresses this phenomenon by increasing the volume of the main air-spring chamber. The result is a truly linear spring curve with a coil-like feel.

Kreft designed the Plush Tank with a switch that allows the rider to choose a Plush or Firm ride depending on where he is riding that day. Plush provides excellent off-road performance designed to erase even the largest rocks and roots. Firm returns the OEM progressive spring rate, which is appropriate for MX or more high-speed riding where big hits, whoops and G-outs are common. Unlike a costly and heavy spring conversion kit, the Plush Tank is a no-comprise solution.

Fast and easy air-pressure setting with the built-in, quick-access fill hose.
Bolt-on performance. No internal modifications required.
Mounts externally in minutes discretely behind the number plate.
No tools required for on-trail adjustments.
Robust construction from CNC-machined aluminum and carbon fiber.

OUR TAKE: There are two drawbacks to the WP AER fork. First, it’s harsh in technical rocks and roots. Second, it is not easy to tune. This is where the Kreft Moto Plush Tank kit comes into play, allowing you to change your spring curve on the fly without having to add or subtract air pressure via an air pump. The kit installs in minutes with very detailed visual instructions and sits nicely and cleanly behind the number plate. Kreft recommends filling the air fork to the standard pressure recommended for your machine and requires you to set the pressure with the bike elevated on a stand and with the Kreft Tank valve in the “Plush” position. The Tank has a two-position valve that offers both Plush and Firm settings. There are also two steel-braided lines. One is an adapter for your air pump to add or subtract air pressure; the other line goes from the Kreft Tank into the fork cap. The Plush position is recommended for tight woods and technical terrain to absorb sharp impacts in the roots and rocks, while the Firm position is recommended for attacking jumps and high-speed big hits to resist bottoming. This also returns the fork back to the stock spring curve in the Firm position.

In technical and rocky terrain, the fork was more comliant and offered a very forgiving and predictable ride. We rode the fork in the Plush mode most of the time. The fork simply embraced nasty and rough chop with a much bigger appetite than the stocker. This also allowed the bike to have a more balanced feel and improved cornering. Once you flip over to the Firm position, you will appreciate it if you just came out of the mountains on a technical ride and now have 10 miles of deep whoops and super-hacked terrain. With the flip of a switch, you can transform your Plush fork into a desert and high-speed setup. This setting isn’t overly stiff, but it is noticeably more resistant to larger hits and stays up in the stroke through deep whoops. We are super pleased with the versatility and the reasonable price, and, with a flick of a lever, we can alter the DNA of the fork to handle a wider range of off-road obstacles.
PRICE: $295
CONTACT: www.kreftmoto.com