Simons forks

[Marc.com]

ever wondered whats inside the little brutes, nicer guides and better fits amoung other things.

[Ji Gantor]

Hi marcFX,
Thanks for posting the image.
I love to see images of parts stripped down, I get to learn even more that way.
I still do not see why those brand are so dear.
The parts don't look much different than Maico fork parts but they must be seeing how they cost as much as a new pair of forks even though they are nearly 30 years old.

Great topic keep them coming.
Ji

[JohnnyO]

Everything aftermarket from the US in the 70's is now very expensive.. DG, FMF, Fox, Simons etc. They are not always better but they are TRICK!

[lukeb1961]

http://pureenduro.free.fr/Div/simons38.html

[Marc.com]

. They are not always better but they are TRICK!

yeah I wonder why most DG heads look like they have had a major explosion under them and weigh 4 x as much as a stock head.

[Ji Gantor]

That is what I have found.
CNC triple clamps and alloy swingarms they all weigh more than stock and any noticeable difference could only be felt by someone like Roger De or Bob Hannah.
I guess others are like me and fish,
All attracted to shiny objects.

Ji

[Lozza]

I still want to know whats so special about them

[Marc.com]

I still want to know whats so special about them

I think a bit like Fox Forx, they were a bit better built than the Japanese forks of the day and within 2 years they were out of date. If Fox Forks had been manufactured 2 years later when the Japanese forks went to 43mm then they would not be so interesting today....nor would they get close to USD2000 a set on ebay.

[LWC82PE]

http://www.vintagemx.us/cgi-bin/largephoto.cgi?C=KwAsnMDKVkJsKu67
http://www.vintagemx.us/cgi-bin/largephoto.cgi?C=zu85QU2cGvGrREJ8

they do look nice though

[clutchslip]

The key advantage at the time was of course travel, but as Marc says, by 79/80 the factories had caught up. The Simons were a well thought out quality product of the gold-rush aftermarket period, Steve Simons being the inventor of the USD fork and later going on to co-found RockShox, the Mountain bike fork supplier. Interesting that the equally inventive Bob Fox and supplier that other quality 'must have' period mx product, the fox air shock, similarly ended up working in the same sector - bicycle products. Like airshox, Simons forks are by no means rare, and you need not pay anything close to the prices being asked on the ads that LWC referred to. They appear on US ebay almost on a weekly basis, tho you might have to wait a little bit for the more highly prized 12 inch travel versions which may or may not be outlawed for your time-period anyways. All the best,

[Marc.com]

yeah s you say the Simons forks are pretty common and if you keep an eye on ebay and other forums they come up. Also you can get a bargain on them if you keep your eyes open, I scored a set of 10" ones with clamps for $450 USD a couple of weeks ago, which you could easily spend on old YZ forks if they need rechroming.

[Lozza]

which you could easily spend on old YZ forks

  I'll believe you Marc, still can't see why anyone would pay that sort of money for them.

[LWC82PE]

because they are aftermarket and pretty good at the time i believe. Also the fact that they are a period vintage item and not modern or repro

[JohnnyO]

Lozza you're obviously an engine man and top of the range suspension doesn't mean jack $hit to you.

[Marc.com]

spot the difference , one set cost a couple of grand and one set cost $50 , another set are the genuine item but they could be 83 CR forks, and FINALLY one set are the proverbial fake Rolex, they look the same BUT you know you are wearing a fake .