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Fork platform · KYB SSS

Upgrading the KYB SSS fork.

The KYB SSS is the coil-spring cartridge fork on Yamaha's YZ, WR and YZ-FX models, the Beta RR Race Edition and the Stark Varg. It comes with one of two mid-valve pistons, 24mm or 25mm, and Tintic makes a kit for each.

Which piston does your bike have?

24mm piston

  • Yamaha: YZ125, YZ250 2005+ · YZ250X 2016+ · YZ125X 2020+
  • Yamaha: YZ-F, WR-F, YZ-FX four-strokes: 250s 2006-2018, 450s 2006-2017
  • Beta: RR Race Edition, 300 RX 2020+
  • Stark: Varg, all years

25mm piston

  • Yamaha: YZ450F, WR450F, YZ450FX 2018+
  • Yamaha: YZ250F, WR250F, YZ250FX 2019+

Yamaha's four-strokes changed pistons: the 450s moved to the 25mm for 2018, the 250s for 2019. The two-strokes stayed on the 24mm. The compatibility finder confirms which one your bike has.

Ways to improve it

From the least to the most of the fork replaced:

OptionWhat changesGood first step when
Springs and setupSpring rate for your weight, sag, oil level, clickersThe fork has never been set up for you
RevalveA tuner rearranges the stock shim stacks for your weight and terrainSetup is right but the damping isn't
Cone-valve mid-valveThe compression shims under the mid-valve are replaced with a machined cone and springSquare-edged rocks and roots still spike and deflect the front
New cartridges or a fork swapThe fork internals, or the whole fork, are replacedYou want a different fork altogether

The Tintic cone valve for the KYB SSS

There are two kits, one for each piston: the KYB SSS (24mm piston) - Tintic Reds CV Upgrade and the KYB SSS (25mm piston) - Tintic Reds CV Upgrade. Each is a drop-in replacement for the SSS mid-valve: $330a pair, one valve per fork leg, and a pair does the full bike. A machined cone and spring take the place of the compression shims. They're machined and assembled in Pleasant Grove, Utah, and each kit includes two valves, two replacement piston bands and an install reference card.

A qualified suspension tuner installs it in about 90 minutes, normally during a standard fork service, and sets it up for your weight and riding. Many riders have it done alongside a revalve. Find a tuner on our dealers page.

Ordered the wrong piston size? An unused kit can be exchanged for the other size within 30 days.

New to cone valves? How a cone valve works, and how it compares with WP's own cone-valve forks.

Questions

Is there a drop-in cone-valve mid-valve for the KYB SSS fork?

Yes. Tintic makes one for each SSS piston size, 24mm and 25mm. The cone and spring replace the compression shims under the mid-valve, it's $330 a pair, and a tuner installs it in about 90 minutes.

How do I know if my fork has the 24mm or 25mm piston?

Go by your bike. Yamaha two-strokes (including the YZ125X and YZ250X), the Beta RR Race Edition and the Stark Varg use the 24mm. Yamaha 450 four-strokes from 2018 and 250 four-strokes from 2019, including the WR and FX models, use the 25mm; earlier four-strokes use the 24mm. The compatibility finder takes your year, make and model.

What does a cone valve change on the KYB SSS?

It changes how the fork handles sharp, square-edged hits. It stays firm through the normal stroke but opens wide on a hard spike, so less of the hit reaches your hands and the front deflects less.

Should I revalve my SSS or add a cone valve?

They do different things. A revalve rearranges the stock shims. The cone valve replaces the mid-valve's compression shims with a cone and spring, and your tuner sets it up for your weight and riding during the install. Many riders do both at once since the fork is already open.

Does the kit fit the Stark Varg?

Yes. The Varg runs the KYB SSS fork with the 24mm piston, so it takes the 24mm kit.