Kiwi Rider February Vol.2 2026 | Page 41

the Xtrig clamps give that. With the clamps the bike has a more solid, precise front-end feel; it just feels a bit more‘ one piece’, which I enjoy.
The trade-off to this is one you’ d expect, a touch more harshness on square-edge bumps. This might bug some riders but I don’ t mind it- I like the feedback it gives. The other thing( and I acknowledge I’ m getting into nit-picking territory here) is that I feel clamp torque and consistency is better than stock. It’ s not something most riders will probably ever notice or care about, but if you’ re chasing a particular feel, this consistency matters. Normally I prefer a solid mount, but I installed PDHS mounts because the bike had a bit more
vibration than I expected / liked. I’ d say they have helped a little, there’ s slightly less bar buzz, but it wasn’ t a magic fix. I got more used to the PDHS’ less solid feel over time, and now it doesn’ t bother me... but if your only reason to fit PDHS is for getting rid of vibration... don’ t expect a silver bullet.
THE SURPRISE HERO If I had to pick the most meaningful mod that has affected the‘ feel’( after springs), it’ s the FCP engine mount and hanger bolt combo. The improvement showed up most on hardpack, both on entry and exit. Before install, the bike could feel a little rigid through the middle— especially when braking bumps got sharp— and there was a tiny zone where the
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