Traxxion Dynamics Gas Cartridge Development Goes Forward At Barber and Fontana Traxxion Dynamics has begun final testing on production versions of the world’s first supersport legal gas-charged fork cartridges. Rich Cronrath, owner of Innovative Motorcycle Research, took delivery of the first set of the new “AK-Gas Cartridges” in time for Mike Hale to use them in AMA Formula Extreme action at Barber Motorsports park last April 23rd. Tuner Don Finelli was on hand to install in the cartridges into a set of custom built OEM Buell XB forks. The initial results met all expectations, and Hale was notably impressed. Fernando Peris, owner of Topline Racing, took delivery of two more sets for their new Yamaha R-6 which they will use in AMA 600 SS competition for rider Chris Peris. Peris tested the cartridges at California Speedway on Friday April 28th, and was immediate on pace with them, turning fast times in the morning practice using Pirelli tires. That test gave Peris’ chassis tuner Max McAllister (Traxxion’s President) direction to go for valving changes prior to public release of the new components. According to Peris, “The new gas cartridges had really good feel on the brakes. I was able to go in really deep with a lot of control. But they were moving too freely over bumps, and Max says with a simple valving change, he should be able to get them working better than our existing Traxxion AK-20 cartridges. If he can do that, I will be stoked since what I have is already good enough to put me on the front row next to the best in the AMA!” “It’s the dawn of a new era in front fork technology for supersport racers” stated McAllister. “Existing fork cartridge design has been maximized by every manufacturer in the business. If anyone could make a fork cartridge that would be one second or two seconds faster, they would have done it. It just isn’t going to happen. The move from a simple recirculating damper to a gas-charged damper is the same step bikes took when they moved from carburetors to fuel injection. “A myriad of tuning and valving possibilities will exist with the new gas cartridges, and that will allow crew chiefs and tuners new avenues to try to make their bikes faster. The killer part of this whole deal for Traxxion customers is that anyone can buy them, not just factory teams. In this case, a privateer has access to technology that the factories don’t even have yet. “Mark Junge and Vesrah Suzuki will be testing tires for Pirelli at Autobahn on May 10th, and Junge will also take delivery of two sets of the new cartridges for his GSXR-600s. If the information we learned at Fontana lets us nail the setup after Mark rides on them, they will be available for sale to the public immediately thereafter. We hope to be winning races with them very soon!” For more information, contact Traxxion Dynamics by phone at 770 592-3823, or email [email protected].