Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1538173
VOLUME ISSUE AUGUST , P123 Kris suggested raising the forks 1mm in the clamps (for a total of 3mm), increasing the fork rebound one click, and adding one turn of preload to the rear shock. It worked! It retained all the stable qualities I wanted while also allowing me to apply more pressure to the front wheel during corner entry. I contin- ued riding with this setting and felt that it gave me the best attributes of high-speed confidence, while also allowing me to trust the front end. Before, I felt limited to carrying speed around the outside, but I could now charge the downhills but also cut to the inside rut when needed. The new Honda excels in tighter turns, but it lacks overall stabil- ity at higher speeds. The FCP Race Cups made it feel like a completely new motorcycle by addressing the straight-line stability issues. The difference is night and day, and I can see why factory teams use this trick. With a few minor adjustments to the suspension, we were able to combine two different bike setups into one ultra-versatile setup that significant- ly enhanced the bike's handling on a high-speed track. Since our initial test day, I've ridden this bike on other tracks around the SoCal area and have continued to feel the same level of comfort and confi- dence since adding the FCP Race Cups. While they aren't flashy like a new pipe or a set of triple clamps, these cups are a hidden secret that improve your handling to the next level. Ryan Nitzen STANDOUT FEATURE Reversible headset cups that allow you to change the geometry of your bike. RIDER ANALYSIS Improving the handling of your bike creates a safer and overall more fun riding experience. FCP Racing offers riders and weekend warriors access to their new Race Cups, which adjust the bike's rake and trail, thus signifi- cantly altering its handling for certain conditions. Kris from FCP installed the Race Cups on our 2025 Honda CRF450R for our test day at Glen Helen, a track known for its high speeds, large bumps, and steep downhills, where stability is crucial. We opted for the more rake option, which involves a 0.3-degree change in the head angle. This results in a 4mm longer wheel- base and 1.7mm more trail. The idea here is that a raked-out head angle and a longer wheelbase will create a more stable ride for the Glen Helen track. Within two turns, I could feel the difference. With more than 20 hours on the bike, I've become accustomed to its handling characteristics. With the FCPs installed, the front end felt noticeably longer, with the front wheel feeling further out than before. This ultimately benefited my confidence in carrying speed down the long front straight and steep descents, as the longer wheelbase aided in straighter sections of the track. While the increased stability in the high-speed sections was apparent, I felt that the bike sacrificed some of its sharp cor- nering ability, and I wanted to make some suspension adjustments to get the best of both worlds. • IMPROVED THE OVERALL STABILITY • WORKED WELL ON HIGH-SPEED TRACKS • NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN HANDLING • IMPROVED THE OVERALL • EXPENSIVE PRICE TAG • SOME MECHANICAL SKILL IS REQUIRED TO INSTALL • PLAN TO PLAY WITH SUSPEN- SION CLICKERS AFTER INSTALL Installing the FCP Race Cups is a little involved. However, if you've ever serviced and replaced your bike's steering bearings yourself, you won't have any problem.