I've heard about how having less unsprung weight is good, and that's why they do things like inverted forks. It makes sense if I think about it superficially, as having more of the weight of the bike handled by the suspension seems like a good thing intuitively.

I found this in another thread:

Quote from: Egaeus on June 10, 2006, 07:22:15 PM
Less unsprung mass.  There is less weight on the wheel side, so there's not as much inertia.  That allows the wheel to move faster, causing it to respond to the road surface better.  Or at least that's my understanding.

Edit: unsprung....  Don't want to confuse anyone over the argument.

So is it good because it allows the wheel to travel with the suspension more easily? Is there something else I'm missing?

You pretty much have it.  That allows the tire to stay more planted to the ground so you can go faster through turns, etc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsprung_weight

QuoteThe amount of movement is inversely proportional to the weight - a lighter wheel which readily moves in response to road bumps will have more grip when tracking over an imperfect road. For this reason, lighter wheels are often sought for high-performance applications. In contrast, a heavier wheel which moves less will not absorb as much vibration; the irregularities of the road surface will transfer to the cabin through the geometry of the suspension and hence ride quality is deteriorated.

I woulda answered in my own words, but someone else's words always seem to sound better.  Something like inverted forks don't make a huge difference unless you are an expert rider in a high performance setting like on a track, IMHO.  But they do look cool.

yeah, big heavy bike connected to light strong wheels/tires -> they are always pressed on the ground, unless flight occurs....

Quote from: manofthefield on February 01, 2007, 10:40:32 AM
You pretty much have it.  That allows the tire to stay more planted to the ground so you can go faster through turns, etc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsprung_weight

QuoteThe amount of movement is inversely proportional to the weight - a lighter wheel which readily moves in response to road bumps will have more grip when tracking over an imperfect road. For this reason, lighter wheels are often sought for high-performance applications. In contrast, a heavier wheel which moves less will not absorb as much vibration; the irregularities of the road surface will transfer to the cabin through the geometry of the suspension and hence ride quality is deteriorated.

I woulda answered in my own words, but someone else's words always seem to sound better.  Something like inverted forks don't make a huge difference unless you are an expert rider in a high performance setting like on a track, IMHO.  But they do look cool.

They make one big difference. When you go to a shop to get work done they make everything more expensive.

Yes, they are a pain in the a$$ to work on.  But, if they're full adjustable, they're GREAT! (until you have to service them/change the fork oil)