Shocks. I know its been done to death

[Rupes]

Ok its my turn to ask the same question again.

Here goes. If money is no option.

I don't want to have to wait 3 months for anything so that kinda rules out maxton as an option, it may not take that long but I don't want to risk it.

So I'm left with 3 options

Ohlins - Bitubo - Penske

I can remove Ohlins from the list as I dont think theres anything wrong with the damper I just dont like the way it mounts with the bracket.

Of the other two the 3 way Penske is a high quality unit and the way it mounts is a better design than the Ohlins, I have to check but I think Lindeman can revalve it to suit my needs and set it up etc. I need a heavier spring as well as I am 100kgs with riding gear. I think they sell replacement springs for the TLs but I'm not sure, if someone knows

The Bitubo replaces the spring and damper and locates it all in the stock spring location with a remote reservoir located where ever you want to put it. The only problem with this, and owners should be able to tell me, is does the damper go off when it gets hot, as it is very close to the engine. Also can they be revalved and supplied with a suitable spring I've found a place in Oz but does anyone actually set these things up.

No point spending all the cash if its still basically and off the shelf unit.

Well I'll be getting one in a week or two so if anyone can offer advice on the above questions let me know

Thanks in advance

Rupes

[Rupes]

Hey that was post 1000...

Another question I forgot to ask is about ride height adjustment. I've never changed mine but is it generally changed by adjusting the preload or is there another way. How do you adjust it on the Bitubo, just tighten or loosen the nuts on the spring or is there a seperate adjusting point.

[BurnCycle]

rupes,

Did you see this post... Not sure any really checks out that section.

My main concern with the Bitubo is that the compression and rebound damping is now progressively set with the spring and not linear as it would be with the other options.

[Rupes]

Yeah I know ... that was supposed to be one of the main advantages of the TLs. Having the spring and damper on seperate linkages. I'm still heading towards the penske tho. I can't pick just yet. I would like to use the space where the rotary damper is to mount my nitrous bottle but if that means screwing up the suspension then I'll just have to find somewhere else. The other thing is the ability to setup the shock itself. I know how much of a difference was made when I had the forks revalved and sprung to suit me. Like I said the Penske is in front cause I know Lindeman can set them up, gonna have another talk to them.

decisions decisions

[Rupes]

Ahhh much better theres pictures there now..

[Schussboelie]

How about White Power?
Or Vortex?

[Rupes]

I havent found too much about them, I know WP do one but haven't been able to get much info.

[Schussboelie]

There was a thread last week where someone said they got quoted around $500 for a 3-way WP shock.
HammerIt quoted me a bit over $700 for a Vortex, shipping to Belgium included...

[Schussboelie]

Here's that thread!
It was $599 for the WP

[HandJuice]

Originally posted by Schussboelie
Here's that thread!
It was $599 for the WP

That shock is not for the TL. I have looked into WP and it is essentially a non-option. The only WP I was able to find available in the US was an older model that is compairable to the Bitubo, remote reservior and such. He said he doesn't want to wait forever and a threeway would have to be ordered from the WP factory in Netherlands.

rupes I would go with the Penske for sure if you don't mind the $1000 price tag. That is by far and away the best shock in that price range. Otherwise, you can get the Ohlins for ~860 at www.kneedraggers.com but I think you said you don't like the mounting method. If you want to go Bitubo, Hermmy @ Herdan [(610) 562-3155] just got a shipment in a day or two ago; $486 + shipping. Good luck to ya.

[Zer0]

I have the ohlins on TLR race bike and it is brilliant. I think the brackets for mounting are pretty good as they mount to several mounts to spread the load around. Not whether they mount the same way on the TLS.

The ohlins you can adjust the ride height by adjusting the preload up and down or you can get the lower mount with the independant ride height adjuster built in.

Mine was actually rebuilt with a longer shaft in order to give it more ride height without having to crank the preload all the way up which is not the best solution.

Not sure how the bitubo works but you could shim the top mounting point for a bit of extra ride height I imagine. There is a place here in Brisbane that imports and sells the bitubo units for the TLR and TLS, Last time I talked to them the price was around $900 australian.

[Rupes]

Yeah the TLS has a different setup and the shock doesnt have a ride height adjuster so you have to tighten up the preload to raise the rear which I don't want to do. I just rang Hyperpro USA and they said they need rider info (weight etc) and the build to suit but he swore blind to me that you remove the stock spring, I rang a distributor in the UK and said the opposite WTF.

Maybe it will be the Penske after all ?

[BurnCycle]

rupes,

The US guy must be on dope. I emailed back and forth with Hyperpro and the stock shock does indeed remain. The picks I've seen of the unit on a TLS also support this… But then so did the pics of the TLS race bike with the Hyperpro set up. I believe Hyperpro offers a replacement spring for the shock since it stays there.

Here's that TLS race bike with the Hyperpro set up... Not the damper unit with helper spring and stock shock with a Hyperpro spring.

Click me

[Rupes]

He was I think, the price is $750 with the remote damper he said, what about the bracket kit ?? Umm I'll go check. He comes back and says "Oh yeah thats $250 extra" I say uhh ok. Then he says "but I don't know what shipping will cost, that could be a real killer, it could be like $400 or $500 or something" I pretty much got off the phone quickly after that, I live in Australia not on the bloody Moon or something. I could ship half the bike for $500

Anyway I was pretty pissed off after listening to that fool. So I got the number for Hyperpro UK and I called a lovely women who new more about TLS suspension than anyone I've met and I had a good chat. It is a helper spring on the damper and they recomend matching it to a new spring in the current location. She even gave me the number of Hyperpro in Holland, not a dealer but the manufacturer, and told me to speak to a guy name Peter who speaks fluent English. She said he'd probably be happy to sell me one directly too. Unfortunatley its 5.30pm in Holland at the moment so I'll have to call them back tomorrow. I let you all know how it goes. I'm happy again.

[BurnCycle]

Peter is the guy I was emailing back and forth with... good guy. He's the one that sent me the pictures I posted of the TLS suspension and answered several of my annoying questions.

I think he may need to know that the US supplier doesn't have a clue.

BTW – Hyperpro is at the top of my short list.