Two choices on Great rear shocks for Harley Trikes

[DK Custom Products]

I know some folks from the Texas Hill Gathering were waiting for some rear shock info from us.

It is now on the website at this LINK.

If you rode my Tri-Glide, the shocks I have on it are the Bitubo's at the link above.

We have a limited # of them coming in on our first stocking order...and they are at the Introductory Price for the next week or so.

Kevin

 

[GARYD]

Kevin, I have a few questions. I've always had a bike with stock shocks and always thought the ride was OK. Now that I'm a lot older it seems the TG has a pretty rough ride sometimes. I'm looking for something that will smooth out the harsh jolts, will these shocks do that? I read that you can pre adjust them for my application, but what if I need/want to change the setting for some reason(doubtful but)? Do I have to remove the wheels to do so and what else is involved?

Will these work with the lift kit? Do I have to remove all the air suspension components?

Like I said, I've always kept my bikes stock so I'm unsure about making modifications.

Is that price for a set or each?

What's the difference between the two? There is a large difference in prices.

Thanks

 

[Trampas]

I presumed these are installed up side down so you can crawl under to adjust, am I correct on this



All for now Trampas

 

[DK Custom Products]

"Kevin, I have a few questions. I've always had a bike with stock shocks and always thought the ride was OK. Now that I'm a lot older it seems the TG has a pretty rough ride sometimes. I'm looking for something that will smooth out the harsh jolts, will these shocks do that? I read that you can pre adjust them for my application, but what if I need/want to change the setting for some reason(doubtful but)? Do I have to remove the wheels to do so and what else is involved?

Will these work with the lift kit? Do I have to remove all the air suspension components?

Like I said, I've always kept my bikes stock so I'm unsure about making modifications.

Is that price for a set or each?

What's the difference between the two? There is a large difference in prices.



Thanks"



***********

Yes, these shocks will take all the harsh jolts and "round the edges", making it seem more like a small dip.

The smaller jolts and dips that you feel now will not even be felt with either of these shocks.

The quality of the ride improvement is substantial.

We ask 7 questions, and based on the answers we adjust the shocks for your riding weight and style before we ship them to you. In addition to that, at the bottom of each shock is a small adjuster, that will let you easily fine tune it...softer or stiffer, without having to remove the wheels. Here is a couple of photo of the adjuster on the Bitubo shocks. It can be reached with the Trike sitting on the ground.

If, for some reason, you want to do a major adjustment, then it can be done by removing the wheel and reaching up to the top of the shock (the shock does NOT need to be removed), and turning the pre-load adjustment. See photo below.

This would only need to be done if there was a major change in the weights you give us in the 7 answers. Because of the valving and the extra travel in the shocks, there is a wide range of weight where the shocks will provide optimum ride comfort and stability. For instance, the weight difference between me riding one up and no luggage, and two up with luggage is almost 250 lbs.

I get a great ride out of the shocks, with the same adjustment, whether solo or two up and loaded.

Yes, these work with or without a lift kit.

They work best with the Comfort Lift.

You do NOT need to remove all the air suspension components...simply pull the hose out of each rear shock (and leave it hanging, they do not get in the way of anything) and then remove the two stock shocks and replace with these shocks.

The price is for a pair.

The answer to your question about the differences, also answers the question Trampas asked-

I presumed these are installed up side down so you can crawl under to adjust, am I correct on this?

I will answer that one first.

Both shocks have the major adjustment at the top of the shock, and both have the fine tuning adjustment at the bottom of the shocks.

The Pro-Action are an emulsified shock (single chamber) and can NOT be run upside down.

The Bitubo are dual chambered/internal reservoir design and they CAN be run upside down.

So if one wants to be able to make major adjustments without having to pull the wheels, then the Bitubo shocks are the way to go.

Before I list the other differences, I will say the most important thing we discovered: We ran both shocks on multiple bikes, with multiple people test riding them.

The ride quality is indistinguishable between the two.

We did blind tests, and it was impossible to say that one rode better than the other.

They both are immensely better than stock.

Differences:

Pro-Action are Made in The USA

Bitubo are made in Italy

Pro-Action have a Limited Lifetime Warranty

Bitubo have a 2 Year Warranty

Pro-Action has an option (no extra cost) for a stronger spring if you are going to be running OVER the 540 lbs rider/passenger/luggage weight limit that HD recommends on the Tri-Glide.

Bitubo does NOT have a stronger spring for going over 540 lbs combined weight

There is a significant price difference, most of that is USA made vs. Italy made.

There are significant differences in the technology of the shocks...the important thing is that they both provide an equally great ride.

The Pro-Action is an emulsified shock, and the Bitubo is an internal reservoir shock. An internal reservoir shock is traditionally viewed as a superior design in shocks, providing a better ride. However, Pro-Action has a unique valving system that gives their emulsified shocks just as good compression and rebound dampening as the Bitubo internal reservoir shock.

We tested a LOT OF SHOCKS, and these two stood head & shoulders above the rest. The only other ones that are even close are well over $1000.

You may ask, why don't we carry just the Bitubo since the ride quality is the same and it is less expensive. Simple answer, many folks will pay more for something Made in The USA, and/or that has a Lifetime Warranty.

Kevin

 

[gerald martin]

limited lifetime warranty

Kevin
What is a limited lifetime warranty and what does it mean

 

[DK Custom Products]

Kevin
What is a limited lifetime warranty and what does it mean

It is a Lifetime Warranty subject to the following Limitations:

Only for the original purchaser of the shocks
Does not cover accidents, fire, environmental catastrophes (submerged in a flood, etc.)
Does not cover if the shocks were abused (overloading them), improper installation or application (mounted upside down, running a Sportster shock on a Road King, etc)

If they are installed properly, not overloaded, not damaged by some external force, then they are Lifetime shocks for the original purchaser....if they wear out, they will rebuilt/replaced them at no charge.

Kevin

 

[geezerglide11441]

Kevin, I have a few questions. I've always had a bike with stock shocks and always thought the ride was OK. Now that I'm a lot older it seems the TG has a pretty rough ride sometimes. I'm looking for something that will smooth out the harsh jolts, will these shocks do that? I read that you can pre adjust them for my application, but what if I need/want to change the setting for some reason(doubtful but)? Do I have to remove the wheels to do so and what else is involved?

Will these work with the lift kit? Do I have to remove all the air suspension components?

Like I said, I've always kept my bikes stock so I'm unsure about making modifications.

Is that price for a set or each?

What's the difference between the two? There is a large difference in prices.



Thanks

***********

Yes, these shocks will take all the harsh jolts and "round the edges", making it seem more like a small dip.

The smaller jolts and dips that you feel now will not even be felt with either of these shocks.

The quality of the ride improvement is substantial.

We ask 7 questions, and based on the answers we adjust the shocks for your riding weight and style before we ship them to you. In addition to that, at the bottom of each shock is a small adjuster, that will let you easily fine tune it...softer or stiffer, without having to remove the wheels. Here is a couple of photo of the adjuster on the Bitubo shocks. It can be reached with the Trike sitting on the ground.

If, for some reason, you want to do a major adjustment, then it can be done by removing the wheel and reaching up to the top of the shock (the shock does NOT need to be removed), and turning the pre-load adjustment. See photo below.

This would only need to be done if there was a major change in the weights you give us in the 7 answers. Because of the valving and the extra travel in the shocks, there is a wide range of weight where the shocks will provide optimum ride comfort and stability. For instance, the weight difference between me riding one up and no luggage, and two up with luggage is almost 250 lbs.

I get a great ride out of the shocks, with the same adjustment, whether solo or two up and loaded.

Yes, these work with or without a lift kit.

They work best with the Comfort Lift.

You do NOT need to remove all the air suspension components...simply pull the hose out of each rear shock (and leave it hanging, they do not get in the way of anything) and then remove the two stock shocks and replace with these shocks.

The price is for a pair.

The answer to your question about the differences, also answers the question Trampas asked-

I presumed these are installed up side down so you can crawl under to adjust, am I correct on this?

I will answer that one first.

Both shocks have the major adjustment at the top of the shock, and both have the fine tuning adjustment at the bottom of the shocks.

The Pro-Action are an emulsified shock (single chamber) and can NOT be run upside down.

The Bitubo are dual chambered/internal reservoir design and they CAN be run upside down.

So if one wants to be able to make major adjustments without having to pull the wheels, then the Bitubo shocks are the way to go.

Before I list the other differences, I will say the most important thing we discovered: We ran both shocks on multiple bikes, with multiple people test riding them.

The ride quality is indistinguishable between the two.

We did blind tests, and it was impossible to say that one rode better than the other.

They both are immensely better than stock.

Differences:

Pro-Action are Made in The USA

Bitubo are made in Italy

Pro-Action have a Limited Lifetime Warranty

Bitubo have a 2 Year Warranty

Pro-Action has an option (no extra cost) for a stronger spring if you are going to be running OVER the 540 lbs rider/passenger/luggage weight limit that HD recommends on the Tri-Glide.

Bitubo does NOT have a stronger spring for going over 540 lbs combined weight

There is a significant price difference, most of that is USA made vs. Italy made.

There are significant differences in the technology of the shocks...the important thing is that they both provide an equally great ride.

The Pro-Action is an emulsified shock, and the Bitubo is an internal reservoir shock. An internal reservoir shock is traditionally viewed as a superior design in shocks, providing a better ride. However, Pro-Action has a unique valving system that gives their emulsified shocks just as good compression and rebound dampening as the Bitubo internal reservoir shock.

We tested a LOT OF SHOCKS, and these two stood head & shoulders above the rest. The only other ones that are even close are well over $1000.

You may ask, why don't we carry just the Bitubo since the ride quality is the same and it is less expensive. Simple answer, many folks will pay more for something Made in The USA, and/or that has a Lifetime Warranty.

Kevin

Great write up Kevin!! As you know I am exceedingly happy with my Pro-Action shocks and as we discussed, the driving reason for my choice was the location of the manufacturer and the warranty!! However, after your extensive testing of the shocks, I can see why you opted to offer both given the price point. Good luck with your new product(s) availability, and am looking forward to your test results/recommendations regarding the front suspension components.

Take care, and ride safe!!

Roger

 

[GARYD]

Kevin, I'm having a hard time deciding which set I want. I was leaning toward the Bitubo. Last night I checked the service manual to see what's involved to replace shocks and read that you have to remove the whole rear body to replace the shocks. Is that true? I don't think I want to get involved with that if that's the case. I think I'll go out to the garage tonight and check it for myself. I just switched out my summer wheels for the winter wheels last weekend, but didn't pay attention to the shock location.

 

[CJAC]

Kevin let my wife and I ride his Tri-Glide to test out these shocks, world of difference over the stock shocks. I hope to make this upgrade soon.

Don't be afraid of removing the rear body, takes about 15 min. There are 8 bolts to remove and the wiring harness at the rear of the passenger seat, just have someone to help you lift the body off the frame and replace.

Robert

 

[trikerjb]

I'm in...

Just ordered a set of the Bitubo shocks... purely based on Kevin's recommendation. Ya just gotta trust someone who has provided so many excellent products for those of us who ride the TG!!!

Thanks for your expertise! I do think, however, I'll let my mechanic do the change... just to be safe...

JB

 

[geezerglide11441]

Kevin let my wife and I ride his Tri-Glide to test out these shocks, world of difference over the stock shocks. I hope to make this upgrade soon.

Don't be afraid of removing the rear body, takes about 15 min. There are 8 bolts to remove and the wiring harness at the rear of the passenger seat, just have someone to help you lift the body off the frame and replace.

Robert

Another plus for the Pro-Action is that the body DOES NOT require removal!! Just takes about an hour to replace the shocks from OEM!!

I am extremely happy with my Pro-Action Shocks even with the disparity in cost, worth every cent!! epper:

Roger

 

[GARYD]

Just ordered a set of the Bitubo shocks... purely based on Kevin's recommendation. Ya just gotta trust someone who has provided so many excellent products for those of us who ride the TG!!!

Thanks for your expertise! I do think, however, I'll let my mechanic do the change... just to be safe...

JB

I agree with you 100% on all counts, but I'm afraid he'll charge me an arm and a leg to do it. Maybe I'll drop by and ask how much it would cost - just for giggles.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Great write up Kevin!! As you know I am exceedingly happy with my Pro-Action shocks and as we discussed, the driving reason for my choice was the location of the manufacturer and the warranty!! However, after your extensive testing of the shocks, I can see why you opted to offer both given the price point. Good luck with your new product(s) availability, and am looking forward to your test results/recommendations regarding the front suspension components.

Take care, and ride safe!!

Roger

Hey Roger,

Thanks. Yeah, either one is going to be a great improvement. Thanks for your help in our shock testing.

The front end testing is coming along. It is sort of a long, slow arduous process. I can't count how many times we've removed and re-installed the forks while testing different springs, oils, and correcting sag.

We still have a ways to go before we're finished.

:xzqxz:

But it will be worth it in the end, to know what improvements can be had by various different set-ups.

Kevin

- - - Updated - - -

Kevin, I'm having a hard time deciding which set I want.

I was leaning toward the Bitubo.

Last night I checked the service manual to see what's involved to replace shocks and read that you have to remove the whole rear body to replace the shocks.

Is that true?

I don't think I want to get involved with that if that's the case.

I think I'll go out to the garage tonight and check it for myself.

I just switched out my summer wheels for the winter wheels last weekend, but didn't pay attention to the shock location.

During our testing, we have switched out the shocks on my Tri-Glide so many times I've lost count.

We do NOT remove the body.

We just pull the wheel, remove the top and bottom shock bolts, and then bolt the new shock on, then repeat on the other side.

WAY easier than pulling the body.

Also easier than pulling the forks for testing different springs.



Kevin

- - - Updated - - -

Kevin let my wife and I ride his Tri-Glide to test out these shocks, world of difference over the stock shocks.

I hope to make this upgrade soon.

Don't be afraid of removing the rear body, takes about 15 min.

There are 8 bolts to remove and the wiring harness at the rear of the passenger seat, just have someone to help you lift the body off the frame and replace.

Robert

Yeah, it is not that big of a deal to pull the body, just make sure you have someone to help, and some space to put the body.

It is pretty interesting to take a look at it without the body on too.

With as many times as we have changed out shocks during our testing, it was just easier to pull the wheels for us.

Part of that is because my shop is sort of narrow and full too.



Robert, thanks for test riding my TG for me...as you know I have so many miles on the new suspension I had forgotten what it was like stock.

Kevin

- - - Updated - - -

Just ordered a set of the Bitubo shocks...

purely based on Kevin's recommendation.

Ya just gotta trust someone who has provided so many excellent products for those of us who ride the TG!!!

Thanks for your expertise!

I do think, however, I'll let my mechanic do the change...

just to be safe...

JB

Hey JB,

Thank you.

You're going to really enjoy the new ride quality after you get them installed.

If you do decide to install them yourself, just make sure to use RED threadlocker on the shock bolts.

Kevin

 

[trikerjb]

I agree with you 100% on all counts, but I'm afraid he'll charge me an arm and a leg to do it. Maybe I'll drop by and ask how much it would cost - just for giggles.

Mine said $179.... well worth it IMHO....

 

[GARYD]

Kevin let my wife and I ride his Tri-Glide to test out these shocks, world of difference over the stock shocks. I hope to make this upgrade soon.

Don't be afraid of removing the rear body, takes about 15 min. There are 8 bolts to remove and the wiring harness at the rear of the passenger seat, just have someone to help you lift the body off the frame and replace.

Robert

I asked the local dealer how long would it take to remove the rear body. He told me about 4 hours. While I was in shock, I thought he also said that the 2014 wouldn't have to be removed.

- - - Updated - - -

Another plus for the Pro-Action is that the body DOES NOT require removal!! Just takes about an hour to replace the shocks from OEM!!

I am extremely happy with my Pro-Action Shocks even with the disparity in cost, worth every cent!! epper:

Roger

Why is that? They both look the same.

I'm getting closer to biting the bullet, but still concerned about removing the body. I'm leaning toward the Bitubo.

I guess the worse case scenario is buy the shocks - take wheel off - see if the shock can be removed - if not, put wheel back on and take to dealer.

 

[rhino 2]

I asked the local dealer how long would it take to remove the rear body. He told me about 4 hours. While I was in shock, I thought he also said that the 2014 wouldn't have to be removed.

- - - Updated - - -

Why is that? They both look the same.

I'm getting closer to biting the bullet, but still concerned about removing the body. I'm leaning toward the Bitubo. I guess the worse case scenario is buy the shocks - take wheel off - see if the shock can be removed - if not, put wheel back on and take to dealer.

I'm thinking their book says to remove the body...But when you jack the trike up and remove a wheel 'You''ll see you don't have to...ThumbUp

 

[nucseal]

Kevin let my wife and I ride his Tri-Glide to test out these shocks, world of difference over the stock shocks. I hope to make this upgrade soon.

Don't be afraid of removing the rear body, takes about 15 min. There are 8 bolts to remove and the wiring harness at the rear of the passenger seat, just have someone to help you lift the body off the frame and replace.

Robert

I also rode Kevin's bike @ Kerrville as well. I was skeptical that the ride would be any different. I can second Robert's analysis. The ride was a absolutely different, approaching the ride and comfort ability of IRS. I was surprised. Its definitely on my list to do this Texan winter.

Nuc

 

[geezerglide11441]

I asked the local dealer how long would it take to remove the rear body. He told me about 4 hours. While I was in shock, I thought he also said that the 2014 wouldn't have to be removed.

- - - Updated - - -

Why is that? They both look the same.

I'm getting closer to biting the bullet, but still concerned about removing the body. I'm leaning toward the Bitubo. I guess the worse case scenario is buy the shocks - take wheel off - see if the shock can be removed - if not, put wheel back on and take to dealer.

Gary, believe me, you do not have to remove the Body!!! Just jack up the Trike and remove the tires and you can access the shocks for replacement!! Although I did not do my installation (my HD Dealer did due to my personal relationship) and the cost was $55.00. I took photos of the trike on their lift with the wheels off to see how they accomplished the replacement!!

epper:

Roger

 

[GARYD]

I'm thinking their book says to remove the body...But when you jack the trike up and remove a wheel 'You''ll see you don't have to...ThumbUp

My service manual also says that.

- - - Updated - - -

Gary, believe me, you do not have to remove the Body!!! Just jack up the Trike and remove the tires and you can access the shocks for replacement!! Although I did not do my installation (my HD Dealer did due to my personal relationship) and the cost was $55.00. I took photos of the trike on their lift with the wheels off to see how they accomplished the replacement!! epper:

Roger

Thanks for your input. I do believe you. What year is your TG?

 

[geezerglide11441]

My service manual also says that.

- - - Updated - - -



Thanks for your input. I do believe you. What year is your TG?

Morning Gary!! My TG is a 2013!! My riding buddy also had the Pro-Action shocks installed (also a 2013 TG) at the same Dealer, and no body removal. Install took about one hour.

Roger