Two choices on Great rear shocks for Harley Trikes

[NHBAGGER]

Mine is a 14 and I installed them myself by jacking it up and removing the wheels.
(And no I'm not one of them youngsters...LOL)

[DK Custom Products]

We've been testing front and rear suspension components over the last 8 months. We're done with the rear, been working on the front for awhile now.

We spent another 7 hours today testing various springs, adjusting for sag & different oils.

Here are a couple of pics-



Just a few of the springs that have been subjected to our testing on the Sportster.



Already finished with the Dyna's, almost done with the Sportster's, done a bit on the FLH's already...should be done with them in the next 2-3 weeks...we're over half done now!

Kevin

[GoSlo]

I just ordered the Bitumo shocks from Kevin. I've got one leaky shock now and figure the other one will likely go soon. I called the H-D dealership that does all my work and they quoted me $269 each for the stock shocks. Figured I couldn't go wrong paying a little less and getting a better shock. Can't wait to get them and try them out!!

[rhino 2]

I just ordered the Bitumo shocks from Kevin. I've got one leaky shock now and figure the other one will likely go soon. I called the H-D dealership that does all my work and they quoted me $269 each for the stock shocks. Figured I couldn't go wrong paying a little less and getting a better shock. Can't wait to get them and try them out!!

Remember with new shocks after replacing the old[worn] shocks are gonna feel fantastic by comparison... Keep that in mind...

[DK Custom Products]

I'm pretty sure you're going to really like them a lot, especially, as rhino said, coming from worse than normal stock shocks!

Kevin

I just ordered the Bitumo shocks from Kevin. I've got one leaky shock now and figure the other one will likely go soon. I called the H-D dealership that does all my work and they quoted me $269 each for the stock shocks. Figured I couldn't go wrong paying a little less and getting a better shock. Can't wait to get them and try them out!!

[GoSlo]

Remember with new shocks after replacing the old[worn] shocks are gonna feel fantastic by comparison... Keep that in mind...

You're saying that like it's a bad thing!!

Seriously though, I understand what your talking about. I think mine are so bad that the back end is drooping down even with the lifts on the rear, so I'm sure they're in really bad shape. I've got 45,000 miles on them now, but no one has ever said they were wearing out and I'm not sure what the "life" of the stock shocks are. Hopefully, these new ones will last at least as long. I just figured that given the test results and comments on the shocks offered by Kevin, why wouldn't I pay less money? I also will be replacing my rear tires. I thought I would get about 30-35K on them but they've lasted this long too.

[GARYD]

I'm definitely interested.
I will be buying the Bitubos come spring. Don't want to buy it now since I wouldn't be installing them until April when I change over to my summer wheels anyway. No use using up the warrantee to soon.

[GoSlo]

I'm definitely interested.

I will be buying the Bitubos come spring. Don't want to buy it now since I wouldn't be installing them until April when I change over to my summer wheels anyway. No use using up the warrantee to soon.

Once I get them installed, I'll let you know what my impressions are. But like Rhino 2 said, there will be a big difference going from old worn out shocks to new ones regardless of the brand. Obviously I won't be able to tell what the difference is between new stock shocks and the Bitubo's because mine are leaking and not working very well anymore, but I'm going to give these a try and see what I think.

[DK Custom Products]

We finished all our suspension testing last week, and I finally got the Front Suspension report done. You can see it HERE.

Kevin

[GARYD]

Kevin, see PM

[Jack Klarich]

Awesome, Thanks Kevin nice to talk to u today, Jack

[GoSlo]

I'm definitely interested.
I will be buying the Bitubos come spring. Don't want to buy it now since I wouldn't be installing them until April when I change over to my summer wheels anyway. No use using up the warrantee to soon.

Got the new Bitumo shocks and installation was pretty easy. Did NOT have to take off the rear box. Jack it up, remove the tire and swap out the shock. Now that they're installed, I have put about 250 miles on them. As others have pointed out, any new shock will feel better than thevworn out ones I was running, so the ride has improved. I think I had it built up in my mind that I wouldn't feel the smaller bumps in the road, but still feel them - hey, it's not a luxury car, right? Running the rear tires at 24 pounds and ride solo. To be totally honest, I don't remember what it ran like with the stock shocks new, so I really can't compare them to each other, but I'm happy and I guess that's all that matters....at least to me!!

[geezerglide11441]

Got the new Bitumo shocks and installation was pretty easy. Did NOT have to take off the rear box. Jack it up, remove the tire and swap out the shock. Now that they're installed, I have put about 250 miles on them. As others have pointed out, any new shock will feel better than thevworn out ones I was running, so the ride has improved. I think I had it built up in my mind that I wouldn't feel the smaller bumps in the road, but still feel them - hey, it's not a luxury car, right? Running the rear tires at 24 pounds and ride solo. To be totally honest, I don't remember what it ran like with the stock shocks new, so I really can't compare them to each other, but I'm happy and I guess that's all that matters....at least to me!!

GoSlo, to my knowledge there is not a shock made yet that will eliminate ALL bumps, be them large or small!! With the new shocks, you at least can adjust both the pre-load and rebound settings whereas the OEM Air System only allows the pre-load setting if you are lucking enough to find it and then try to maintain it!! On the Bitubo's, the rebound setting is at the bottom of the shocks (click stops) and is highly adjustable for your specific weight and smoothness of the "smaller bumps"!! IT WILL NOT ELIMINATE THEM, however, if you are not satisfied with the way it is handling the smaller bumps, you should try different settings (I believe on the Bitubo's there are 5 settings). My Pro-Actions came pre-set at 5 clicks and I am really happy and have not had a need to adjust them. I think I have read where some other riders have theirs set at 3 clicks and are extremely happy as well.

Take care, and good luck with "smoothing out the smaller bumps"!!

Roger

[Capt.Bob]

Very interesting thread and thanks Kevin for all of the testing and explanations. I am currently in the process of changing all four shocks on my Brunton Stalker which is a Lotus 7 clone kit car. They originally came with AVO shocks and unfortunately, the out of the box and long-time failure rate on these British shocks has been pretty high over the past 8-10 years. The manufacturer reportedly would require you to send the shock back to the factory and it was totally up to them if they would honor a warranty or suggest that you did something wrong that would invalidate the warranty. I am going to be putting on a set of GAZ shocks that are also made in Britain but have a much higher reliability rating according to my sources than AVO's.


As I see, it after experiencing these sketchy shocks that really are not supported well, I would opt for a USA based manufacturer with a Limited Lifetime Warranty than a 2-year option from an Italian maker. The reason is that you would conceivably have to send a defective shock(s) back to Italy and the warranty period is somewhat short. The Pro-Shock being US-based at least gives a person and easier possibility of interacting with an American firm that might be able to service a defective shock(s) more quickly and certainly for a reportedly longer period of time. A couple of hundred bucks will seem like small change if 2.5 years out, the Italian shock or shocks give up the ghost. Just my two cents worth on the subject. Not trying to humbug those of you that have decided on the Bitumo's.

[geezerglide11441]

Very interesting thread and thanks Kevin for all of the testing and explanations. I am currently in the process of changing all four shocks on my Brunton Stalker which is a Lotus 7 clone kit car. They originally came with AVO shocks and unfortunately, the out of the box and long-time failure rate on these British shocks has been pretty high over the past 8-10 years. The manufacturer reportedly would require you to send the shock back to the factory and it was totally up to them if they would honor a warranty or suggest that you did something wrong that would invalidate the warranty. I am going to be putting on a set of GAZ shocks that are also made in Britain but have a much higher reliability rating according to my sources than AVO's.


As I see, it after experiencing these sketchy shocks that really are not supported well, I would opt for a USA based manufacturer with a Limited Lifetime Warranty than a 2-year option from an Italian maker. The reason is that you would conceivably have to send a defective shock(s) back to Italy and the warranty period is somewhat short. The Pro-Shock being US-based at least gives a person and easier possibility of interacting with an American firm that might be able to service a defective shock(s) more quickly and certainly for a reportedly longer period of time. A couple of hundred bucks will seem like small change if 2.5 years out, the Italian shock or shocks give up the ghost. Just my two cents worth on the subject. Not trying to humbug those of you that have decided on the Bitumo's.

Bob, my sentiments exactly! This was my comments to Kevin when I originally ordered my shocks from Pro-Action!! USA, USA, USA!!!

Roger

[Capt.Bob]

Bob, my sentiments exactly! This was my comments to Kevin when I originally ordered my shocks from Pro-Action!! USA, USA, USA!!!

Roger

Roger, Trust me, I am not xenophobic However, the Bitumo source which is Italy, is part of the EU that is experiencing some pretty heavy-duty economic problems. Being across the pond and in a region that is economically unstable, it just does not seem as advantageous to do business there when you can use USA-based vendors that will likely have a better shot at sustainability moving forward. Of course, the Limited Lifetime warranty is only as good as the solvency of the USA company but I suspect that Kevin did his homework in not only looking at performance of the Pro-Action shocks but also likely thought about the long-term viability or reputation of the company in deciding to offer their products for sale?

The thing that I wonder about is how much I would miss the adjustability via a simple air pump of my current mediocre OEM shocks? Kevin suggested that the new shocks seem to have a significant bandwidth in terms of different loads so that may not be much of an issue?

[DK Custom Products]

Awesome, Thanks Kevin nice to talk to u today, Jack

Jack, I enjoyed our chat. Thanks for the email!

Kevin

[Capt.Bob]

I think Kevin/Devin have hit a home run with the Pro-Action shocks. I went to their website and watched a detailed video of the features/benefits of the Pro-Action shocks:
http://street.pro-action.com/features

There seem to be some real advantages to buying the shocks from DK in that their price is slightly under list price, they have worked hard to experiment with the proper settings for our trikes and will be a great resource going forward for changing requirements. One of the things I noticed about the Pro-Action company info is that they are reportedly completely rebuildable and revalvable shocks which adds several degrees of freedom for the rider moving forward (pun intended).

When I watched the video, I realized just how poor a design it is to try and use air shocks for the complex demands of shock usage. I think folks like Mikey located near the former Republic of West Florida (see Mike, you are really a Floridian so remember the Battle of Miami) would greatly benefit from the shock upgrade since it is unlikely that there are better fixes in the offing for the TGU. I know my wife would sure appreciate a less harsh ride. Man, I am just going through the motions of changing my shocks on my race car so will have to save up some more money to get a pair of the Pro-Action shocks before Summer.

[DK Custom Products]

Got the new Bitumo shocks and installation was pretty easy. Did NOT have to take off the rear box. Jack it up, remove the tire and swap out the shock. Now that they're installed, I have put about 250 miles on them. As others have pointed out, any new shock will feel better than thevworn out ones I was running, so the ride has improved. I think I had it built up in my mind that I wouldn't feel the smaller bumps in the road, but still feel them - hey, it's not a luxury car, right? Running the rear tires at 24 pounds and ride solo. To be totally honest, I don't remember what it ran like with the stock shocks new, so I really can't compare them to each other, but I'm happy and I guess that's all that matters....at least to me!!

Great to hear you are happy with them. You may be happier if you move the lever at the bottom of the shocks.

Counter-intuitively, if you go one position Harder, it may make the smaller bumps less noticeable.

The lever adjusts rebound damping, and if it is too soft it will rebound too quickly and accentuate the feel of the bump.

There are 5 positions, I recommend trying each of the five, over the same stretch of bumpy road and seeing which setting gives you the best ride.

Also, don't hesitate to fine tune it even further by having one shock on "X" setting and the other on "Y" setting.

Hopefully with the easy moving of the levers you will be able to get it to a very nice ride.

If it is not exceptionally better, then you may need to adjust the preload to get it to that point. This is not as easy, but it is not a huge deal either.

We try our best to send them out with the preload at the ideal setting for your circumstances, however, you may benefit from making some adjustments per the instructions we sent.

Because of the unique shock bumper that Bitubo uses, we have found that the plushest ride is when the shock barely bottoms out on the bumper when hitting a big bump.

Feel free to write or call with any questions. We want you to have, not just a good ride, but a great ride.

Kevin

[DK Custom Products]

As I see, it after experiencing these sketchy shocks that really are not supported well, I would opt for a USA based manufacturer with a Limited Lifetime Warranty than a 2-year option from an Italian maker. The reason is that you would conceivably have to send a defective shock(s) back to Italy and the warranty period is somewhat short. The Pro-Shock being US-based at least gives a person and easier possibility of interacting with an American firm that might be able to service a defective shock(s) more quickly and certainly for a reportedly longer period of time. A couple of hundred bucks will seem like small change if 2.5 years out, the Italian shock or shocks give up the ghost. Just my two cents worth on the subject. Not trying to humbug those of you that have decided on the Bitumo's.

Bitubo has a large, well established, warranty facility in the USA. Nothing needs to go back to Italy.

Bitubo is a huge name outside the Harley market. In the racing circuit, a large % of the winning teams use Bitubo shocks. So they have a big following with the sport bike riders.

That said, what Roger says below, about buying USA, is a significant factor to consider, along with the Warranty.

Bob, my sentiments exactly! This was my comments to Kevin when I originally ordered my shocks from Pro-Action!! USA, USA, USA!!!

Roger

Roger, Trust me, I am not xenophobic However, the Bitumo source which is Italy, is part of the EU that is experiencing some pretty heavy-duty economic problems. Being across the pond and in a region that is economically unstable, it just does not seem as advantageous to do business there when you can use USA-based vendors that will likely have a better shot at sustainability moving forward. Of course, the Limited Lifetime warranty is only as good as the solvency of the USA company but I suspect that Kevin did his homework in not only looking at performance of the Pro-Action shocks but also likely thought about the long-term viability or reputation of the company in deciding to offer their products for sale?

The thing that I wonder about is how much I would miss the adjustability via a simple air pump of my current mediocre OEM shocks? Kevin suggested that the new shocks seem to have a significant bandwidth in terms of different loads so that may not be much of an issue?

As noted in our report on Rear Shocks,

"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."

The other thing to be aware of, with the recent election, the price advantage of the Bitubo shocks may go away, or become less. Time will tell.

Regarding adjust-ability...as you know, Mary and I ride a LOT. We're right around the 100,000 mile mark on Tri-Glides, many of those miles on not great roads. lol That is why we developed the MacAir (see it HERE) With it, we were able to have the very best ride with the stock shocks, all the time, with simple fingertip control as the load or road quality changed. It also doubles as a pump for tires.

We now have well over 10,000 miles riding with the PA & Bitubo shocks. We have 3 different load weights that we ride with.

200 solo
340 2-up
490 2-up and loaded for a trip

I have the shocks adjusted so that it is plushest when 2 up and loaded.

When I am solo, or 2 up without a load, it is not as plush a ride, but it is still a better ride than with the air shocks ideally adjusted.

If there were a greater disparity between solo and 2 up loaded, and the adjustment of the shocks was set for the best at 2 up and loaded, then it is possible that the solo ride quality might not be quite as good as the air shocks, if they were adjusted to the "sweet spot".

The last thing to be aware of when looking at how well the rear shocks feel (or don't feel)...It is amazing how much the front suspension can make the rear suspension feel better or worse!

See report on front Suspension testing HERE.

Kevin