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Rear suspension suggestions?


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So I'm officially at the point where I am out-riding my stock suspension. I'm trying to get all the information I can before I bite the $800- $1500 bullet. I'm looking at TFX, Touratech, Ohlins and Progressive rear shocks. I have heard that Bilstein can make a rear shock also but have yet to find any information. The TFX thread on here was very informative, but still undecided. Touratech's shock is the most expensive I have found yet Ohlins is known in my world as being the best suspension company. Progressive has a comparable option for my bike for only $750, but skeptical of that company's quality. Got any other suggestions, let me have it!

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What type of bike are you riding?

My experience is that just about any aftermarket shock will be a HUGE improvement over stock and instantly transform your bike.  I went from stock to Wilbers on my GSA and that was true but when those failed and I went to TFX, it was yet again transformed better than before.

Touratech's Extreme (made by Tractive) are probably the best for the big bikes but TFX is comparable at that level of quality as well.  TFX and Tractive collaborate on a lot of moto platforms as well, especially in the ATV segment.  Keep in mind that motorcycle suspension is mostly Dutch and it's very incestuous; many use the same springs (one spring mfg there) and the same basic design.  The differentiation is typically in the quality of the components used; valves, seals, shafts, etc...  Tractive was borne out of KTM wanting to relocate WP to Austria and some of them wanted to stay in NDL and started it.  I think TFX came out of Wilbers.

I think it starts with picking a suspension person you trust and then answering their questions on your type of bike, how much you weigh with all your equipment, how you ride, etc...  My 990 has suspension re-done by Alex Martens at Konflict Suspension.  I also had good luck before with Ted Porter of The Beemershop (not just BMW).  It's important to keep in mind that suspension requires maintenance as well and that's typically between 15k-30k miles.

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I'm on a 2014 Tiger 800XC and am at 13000 miles. I was considering Konflict, but I would basically need a complete replacement front and rear because my suspension isn't buildable up front and the rear shock is smaller than most of the aftermarket ones. TFX is one I was considering as well as Hyperpro, touratech and Ohlins. Touratech is just more expensive than the others and Ohlins is so highly spoken of I thought that might be the best option. Unfortunately I don't have a 'suspension guy' to talk to. One thing I don't like about the TT shock is that it doesn't have a reservoir for the floating valve. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I sent all my info to Konflict and received a very detailed quote. When my buck gets stronger against the US and I get some dough, I am leaning heavy towards going down there. There may be a good shop located close to where you live and that may help with your decision as well.

RPM 

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In case anyone cares, I decided to leave my rear suspension alone for now and focus on the front. Anyone with a Tiger knows how horrible the forks are. I decided to go with K-Tech cartridges that I got from www.machmodified.com. Marco over there gave me a lot of help and assured that these cartridges are just as good if not better than the more expensive Ohlins and touratech options. If there is any interest, I will give an update after I install them. In the meantime, here is what they look like...

k-tech-25ids-fork-cartridge-kit_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1.jpg

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Dave,

Keep us posted, i have a co-worker with a 14' and actively looking into front fork upgrades. I have a 16 and sent my forks and shock to Konflict and they did an awesome job, the bike is so much more capable off-road then it was stock. I am a larger rider (240lb) , so stock just did not work and i was constantly bottomed on the smallest stuff off-road. Alex and crew at Konflict really know the bigger bikes and exactly how to get you dialed in.  

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  • 4 weeks later...
On ‎3‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 10:15 AM, Eric Pierce said:

Dave,

Keep us posted, i have a co-worker with a 14' and actively looking into front fork upgrades. I have a 16 and sent my forks and shock to Konflict and they did an awesome job, the bike is so much more capable off-road then it was stock. I am a larger rider (240lb) , so stock just did not work and i was constantly bottomed on the smallest stuff off-road. Alex and crew at Konflict really know the bigger bikes and exactly how to get you dialed in.  

If all goes as planned, I will be installing these on Sunday. Will give an initial 'first impressions' review and then another more complete review after my weekend trip April 22nd and 23rd.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I finally got around to installing my cartridges. Ended up being a lot easier than I expected. Must-have tool is a spring compressor. I dont want to think about how difficult it would have been without it.

 

The worst part of it was that the 17mm hex on the factory top cap stripped out because it was so tight on the RH leg. It took one guy with a ratchet and special socket, me with giant channel locks and another guy holding the bike to break the cap loose. After we got that handled, everything was pretty straight forward and simple. 

 

First impressions; holy crap it's nice! The front end doesn't dive like crazy when I brake and the front of the bike actually FEELS lighter. It's a strange sensation, but it actually feels like there is less weight pushing down on the front suspension. On top of that, the handling is a lot more responsive. 

 

Super happy I made this upgrade and very happy with the support I got from Marco over at Mach Modified. They have great customer service and were happy to answer any questions I had. For just over $900, it is a helluva upgrade and better than the $1300 for Ohlins or $1700 for Touratech. They have 30 clicks of rebound and 30 clicks of compression adjustments as well as 18mm of preload adjustment. 

 

I am going on a 2 day ride next weekend, so I will update again after I put some dirt miles on the bike to see how much better it feels. Hope this helps anyone that is considering front suspension options. Oh, and don't be scared of the 3 sided top cap. 32mm 6 point socket works just fine.

20170415_110154.jpg

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