Has anyone used Elka rear shocks?

[Shaun Harris]

Haven't signed in to kb for ages, I tend to keep off it but thought I would say that as far as I know John's bitubo was out of the box stock, as was mine and Toby's. Only changed spring rates. Same with the front.
I have no agenda as u would know Robert with the amount of Ohlins suspension we are doing on mx bikes at the moment.

Cool, that makes 2 people I know well and trust now that have said that about Bitubo shocks. I noticed quite a few Speed way bikes using there gear also at the WGP last weekend in Auckland. That racing was exellent to watch, Thanks to Bill Buckley

[nzspokes]

What about Nitron?

[Shaun Harris]

What about Nitron?

They are also bloody good quality product man, better than I had ever thought, again coming from a man I have known for years and trust

[Robert Taylor]

The reality is that BiTubo, Ohlins and by default K-Tech ( Copy Tech )are all great quality high performing products. And dont forget works level Showa and WP.

As a generalisation Ive always had contempt for the marketing term ''race ready out of the box''. Yes you can race a lot of stuff out of the box but it can always be better.There are a number of makes and models of bikes on the market with full Ohlins suspension standard and they are proclaimed as ready for the track. That is complete nonsense, EVERYTHING has to be optimised to the individual rider.

Compared to K-Tech Bitubo at least have respect within the international suspension industry. Their interpretation of twin tube technology ( first pioneered in this type of function by Spax as I am led to believe )is at least a beating to their own very Italian drum. The guys at K-Tech have for many years blatantly copied the fruits of Ohlins technology and very real and substanial ongoing development costs but they havent offered to share those costs! The DDS35 shock is a blatant copy of much Ohlins technology and also some very clever Showa technology ( never underestimate Showa ) Anyone who strips a TTX36, DDS35 and oem year 14 Showa CBR1000RR rear shock on the same bench will see exactly what I mean. Its very easy to rip off everyone elses very real costs in development.

If we take an overview of the very last round of the champs at Minefield its very interesting.

Superbike, all winners were on Ohlins and the first four championship places were Ohlins riders. Not neccessarily because the product is any better but we just got the very best out of it for especially those 4 riders. Perhaps we have a very solid and bloody minded protestant work ethic.

Supersport 600

Ohlins 3 of the race wins and 50% more race wins than the other two competing brands, taken individually. We made no valving changes all weekend, just spring change, so essentially ''out of the box'' as delivered to the track.

K-Tech All kudos to Adam Chambers ( and team mentor / bill payer Jamie Rajek ) , on a personal level. Adam has solidly worked at it and deserved those wins, But its rather sad that they were misled into thinking that there was no setting bank of alternative shimming specs for their front forks by the official Copy Tech representation and had to seek the setting banks elsewhere. ''Out of the box'' as delivered to the track

Bitubo Toby ( lovely guy ) struggled all weekend with grip levels going away during racing and wasnt ( in his own English eloquence ) his normal chipper self. It dawned on him that no you actually cannot race on every circuit with the suspension out of the box. It may have just required a click here or there, perhaps a spring change or even a valving change ( LIKE ANY BRAND OF SUSPENSION ) Clearly he was struggling and as part of a group that went out to dinner on Saturday night I conversed with Toby that he really needed to start understanding bike set up rather than just relying on his prodigious talent.

When you watch on television WSS600, WSBK etc you will see blokes on the grid and in the pits wearing either Showa, Bitubo, Copy Tech or Ohlins clothing. They are not clothes horses just there to show the product name, there are rather better looking long legged creatures of the opposite sex rather more agreeable to look at, for such purpose. These guys are technicians with a service facility in the pits stocked with tools, shims, setting parts and those MYSTERIOUS SETTING BANKS that some people deny the existence of.

[DidJit]

I love it when you talk suspension, Robert.
No, really. Thanks, once again, for the insights.

[steveyb]

It's almost as good as a dirty story.....

[AllanB]

I notice that K-Tech get a lot of good press in the English bike mags (promoting local product).


I do respect your passion for what you do Robert - if similar was applied to most businesses in NZ the country would be souring high.

[Shaun Harris]

I love it when you talk suspension, Robert.
No, really. Thanks, once again, for the insights.

even if it is a bit naughty with a bit of slander. Some people do do some strange things suspension parts

[Mental Trousers]

Nevermind slander, some stuff out there is a blatant rip off. They've even copied the mistakes in them!!

[Shaun Harris]

Nevermind slander, some stuff out there is a blatant rip off. They've even copied the mistakes in them!!

haha it was only a joke dude

[Robert Taylor]

No slander, just something that is very well known throughout the international suspension industry. And yes the same mistakes have indeed been copied, much to everyones amusement of those in the know. A few years back it was reasoned that piracy ( of technology / outright copying ) made up 9-10% of the worlds economy. That is a deplorable statistic.

There are though credible suspension companies that largely beat to their own drum. Ohlins, WP, Showa, Nitron, KYB, BiTubo, Penske, JRI as examples of product of high quality, high performance and stand alone integrity

[Shaun Harris]

No slander, just something that is very well known throughout the international suspension industry. And yes the same mistakes have indeed been copied, much to everyones amusement of those in the know. A few years back it was reasoned that piracy ( of technology / outright copying ) made up 9-10% of the worlds economy. That is a deplorable statistic.

There are though credible suspension companies that largely beat to their own drum. Ohlins, WP, Showa, Nitron, KYB, BiTubo, Penske, JRI as examples of product of high quality, high performance and stand alone integrity

Was only pushing your Buttons Doctor I know you know what you know if you know what I mean.

[Shaun Harris]

Enjoyed our conversation at your work shop mate.

[Shaun Harris]

As I do not know the full details on this myself as yet I decided to delete untill I know more factually.

[RobGassit]

Someone said that K Tech stuff was better than all the rest and you can use it still in the box if you want. Just cut holes in the box for the bolts to pass thru. Much betterer!