What's up with ELKA?

[muonwhiz]

Hey forum! Have any of you ordered ELKA shocks directly from manufacturer? What was your experience? I ordered a new rear shock online over a week ago, and recently got a notice that it would take at least 10 more days (translation 2 more weeks) just to make the thing, and then more additional time to ship it. Now I am certainly no expert at this- but don't understand why the time length. You would think that they would have parts available and then put it together when ordered. We aren't talking building a rocket to Mars here. I had no idea when I ordered that it would mean a month of down time! Even if the shock is being built from scratch, I just don't get the delay. In the meantime, my bike sits lonely in the garage. Ideas anyone?

[MidTNDawg]

Hey forum! Have any of you ordered ELKA shocks directly from manufacturer? What was your experience? I ordered a new rear shock online over a week ago, and recently got a notice that it would take at least 10 more days (translation 2 more weeks) just to make the thing, and then more additional time to ship it. Now I am certainly no expert at this- but don't understand why the time length. You would think that they would have parts available and then put it together when ordered. We aren't talking building a rocket to Mars here. I had no idea when I ordered that it would mean a month of down time! Even if the shock is being built from scratch, I just don't get the delay. In the meantime, my bike sits lonely in the garage. Ideas anyone?

but one possibility is they build them in batches and it may be a little time before this model comes up.

[zamfield]

Ordered mine form them two weeks ago... Emailed them on Thursday and haven't heard back.
They initially said it'll be a two week make time.

I hope it's not going to spread into three & four weeks.

[BikerDoc]

the "batch build" issue has caused occasional delays before

[ChasCS]

Well guys, at least you know that you are buying higher end, great quality products from a very reputable firm.

Go on, hang in there, there's only a little time we lose. When they arrive, awesome...

As you have chosen quite wisely...

Smart shoppers you! ;-)

Chas

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

So the moral is, if you are going to install Elka shocks order the one you need before you take the bike apart to install it!

[PMK]

Would guess they are backed up building shocks for the upcoming sled season and also possibly filling any oem orders for 2015 machines.

PK

[rgk]

Hey forum! Have any of you ordered ELKA shocks directly from manufacturer? What was your experience? I ordered a new rear shock online over a week ago, and recently got a notice that it would take at least 10 more days (translation 2 more weeks) just to make the thing, and then more additional time to ship it. Now I am certainly no expert at this- but don't understand why the time length. You would think that they would have parts available and then put it together when ordered. We aren't talking building a rocket to Mars here. I had no idea when I ordered that it would mean a month of down time! Even if the shock is being built from scratch, I just don't get the delay. In the meantime, my bike sits lonely in the garage. Ideas anyone?

I ordered some Elkas about 10 days ago and was told that they would ship in 15 days. The CC was charged within seconds of my order. I prefer vendors that charge the CC when they ship the product. The Elkas that I ordered were the common type that most people buy and there was no need to get payment up front.

[DRTSB]

I ordered mine from PitBull along with the shock re-locator kit, I got the re-locators from Pitbull in 2 weeks and the shocks in 3 months, yes 3 months, great shocks, worth the wait, raised my RT up 3 inches, which is what I was after.

Dave

[Bob Denman]

Patience is the ONE virtue; that none of us can wait to acquire!

[zamfield]

Received a reply from John at Elka Suspension this morning:


"The shocks are in production, however we have had some delays due to a restructuring of our manufacturing facilities.
All is back up to speed and orders should start heading out during the week"



We'll see, I guess!

[Bob Denman]

That's a start...

[Trooper]

Hello folks,

Thank you for the great comments, and I will gladly address some questions concerning the build time delays.

Here at Elka, we build shocks for a multitude of product segments which include the following:

ATV's ( race and Utility)
Side by Side vehicles
Motorcycles
Spyders
Snowmobiles

...and a huge array of specialty products from Military application to ski chairs to boat seat suspension.

Within each of these product segments, there is a large number of vehicle makes and models that we build shocks for.

ATV's (race and Utility) - approx. 111 makes and models
Side by Side vehicles - approx. 33 makes and models
Motorcycles - approx. 100 makes and models (including Spyders)
Specialty products - approx 50-60 makes and models

With the different makes and models you see in your dealership on a daily basis, and the multitude of shock options we offer for each of these makes and models, we are looking at somewhere between 1500 to 2000 different applications.

If we prebuilt a shock absorber for EVERY single application that we offer shocks for, we would need a warehouse the size of a SuperWalmart just to stock this products....and I am not exaggerating

On a daily basis, we manufacture anywhere between 140 to 200 shock( 700-1000 shock absorbers per week) all by HAND. We have absolutely no automation at our production facility.

From the moment your order is placed, a bill of materials is produced and the production manager provides one of the production workers the BOM to start assembly. The parts are then picked and prepped for assembly for that particular order. Once the shock is assembled, it goes to the oil and bleed station where the shock is filled with oil and is then set on a bleeder to remove all or any air that is in the oil. From the bleed station, it moves on to the dyno station for testing and quality control. Once it is approved and stamped, it moves on to the spring station to be fitted with the appropriate spring station according to the customer’s specified weight or demands. Once the spring is installed, the shock goes to the shipping department where it is labelled and shipped to you the consumer.

Because of the sheer number of shocks that are ordered on a daily basis, the manufacturing process, from beginning to end, can range anywhere from 7 business days to 15 business days all depending on the volume at that particular time.

At this particular time, we have been fortunate enough to have received some rather large contracts as an OEM supplier from a large manufacturer, as well as a military contract which has required us to expand our manufacturing operations to allow us more efficiency at both the custom product manufacturing, as well as the OEM manufacturing side of our business.

These recent changes have caused some delays in our manufacturing process as we have done a complete gut of our plant, and restructured it to allow for more flow and efficiency in our shop.

We sincerely apologise for the delay, but I hope that this explanation offers you a better understanding of the pride we take in making sure our products are the absolute best products available on the market, and that we take the proper care in assembling every single Elka shock it deserves.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at jilkiw@elkasuspension.com

Regards,

John @ Elka Suspension

[Tazzel]

The first time I ordered Elka shocks for my RS, it took 2 months to get them and these were built with the bushings at the wrong end of the shocks.

The second time I ordered for a friend for his ST, took 6 weeks and they were built wrong as well. They had the wrong springs.

In the end, both issues were a headache but worth it

[PMK]

Nice post from Elka.

Where he mentioned bleeding the shock, this is a key step, and I suspect they are doing vacuum bleeds. This is a an important step and adds longevity and performance to each shock.

Hop they arrive soon.

We don't run them, but I have known of Elka for many years. Certainly a quality product.

PK

[zamfield]

John - So the "regular" client get's a second look in??
That's what I'm picking up from your post.

I understand that business keeps moving and things change but when I ordered I was told they'd ship in two weeks... not three or four but two.
Surely you didn't get those "Big" contracts in the last week? and even if you did surely your current orders don't get pushed back for larger contracts... Do they??

Yes, you have an excellent product, that's why we order from you but I really think you should be straight from the get go with new customers that order. If it's going to take a month, tell the customer.
Its the expectation, when it's broken, that upsets a customer and can kill the whole experience in one blow.

Thankfully, what I'm reading is that the wait is still worth it... Thank goodness, eh?!

Anyway, want to end of a positive note... so keep up the good work.
It's nice to hear that you are doing well and possibly expanding. Just don't forget about Joe Blow!

[Trooper]

Nice post from Elka.

Where he mentioned bleeding the shock, this is a key step, and I suspect they are doing vacuum bleeds. This is a an important step and adds longevity and performance to each shock.

Hop they arrive soon.

We don't run them, but I have known of Elka for many years. Certainly a quality product.

PK

Yes, all of our shocks are vacuum bled, and is probably the MOST important step in the manufacturing process. Once they are bled and sealed, they must sit for 12 hours to moniter and ensure a complete and proper seal.

John - So the "regular" client get's a second look in??
That's what I'm picking up from your post.

I understand that business keeps moving and things change but when I ordered I was told they'd ship in two weeks... not three or four but two.
Surely you didn't get those "Big" contracts in the last week? and even if you did surely your current orders don't get pushed back for larger contracts... Do they??

Yes, you have an excellent product, that's why we order from you but I really think you should be straight from the get go with new customers that order. If it's going to take a month, tell the customer.
Its the expectation, when it's broken, that upsets a customer and can kill the whole experience in one blow.

Thankfully, what I'm reading is that the wait is still worth it... Thank goodness, eh?!

Anyway, want to end of a positive note... so keep up the good work.
It's nice to hear that you are doing well and possibly expanding. Just don't forget about Joe Blow!

I am not quite sure I understand the comment " getting a second look in" correctly, but I suspect that there is a negative connotation to it.

When were were originally told about the shop expansion, we were advised that the transition would only take 5-7 days and that production would not be subject to large delays. Our sales force was told of this 2 days before it actually started. We knew about the up and coming changes, but as to when we were to start, unfortunately we were told at the last minute. Should we have been advised in advance? Absolutely, but it is what it is, and we are doing our very best to make sure that orders go out as soon as possible. Its similar to when you start a renovation project on your home which you think will take a weekend, but two weeks into it you are still at it. There are always unforseen circumstances with a change of this magnitude, but again we are on the right track and product is getting out as I write this.

As for "Joe Blow", he/ she is at the core of our success, and is the reason why management continues to send representatives like myself to events like Spyderfest and Lamont's BBQ, and dozens of local events around the country, so that we continue to serve our core customer base. There is nothing more important to us than our customers satisfaction, and the changes that we are currently undertaking is ultimately to better serve all of our customers.

Unfortunately, you are a victim of bad timing, but to show you that we are serious about making our customers happy, I will gladly throw in a free set of shock guards with your purchase. They are an $80 value, and they will help protect the shocks from any debris, as well as being a great aesthetic addition.

Again, we apologise for the delay, but there was no intention to mislead you in any way in terms of the delivery time.

Regards,

John @ Elka

[PMK]

Yes vacuum bleeds are the way to go. Been doing this on White Power moto stuff for about 10 years. Bladder and IFP converted style.

Toyed with trying to vacuum bleed the Fox MTB stuff, but that silly rubber pellet and angle make it impossible to set the IFP depth after bleeding.

So is ELKA planning to have it setup where they have one department handle aftermarket and one department handle oem if they don't already?

Does Elka run a dyno test run to validate before shipping? Basically a few minutes on a Roehrig shock dyno to validate the internal settings and other important stuff.

PK

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I ordered mine from PitBull along with the shock re-locator kit, I got the re-locators from Pitbull in 2 weeks and the shocks in 3 months, yes 3 months, great shocks, worth the wait, raised my RT up 3 inches, which is what I was after.

Dave

......3 inches ?....., if this is true you have seriously altered the center of gravity of your Spyder...... and IMHO this is a Dangerous amount .......I can't believe Lenny knows about this , or John either .......Mikeguyver

[Trooper]

Yes vacuum bleeds are the way to go. Been doing this on White Power moto stuff for about 10 years. Bladder and IFP converted style.

Toyed with trying to vacuum bleed the Fox MTB stuff, but that silly rubber pellet and angle make it impossible to set the IFP depth after bleeding.

So is ELKA planning to have it setup where they have one department handle aftermarket and one department handle oem if they don't already?

Does Elka run a dyno test run to validate before shipping? Basically a few minutes on a Roehrig shock dyno to validate the internal settings and other important stuff.

PK

Correct. We will have an entire team allocated to OEM assembly, and another team allocated to custom applications, special order assembly.

All of our shocks are indeed run on a dyno for testing and quality control, to make sure that the parameters that are set by the engineers are accurate. Any anomaly in the valving , piston, of if there is any air in the shock will automatically be caught at the dyno station.

We have 2 dyno's with special order assembly, 3 with the OEM assembly, and 1 used by the engineering department.

If you are ever in the area, you are more than welcome to stop by and visit our facilities, and this offer is open to any Spyder rider as well. I would be more than happy to walk you around our facilities and show you how our products are made and assembled.

[zamfield]

John - it seems that you have a very good product and gets rave reviews from my fellow members.
I'm certainly looking forward to getting my set of shocks delivered and on the bike.
My question is, being in Canada and producing your own superior product, why didn't / doesn't Can Am use Elka over Fox?
Seems like a no brainer to me... Or do you think it's price related? IE Bombardier went for a more cost conscious, performing product?

[Trooper]

John - it seems that you have a very good product and gets rave reviews from my fellow members.
I'm certainly looking forward to getting my set of shocks delivered and on the bike.
My question is, being in Canada and producing your own superior product, why didn't / doesn't Can Am use Elka over Fox?
Seems like a no brainer to me... Or do you think it's price related? IE Bombardier went for a more cost conscious, performing product?

From what I understand, there have been negotiations in the past with Can Am which I was not privy to, however I believe that at the end of the day it came down to cost. Our competitor was able to produce a much cheaper product than we were willing to.

Our products tend to be a little more expensive than some of our competitors, and the reason for this is because we do use local suppliers for some of our parts where we have a better handle over quality control than many of our competitors, but unfortunately this does not always allow us to be competitive at the OEM level.

We were recently fortunate enough to get an OEM contract with a large and well known manufacturer, but we made it clear to them that we were not willing to sacrifice quality in exchange for a quantity order, however we got the contract anyways based on our products reputation.

[Lou]

Hey forum! Have any of you ordered ELKA shocks directly from manufacturer? What was your experience? I ordered a new rear shock online over a week ago, and recently got a notice that it would take at least 10 more days (translation 2 more weeks) just to make the thing, and then more additional time to ship it. Now I am certainly no expert at this- but don't understand why the time length. You would think that they would have parts available and then put it together when ordered. We aren't talking building a rocket to Mars here. I had no idea when I ordered that it would mean a month of down time! Even if the shock is being built from scratch, I just don't get the delay. In the meantime, my bike sits lonely in the garage. Ideas anyone?

Took about 3 weeks to get mine from factory......well worth the wait, outstanding product!

[zamfield]

Received a call from Elka this afternoon... True to their word, shocks are shipping today.
FedEx says they'll be here Monday - as long as customs don't hold them up that is!

Looking forward to getting them on and putting them through their paces!

[zamfield]

Shocks arrived today... No shock guards in the box.

Trooper?...