CrazyCooter
Member
Hi guys and gals... First post here I think, but I have been lurking on and off for years until earlier this year, when my wife let me pull the trigger on a new 2023 RTL this Spring so that she can join me in my life-:long riding hobby.
Right away, I noted how poorly damped these things are, and I neither of us liked the chassis roll while cornering. We live in NorCal and frequent the twisty rougher back roads whenever possible. I first installed Baja Ron's sway bar, which made a huge difference in the roll obviously, but that increased cross spring rate has further highlighted the weak damping from the stock shocks.
I thought I had chosen the right shock builder and ordered almost 5 months ago, but it's become apparent that the delivery times are nothing but hot air, empty promises, and numerous blown delivery dates; so I pulled the plug on them and we're once again on the hunt for the best possible solution. I've never been an Elka fan because of the leak reports that I have seen, but they aren't ruled out completely. Also, I've heard great things about Wilburs. I want something that is at minimum, adjustable for rebound damping. I don't think I need remote preload adjustment for the rear with the air suspension once the spring preload is set properly?
My background... I'm an auto mechanic who runs an undercar specialty auto repair shop. I'm an avid enthusiast of anything with wheels. I also do a fair amount of suspension & shock tuning, mostly for the Jeep overlanding crowd and pickups that haul loads. I've recently been fine tuning moto suspension on our own machines, so I know a thing or two about this area. We are definitely suspension performance snobs. This is her bike, but she has sat in the truck and Jeeps with me while I developed tuning that would service people worldwide... She knows good from ****!
I know ride is subjective to opinion of the end user, but what have been your experiences with what you chose and how was the support/reliability?
Right away, I noted how poorly damped these things are, and I neither of us liked the chassis roll while cornering. We live in NorCal and frequent the twisty rougher back roads whenever possible. I first installed Baja Ron's sway bar, which made a huge difference in the roll obviously, but that increased cross spring rate has further highlighted the weak damping from the stock shocks.
I thought I had chosen the right shock builder and ordered almost 5 months ago, but it's become apparent that the delivery times are nothing but hot air, empty promises, and numerous blown delivery dates; so I pulled the plug on them and we're once again on the hunt for the best possible solution. I've never been an Elka fan because of the leak reports that I have seen, but they aren't ruled out completely. Also, I've heard great things about Wilburs. I want something that is at minimum, adjustable for rebound damping. I don't think I need remote preload adjustment for the rear with the air suspension once the spring preload is set properly?
My background... I'm an auto mechanic who runs an undercar specialty auto repair shop. I'm an avid enthusiast of anything with wheels. I also do a fair amount of suspension & shock tuning, mostly for the Jeep overlanding crowd and pickups that haul loads. I've recently been fine tuning moto suspension on our own machines, so I know a thing or two about this area. We are definitely suspension performance snobs. This is her bike, but she has sat in the truck and Jeeps with me while I developed tuning that would service people worldwide... She knows good from ****!
I know ride is subjective to opinion of the end user, but what have been your experiences with what you chose and how was the support/reliability?
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) and they've only got better over the years since! 
hyea:
