Which aftermarket shock is right for me?
By Max McAllister
President of Traxxion Dynamics, Inc.

Everyone one wants to get the most bang for their buck, particularly when it comes to racing, where everyone has to make their "play money" go as far as it can. Currently, it is common knowledge that there is no substitute for an aftermarket racing shock. The question is, which model is right to suit your needs. Almost every aftermarket shock is "fully adjustable". That means spring preload, rebound, compression, and ride height.

Ride height adjustment is extremely important for proper chassis function. Some models of bikes have provisions for ride height adjustment on the frame; none of them are easy to use. Some manufacturers will sell a racing shock without this feature. Don't buy one, you'll be sorry.

Any aftermarket shock sold by Traxxion Dynamics will perform flawlessly right out of the box, and are custom-valved and sprung in our shop to achieve excellent performance. Our custom-spec'd shocks have a range of damping adjustment that will accommodate several spring rates. Spring rate is open to a great deal of interpretation by tuners, and the "right spring" will vary depending on who you ask. We provide you with a spring that will perform best under all circumstances. As long as your are careful when installing your new shock and don't scratch the spring, it will be cheerfully exchanged if you are unhappy with the sag numbers you get when checking your initial set up.

We have several models of shocks available. We recommend Penske Racing Shocks, Elka Suspension, and Ohlins Suspension. Here is information on these brands:

Penske Racing Shocks:

Penske has three models we recommend, The Traxxion Sport Shock ($599.95), The Model 8983 ($835.00), and The Model 8987 "Triple Adjuster" ($1175.00). These extremely high quality shocks are a popular choice with top racers and discerning street riders all over the world. The shocks are "modular" and share many common parts. The entire body and shaft mechanisms are identical.

The Sport Shock is for street riders who want a quality replacement shock, but don't intend to use their bike on the racetrack. It is a complete Penske Shock, minus the reservoir, and therefore is not compression adjustable. It retains, normal spring preload, rebound, and ride height adjustment, and can be upgraded to a full race shock at any time in the future.

When comparing the 8983 and the 8987 the difference is in the reservoirs, where compression damping adjustment takes place. The compression adjuster on the 8983 is a high speed compression adjuster. High speed refers to the velocity of the wheel moving up and down, not how fast the bike is moving around the track. To clarify, low speed compression is "firmness" or "feel". High speed compression is "bumps".

So what does all of this mean in the real world? With ordinary racing shocks, you have to use the compression adjuster to make the bike feel firm. This works acceptably at smooth racetracks. The problems arise when you get to a bumpy track. In order to get the shock to soak bumps, you have to soften the compression damping. The result is a bike that soaks bumps, but some squat will result under acceleration. You need to be able to "dial in low speed compression" to restore chassis feel, but you won't be able to since you only have a high-speed adjuster. You are forced to compromise.

This is where the triple-adjustable Penske becomes a critical component for professional racers. You are able to adjust for bumps and feel independently, and there is no compromise. The most interesting effect of this shock is that once your bike is set up to have a firm feel and be compliant over bumps, you will be able to return a smooth track and change little or nothing. The bike will not need to soak as many bumps, and it will still feel firm. It is state-of-the-art!

Elka Suspension:

Elka Suspension is a newcomer from Canada. Their company was founded in 2000, and they in very short order took over the world of custom ATV racing shocks, being the brand of choice over the famous Custom Axis Shocks, which are made by Penske. So I have worked with Elka to set their shocks up to suit roadracing bikes. I am quite confident that their superior quality shocks will turn heads, and win races. To top it all off, they are substantially less expensive than either Penske or Ohlins.

The top of the line Elka is triple adjustable, offering high and low speed compression adjustment, as well as rebound. Ride height and spring preload adjustment are on this fine product as well. Most models come in piggyback configuration. The retail price is only $895, too!

The standard Elka is double adjustable, offering high speed compression and rebound damping adjustment. It too, has spring preload and ride height adjustment. These shocks are the most affordably priced of all the top tier shocks at $735.

Ohlins Suspension:

Ohlins is historically famous for world class suspension components, and their domination of all world level forms of racing speaks for itself. Ohlins has such a wide and varied product line that it is impossible to explain all of the potential options, and they have no standardized pricing, so you will have to call and get pricing on your specific model. We sell Ohlins shocks under two tiers, one "out of the box", or custom valved and sprung for aggressive use and racing.

Ohlins has a triple adjustable model shock available for most late model sport bikes, though we find the high speed compression adjuster to be basically ineffective. The low speed adjuster works quite well though, and they also have a remote hydraulic adjuster available. This adjuster is helpful for bikes where the shock is hidden. Most other applications are double adjustable configuration.

Prices range from approximately $700 to $1200 so please call for your specific application and price.




How do I decide what I need?

If you can't afford the top of the line professional racing shock, don't worry! ALL of our shocks provide superior, trouble-free performance.  Review this chart to help determine which shock will suit you:


Professional Racer:
Penske 8987, Elka triple

Expert Racer who can afford it:
Penske 8987, Elka triple, Ohlins triple

Expert racer who has no idea about suspension, and doesn't want to know:
Penske 8983 Double, Elka double, Ohlins triple

Amateur racer who can afford it, and enjoys tweaking and tuning his bike:
Penske 8987, Elka Triple

Amateur racer who can afford it, but doesn't want to fool with his bike:
Penske 8983 Double, Elka double, Ohlins triple

Expert or Amateur racer who likes Piggyback fitment for ease of installation and protection from crash damage:
Penske 8983 or 8987, Elka triple, Ohlins triple

Expert or Amateur racer who is broke and needs the best shock for the best price:
Elka double

Street rider who doesn't want to fool with his bike:
Elka double, Traxxion Sport Shock

Street rider who likes to tweak and tune his bike:
Penske 8987, Elka triple

Street rider who does occasional track days:
Elka double, Penske 8983 Double, Ohlins

Street rider who rides two-up frequently:
Penske 8987, Elka triple (The low speed adjuster can quickly and easily add firmness for two-up without any tools…)



Please contact us at info@traxxion.com with any specific questions you may have.