bitubo's - not happy
 

I bought the bitubo shocks from DK Customs the day after christmas. Because of the crazy weather here in middle Tennessee it was a few days before I could install them. After I did get them installed, I wasn't thrilled. They basiclly felt just like the OEM shocks. Then the weather turned bad again and I wasn't able to do anything again until last week.

No matter what I do, they bottom out. DK had the set at 4.5mm. I currently have them set at 2" or 50.8mm and they still bottom. The sag is around .5".

I sent DK a message last Thursday and received a phone call on from them on Friday. She asked for pictures of the box, I also sent a picture of where my preload is set. She said that she would call me back on Monday. By the end of the day, I still hadn't heard back from them, so I sent them another text.

I also recently installed some 13" (factory is 12") Bitubos. Initially I felt like it was bottoming out. I pushed those rubber stops up so I could tell if it was bottoming out and on the first ride, they were pushed all the way down. As crazy as it sounds, the next ride a couple days after, those rubber stops were not pushed down all the way. The roads here in SoCal suck and I took the same route as the initial ride.

I did not change any settings on the shock. Preload and dampening was already set via DK. I figured I would give it some time before I make any changes and it seems to be working out. How many miles have you ridden on them so far?

That seems like a lot of pre load in that pic which would make the ride really stiff right? I also called DK and was told 13mm of preload was set on my shocks per my answers to their questions and their testing.

Hope you get it sorted out as I will be watching this thread.

This is my setting.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...af8967b50.jpeg

That would be VERY disheartening to say the least!
Are you running 16" or 18" rear wheel?

My 13" are at 3mm / 175 lbs

I left mine setup just like they came from DK and they ride like a dream.

Factory 16"

I've spoken with DK and they agreed that something must be wrong with the shocks. I asked about upgrading to their NexGen shocks, which I would have bought if I'd the money at the time.
They're going to allow me to upgrade, and will take care of the warranty on the bitubo's, but I have to pay return shipping.
She said that the 12" NexGen will sit lower than my OEM 12" did. That's fine with me.

12" shocks are going to ride rough no matter what you do.

John

These Premium NEXGEN™ Shocks are available in 2 lengths: 12" & 13". The travel is an innovative 3.5" and 4" respectively. Because they have so much travel, do Not use lowering blocks with these shocks.

When your inseam is only 30", ya have to go with 12" Shocks. But these 12" NEXGEN have a 3.5" of travel. That's a lot more than OEM 12". They say that these were in development and testing for over a year.

https://www.dkcustomproducts.com/dk-...on-baggers.htm

Went out to the garage to take the bitubo shocks off and temporarily put the OEM's back on. One of the guys in the complex who also rides, look at it and suggested that I turn the shocks upside down or right side up, as well as swap sides.

After doing that, I set the preload back to 4.5 mm where DK had them set. I set the bolt torque at 65-66 ft lbs and went for a ride. To my surprise the ride seemed better and when I got home I checked the bumpers. The shocks never bottomed out and the bumpers were at least 3/4" away from bottoming out. Or was it 1.75", I forget, either old age or lack of sleep.

I guess that I'll ride with these on for awhile and let them break-in. Then if I don't like them, sell them and get something else.

Note to self: Back bolts out, add Loctite, re-torque before putting bags on.