Ikon shocks on order

[mlinder]

No one here has given a review of the Ikon 7614 so far as I can tell.

http://www.ikonsuspension.com/content/product_ranges/7614_series_shocks.shtml

I've just ordered a set for the gs750 road racing bike I'm building.

I will let you know how I like them.

Apparently, they weight a total of 3 lbs less than the standard 7610's. I like the look of the alu, too.

[Suzuki_Don]

Hey Mark, they're made over here in OZ in New South Wales (my state). Apparently they have the patent to make their shocks on the Koni style and design. They bought the design from Koni which was the household name in shocks in the UK in the 60s. My friend has them on his Commando and swears by them as you can adjust the hydraulics as well as the spring rates. They would want to be good for around $400 a set.

[mlinder]

Aye, Don.

I wanted something better than Progressives for the race bike, but since I'm not racing this bike, and I don't know if Mo will want to continue racing this bike, I didn't want to splurge on the Works or Ohlins.
I think this is a good halfway meeting point. Good, but not absurd.

[mlinder]

I should add that a day after I ordered the 7610-1394 shocks, the US distributor called me.

First, he said that he noticed I had paid for 3 day shipping, and that since he has to get them from Australia anyway, it didn't make sense to do that.

Then he asked me the bike they're going on, the projected weight of the bike, and the weight of the rider to get the proper spring rates sent to me.

Then, once he found out it was going on a race bike, he let me know about the 7614's, which weigh less than the others, and are aluminum bodied. At only 70 bucks more, and having to wait for them anyway, I went for it.

He was really very helpful and super nice.

I ordered from here.

[hampshirehog]

They're quite an old design but it was a good design. For the money I don't think you can beat them (though I wish they made the finish just a bit tougher).

[mlinder]

They're quite an old design but it was a good design. For the money I don't think you can beat them (though I wish they made the finish just a bit tougher).

Think the ones I got are pretty much just alu.

Unless you are talking about the finish on the spring.

[hampshirehog]

Think the ones I got are pretty much just alu.

Unless you are talking about the finish on the spring.

Spot on, the paint on the springs has never been their strong point (that's a polite way of saying it's crap). Shame - wouldn't cost them tuppence to sort.

[Dunger King]

They not only bought the design rights to Koni's range of motorcycle shock absorbers, they got the tooling and equipment to manufacture them. I have had 7610's on several bikes and a set of 7614's on one of my GT750 kawa's, never had any problem with them at any time from a performance point of view, but it can be worthwhile to strip them down after a couple of years and get the springs recoated if appearance is a high priority