Which Shock, Hagon or Nitron?

[Sebulba]

Hello,

I'm looking into upgrading my K9's suspension.
Since I'm not really mechanically inclined, I'd like to use off-the-shelf parts.

My research has uncovered the following shocks:

http://www.nitron.co.uk/shop/product/1706/suzuki-sv650-k3-k6-ntr-sport-shock-1-way

http://www.hagon-shocks.co.uk/catalog/partdetail.aspx?partno=M63066

So, which shock would your recommend for somebody who's going to use his bike exclusively on the road (seeing as there are no tracks in Romania)?

Mihai

[yorkie_chris]

Nitron all day long.


Ride and handling is no contest, the nitron trumps the hagons over-comped, under-rebounded setup all day long.
Surface finish... cheap bright zinc (or similar) passivated on the hagon that looks crap after about 3 miles... versus fairly decent anodising on the nitron.

Hagon are very much behind the curve on this stuff.

[andrewsmith]

Nitron or hunt ebay for a used Penske, Ohlins, Elka. The latter is a rocking horse **** affair!

Anyways you can get a 10% Discount via SV650Racer on Nitron

[maviczap]

Nitron all day long.


Ride and handling is no contest, the nitron trumps the hagons over-comped, under-rebounded setup all day long.
Surface finish... cheap bright zinc (or similar) passivated on the hagon that looks crap after about 3 miles... versus fairly decent anodising on the nitron.

Hagon are very much behind the curve on this stuff.

What he says.

Although I've got a Hagon & its much better than OEM

Hagon is a budget shock, not the same quality as the Nitron, which are lovely

[lawson17]

Definitely Nitron, by far the best bit of kit I have purchased for the SV.

[rictus01]

the Nitron is a nice bit of kit no doubt (although the spring colour is an acquired taste),if you have money to burn or want something to show off; that's fine, but for an sv I'd go for the Hagon (I've seen them cheaper than that), they don't rot away and are a useful replacement for OEM, I've fitted several over the years and all have been fine, the SV isn't nor was ment to be a top flight race bike, if however you're planning to upgrade the front as well, then......buy a SS6 instead...it'll work better...;)

[NedSVS]

In my experience Hagon is very poor finish quality with un-anodised low grade aluminium parts that corrode away relatively quickly (a few winters on my TZR125 commuting bike). Also when I enquired about a rebuild it only included the hydraulic/damping side of the unit - no refinishing! The damping was the only thing that was OK on my shock - it looked terrible.

[squirrel_hunter]

Anyways you can get a 10% Discount via SV650Racer on Nitron

Why didn't you tell me this earlier?

Not ridden a bike with a Hagon to compare, however I can confirm that both companies have very good customer service.

[yorkie_chris]

the Nitron is a nice bit of kit no doubt (although the spring colour is an acquired taste),if you have money to burn or want something to show off; that's fine, but for an sv I'd go for the Hagon (I've seen them cheaper than that), they don't rot away and are a useful replacement for OEM, I've fitted several over the years and all have been fine, the SV isn't nor was ment to be a top flight race bike, if however you're planning to upgrade the front as well, then......buy a SS6 instead...it'll work better...;)

They don't rot away? You kidding? They are steel with a cheap zinc plate over them. They look scabby as fast as stock one!
A useful replacement for OEM (at near top-flight prices) is what they are...

I would even go so far as to say the damping on the SV model is out far enough that the stock shock is more rideable. At least that is somewhat balanced.

I don't agree about the buy an SS6 part either. The SV's are lovely to ride with decent suspension and on a reasonable budget too.

[21QUEST]

Hagon would be good enough for 99.99% of folks. Didn't Tim Nurburgring have one on his SV and seemed to work well enough.

Initial price is only one factor anyway. How much do they charge for a service...if and when you decide to have it serviced of it needs one.

Another thing that I look at is resale....the Nitron might still end up costing less all told.

Anyway, personally, if I had the money to spend on the Nitron, I'd get that. It's well bling like...and we all know how important that is :D

[Bibio]

nitron. i have one and still like new after 2 years with one winter (this one) sitting outside in my garden without a cover. oohhh and they work very very well.

[yorkie_chris]

Hagon would be good enough for 99.99% of folks. Didn't Tim Nurburgring have one on his SV and seemed to work well enough.

If you are actually good you can ride around all manner of crap setup!

I've always maintained that I'm a hamfisted, incompetent drunk and have turned to decent suspension to sort out whatever mess I can manage to get the chassis into. :)

[andrewsmith]

Why didn't you tell me this earlier?

Not ridden a bike with a Hagon to compare, however I can confirm that both companies have very good customer service.

Just ordered one for the TZR by any chance?? :lol:

[21QUEST]

If you are actually good you can ride around all manner of crap setup!

I've always maintained that I'm a hamfisted, incompetent drunk and have turned to decent suspension to sort out whatever mess I can manage to get the chassis into. :)
Lol

To be frank, though I tend to just get on and ride bike...once I've eventually got used to the way it behaves in general...it can become a 'bit of work' in certain conditions.

By the way, for anyone with a Curvy, I might have a Hagon rear shock(as recommended by YC :p ) that'd fit a curvy for sale at some point...as I've acquired a bling one.
Keep your eyes on the 'for sale' section .....

[squirrel_hunter]

Just ordered one for the TZR by any chance?? :lol:

* Shuffles feet, and looks at floor *

[andrewsmith]

* Shuffles feet, and looks at floor *

Tough luck
How is that going BTW?

[maviczap]

Why didn't you tell me this earlier?

Not ridden a bike with a Hagon to compare, however I can confirm that both companies have very good customer service.

It'll be fine for you and is you project bike going to spend much time on salty roads, so it'll look fine for ages :salut:

[Sebulba]

Thanks for all the replies.

The main reason I'm upgrading the suspension is the abolutely crap roads around this country. I need to upgrade the fork to get decent compression damping across the bumps that are all over my city. For that I'm going with straight rate springs and Racetech emulators (see OP about not having access to a garage and not being mechanically inclined).
Since I'm doing the front, I'll need to upgrade the shock too.

If I understand correctly, an SS6 is something like a GSXR 600?
If yes, then I decline buying one for a bunch of reasons, the most important of which is: I don't think a 6'4" fella will be very comfortable on it :). Others are: I still consider myself a beginner and having that kind of power at my right wrist is worring me, I like the torque curve or a V-twin, I don't like the sound of inline fours and ever since I wanted a bike I wanted an SV 650 :).

Mihai

[yorkie_chris]

There are some much cheaper alternatives to racetech emulators which are exactly the same parts near enough. You already bought them?

Compression damping being too hard is the hagon's biggest failing, if it wasn't for this they'd be a fine choice.

The comp is too hard and the rebound too weak. When added to the stiffer spring (which is needed), it adds up to a feeling of being kicked up the backside by it.

[rictus01]

They don't rot away? You kidding? They are steel with a cheap zinc plate over them. They look scabby as fast as stock one!
A useful replacement for OEM (at near top-flight prices) is what they are...

I would even go so far as to say the damping on the SV model is out far enough that the stock shock is more rideable. At least that is somewhat balanced.

I don't agree about the buy an SS6 part either. The SV's are lovely to ride with decent suspension and on a reasonable budget too.

I suppose if your standpoint is to leave it once fitted then I dare say given time it would show weathering signs, but I don't do that or advise it; clearly we have a difference of opinion on normal regular care, as to price point, I've never bought one myself, but the last one fitted at mine (mid summer last year/ a direct OEM hagon replacement) was just over £200, so pay your money take your choice....:smt102

just recently a friend got a triumph S4 for the price you'd pay for a sv of the same age, IMO it's a better bike and will handle better without spending additionally on suspension, but then that's why there's such a choice in the market, the little SV lump is a lovely motor and Suzuki done a cracking job aiming it at a certain market sector (hence why it sold so well), with a few minor mods (springs & oil for the front) it can be made better, but I've ridden many sv's with what I would consider heavy modifications and very few are on a par with a stock SS6.

[Teejayexc]

They don't rot away? You kidding? They are steel with a cheap zinc plate over them. They look scabby as fast as stock one!



You do talk blocks sometimes Chris, imho ;). I've had one on a 900 divvy for five years, bikes done 75k, 30k of 'em with the hagon fitted. Ridden all year round and still looks like new.

[squirrel_hunter]

How is that going BTW?

Not made as much progress the past couple of weeks as I would have wanted. Finding someone for powder coating has been the problem, as have rear suspension consumables. But I have tomorrow afternoon off to drop the bike into someone for the powder so in about 2 weeks time things should pick up again.

It'll be fine for you and is you project bike going to spend much time on salty roads, so it'll look fine for ages :salut:

The quality of the finish from Nitron is impressive, even on well used examples so that was one of the main reasons I decided to go with them.

[Sebulba]

There are some much cheaper alternatives to racetech emulators which are exactly the same parts near enough. You already bought them?


No, I haven't.
For the alternative, are you talking about the Debrix emulators that were all the rage last year on the org? In that case, fitting them to my pointy requires some adapters which I have no way of making.
To be honest, experience has taught me that I get what I pay for, so I'd rather go with the tried and tested Recetechs

Mihai

[yorkie_chris]

The debrix ones are close enough to be a direct replacement.

I've done loads of sets of spacers for people fitting them to pointy, however I normally fit them to the damper rods as an interference fit... the logistics of sending damper rods across europe might make that difficult!

But don't think there is any quality you pay for with racetech. They charge £100 more just because they can.


just recently a friend got a triumph S4 for the price you'd pay for a sv of the same age, IMO it's a better bike and will handle better without spending additionally on suspension, but then that's why there's such a choice in the market, the little SV lump is a lovely motor and Suzuki done a cracking job aiming it at a certain market sector (hence why it sold so well), with a few minor mods (springs & oil for the front) it can be made better, but I've ridden many sv's with what I would consider heavy modifications and very few are on a par with a stock SS6.

A better bike until you want to insure it or service it, or put tyres on it. Or anything else that would mean you might prefer a budget 650 twin to a sports 600!

As for regular care... what's that? Blather it in a bit of ACF50 and neglect it between regular services.
Wash? No. I bought suspension parts with decent surface finishes that survived none of that just fine!

[Pricey12]

I'm glad I saw this thread. Was veering towards a Hagon myself, but am definately thinking Nitron now :D