Peak Rider
Registered user
I'd like to give a very positive thumbs up for Maxton shocks. I've been using a rear one for two seasons now, first on my '05 1200GS before switching it to a new 2011 twin-cam in September. Last year Maxton began building a bespoke unit for the front which is also installed on the twin-cam.
Like any good aftermarket suspension they're built to your weight and riding style with plenty of good advice readily available. However, believing that it's just a matter of bolting them on and riding away is missing the point. They're highly adjustable and with a bit of faffing around you can get them precisely dialled in for your loading and the way you ride.
My rear shock was built with 10m extra ride height over stock which helps the bike turn in a little quicker although this means it's a bit more of reach to the ground for my shortish legs.
I found their initial recommendations for static sag (at the rear) was not enough as a GS has about 8 inches of travel, much more than a regular street bike. About 25 mm static sag seems to work best as a starting point. The initial recommendation/setting for compression damping was too firm, I settled on three clicks out, but once that's set you can pretty much forget it. With these sorted it's a complete doddle to fine-tune either preload or rebound damping.
As delivered the front shock only needed a half-turn less on the spring to be spot on.
To use a car analogy I found the difference in ride was like going from the acceptable norm of a standard saloon to a properly sorted BMW M-series suspension.
Considering the exceptional high quality a price of £495 per unit seems like incredibly good value. And they're built by good guys right here in the UK.
Like any good aftermarket suspension they're built to your weight and riding style with plenty of good advice readily available. However, believing that it's just a matter of bolting them on and riding away is missing the point. They're highly adjustable and with a bit of faffing around you can get them precisely dialled in for your loading and the way you ride.
My rear shock was built with 10m extra ride height over stock which helps the bike turn in a little quicker although this means it's a bit more of reach to the ground for my shortish legs.
I found their initial recommendations for static sag (at the rear) was not enough as a GS has about 8 inches of travel, much more than a regular street bike. About 25 mm static sag seems to work best as a starting point. The initial recommendation/setting for compression damping was too firm, I settled on three clicks out, but once that's set you can pretty much forget it. With these sorted it's a complete doddle to fine-tune either preload or rebound damping.
As delivered the front shock only needed a half-turn less on the spring to be spot on.
To use a car analogy I found the difference in ride was like going from the acceptable norm of a standard saloon to a properly sorted BMW M-series suspension.
Considering the exceptional high quality a price of £495 per unit seems like incredibly good value. And they're built by good guys right here in the UK.
