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Message started by drharveys on 12/14/07 at 21:05:27

Title: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 12/14/07 at 21:05:27

Much to my surprise my new shocks arrived today. Of course I spent the evening installing them on the Savage. First time I've ever swapped shocks on a bike without a centerstand -- I ended up taking the tandem bicycle down from the garage ceiling and using it's block and tackle on the sissybar. Then a nice 2 X 4 under the chrome rail and I could "jack" up the rear of the bike.

As always, more work than I expected, but it went well. The new shocks raise the rear end and saddle about 3/4 inch. I'll report on the (hopefully) improved handling after I ride it a while.

Weather forecast here calls for a full bobbit by morning, so it may be a while before I get some saddle time in. Oh well, time to get out the cross-country skis!
__________________________

bobbit -- four to six inches of white stuff on the driveway

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 12/15/07 at 10:52:59

Didn't even get enough snow to ski -- there's some grass blades poking through. I'm not going to trash my skis, so I just put the Hagons on the Triumph, too. (Not the same ones, I got a second set.)

And it was a lot easier with the center stand.

Now, let's see some weather that permits either riding or skiing!

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by Savage_Greg on 12/15/07 at 11:11:48

Where did you get the shocks and how did you choose them?

;)

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 12/15/07 at 21:44:11

I got them direct from the US distributor. Spoke with them over the phone to make sure I got the right ones.

http://www.davequinnmotorcycles.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/HAGON_TWIN_SHOCKS.html

Being cheap I got the black body with chrome springs. It actually looks fine on the bike. I'll try to get a photo tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow -- we've got more snow, so the cross country skis WILL come out and play! And, given our crazy climate, maybe I'll ride next weekend.

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by Savage_Greg on 12/16/07 at 04:40:47

I like the black painted shocks. Did you get any of the shrouds or the wideline springs?

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 12/16/07 at 10:00:04

Here's what it looks like:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/Suzuki/BILD0059.jpg

Pretty easy to see the dual rate windings!

And, partially hidden by the saddlebag, the Triumph:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/Triumph/BILD0060.jpg

Just saw the extended forecast -- should be riding weather by next weekend!

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by bill67 on 12/16/07 at 10:28:09

What spring rates are they?

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 12/16/07 at 14:36:01

42494C4C1617200 wrote:

What spring rates are they?

The one Dave Quinn picked out after being told how much weight the bike would be subjected to.

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by Hardly on 12/16/07 at 14:40:14

Howdy:

What is the length, eye to eye? Thanks

Adios, David

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by Trippah on 12/16/07 at 15:15:03

Like many, i can't wait to hear how well they work. After the fork brace to help stabilize the front, improving the rear shocks is the next reasonable modification. happy skiing until then.

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 12/16/07 at 20:51:46

The ten day forecast shows some windows of opportunity opening up for riding around midweek -- mid to upper 40's is riding weather for me! Especially when I'm eager to try out some new tweaks or mods or gear!

Anyhow, skiing the park today was a hoot!

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/BILD0062.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/BILD0065.jpg

And the coffee shop in the park felt like a ski resort!

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/BILD0068.jpg

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by LANCER on 12/17/07 at 04:02:27

The springs look really nice, I like the black body with chrome springs myself.
Yep, you have snow. We are in SC and until yesterday we were in the 70's and 80's, it finally went down into the 30's last night.
Where are you located?

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by Savage_Greg on 12/17/07 at 05:12:05

Those shocks look good.

Looks like fun in the snow, but how come you're frowning? Is it because your bike is parked? :P

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 12/17/07 at 12:42:45

San Luis del Norte! (OK, St. Louis, really. I'd leave messages with my brother's Salvadoran housekeeper "Esta el hermano en Saint Louis." She gave him the message, then asked "Como su hermano no hace luz?" (Why doesn't your brother have any lights?) "No esta Sin Luz, es San Luis -- San Luis del Norte!"

That was a while back -- since then Anna's learned English, become a citizen and is married to a Mexican-American who owns his own lawn & garden business.

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by klx650sm2002 on 12/18/07 at 04:44:35

I like black and chrome, not just for shocks but for whole bikes.
Clive W :)

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by Reelthing on 12/18/07 at 07:04:08

3B2D373E2D293A262C5F0 wrote:

The new shocks raise the rear end and saddle about 3/4 inch. I'll report on the (hopefully) improved handling after I ride it a while.

so the shocks are ~11 - 11.5 inch eye center to center I guess ?

anyway to find out what spring rate was selected for you?

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 12/19/07 at 16:16:46

Sure -- call them and ask. But if you tell them about yourself and your riding they will help select one for you.

Dave Quinn Motorcycles 203-393-2651

http://www.davequinnmotorcycles.com/

I'm supposed to knock off work at 1 PM tomorrow -- if it doesn't rain, I'll have a report on my first impression of the Hagons.

If it doesn't rain...

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by Reelthing on 12/19/07 at 17:13:24

don't need any the progressives are still holding up - just wanted to compare the 412-4233s and 412-4232s rates with these

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by SteveRocket on 12/19/07 at 21:47:36

Please let me know the result with the Triumph too

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 12/22/07 at 14:47:01

OK, yesterday afternoon was gray, but as it was not actually raining I took the Suzuki for a spin. Figuring that urban riding would give the shocks a good workout, I headed to the riverfront. I think the Hagons are an improvement. Not as dramatic as I had hoped, but noticeable. I didn't actually bottom out on any of the assorted urban insults provided by the St. Louis street department, so that alone is a good thing. Still, the bike is limited by it's short wheelbase and limited swingarm travel.

I also took out the Triumph briefly -- there the improvement was really noticeable. The bike just felt firmer, and I really didn't get a chance to put it through it's paces a whole lot.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/Suzuki/BILD0069.jpg

Here's the bike on the riverfront -- that's one of the legs of the arch in the background. Levee stones make a great shock test.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/Suzuki/BILD0070.jpg

A better view of the Hagons in place.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/Suzuki/BILD0072.jpg

Looking back, a gray day on the river.

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by LANCER on 12/23/07 at 04:59:20

Back in the late '60's I was going to school at Parks College, just across the river in Cahokia. The Arch was in the final stages of structural completion, when one of our fellow students decided to fly a small airplane under the Arch before the camera's were installed which would make it impossible to do the deed without being identified as the culprit and have the assorted state and federal authorities tracking you down and throwing you into a bottomless dungeon.
I don't believe that this individual was ever identified officially. It was quite the trick at the time.

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks - Spot On!
Post by drharveys on 12/29/07 at 21:44:41

I raised the pre-load to the middle setting and the bike is dialed in! No more bottoming out, no more rude shocks to my lower back. The ride and handling are right where they ought to be!

Now the bike has the fork brace, Suzuki pillow-top gel seat and the Hagons. I think I'll leave it that way.

Time to quit fiddling with the bike and ride the durn thang!

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by smokin_blue on 01/02/08 at 10:03:39

I am still not sure what shocks I will be putting on my cafe but has anyone done a comparison of quality versus cost of say the Hagons' vs progressive vs works?

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by Reelthing on 01/02/08 at 11:21:28

Only ones we spent a fair amount of time with were the Progressives - good many measurements taken, length and spring rate analysis - on the quality it's a matter of how much you spend - the 412's are pretty good @ $150-$170 and the 418's & 440's are a work of art @ $300-500

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by bill67 on 01/02/08 at 15:06:10

Has anyone here tried the progressive 440s

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by smokin_blue on 01/02/08 at 17:58:09

596E6E677F6362656C0B0 wrote:

I understand the progression up through the progressive ranks (sorry that sounded really bad) but I was curious if Hagon or Works are any better or worse $ per $

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by klx650sm2002 on 01/03/08 at 05:59:15

I think that before Hagon were Hagon they were Girling and just as a matter of interest many years ago they sold matched pairs of shocks in an attempt to reduce twisting on the crap swing-arms they had back then.
Clive W :)

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by Savage_Rob on 01/03/08 at 11:16:03

717A7F7F2524130 wrote:

Has anyone here tried the progressive 440s

Lancer has some he got for a song on eBay and, last I heard, he likes 'em a lot.

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by geo on 01/05/08 at 15:54:42

What's so great about Hagon shocks? What do you expect them to do for handling? How much do they cost?
If better handling is the objective with this bike, the rake needs to be reduced and the wheelbase shortened by about 2-3 inches. This would require a new frame of course. I just wonder what would happen. :-?

Title: Re: Hagon Shocks
Post by drharveys on 01/05/08 at 19:49:31

The Hagons have a dual rate spring, a bit more travel and darned good damping. Once you get the preload set for your weight they will not exhibit hard bottoming out like the stock shocks. That just makes for a more comfortable ride. It's still firm, but the bike loses that harshness that leaves you feeling like you've been to an incompetent chiropractor after a day's ride!

As for cost, a set of the basic Hagons is just under $200, perhaps a tad over with shipping.