P500 Elka stage 1

[Kkettlebell]

Who’s running the stage 1 Elka’s? Are they plush?

 

[Admin]

 

[Todd627]

@906UP is running them and said they were a very notable difference from stock and worth the $$$.

 

[Remington]

Not plush but there better than your stockers. deff an upgrade. If your on a budget then get those or the 2’s. If there really isn't a budget go with the 3’s there plush

 

[Kkettlebell]

Ok thanks guys

 

[Kkettlebell]

Was thinking W.E. Front and Elka stage 1 in rear to save a few bucks. If not will probably go Elka stage 1 all around…yeah I’m on a budget😞

 

[906UP]

@906UP is running them and said they were a very notable difference from stock and worth the $$$.

Yup, I put Elka S1's all the way around on the Donkey. Well worth the money, they are "plush-ish"....lol. I look at it this way, there's only so much travel on a P5 so don't invest a ton into shocks, you could go with an adjustable but I doubt most would be able to tell the difference between stage 1 thru 5, some will say they can but IMO it's just the "Placebo Effect", they want to justify the expense.

 

[Kkettlebell]

Yup, I put Elka S1's all the way around on the Donkey. Well worth the money, they are "plush-ish"....lol. I look at it this way, there's only so much travel on a P5 so don't invest a ton into shocks, you could go with an adjustable but I doubt most would be able to tell the difference between stage 1 thru 5, some will say they can but IMO it's just the "Placebo Effect", they want to justify the expense.

Good advice…thanks

 

[Kkettlebell]

Yup, I put Elka S1's all the way around on the Donkey. Well worth the money, they are "plush-ish"....lol. I look at it this way, there's only so much travel on a P5 so don't invest a ton into shocks, you could go with an adjustable but I doubt most would be able to tell the difference between stage 1 thru 5, some will say they can but IMO it's just the "Placebo Effect", they want to justify the expense.

How long did it take to get them? Says 8-12 week wait

 

[906UP]

How long did it take to get them? Says 8-12 week wait

Seems like is was around 6-7 weeks but that was pre-scamdemic.

 

[Remington]

Was thinking W.E.

@trigger has those on his P5. pretty big change in that machine.

 

[wvupsc]

I have the Elka Stage 3's on my 520 and love them. Huge difference from stock. I wonder if Stage 1 or 2 would have worked just as well. But I'm happy with the Stage 3's. Be warned it's a long wait time once you order them. Mine took 4-5 months last year, as I recall.

 

[trigger]

@trigger has those on his P5. pretty big change in that machine.

The WE's are adjustable and awesome, if the Stage 3's are better it can't be by that much. I do like the looks of the Elka's more though, but not $700 more.

 

[Remington]

The WE's are adjustable and awesome, if the Stage 3's are better it can't be by that much. I do like the looks of the Elka's more though, but not $700 more.

I think you WE’s are the best out of all of them imo

 

[trigger]

I think you WE’s are the best out of all of them imo

Can't say for sure as I've never ridden those Stage 3's. The WE's eat up chop though and like to be ridden fast. I like that the Elka's springs are black and they have the Dale Earnhardt #3 on the piggy's but not for $1800. I paid $1100 for the Walker's.

 

[hallic]

Whoever has all these different levels of fancy shocks at the T.O. should offer to give us stockers rides, so we can see what the differences are.

 

[KyGal83]

Whoever has all these different levels of fancy shocks at the T.O. should offer to give us stockers rides, so we can see what the differences are.

I second this!!!!

 

[The Green Goat]

Whoever has all these different levels of fancy shocks at the T.O. should offer to give us stockers rides, so we can see what the differences are.

I second this!!!!

If my W.E.'s show up before TO, you're both welcome to take mine out for a cruise.

 

[Smitty335]

If my W.E.'s show up before TO, you're both welcome to take mine out for a cruise.

You know they will show up right after you load your buggy, so load your buggy a week early! See you there cabin 11 RRB

 

[Splorin]

I've mentioned before that stockers are a .5, Stage1s are an 8.5, WEs or Stage 3s are 9.5. If you think you'd never even bother adjusting, than the 1's are probably perfect.........

 

[crewcabrob]

I ordered Elka Stage 1s for my P520. The main reason was I wanted a better ride. Between the short sidewalls of 24" tires and the hard shocks, our first few rides in the Colorado Mountains near Leadville were pretty bad. So, after swapping tires to radials and a much larger size for more absorption. I knew the only way to improve things further was to swap the shocks.

I chose stages 1s because I didn't feel I would ever change the settings other than preload. To be honest, I have a hard time spending $2k on a set of shocks for a machine that has a sticker price of $10k. And, as others have pointed out, we only have 5.9" of travel to work with. If I had a machine that cost $20k and had 12-14" of suspension travel, I might be more inclined to look at other stages.

I'm looking for an improvement in my ride, not the ultimate in adjustability. These machines are fairly simple so I thought the Stage 1 was appropriate.

Rob