Thoughts about Showa shocks

[Mudwisel]

I just have to add a bit more about the Bandit struts.. Now that I've had a bit more seat time with the new struts, I have to say the machine is just a totally different beast. It just seems to do everything smoother and more comfortably. I've been out riding over the same area around my home that I did with the stock Showa struts and it's just not even remotely the same machine. It rides better on the road than my Sequoia, and I just drove it across a driveway at about 15mph from down in a ditch with easily a 1ft ledge on each side, and the cab barely moved! The wheels just followed the terrain change without any fuss or bounce or thump or, you get it! I was bracing myself for the expected impact, and there was just......nothing. There's still more adjustment in the 'tender' springs to soften the over-all ride if needed, and plenty of adjustment to firm it up. The machine is now a real pleasure to drive- the way it should have come from Honda in the first place. I'm very very happy with the results so far, and highly recommend the Bandit struts/shocks at this point. I'm really looking forward to our next ride in the mountains!

Hard to beat the bandits for a production shock IMO.

 

[Admin]

 

[JWB]

Hard to beat the bandits for a production shock IMO.

And made entirely here in the USA. Zero foreign parts! I wouldn't call them a production shock, as they are made to order, so I think in most cases they would be called a custom shock. Check out their website, and they have a few videos up as well. Hate to sound like I drank the Kool-Aid, but I'm still stoked about the performance change, and I've got, finally, an American made product that is very competitively priced, and so far has met every aspect of my expectations.... How often do you get say that these days!?
U.S.A.!!

 

[DG Rider]

So...from what I've seen, the complaints about the talon are that it's very stiff as far as low speed plushness, but works very well if you basically go as fast as it will go?

Is that what I'm seeing?

I know Polaris seems to always ride nicely. Even a "sport machine" like the RZR.

 

[Hello_Darkness]

So...from what I've seen, the complaints about the talon are that it's very stiff as far as low speed plushness, but works very well if you basically go as fast as it will go?

Is that what I'm seeing?

I know Polaris seems to always ride nicely. Even a "sport machine" like the RZR.

Weird how things work when you use them like their intended to be used

 

[DRZRon1]

And made entirely here in the USA. Zero foreign parts! I wouldn't call them a production shock, as they are made to order, so I think in most cases they would be called a custom shock. Check out their website, and they have a few videos up as well. Hate to sound like I drank the Kool-Aid, but I'm still stoked about the performance change, and I've got, finally, an American made product that is very competitively priced, and so far has met every aspect of my expectations.... How often do you get say that these days!?
U.S.A.!!

good feedback - but to be honest a set of Gabriel red riders from Walmart would be better than the stock showas


glad to hear the machine is rideable now !!!

 

[906UP]

Weird how things work when you use them like their intended to be used

.....but, but, but Honda doesn't know what they're doing and did it all wrong cause they didn't make it the way I wanted!!! 😩😭 🤣🤣🤣

 

[1HasBeen]

So...from what I've seen, the complaints about the talon are that it's very stiff as far as low speed plushness, but works very well if you basically go as fast as it will go?

Is that what I'm seeing?

I know Polaris seems to always ride nicely. Even a "sport machine" like the RZR.

They work better at speed, but are not on par with the competition.

 

[Mudwisel]

And made entirely here in the USA. Zero foreign parts! I wouldn't call them a production shock, as they are made to order, so I think in most cases they would be called a custom shock. Check out their website, and they have a few videos up as well. Hate to sound like I drank the Kool-Aid, but I'm still stoked about the performance change, and I've got, finally, an American made product that is very competitively priced, and so far has met every aspect of my expectations.... How often do you get say that these days!?
U.S.A.!!

When I say production I mean not done by and independent tuner. They are taking general info.

 

[DG Rider]

They work better at speed, but are not on par with the competition.

So they don't work as well at low OR high speed? That would seem to be a legitimate complaint. Or maybe an indicator that it can be done better...

 

[CID]

So they don't work as well at low OR high speed? That would seem to be a legitimate complaint. Or maybe an indicator that it can be done better...

I've been riding off road Japanese vehicles since 1968, motorcycles for 50 years and now the Talon - they've NEVER gotten the valving right.

 

[JWB]

I've been riding off road Japanese vehicles since 1968, motorcycles for 50 years and now the Talon - they've NEVER gotten the valving right.

I would really like for someone from Honda to explain this. Particularly the thought process, or reasoning that brought us the particular Showa suspension on the 2 seat Talon X. They have HUGE resources to draw upon to research and choose a suspension set-up that should be very comparable or better than their main competitors. But no, a small shop in Michigan(Bandit UTV Suspension) KICKS A BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATIONS ASS by just supplying a set of struts/shocks that just work right out of the box. Are the people at Honda seriously THAT incompetent, or is there some legitimate reason for installing GARBAGE on their equipment? After reading years worth of complaints about the suspension on Honda SxS's, they have simply ignored them and continue to insult their customers by actually implying that this is an improvement in response to those complaints, when in reality, I can't even imagine a worse set-up than what was installed on my 2024 Talon X 2 seat. I think Honda should reimburse the cost of replacing their s*** suspension with suspension that works. They've actually done this for customers that had V-6 marine engines fail for about 7 years before they finally admitted the problem and started reimbursing the cost of engine replacements years later. Just like the suspension issue, they knew the problem was there, refused to admit it, and continued to sell the exact same flawed engine for years to unsuspecting customers. Yes, the Talon is a cool machine, but Honda is NOT. I.M.H.O.

 

[futzin]

I would really like for someone from Honda to explain this. Particularly the thought process, or reasoning that brought us the particular Showa suspension on the 2 seat Talon X.

My guess is that Hahnda likes the name Showa from a marketing perspective and got these particular shocks cheap.

 

[JWB]

Honda uses Showa power trim & tilt pumps on their outboard engines. They rarely ever have problems- compared to other OEMs. I believe Showa makes good stuff..... but something went wrong here...

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

The reason for the switch to Showa was because FOX can't keep up with the demand for OEM SxS shocks, and the manufacturers are tired of waiting for stock to arrive to build more machines. Kawasaki did the same thing and switched to Showa shocks but used a better version with adjustable crossovers and true dual rate springs that can be adjusted. Honda just hates their customers...

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

I believe Showa makes good stuff..... but something went wrong here...

Honda let the bean counters spec the shocks. That's what went wrong.

 

[906UP]

Honda let the bean counters spec the shocks. That's what went wrong.

Exactly, they are built to a price point.

I do find it interesting that a new '24 TalonX2 has the same list price it did in '19, can the same be said for PoPo or Kawi? Legit question because I have no idea what those machines cost.

That said, is it really that big of a deal to fork over $2600 for a set of custom Elkas that are set up for you vs a higher end shock from Honda (w a higher MSRP) that everyone would still b1tch about? I don't think so but that's me.

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

Is it really that big of a deal to fork over $2600 for a set of custom Elkas that are set up for you vs a higher end shock from Honda that everyone would still b1tch about.

You shouldn't have to fork over an extra $2600 to get your SxS to ride comparable to other stock machines.

 

[GovtMule]

You shouldn't have to fork over an extra $2600 to get your SxS to ride comparable to other stock machines.

Maybe just buy another machine then. I’ll take the Showas for everything else that I got. I’ve driven a FLV and I’ve driven mine. I don’t notice enough of a difference to be mad about it.

 

[Mudwisel]

Except for the lack of threaded adjustable ride height the showa are on par with the Fox . How Honda comes up with the spring rates and valving baffles me sometimes. It has always been this way with them and motorsports Honda could have speced the valving different which cost next to nothing. Shims are cheap. If people feel the showas are that bad a revalve is easy and less expensive. Lot cheaper if you know how to do it yourself. Everyone has different expectations

 

[DRZRon1]

Except for the lack of threaded adjustable ride height the showa are on par with the Fox . How Honda comes up with the spring rates and valving baffles me sometimes. It has always been this way with them and motorsports Honda could have speced the valving different which cost next to nothing. Shims are cheap. If people feel the showas are that bad a revalve is easy and less expensive. Lot cheaper if you know how to do it yourself. Everyone has different expectations

at least they coulda softened it up for us east coast guy for a few years and screwed the west coast guys for a while - 😂

agree and unbelievable that after 6 years the Honda and Fox team didn’t go out one night - get all slobbered up -put a couple of post it’s on a dart board (way soft, soft, medium, etc.) and throw one dart and switch it up - lol