Just wondering what the general consenses is for the best suspension set up on an '04 DS650 Viper ???

A few years have gone by since I last changed out the suspension on a DS650, and perhaps in that time there has been a brand of shock that has become known as "the best shock" for the DS. Is that the case, or is it still a "six of one vs half a dozen of the other" type of deal?

I had a set of Axis shocks on an '02 Baja, and to tell the truth they did not impress me that much. In fact, I was underwhelmed to the point that I sold them and changed to a set of Elka elite shocks on the same '02 Baja. The Elkas worked ok, but still just did not overwhelm me with their performance. I now have a set of Elkas on an '04 V-Force, and although they are better than stock, they still are not anywhere near as good as they should be. So is there something out there that is BETTER, or am I expecting too much. I used to run a set of Ohlins shocks on my CR500 race bikes, and they were almost more amazing than you could describe. Perhaps a quad never will start to approach dirt bike performance on the race course though.

Anyway, I have been seriously thinking of using this rear shock, and these front shocks this time around. I will be using the quad for desert racing.

Thanks.

 

I coulden't be happer with my PEP ZEP's!

 

Depends on your skill level, most riders on this forum would not be able to tell the difference between Works and Elka. Why pay more if this is the case?

 

Call up TBR, they dessert race all the time and they would know what to use. Other than that most people like the TCS shocks they have.

Justin

 

I run a set of ELKA SHOCKS on the front & rear. I'd go with the TRIPLE SPRINGS and not the ELITE shocks. The Elite shocks are very high maintenance and need to have the fluid changed on a regular basis. I'd use the Triple springs with dampening & compression adjustment. ELKA's seem to be a little on the stiff side and after you break them in and make your adjustments they work fine. ELKA SHOCKS are different from WORKS Shocks in that WORKS use old technology in using check-***** and ELKa uses the discs and new technology.

I'm 6'5"and and 275 Lbs and the bike is like riding on a Cadilac. My wife has ELKA's on her Wolverine 4X4 and she really notices the big difference!

GLWBEAR

 

If you want the best, then I would say go with the King shocks

 

are those Elka's for sale, if so let me know, i'm in the market for some Elks

 

PEP or Custom Axis are the best shocks you can get!

 

The Elka shocks are already sold, but thanks for the offer anyway.

What is the web site for King shocks?

What these shock builders really need to do is develop separate high and low speed rebound damping to go along with the separate high and low speed compression damping feature. The front shocks have always worked fine, whether they were Works shocks I had on a Raptor, Axis shocks I had on a DS, or the Elka shocks I had on a DS or the V-Force. But the rear shocks consistently come set up with too much slow speed rebound damping in relation to how much high speed rebound damping they have. If you dial up the rebound damping to have enough high speed rebound damping you end up with too much slow speed rebound damping, and the rear shock tends to pack down. If you turn down the rebound damping so that it doesn't pack down, then it tends to kick back on the high speed hits. I actually sent my rear shock back to Elka on my prior DS, and had them change the rebound damping internally to fix that flaw, and the rear shock worked much better afterward, but that is a moot point now, because I don't own that DS any more.

 

I broke the rear shock when I had Axis shocks. I did not think that was too impressive.