Yss Shocks Review

[David Race]

Can any body tell me if these shocks are good or not?
I have a 650 Ninja and want to up date the terrible standard shock and springs and was going to buy Hyperpro but if these YSS are good I will buy them and save myself a lot of Baht.
Can any one recommend them thanks.

 

[DavidFL]

David
YSS was good. I have them on my AT, as does Robert H, but unfortunately a couple of years ago they had a company reorganization & change of supplier = the product doesn't quite come up to spec nowadays. Lack of / no quality control with parts failures. No very good at all. I understood that YSS used to use the same parts supplier as Ohlins, so what you were getting was tops!

I spent considerable time in Oz with Walter Presig, an ex YSS partner in Thailand & a YSS agent in Oz.
Walter has one of the largest collections of shock absorbers & springs in Oz & is a suspension genius.

http://www.suspensionshop.org/index.php

If Walter was to build your shock for you it would be absolutely perfect, but the cost to / from Oz would make it bloody expensive.

So there's probably better value for money options around.

I've got photos of Walter's operation in Oz & will upload them, once I clear the back log.

 

[Franconian]

I have contacted YSS several times by email and asked for the price and shipping duration for a shock absorber. They have never replied.

How much is a YSS shock roughly for an Africa Twin?

I have a Yamaha Tenere, but I would imagine the price is similar.

Cheers,
Frank

 

[DavidFL]

Franconian;267844 wrote: I have contacted YSS several times by email and asked for the price and shipping duration for a shock absorber. They have never replied.

How much is a YSS shock roughly for an Africa Twin?

I have a Yamaha Tenere, but I would imagine the price is similar.

Cheers,
Frank

You won't get much of an answer from the factory.
The people to contact are Red Baron, a YSS dealer in Bangkok, or Walter in Australia.
http://www.suspensionshop.org/index.php
Good luck.
The other best choices would be either Ohlins or Hyperpro.

 

[DavidFL]

Walter Preisig

Note the plate

Who knows this bike?

note the spring stock in the background.

that's a hell of a donk for a two-stroke!

Some of his shock stock

Walter can build / set up any shock for you

send him your details & he will set it up for you.
My cousin in Perth had Walter in South Oz set up a YSS shock for his Harley by emailing / phoning his specs & it worked perfect on the bike.

http://www.suspensionshop.org/index.php

How to set up your bike's suspension
http://www.suspensionshop.org/tech_suspension_setup.php

Good luck to all you guys in need of new suspension.

 

[ronwebb]

This is extremely helpful, particularly the link to the technical help stuff. Thanks David.

 

[David Race]

Hi David

Thank you that is great information.
I went and bought a Hyperpro shock and am well pleased.
Ron has been helping me set it up which has made a vast improvement.
Your link on suspension set up so very useful.
Great work David.

 

[DavidFL]

BUmp for Hoghead.

Walter is alive & well - still building the best shock absorbers

a visit to catch up with Walter in April 2014.

He also has a pretty trick beer tap.

now what motor is that guys?

 

[Ian Bungy]

Either a Yamaha XS650 or Kawasaki WR650?

 

[Captain Wally]

I'm saying definitely Yamaha XS650.

 

[penetrator]

Any opinion on YSS shocks from more recent experience or information ?

Considering taking 1 back to UK for my Bros if can get at a decent price.

 

[Hoghead]

their service is terrrible and there is no technical department in BKK at all. A;; there is is some clueless girl with a much touted degree in "engineering marketing" that knows SFA about bikes and shocks in general

I tried to order shocks for my Bonnie and no answer to emails
Had Mrs Hoghead send email in Thai - no answer
Finally they respond to my complaints on Facebook about their lack of service
I press to use normal business communications rather than FB and they reluctantly give me an email
After much wasted time and pointless emails one of which asked for a pic of my bike they decide that they do not have a shock
I refer them to their US Distributor website giving the part number
They deny making the shock
I speak with the US Importer who gives me the PN they use and order from YSS Thailand - he says their technical ability is sadly lacking and they are just a bunch of marketers who have grand visions of their ability. Pretty damming stuff
I give YSS Thailand the PN
They deny making the shock
I press the issue and finally get it ordered
They send me the wrong part
I naturally complain and ask for what I ordered and payed for
YSS tells me that the part they supplied is really what I want as their Euro office says so
I tell them to give me what I ordered and payed for
They tell me that I really want what they provided
This goes back and forth a few times
They tell me to try it and I will like it
I tell them OK but if I do not like it they need to give me what I want
They tell me that I am not even trying
I tell than once again to give me what I ordered, paid for, and they agreed to supply
They agree to take it back
I send it back
They tell me that they do not make what I ordered, and paid for
I remind them of my conversation with their US Importer
I finally get what I want

YSS Thailand is bloody useless and it is just not worth it

 

[penetrator]

Doesn't sound too good. What is your opinion of the shocks you finally got ?

 

[Hoghead]

No miles on the Bonnie shock yet and too busy riding the Trident
YSS Thailand evaluation has to wait until next year as I am leaving in 10 days

The Trident has the same YSS shock model, purchased on 09 from the US Importer. They seem pretty good but OTOH this is a vintage bike and I do not ride it as hard as one would do a modern bike so I really cannot comment

No matter how good YSS Thailand is bloody useless so spend more and save yourself the aggrivation

 

[DavidFL]

Hoghead
Why not use Walter in Australia.
# 1 shock guy.
http://www.suspensionshop.org/

 

[Hoghead]

I spoke to Walter but the cost became prohibitive given his initially higher cost, VAT, shipping, and duties.
It also became a logistical nightmare as I was in Thailand at the time, and the bike is in Canada.

 

[saxonator]

I cannot understand why everyone is going off on YSS, I called them over the website and talked to a woman on the phone who got me in touch with the sales guy, the sales guy was good totalk to and could give me information about a custom made shock for my XR400R for my weight, we didn't talk about spring rate, they didn't understand that, but a custome build shock would cost about 10 k Baht here in Thailand and if the bike is in BKK they can fit it right away, only problem with them no-one speaks enlgish there, so you better get someone who speaks Thai I understands a little bit suspension

 

[DavidFL]

saxonator;302954 wrote: I cannot understand why everyone is going off on YSS, I called them over the website and talked to a woman on the phone who got me in touch with the sales guy, the sales guy was good totalk to and could give me information about a custom made shock for my XR400R for my weight, we didn't talk about spring rate, they didn't understand that, but a custome build shock would cost about 10 k Baht here in Thailand and if the bike is in BKK they can fit it right away, only problem with them no-one speaks enlgish there, so you better get someone who speaks Thai I understands a little bit suspension

Many thanks for the update Rudi.
It's good to know you're satisfied & think everything is working ok.

BTW yeah a big part of the "problem with YSS is communication" for non-Thai speaking farang, who also like to ask a lot of questions & then complain when they don't understand.

Let us know how you go with performance & reliability on the YSS, because maybe they've come good again. I was certainly happy with the YSS I had on my Africa TWin for a long time.

 

[Hoghead]

No they do not understand spring rates or at least the "marketing engineer" does not understand and seems unwilling to let me talk to a real engineer if in fact one even exists.

In any case I gave them the spring and shock PN that I wanted and they could not even get this right

Bloody useless

But then again I "think too much"

 

[Hoghead]

I forgot how bloody useless YSS is and asked this morning for a 0.95 kg/mm spring.
To my great surprise I had an answer within 30 min:

Dear Mr. Robert
Front fork spring for Bonneville T-120 YSS don’t have spac.

Bloody useless and off to Ohlins Thailand or the USA

 

[DavidFL]

I forgot how bloody useless YSS is and asked this morning for a 0.95 kg/mm spring.
To my great surprise I had an answer within 30 min:

Dear Mr. Robert
Front fork spring for Bonneville T-120 YSS don’t have spac.

Bloody useless and off to Ohlins Thailand or the USA

You could contact these GTR supporters

Home

BDS Performance in Bangkok

Home
Contact: Mr. Brad Judd
Operations and Engineering Manager
Tel: (66) 098.275.2750

Excellent reviews for them on GTR
Suspension - what are you using / where to buy.

 

[Hoghead]

I had Mrs Hoghead phone the "Marketing Engineer" (how can one get an engineering degree in marketing is beyone me) and now it seems that either they do not even make fork springs or this is simply the easy way to make me go away

In any case, make the difficult customer go away goal is achieved, and off to these guys

 

[George Udon]

After a discussion with the marketing manager I bought a YSS shock absorber in Germany, it was cheaper there than at their factory.
Very arrogant and stubborn guy, no clue how to do business.

 

[bradmeister]

Greetings and Salutations my fellow GT Riders!

Shock Brands and preferrences; more than often, seem to be Subjective as opposed to Objective.... Everybody grew up with our favorite brands of Shocks, Dampers, and Cushions.....etc., etc.

As we came from a "United States" Motorsports Background, the only time we even heard of YSS, was for the old style of "Coilover" Shocks used on antiquated dual rear shock applications. Examples were typically Older Japanese and British biles including Yamaha and BSA..... YSS was the only company (way back when) I could buy an aftermarket shock for a motorcycle with nearly a 1 to 1 ratio of Shock to Swing Arm travel.

With So many Baby Boomers and X Generaton folks reliving they]re youths, (and restoring old motorcycles) there are several companies have stepped up to the plate, including Progessive, Penske and Cannon Custom Spring Companies. These products are for the "Classic" motorcycle enthusiast to locate a shock in the proper spring rate for the intended use of the motorcycle and style of riding. The Original "Goldwing" 1000GL is nearly impossible to find an aftermarket, quality shock...... but YSS fills that "Void".

Observations: Although we do not sell YSS shocks, we have taken the wait and see attitude, with regards to Quality Control to Ratch up a bit, before installing them on any of our customers bikes. All too often we come across soft and hard failed Products from YSS and hope they continue to strive for higher quality and dependability quota in manufacturing.

Our two cents for what its worth.....

 

[George Udon]

Although we do not sell YSS shocks, we have taken the wait and see attitude, with regards to Quality Control to Ratch up a bit, before installing them on any of our customers bikes. All too often we come across soft and hard failed Products from YSS and hope they continue to strive for higher quality and dependability quota in manufacturing.

Our two cents for what its worth.....

shouldn't you better write:
AS we do not sell it.....

Imho a business owner and sponsor may promote his business and products on a forum, but should prevent talking about others.

Byetheway: I am happy with my YSS