I acquired fortunate after I purchased my 2012-model Triumph Bonneville SE final 12 months. A single-owner bike with lower than 1,500 miles on the dial, it had spent most of its life trickle-charging in a storage. What’s extra, the earlier proprietor had thrown a handful of tasteful manufacturing facility equipment at it (and some that had been much less well-judged).
There was one key ingredient lacking although; good suspension. Most fashionable classics roll out of the manufacturing facility with suspension parts which can be enough at greatest, however the older air-cooled Bonneville’s setup is downright poor. Small LED flip indicators and a flowery sprocket cowl may make your bike look prettier, however new shocks—just like the totally adjustable TFX Suspension Xtreme models now gracing the tail finish of my Triumph—will make it trip higher.
Based in The Netherlands, TFX Suspension is run by a small and passionate crew, led by founders Hans-Dieter Fischer and Alex Meijs. The two of them shaped TFX fourteen years in the past when the suspension firm that they had been working for folded. Now they produce parts on their phrases, with the type of hands-on strategy that’s typically lacking from bigger firms.
Their catalog contains numerous mono- and twin-shock objects, appropriate for a variety of on- and off-road functions, plus a handful of entrance suspension upgrades. (We’ve seen their elements on customized bikes from Bottpower, Powerbrick, CNCPT Moto, and extra.) They despatched me a set of their Xtreme shocks to check out on my Triumph Bonneville; fully-adjustable models that retail for €1,399 [$1516].
Full disclosure As is the norm with our using gear evaluations, TFX Suspension despatched these shocks freed from cost. They haven’t paid us for this assessment, nor do they anticipate me to solely say great issues about their product. As at all times, our opinions are unbiased and our personal.
The TFX 132 shocks characteristic an outsized 16 mm shaft, and a 46 mm high-flow piston with a low-friction seal. The shock physique is made from 6082 aluminum, with all the high part (together with the mounting eye and the connection to the distant reservoir) machined from a strong block of 7075 aluminum. They are gorgeous within the flesh, that includes principally black anodized finishes which can be punctuated solely by heavy-duty TFX decals and a few blue anodized elements.
TFX makes use of a modular development for his or her shocks, enabling them to assemble every unit by hand whereas tailoring it to their buyer’s wants (and making every unit totally serviceable). Before Hans-Dieter constructed and despatched my shocks, he quizzed me on all the pieces from the make and mannequin of my bike to my weight and using model. He then constructed the shocks accordingly, with springs suited to my weight and customized valving.
The Bonneville SE is hampered by rear shocks which can be shorter than these on different Bonneville fashions from the identical period, leading to dealing with that’s greatest described as lazy. Hans-Dieter honored my request for shocks that had been an inch or so longer than inventory. Then he made me measure the shock mount diameter on my bike, to ensure that he would ship me the fitting measurement bushings.
Installing new rear shocks is a reasonably easy process, however with out a carry, a torque wrench, or adequate house in my house storage, I had my associates at Triumph Cape Town bolt the TFX models to my Bonneville, fairly than doing it myself. (Dean is probably going very ashamed of me proper now.)
There was just one hiccup throughout set up; the provided bushings had been marginally too tight. It might have been that the powder coating on the bushings was a little bit thick, or that the manufacturing facility tolerances had been off. Either manner, a couple of minutes of sunshine submitting solved the issue.
The distinction between the OEM and TFX shocks was tangible from the primary trip; borderline ridiculous, even. Granted, the inventory Bonneville shocks don’t set an excessive amount of of a benchmark, and the slight geometry tweak from the longer TFX shocks will go an extended strategy to enhancing the trip. But that doesn’t take away from the truth that the trip high quality provided by the TFX models is exponentially higher than earlier than.
It’s not simply the size, spring charge, and valving that’s customized. The TFX crew additionally arrange the shocks in accordance with my preferences earlier than boxing them—after which recorded these settings within the handbook. The Xtremes characteristic adjustable preload, rebound, and low- and high-speed compression adjustment, and every a kind of was tweaked in accordance with the data I had despatched.
Suspension adjustment can look like a darkish artwork for those who’ve by no means achieved it, however it needn’t be. The TFX handbook is extraordinarily useful, outlining what every setting does, the right way to modify it, and the right way to troubleshoot quite a lot of undesirable trip traits. Not solely are the shipped settings recorded right here by the engineer who constructed every shock, however there’s a bit put aside so that you can file your personal tweaks and be aware the outcomes.
Rebound is adjusted by turning the blue hand wheel on the backside of every shock, whereas low- and high-speed compression are every tuned with an Allen key on the high of the shock. Adjusting preload takes a little bit extra work; you have to use the included C spanner to disengage the locking ring, after which set the preload in accordance with your choice.
Some of TFX’s shocks ship with a distant hand-wheel preload adjuster, and a few could be fitted with an add-on preload adjustment hand-wheel. The shocks on my bike even have a restricted vary of top adjustment, though I opted to go away that setting alone. If you’re on a finances, the model’s extra entry-level Traveler mannequin ditches the distant reservoir, and pares the changes down to only preload and rebound.
Having two hand-wheel preload adjusters on a neo-retro bike with twin shocks simply isn’t viable, however utilizing the C spanner to set preload is hardly a chore, so it’s a non-issue. The rebound adjustment hand wheel is useless straightforward to dial in—there’s a laser-engraved graphic on it that exhibits you which ones manner is kind of, and every stage of adjustment is marked by a tangible click on.
The compression knobs, then again, don’t click on into place as a lot as they cycle by what seems like notches. These adjustment stops are noticeably much less solid-feeling than the rebound adjuster’s, so you have to take note of really feel them out.
For the entire choices obtainable to me, I discovered myself falling again onto the settings that TFX had calculated for me. Most individuals don’t understand how a lot the older Bonneville SE can hustle when it’s arrange proper, and the bottom settings of my new shocks ended up being the largest piece of that puzzle. The baseline settings had the bike feeling agency and planted, and whereas I might nonetheless really feel shittier street bumps beneath my wheels, the bike would recompose itself shortly and easily.
I fiddled round, by chance over-cooking the rebound and low-speed compression settings to the purpose that the bike felt jittery, then dialing them again too far. I ping-ponged backwards and forwards for a bit, recording every setting and the resultant trip really feel, earlier than discovering myself again on the baseline once more. With a few additional clicks of rebound damping from there, the Bonneville was precisely the place I needed it; responsive, a little bit stiff however not harsh, and planted in corners.
There’s additionally the good thing about having a pair of shocks sprung particularly for my (not unsubstantial) heft. The rear fender of my Bonneville SE now floats above my again wheel, fairly than hovering millimeters away from my rear tire.
Although I promised myself (and my important different) that I wouldn’t flip my Bonneville right into a challenge bike, the chance to improve its rear shocks was a no brainer. It seems like a brand new bike—which isn’t solely a testomony to TFX’s product, but in addition a powerful argument for the advantages of upgrading your operating gear earlier than you fuss with making your bike look fairly.
All I have to do now could be improve the entrance suspension to match.
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