Shock Absorbers

If you’re an avid dirt bike or ATV enthusiast you know there are many small to medium size manufacturers in the marketplace competing for your business when it comes to OEM parts replacements and improvements.   Most of these companies were founded by entrepreneurs who saw some unique need out there and developed products to meet the need.  Such is the case with Pivot Works, a company started in 1999 in Urbandale, Iowa.  Today they are a recognized industry leader when it comes to seal and bearing replacement kits, available both online at their web site and from an extensive network of participating dealers.

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The company’s founder, Curt Leaverton, is a graduate engineer who came up with the kit idea when he realized how difficult it was to track down a variety of replacement parts from different manufacturers.  When he posed his idea of including a variety of parts into a single kit, he got an enthusiastic response and a suggestion for even more stuff to include.  Pivot Works is actually a part of C & L Companies, which include three others of Curt’s brainchildren:  Hot Rods, Cam Works, and Cylinder Works.   All these companies focus on the need for dirt bike and ATV owners to easily find quality replacement parts for their vehicles.

Today Pivot Works offers more than 500 different kits and well over 7000 individual applications.  Each of their kits contains everything you need for a complete rebuild:  seals, bearings, pins, spacers, collars, and thrust washers and bearings.  Their website, at pivotworks.com, makes the process of finding the kit you need relatively painless.  You’ll need the brand, model number, and year of your vehicle.  With this information you can then select the type of kit you need – a-arm kits, fork seal or rebuild kits, front and rear wheel seal and bearing kits, linkage kits, hub bearing conversion kits, shock absorber kits, shock repair kits, shock thrust bearing kits, swing arm kits, and steering stem bearing kits.  That’s a lot of kits!  You can then download a PDF version of the kit recommended and see the actual parts included.

If you’re new to the Dirt Bike and ATV world you may be a little hesitant to tear down your vehicle when needed.  Check the testimonials section on the Pivot Works web site and you’ll find many users who have found the kits very easy to use and the rebuilding process to be well within the reach of anyone who knows which end of a wrench to use to remove a nut!

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The Ohlins story is another one of those “guy starts company in garage” tales that serve as inspiration for entrepreneurs of all stripes all over the world.  For Ohlins, the “guy” was Kenth Ohlins — an experienced motorcross racer — and the “garage” was his father’s workshop near Stockholm, Sweden.   In 1976 Kenth started offering a variety of motorcycle related products and by the early 1980’s Ohlins, though successful, was stretched pretty thin with so many product lines.  Kenth made the decision to scrap everything else and focus strictly on shock absorbers.  They began with motorcycle shocks but over the years they have applied their innovative suspension technologies to the Automobile, Atv, and Snowmobile markets.  Unlike many successful smaller companies that sell out to the big boys, Ohlins remains a family owned business.  Although Yamaha acquired a 50% interest in the company in 1987, Kenth later bought back most of the stock and now Yamaha‘s interest is only 5%.

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Ohlins shocks are primarily aftermarket offerings, but they also are an OEM supplier for many major automobile manufacturers, including Ford, Volkswagen, Volvo, Audi, and Mercedes Benz.  Still located in Sweden, Ohlins now has a United States distribution and service center in the heart of Nascar country — Hendersonville, North Carolina.   Ohlins shocks have been used by racers winning more than 200 International Racing Competitions of all types.  Their products aren’t cheap — you get what you pay for, many believe — but it is their series of breakthrough technological innovations that make them worth the price.  Each of these technologies has its own special logo, to identity its inclusion in a particular shock.  Let’s take a look at a few of the technologies that make Ohlins shocks so special.

Ohlins Technology:  Continuously Controlled Electronic Suspension (CES)
At the heart of this innovation is the CES valve, a hydraulic pressure controller that receives electronic impulses from sensors that monitor changes in road and handling conditions.  As a car begins a turn, the sensors “sense” this and signal the CES valve to adjust the pressure to maintain optimal handling during the turn.  Right now CES is only available to OEM automotive manufacturers.

Ohlins Technology:  Twin Tube Technology (TTX)
The use of two tubes allows better balance between the compression and rebound stroke of the shock.  There is continuous gas pressure applied to the low-pressure side, allowing the needed pressure for both the compression and rebound stroke.

Ohlins Technology:  Chassis Stability Control (CSC)
CSC keeps the vehicle’s chassis stable during the ride.  It is actually an adjuster that monitors and modifies damping force to maintain optimal balance between the compression and rebound side.

Finally, if you question the idea that quality justifies price, consider this.  Ohlins shocks are so durable they are actually available used.  Check out Ebay and you’ll find folks who have upgraded and are selling their Ohlins.

Speed Defies Gravity.  In 1991, a southern California surfer named Jerome Mezzassalma, emblazoned that phrase on his surfboard and soon established a company with that name.  His initial entry into the “speed” world was a protective saddle cover made of Kevlar designed to protect the expensive leather racing saddles found on many high end racing bikes.  Eventually he began offering his own racing saddles as aftermarket replacements.  They were the first to offer Kevlar in their saddles and their hand crafted designs quickly became popular amongst serious mountain bike enthusiasts.

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Later the company evolved into a major supplier of high quality aftermarket motocross seats as well.  Both their MX and ATV seats come in a standard, tall, and a step seat.  They also got into manufacturing seat posts designed to get the most out of their seats.  But perhaps the most interesting way this company has grown is their introduction into the mini-bike market.

In 2002 SDG personnel noted the dramatic growth in their sales of tall seats and posts.  They discovered that a new kind of motorcross bike was emerging – the mini-bike.  Enthusiasts were building their own from component parts from a variety of manufacturers.  This was a doable, but very expensive way for the average consumer to build a bike.  SDG got into the act in 2004 with their race-ready pit bike, the Speed Mini.

The Speed Mini, which is still sold today, has a 107cc 4 stroke air cooled 3 valve head motor with a solid frame and swing arm, capable of supporting the weight of a full size rider.   These may be mini-bikes, but they’re hardly toys.  They now have a slightly larger mini-bike and a slightly smaller bike.

The Pro Mini has a 125cc air cooled 4 stroke engine with a few bells and whistles added, like a billet muffler and external oil cooler.  The Lil’ Mini has a smaller motor – 50cc.  All three have manual clutches for better control.  The Pro Mini and the Speed Mini have four speed clutches while the Lil’ Mini has a three speed clutch.

Mini-bikes are exploding in popularity with other manufacturers, like Honda, reporting phenomenal sales growth.  There are still those out there who prefer to tinker around and build their own but if you check the Internet discussion forums, you’ll find many testimonials from mini-bike enthusiasts who have saved a log of money going with a commercially available offering from manufacturers like SDG.  Check it out for yourself.  Riders love their mini-bikes.

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