I bought 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 unit equipment at it (and some that had been much less well-judged).
There was one key ingredient lacking although; good suspension. Most trendy classics roll out of the manufacturing unit with suspension parts which might be sufficient at greatest, however the older air-cooled Bonneville’s setup is downright poor. Small LED flip indicators and a elaborate sprocket cowl would possibly 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 journey higher.
Primarily based in The Netherlands, TFX Suspension is run by a small and passionate group, led by founders Hans-Dieter Fischer and Alex Meijs. The 2 of them fashioned 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 kind of hands-on method that’s typically lacking from bigger corporations.
Their catalog consists of numerous mono- and twin-shock objects, appropriate for a variety of on- and off-road purposes, plus a handful of entrance suspension upgrades. (We’ve seen their components 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 driving 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 Xtreme shocks characteristic an outsized 16 mm shaft, and a 46 mm high-flow piston with a low-friction seal. The shock physique is fabricated from 6082 aluminum, with your entire prime part (together with the mounting eye and the connection to the distant reservoir) machined from a strong block of 7075 aluminum. They’re gorgeous within the flesh, that includes largely black anodized finishes which might be punctuated solely by heavy-duty TFX decals and a few blue anodized components. And if blue isn’t your shade, TFX can customise these bits to fit your bike’s palette (for a further charge).
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). Earlier than Hans-Dieter constructed and despatched my shocks, he quizzed me on every part from the make and mannequin of my motorbike to my weight and driving fashion. He then constructed the shocks accordingly, with springs suited to my weight and customized valving.
The Bonneville SE is hampered by rear shocks which might 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 proper measurement bushings.
Putting in new rear shocks is a reasonably easy process, however and not using a elevate, a torque wrench, or enough area in my residence storage, I had my mates at Triumph Cape City bolt the TFX models to my Bonneville, moderately 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 may have been that the powder coating on the bushings was somewhat thick, or that the manufacturing unit tolerances had been off. Both manner, a couple of minutes of sunshine submitting solved the issue.
The distinction between the OEM and TFX shocks was tangible from the primary journey; 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 a protracted solution to bettering the journey. However that doesn’t take away from the truth that the journey high quality supplied by the TFX models is exponentially higher than earlier than.
It’s not simply the size, spring price, and valving that’s customized. The TFX group additionally arrange the shocks based on 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 type of was tweaked based on the data I had despatched.
Suspension adjustment can look like a darkish artwork in the event you’ve by no means executed it, but it surely needn’t be. The TFX handbook is extraordinarily useful, outlining what every setting does, regulate it, and troubleshoot a wide range of undesirable journey 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 report 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 prime of the shock. Adjusting preload takes somewhat extra work; you could use the included C spanner to disengage the locking ring, after which set the preload based on your desire.
A few 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 happen to’re on a price range, the model’s extra entry-level Traveler mannequin ditches the distant reservoir, and pares the changes down to simply 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 lifeless simple 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, alternatively, 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 could take note of really feel them out.
For all the 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 most important piece of that puzzle. The baseline settings had the bike feeling agency and planted, and whereas I may nonetheless really feel shittier highway bumps beneath my wheels, the bike would recompose itself shortly and easily.
I fiddled round, by accident 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 forwards and backwards for a bit, recording every setting and the resultant journey really feel, earlier than discovering myself again on the baseline once more. With a few further clicks of rebound damping from there, the Bonneville was precisely the place I needed it; responsive, somewhat stiff however not harsh, and planted in corners.
There’s additionally the advantage of 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, moderately than hovering millimeters away from my rear tire.
Though I promised myself (and my vital different) that I wouldn’t flip my Bonneville right into a mission bike, the chance to improve its rear shocks was a no brainer. It seems like a brand new motorbike—which isn’t solely a testomony to TFX’s product, but in addition a robust 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’s improve the entrance suspension to match.
TFX Suspension | Fb | Instagram | Pictures by Wes Reyneke and Devin Paisley
