Elkas or Works?

[2001-400ex'er]

Or you could just look around on the classifieds and find a nice set of PEP's or Custom Axis used. They usually go for around $300-$400.

[Zhutch7]

Yeah that's true, but then I have to send them off to get revalved and all that. So it may come close to the price of new ones anyways. I found some Elkas right at $500.00. They are the basic model but still Elkas lol.

[Zakradu398]

Yeah that's true, but then I have to send them off to get revalved and all that. So it may come close to the price of new ones anyways. I found some Elkas right at $500.00. They are the basic model but still Elkas lol.

They're not worth it man...

I had stage 1 Elkas on a banshee and while yes it will be 18492 times better than stock, save Money and get more adjustable ones..

[Zhutch7]

They're not worth it man...

I had stage 1 Elkas on a banshee and while yes it will be 18492 times better than stock, save Money and get more adjustable ones..

What is the next step up and how much more would it be?

[Zhutch7]

Of course stage 2, but are there any others brands that are better than Elka's stage 1 for a smaller price than $800?

[Zakradu398]

Of course stage 2, but are there any others brands that are better than Elka's stage 1 for a smaller price than $800?

Go used man. The stage 3 and up Elkas are the ones you want.

[Stickman400]

I'd go for Stage 4s if you get Elkas. I have Stage 3s on my 450 with +2 Janssen arms and while they can take a hit and are smooth even without being re-valved for my weight or riding style, they only have compression adjustment and that's it. No rebound or hi/low compression adjustment. So if you just want a good aftermarket shock and that's it, get some Stage 3s, if you want a good shock that you can fine tune to your liking then get at least Stage 4s.

[Zhutch7]

Keep in mind here that I won't be racing, so I do not need the top of the line Elkas. And I am definitely not spending over a thousand bucks on some shocks. I am trail rider and I ride for fun so I am not going to be doin much competing.

[tayyo789]

There's no substitute for quality suspension. I've got the "dune edition" fronts from Elka for an EX, and some stage 3's on another bike. While the base models are a significant improvement from stock, they are not worth the money that they go for. If you think about it, spending 400 on a nice used set of quality shocks, and sending them off to get rebuilt for you, is extremely cost effective. You may end up spending a little more than your budget, but in return you get shocks that someone else is paying over 1G for, at about half price. With the high price of shocks, if I'm investing in something that substantial, I want something with the best return, and minimize my opportunity costs. To me, it just seems well worth the extra money and time.
Even as a recreational rider, the last part of my bike I want to reach the limit of (other than my brakes of course) is my suspension.

[Zhutch7]

That's true. Say I bought a pretty good set of shocks off of here or somewhere else. How much is it going to cost me to send them off to get set up for my weight, style of riding, etc.?