Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech rear shocks-Hagon

I cannot be the only one out there that thinks the rear shocks suck on the Speedmaster/America.I have read about the Progressive already.I am considering the Hagon.They are priced fair if you don't get there top of the line.They set them up custom to suit your needs and they come with a two year warranty.Has anybody tryed these?If so what do you think.Also I am considering the Icon shocks.I would like to make a change for the better hopefully without costing me a fortune.I have already installed the Icon front springs and they did help.I seen a dealer on the east cost sells the Hagons out of Britain so I am leaning that way if they are worth it.Some input would be great!!

So far Wendy likes hers. We had them set up a little stiff and 2" shorter. She is only 5'2. Bought the ones you are think I believe. Chrome and exposed spring.

Great thanks for the info. Does she think they ride better even though she got them shorter? I'am 5'7" amd am thinking of getting them 1/2" to 1' taller to give the bike some more travel and a little qwicker steering. I was going to get the black springs also.Less chrome to clean up. I have not seen any on any of the bikes here out west. Ohlins would be nice but they come with a huge price tag.Thanks.If I get some soon I'll try to post my results.Waiting on Senior Tax man.

I've had my Hagons for a couple of years now and I'm very happy I got them. Together with the progressive fork springs they smooth out the ride and eliminate lots of bumps and smaller potholes. Cornering is better as well. I know some have tried them and didn't like them, but to each his own...

I have the same ones piper has. Love them. Fully shrouded shocks will squeak after awhile. Kinda like our fork shrouds. I shoot some lube under the shrouds about twice a year. No big deal.

I've got the black ones, I just haven't has a chance to put them on yet.

What kind of lube do you use on them for the squeking?

Soren

Lithium spray. Cleaner and seems to last longer.

What's the install like ? Is it as simple as bolt off...bolt on...adjust ?

yes thats all there is to it.

I've used the lithium spray too. Works well. My front end was squeaking at 30,000 miles. I used lithium spray and the squeak went away and hasn't returned at 48,000 miles.

Thanks for all the comments on the Hagon shocks.Looks to just be a matter of money.Hope the tax man is kind to us.I like my Speedmaster alot.The rear shocks have been a sore spot! I may call them next week and see what it's going to run me. I've put up with the pain long enough.Many thanks.

I don't know who else handles those but I got mine from Bella Corse.
http://www.bellacorse.com/index.html

Great thred guys. I've also been looking at getting some descent shocks and have been talking about it alsohere's the thread which I put under performance thinking it may have been appropriate considering the stocks don't perform very well at all in my opinion. Glad to see some experience of how the Hagon's perform and still getting used to how they look. Anyway now I've got another one to consider before forking out. good stuff

Ok, here are some questions to those of you with the Hagons (pref the shrouded ones):

1) Did you get the stock length?

2) Did you adjust for weight?

3) Do you notice an improvement on "tracking" in corners? (If you know what I mean?)

I really really like the looks of the Hagon Black full shrouds, but I also really need to improve the performance of the rear end. I'm about 250 all kitted out (maybe more?) so I need to get some stiffer springs, and ones that will keep up with flogging the bike pretty well.

Input?

--Jaeger

At one time I thought about Hagons. Since I have Progressive fork springs, which are about 1/2" longer than stock, and I'm running a slightly taller ME880 tire on the front, I thought longer shocks in back might make the bike handle better, so I was thinking of getting Hagons 1/2" longer than stock. I e-mailed Mike at Bella Corse about my idea, and got back a short reply that basically said...you have a cruiser and you shouldn't worry about handling. Hey, the only reason I have a cruiser is because my knees are toast. And just because I ride with forward pegs, it doesn't mean I don't want the bike to handle well. So that put me off to the whole idea of Hagons and dealing with Bella Corse. I knew he wasn't going to work too hard to make sure I had the right spring rate, etc.

That's when I turned my attention towards the heavy duty version of the Progressive 412s since I'm a bit heavy and also ride 2 up often. I ended up with stock length shocks, and raised my fork tubes 1/2" in the triple tree. I noticed a big difference 2 up, but not as much just riding solo. The bike does track better in corners without as much wheel hop to the side when hitting pavement cracks. 2 up it helps with any bumps in the road. Really smooths out the ride for my wife. If you're on a budget, I recommend the 412s.

If I had the money though, the Progressive 440s are what I would buy. Everybody around here who has put them on their bikes really like them. There's much more adjustment for rebound and damping so you can fine tune the shocks for your weight and riding style.

I got the stock length because I did not want to change the attitude of the bike. I have mine set on the middle setting (there are three like stock), perfect. Mine tracks great and have been in the mountains since installing.

1) Did you get the stock length? Yes

2) Did you adjust for weight? No. But I do when riding two up.

3) Do you notice an improvement on "tracking" in corners? (If you know what I mean?) Major improvement. Key Progressive 440 phrase, "Inertia Active System"

Progressive makes the standard length shock in a heavy duty version. At your weight class I suggest the heavy duty version. They don't list it on their site, so call them.

Just read all the feedback on the Hagons.Thanks guys.I just found out today I picked up a nail in my rear tire.So you know what I got to buy first.Another set back.Gotta have good tires.Only got about 10,000 on this Marathon 880,sad. Shocks will have to wait.I do want to talk to them about the black exposed spring shocks,maybe 1/2" longer.

Fast Eddy is a Progressive dealer.

Do NOT get the Hagons if you're 250. I bottom out too frequently. I am looking to upgrade to the Progressives when I can afford it. I love the look of the fully shrouded black and chrome on my Speedmaster, but thats all they are good for is looks. If you are under 200, they probably work great. Not so much for a, ahem, LARGE guy. (255 or so - depends on the number of beers that week)

Did you order them with the heavy duty springs Tony? Huge difference, no pun intended!

I did and have only bottomed out once in about 2 years. That was in a pothole about 14 miles deep! In the dark, two-up. Thought for sure I bent the rims.

That's what I was going to ask. I'm pretty sure the Hagon Full Shrouds aren't as "good" as the progressives or Ikons, but... I"m thinking about 1) getting the heavy-duty springs, and 2) getting shocks that are 1" longer to decrease the front rake a hair and maybe improve handling.

We shall see.

--Jaeger

I ride Wendys bike from time to time and she has Hagons on it. We ordered them stiff and I don't bottom out and I go 210. Plus they are a little over 2" shorter than stock.

Hmmm. Heavier springs... That WOULD have been a good question to ask! I bought them off the wall at Manayunk Triumph. I wonder if they can be retrofitted? I'll have to ask the next time I'm in there.

I don't know about retro fited I never tried to take those apart. But I can tell you Hagon will set them up any way you want them when you order them new. I'll go look at Wendys quick and see how they are put together.

Wendys Hagons have keepers on top like the keepers for valve springs. Looks like compress the spring remove the keepers and slide the spring off. Don't know how you do that with shrouded shocks but I would imagine they might put stiffer springs on them if you tell them you aren't happy with them.

Thanks for checking that out, dog. It seems like I have less and less time to screw around with things like that anymore. I bill my clients for my time and any mod that I do takes at least twice as much time as it should if I had any real mechanical ability. So if I can be productive and billing during that time, I will pay for my new shocks! Any time spent on that kind of stuff takes me away from riding. I'll probably just buy the Progressive shocks and sell the Hagons to one of my "lighter" friends here on the site.

I bought a can of lithium spray yesterday and am getting ready to install my Hagons. Where do you spray the lube? Just sttick the nozel tube up under the cover as far as you can?

Soren

One more question...
The Hagons I have do not have the metal sleeve inside the rubber bushings. Do I need to re-use the ones from the stock shocks?

Soren

Yes and yes Soren.

Thanks! The hard part is going to get the old ones out of the rubber bushings. How much harm will I cause if I put them on without the metal sleeves in the rubber bushings?

Soren

The studs will sink right into the rubber and quickly wear through it. You may be able to get large enough spacers at the hardware store to use for those inserts.
If not I know for sure you can get steel tube at Home Depot or Ace and cut the pieces out of it but it's a 3' long piece of steel tube. Cost me $5 I think when I made some sway bar links with it.