SAS Air Ride Vs. Shotgun Shock

SAS air ride install and review Vs. Shotgun Shock

I ordered an SAS for a friend’s bike and am using the opportunity to install and review the unit for everyone here on the forums, as well as compare it to the Shotgun shock. My first thought is this is a very nice 1-piece unit. There are no external air lines at all as the compressor is mounted inside the shock body along with everything else. There are only 4 wires that come out of the unit that need to be attached to the switches and the bike to make this work.

In comparison to the Shotgun Shock, this unit does not have a switch to adjust the rebound independently of the ride height. Instead it has a breather valve that “automatically” adjusts the rebound so there is no adjustment necessary

The air chamber on the back side of the cylinders expands and contracts whenever you hit a bump. When you hit a bump it opens up that chamber. The free air can rush in and fill that chamber by two disc valves opening up. When it tries to expel that air, those valves close and the trapped air has to be expelled through two small holes. This gives it a dampening action similar to a hydraulic dampener.

On to the install. This is the perfect choice for those with softails with ABS as with the Shotgun Shock the compressor mounts where the ABS module is thus making it impossible to mount the compressor and the shock on an ABS bike unless you get extremely creative mounting the compressor.

A lot of people are concerned about the install of any air ride system and how complicated it is. The SAS and Shotgun Shock are both very simple installs with slight differences in varying areas each making one easier than the other in differing ways. While the SAS is a complete one piece unit, there are some connectors that need to be attached to the wiring and a little bit of wiring required to get it hooked up whereas the Shotgun Shock comes with plugs on the wiring so all that needs to be done is plug in the male to the female side, and put the supplied piece of heat shrink over the connector.

Yes, there is one air line on the Shotgun Shock that goes from the compressor to the shock body where the check valve is located to ensure the shock will never lose pressure while riding. But, I digress. Back to the install of the SAS.
http://www.customcyclecontrols.com/pdf/sas_instalation.pdf
1. Remove the stock shocks on your bike (this is usually the most difficult part of the install)
2. Remove the battery from the battery box
3. Remove the splash guard
4. Determine the length of the shock and attach the rear joints (using red loc tite). Bolt the rear of the shock to the bike also using red loc tite.
5. ATTACH THE BREAHTER TUBE AND ROUTE IT UP UNDER THE SEAT. DO IT NOW SO YOU DO NOT VAHE TO TAKE APART AGAIN LATER AS I DID.
6. Run the wiring sheath up through the back of the battery box.
7. Swing the shock into position and attach the front using the supplied bolts and some anti seize. They say red loc tite o the front bolts but I disagree.
8. Figure out where you want to mount your switch. There are two options for switches, I used the provided monetary up and down switch although I had the fancy push button ones as well due to the simplicity of the single switch. I used the mounting bracket from a Hi Lo air ride as this switch bolted right in. The wiring is very simple although one of my friends has a degree in Electronic Engineering and found the diagram to be wrong. Simply connect the green and white wires together and attach as the ground. I used the mounting point on the frame right in front of the battery. Connect the red and black and do the same. I had to get some connectors and crimped them on the end of the wires that comes out of the shock body for the purpose of attaching them. It would be nice if these were provided in the kit as they cost next to nothing.
9. Connect the wiring to the switch using the supplied screws and a wire stripper.
10. Flip the switch up and down a few times and make sure each function of the shock works properly.

My biggest surprise with this system is the speed at which it raises and lowers. It seems as if the lack of air lines allows it to raise and lower more quickly than other systems as the air does not have travel through air lines to get to the shock. You can set the pressure and ride height wherever you like. Be careful as if you set it too low there is a possibility of the tire rubbing the wires inside of the rear fender for the wiring harness. If these wires break your rear lighting will cease to work.

After double checking the tightness on all bolts and the connections of the wiring it was time for a ride. I set out in my buddy’s neighborhood and searched for bumps. The SAS soaked up the bumps well, but like every air ride system it really depends on how you have it set how well it soaks the bumps up. After about 5 minutes I found the sweet spot and I hit the freeway for some high speed testing.

I took the bike up to 85 as there was quite a bit of traffic and it handled superbly. The one-piece unit makes the ride stable as can be. My final consensus is this. If you are searching for an air ride and are torn between Shotgun Shock and the SAS, ask yourself what your priorities are. The Shotgun still wins hands down for the best ride and most adjustability, but the SAS is a great choice for those with ABS who have been asking me for nearly a year the best way to mount an air ride on their bike.

I have not given this system the longevity test yet as it has only been on the bike for a few days, but I will report back after a few months andhow it has been holding up. Price is about the same for both systems. If you need pricing please email me at palmsapts@gmail.com and I can assist you.


A bit about Shotgun Shock in comparison. Shotgun Shock has the additional compressor which is separate fromteh shock body but allows more o fan adjustment ragne for rebound and ride height than SAS. For example if youw ant to ride your bike nice and low with Shotgun Shock set the rebound height and set the firmness of the shock and there will be no need to worry about the rear wiring harness rubbing on the tire as long as it is set correctly. You can set it any height with whatever rebound you like giving much more flexibility with how and where you ride. The additional install of the compressor is not a big deal. Most people are concerned about tapping the holes in the bottom of the transmission to mount the compressor and bracket, however on 2007 and up models the holes are already tapped so there is no need. On 2000-2006 there is no need either as there are already bolts in the holes and a nut is put on the end to hold the bracket and compressor in place.

The install is similar but I will waltk through the steps for this system as well so you can understand this more clearly.
http://www.shotgunshock.com/instructions.html
1.Remove battery and splash guard
2.Remove shocks
3.Mount shock and run wiring. This is where the Shotgun really shines. The added connectors and heat shrink make this part easy as pie. No need for crimping or soldering anything.
4.Connect wiring to batter and mount switches The switches are also an added bonus with shotgun as they come with a pre fabbed bracket and there is no need to figure anything out about where to mount them, how to connect them, etc.
5.mount compressor and compressor bracket. Mount solenoid behind splash guard. Attach all wiring.
6.Double check everything is tight and test system with bike on lift. Red loc tite on rear shock bolts and anti seize on front shock bolts. You might want to change your tranny oil prior to mounting the shock while you have access to the plug without unbolting the front of the shock (which is simple by the way) before installing the shock. No big deal either way.
7.Ride your bike.

Samson 36" Baby Cholo's! LOUD and Low!

I finally got the opportunity to install my new Samson 36” Baby Cholo’s on the bike today. It was a bit more work for me personally as I run a LaBriola tank shifter and I had to do some custom bending to the shift linkage that came with the tank shifter. A can of Propane, a can of Mapp gas, a vice and an old set of handlebars made relatively quick work of this part of the project. I found that using propane and map gas at the same time heated the linkage much quicker so I could get back to my original Samson fishtail project.

Once I had mounted up the rear head pipe and the crossover portion of that pipe I was able to figure out the bends necessary for the linkage. Once bent it was back to business with the new Samson’s.

These pipes are absolutely gorgeous! They come with good intentions and are packed very well, ensuring there are no issues with the chrome. The most difficult part of installing the actual pipes is getting the heat shields, and that is quite simple. So, if you are concerned about the install, don’t be.

A 5/16” socket on a short extension makes easy work of the heat shield clamps. Don’t bother with a screwdriver; you will be there all day. I have read quite a few threads from people that have been unable to line up the height of these pipes properly. I took a page from my brute force book. The left pipe was touching the ground when I dropped my Shotgun Shock so I grabbed the left pipe from the rear and tugged up. It moved into the proper position very easily. Some people may be a bit shy with new pipes, but it worked well for me.

Once they were on the bike I gawked in awe at the new look of my ride. It is now as gangster as gangster can be. The low, long pipes really accentuate the low lines of the bike making it look even lower to the ground when slammed. It really is impressive to see.

I was a little concerned about my pipes scraping which is why I got the 36” instead of the more sought after 39” version. I am happy to say that on my first ride through town at rush hour I did not scrape once. I raised my Shotgun up just about as high as it would go and added a little bit of rebound and it was smooth as silk.

Now for a little bit about the sound these pipes produce. I chose non-baffled, as that is the only choice for me. These are not for the faint of heart. On my first run up my block there was a guy on a cell phone on the sidewalk who looked rather perturbed that he suddenly could hear nothing but my pipes. There were a few people out walking their dogs and the dogs seemed to approve. They were barking loudly as if to say Yes, we love the Samson fishtails! In fact, they liked them so much a few of them tried to dart into the street to congratulate my on my fine choice. They were all on leashes so I didn’t get any high fives, but there is always next time.

I had not put my helmet on; as I just wanted to ride up and down my block see how the power was and how they sounded. I ended up riding a few blocks without a helmet and when I suddenly stopped at a red light I realized I didn’t have my helmet on. I had to head back home.

I was previously running a D&D fatcat on my bike, which has a 95” build, 203 cams, and a power commander 3 (yes my bike really is that old) and the bike had really nice torque and horsepower. I was not sure what to expect from adding pipes without baffles that were duals and not a 2 into 1. I was certain it was going to feel like a real dog compared to what I had before.

To my surprise it feels pretty much the same. I am ye to change the tune on it, and I am sure when I do it will have even more torque and power.

The bottom line is Samson makes a killer product and has cornered the market with their revolutionary “Cholo” fishtails. Many people think of it as the So Cal style, but I prefer to think of it as gangster since I live in So Cal. Get yourself a set now and bring the So Cal style to your part of the world. You won’t be sorry!

Email me at palmsapts@gmail.com

Drew

UltraCool Fan Assisted Oil Coller for Softails

I spent yesterday installing an UltraCool oil cooler that comes with a water resistant fan on my bike. This is a very nice unit and once the bike hits 160 degrees the oil will flow through the cooler. The fan turns on at 210 degrees and goes off again once the oil goes back down to 190 degrees. This system takes oil cooling one step further than any other cooler on the market. Your typical standard oil cooler has a thermostatic switch that opens the cooler at 160 degrees. That is it. There are no other cooler that have a fan built in to help keep the oil cooler thus most coolers cool the oil about 10 degrees. The UltraCool cools the oil 40-60 degrees due to its well thought out design.








The unit is perfect in every way, although I chose to wire it a bit differently than was shown in the instructions. In the instructions they have you run all the power through the provided led (comes on when the fan comes on). I chose to not run the LED and wire it direct to my accessory wire (orange and white on right side of the tank).

The install itself was simple although it took a few hours to get everything done perfectly. I found a few small issues with the instructions as far as the order to install everything as well. Please take note.

The oil line clamps cannot(or are extremely difficult to) be tightened with the cooler in place so I measured and ran the oil lines and then took the cooler off to put the clamps to the oil filter adapter bracket. Once the lines were tightened properly I put the cooler back in place and ran the oil lines to the cooler itself and installed the provided clamps. The wiring was the last thing I did. They provide a nice PVC tubing to run the wires through for looks and protection also which is very nice.

Once the entire unit is installed, it fits perfectly. I am yet to ride the bike for long enough to test out the fan and such and see what temp it comes on at, but as soon as all the rain we have been having is gone I will and will report back. It is supposed to come on at 210 degrees, and once the oil temp drop to 190 degrees the fan turns off.

The nicest thing about this system is the integrated fan. A regular oil cooler only allows oil through the cooler above 160 degrees to cool the oil. The Ultracool does the same but takes this a step further. When the oil reaches 210 degrees, which it will, the fan will kick on and force more air on to the oil cooler cooling the oil flowing through the cooler much quicker. Once back down to 190 the fan will turn off. As stated above the fan is water resistant so no need to worry about rain or washing the bike.

The softail version has just become available and I believe this is the first one that has been installed on a customers bike. I can’t wait to get out on the open road in the heat. As a side note I will be going to Laughlin next month and that will be the true test of how well this cooler works. Temps regularly rise above 100 during mid day and I plan to be riding all day.

Thanks!

Have your product reviewed by Dr. Drew!

If you are interested in having your product reviewed by Dr. Drew or one of his team of experts please email me at DREW@DRVTWIN.COM with information regarding the product and we can talk. For phone contact info please call the shop at (888)DR-V-TWIN.

PLEASE NOTE THAT I RIDE A SOFTAIL BUT HAVE FELLOW TESTERS THAT RIDE ALL DIFFERENT MODELS OF HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES.

Drew

Shotgun Shock for Harley Davidson Softail's

I spent most of the day at the Shotgun Shock shop talking with him about the Shotgun Shock and installing mine on my ride. This is an extremely well thought out product. I will start another thread for comparison with Platinum as there is too much information to put it all in one thread.

The install is quite simple, as the product is very well thought out in every way. This is one solid piece of equipment for your bike. I was convinced in the past that a single unit was not a good idea for several reasons. The first reason was the hassle getting to the transmission drain plug. JD has found a solution and all the has to be done is to remove the front bolts on the shock and the whole unit pivots out of the way. That is it...2 bolts. The second reason is I was told by a friend that a 1 piece unit could possibly put too much stress on the swing arm bearings.

I never thought of the added benefit of extra stability from a 1 piece unit. The bike feel so solid and handles so well now that I had to remind myself I was on a softail. I literally felt like I was on rails and sought out as many bumps as I possibly could to test the ability of the shock. With the shock adjusted properly (which will take a little bit of time to figure out for me) I felt absolutely nothing of the bumps, cracks, dips, or anything else i could find on the road. The ride home was about 50 miles so I feel I had a fair amount of different types of terrain to be confident with my findings.

JD welcomed me into his shop and treated me as family. This is very welcome and nice to find as I have dealt with many companies that could care less once you purchase their products. Don't get me wrong, there are quite a few good vendors out there as well, but it is always nice to meet someone who is straight up and willing to take the time to answer all of your questions and thoroughly explain the product. I asked about 100 questions and he answered them all easily with concise answers that all made sense.

So on to the install. Remove the splash guard. Then remove the old shocks. Jack the bike up and support the rear wheel with a stand or floor jack. Loosen the lock nuts and rear shock bolts. Pull off the bolts holding the stock shocks. Remove the shocks from the bike but don't lose the rubber bushings for the front of shocks as you will reuse them. The rear bolts will also be reused. Set them aside for now.
Shocks removed ( there is no need to remove the rear wheel!)

Tap the two holes on the bottom of the transmission 7/16 14. the cutome bracket for mounting the compressor is really nice and holds it in place very sturdily. The compressor has also fits in perfectly. It is a tight fit but there is plenty of room. Once the holes are tapped, bolt the compressor to the freshly tapped holes. Use loctite. There is a recess in the bracket to allow for the wiring of the compressor so that the wires will not get pinched. All connections are made via Molex connectors that are preinstalled so all you have to do is plug them in, and use the heavy duty shrink wrap supplied with the kit over the connectors to keep them clean and dust free. The compressor can be mounted either way, but mine is mounted the way it was designed to be mounted with the head on the exhaust side of the bike.
This is a beautiful and powerful compressor that raises the bike FAST! Compare it to that of a Hi Lo and it dwarfs the competition!

Next disconnect the battery cables and remove the battery. This is to allow access to the space to run the wiring. Run the wiring through the back of the battery box on the RIGHT side of the bike so as to keep it away from the belt which is on the left.



CONTACT ME AT DREW@DRVTWIN.COM OP CALL THE SHOP AT (818)501-TWIN FOR MORE INFORMATION AND DISCOUNTED PRICING


DREW

Ride Wright Rims for your Harley Davidson!

Ride Wright wheels is the premiere maker of spoked rims in the USA. The make 40, fat 50, 60, 80, and 120 spoked rims. They also have various new forged rims that will be available soon. They are well known for sealing their rims so that you can run spokes tubeless. They offer a limited lifetime guarantee on their sealed rims. This is extremely important to me as I would much prefer to run a wheel that is tubeless just in case I get a flat in the middle of nowhere.

I had the pleasure to spend half the day at Ride Wrights manufacturing facility last week and was given a tour and shown their manufacturing process by the owner Sam Wakim. First I met the beautiful Danielle who greeted me with a large smile and a hug. She is a sweet heart.

This was after Daytona bike week had already started so half of Sam’s bikes were already gone to the show.

Upon entering the shop portion of their facility I was greeted by numerous machines that were busy making parts for their wheels. All of their wheels are manufactured on site and they make all the parts for all of them. This is pretty impressive in this day and age of outsourcing. CNC’s were busy cutting hubs, rotors, spokes, rims, everything needed to put together a quality American made product for the hardcore enthusiast.

Sam explained the entire process of their manufacture to me. Parts of this were a bit over my head as I am not a machinist by any standards. The most interesting to me was watching a fat 50 spoke rim being laced. There are 3 gauges hooked up to the truing machine and tolerances are measured on everything to ensure that the wheel will come out perfect. This is no fly by night operation. They take their time and do it right the first time, every time.

They have quite a few new wheel designs that I was very interested in as well. I really like the new fat 80 spoke rim, but was told that they do not make it in a 21” rim size. Why you ask? They have ruled that 80 fat spokes will put too much pressure on the rim, weakening the rim. This is exactly the kind of information that makes a trip like this well worth while. Sure there are other companies that make fat 100 spokes, but if Sam says that it’s too much, I take his word for it as he only manufactures a high quality product that will stand the test of time. I was planning on ordering a new set of rims while I was there but I was unable to decide what to get as I was so overwhelmed by all the choices. Seeing everything in person had and how it was all made really had my head spinning.

It was very interesting to learn that every set of tubeless spokes that they sell with tiers mounted and balanced sits for a full 24 hours prior to being packaged up (in their own special boxes made for rims) to ensure that they are holding. If the tire leaks during that 24 hours it is taken apart and relaced only to spend another 24 hours sitting to pass the Ride Wright test. Keep in mind that if your order a set of their rims and they seems to be taking a long time for them to get delivered, that they must pass this rigorous test prior to being shipped. I would much rather have a sealed rim that stays sealed than a rush job any day of the week.

They offer powder coating of the rims, hubs, nipples, and spokes in every color of the rainbow. A friend of mine has a 2008 anniversary model Harley and has their rims with copper spokes to match the paint job and it is one of the most stunning sets of wheels I have ever seen.

If you want a rim that has a perfect fit every time and has been held up to Sam’s extremely high standards, then Ride Wright is the company for you. They make wheels for all Harley’s, including the new Tri Glide model. While I was there Sam received a call from bike building legend Ron Finch who was in Daytona beach awaiting a new set of Ride Wrights for his custom built trike.

I have no problem spending my hard earned money with an industry leader such as Ride Wright and will gladly get wheels from them as long as long as I am riding. I have seen it all in person and this is more than enough to have gained my business forever. Now for some pics. Please pardon some of the pics as they are a little out of focus. The lighting was a little off in the manufacturing portion of their facility.










If you need info on these products feel free to call the shop or email me at palmsapts@gmail.com

Drew

Ricor Intiminators Work!

I have finally installed my Ricor Intiminators Ricor on my bike after having them sitting here nearly a full year. I guess a lack of desire to pull my forks off the bike is the main reason I have not installed them until now. I spent countless hours toiling over a decision of what was going to make the front end of my bike handle as well as the rear with my Shotgun Shock.

A little background on my ride is that I have had the Shotgun Shock (which has performed flawlessly) for a little over 6 months. My front forks have been at stock height until now. I figured if I am going to put the intiminators on I might as well lower it at the same time as the forks will be apart anyway. I got a Progressive “drop in” lowering kit and am lowering the front 1”. This will level out the bike with the 21” front wheel on the front and make it look plain bad ass.

I am using 5W oil as specified by Ricor in the instructions for the intiminators. For anyone who is not aware, the Harley Type E oil is 10W although it says it nowhere on the label of the bottle.

The first thing I noticed as I got on the bike and grabbed the brake while pushing on the forks is the distinct lack of travel. I used to have a ton of travel even with the Screamin’ Eagle heavy fork oil. This had me wondering how my forks were going to be able to soak up the bumps.

Like I said above I read pages and pages of info on the intiminators and finally pulled the trigger. The inertia valve in the intiminator is smart enough to determine whether it is the wheel or chassis that are trying to move. This all sounds great in theory, but does it pass the acid test?

ABSOLUTELY! Once I was rolling I was shocked to feel what I consider to be nothing in the way of bumps from the end. I am very used to navigating the road to avoid bumps as the stock damper rod suspension is less than sufficient for such a heavy vehicle. Couple that with the 90/21 tire I haveetched onto a 21x3” rim and you could say front end performance was any oxymoron. Notice I said WAS. The bike is now reminiscent of an aggressive sport bike front end that soaks up everything in its way without a second thought.

I am not an engineer by any stretch of the imagination so I am doing my best to explain this in layman’s terms so you will understand. Whenever the bike hits any sort of imperfection in the road the intiminator determines first whether the chassis or wheel is what is moving. It then reacts appropriately soaking up the bump through its intertia technology.

It seems that I avhe been wasting years without putting my intimiantors and in and the combination of these and my Shotgun shock in the rear make my bike handle like it never has before. I avhe always been a proponent for upgraded suspension on motorcycle as on any brand of motorcycle stock suspension will rarely achieve what can be had from putting on aftermarket suspension, but these have me in awe.

I am a former sport bike rider and the suspension is always the first thing I would upgrade. Ohlins, Fox Shocks, Werks, etc. I avhe tried the vast majority of what is available and was always more than happy to spend my hard earned money on them as it made such a difference in the way the bike handled that it was like a different vehicle. If you re on the fence about the intiminators, I am here to tell you that there is no need. These perform as they should and make riding my bike that much more of a pleasure. I no longer watch the road for uneven pavement, bumps, cracks, etc. I am worry free and stuck to the ground like glue. I am yet to take a nice canyon flyer run, but as soon as I do I will post up my findings for everyone as well.

Thanks!

Drew