Bilstein Set to Enter the Motorcycle Suspension Business

stillwelding
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stillwelding
Edited Date/Time 4/16/2020 7:09am


https://www.asphaltandrubber.com/products/bilstein-set-enter-motorcycle-suspension-business/

Do you remember Bilstein shocks?

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skeef2.0
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skeef2.0 4/14/2020 8:52pm
4/14/2020 8:52pm
I’m sort of young at 24 but I do remember my dad would always put Bilsteins on our motorhomes we had. I work in the industry now and we put bilsteins on our mahindra Roxors.
Bearuno
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Bearuno 4/14/2020 8:57pm
4/14/2020 8:57pm
I think they were the first big company to take up the (Dr) DeCarbon shock tech, way, way back in the 70s

Just a side note - it seems a bit silly for Bilstein to have Yellow springs on their shocks pictured, when it has become, over so many decades, one of the key 'identifiers' for Ohlins.
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RoflCopter726 4/14/2020 9:12pm
4/14/2020 9:12pm
Just put a set of 5100's on my truck last month.



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oldblood
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oldblood 4/14/2020 9:23pm
4/14/2020 9:23pm
I was on an off road race team in the early 80s (1980). I was on the pit crew, I was 16. I had a prerunner that I ran bilsteins on. I met Walker Evans and Bud Feldkamp and many others. Great suspenders. Good times.

The Shop

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oldblood
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oldblood 4/14/2020 9:34pm
4/14/2020 9:34pm

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kieran_macca 4/14/2020 10:58pm
4/14/2020 10:58pm
Bearuno wrote:
I think they were the first big company to take up the (Dr) DeCarbon shock tech, way, way back in the 70s Just a side note...
I think they were the first big company to take up the (Dr) DeCarbon shock tech, way, way back in the 70s

Just a side note - it seems a bit silly for Bilstein to have Yellow springs on their shocks pictured, when it has become, over so many decades, one of the key 'identifiers' for Ohlins.
How long have they both been around?
I have always remembered Bilstein as being yellow/blue.

Bilstein was always a popular choice for old British Ford's, Escorts, Cosworths, etc.
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trexx
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trexx 4/14/2020 11:17pm
4/14/2020 11:17pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2020 11:18pm
Bearuno wrote:
I think they were the first big company to take up the (Dr) DeCarbon shock tech, way, way back in the 70s Just a side note...
I think they were the first big company to take up the (Dr) DeCarbon shock tech, way, way back in the 70s

Just a side note - it seems a bit silly for Bilstein to have Yellow springs on their shocks pictured, when it has become, over so many decades, one of the key 'identifiers' for Ohlins.
kieran_macca wrote:
How long have they both been around? I have always remembered Bilstein as being yellow/blue. Bilstein was always a popular choice for old British Ford's, Escorts...
How long have they both been around?
I have always remembered Bilstein as being yellow/blue.

Bilstein was always a popular choice for old British Ford's, Escorts, Cosworths, etc.
Bilstein since 1873 I believe.
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Lastander
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Lastander 4/15/2020 3:49am
4/15/2020 3:49am
I got some Bilstein 52mm shocks on my ’84 Volvo, they are still alive and kicking in the rally/racing euro scene Cool
newmann
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newmann 4/15/2020 5:43am
4/15/2020 5:43am
Again? I remember them being offered as an option on the DG Monoshock frames for the Honda XR75 back in the day. Had a choice of Gas Girling or Bilstein.Smile


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Anonymous (not verified)
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Anonymous (not verified) 4/15/2020 6:48am
4/15/2020 6:48am Edited Date/Time 9/1/2026 6:11pm
Who doesn’t know about bilstein? They make great motorsports dampers.
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Tbteam
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Tbteam 4/15/2020 6:54am
4/15/2020 6:54am
I had them on my 1974 TM125 after I had the swingarm modified to move them forward.
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Bultaco
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Bultaco 4/15/2020 7:45am
4/15/2020 7:45am
I had them on my 1974 Pursang 250 after I had the swingarm and frame modified to move them forward.
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Stuntman949
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Stuntman949 4/15/2020 8:31am
4/15/2020 8:31am
Remember them? Just put on some fresh 5160's
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Falcon
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Falcon 4/15/2020 8:32am
4/15/2020 8:32am
If you had an early 2000s TRD Tacoma, you had Bilsteins on it. Maybe still to this day, but I'm not sure.
Johnny Depp
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Johnny Depp 4/15/2020 8:45am
4/15/2020 8:45am
Let us know when they make something for Moto.
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Autotech1957
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Autotech1957 4/15/2020 9:05am
4/15/2020 9:05am
Johnny Depp wrote:
Let us know when they make something for Moto.
They are big into the Dirt Late Model stuff so dirtbike stuff shouldn't be much of a leap on a shock.
sumdood
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sumdood 4/15/2020 9:13am
4/15/2020 9:13am
Put a set on the truck when we put the 4K lb. camper on it's back. They work great.

Pit Row

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Mr. Afterbar
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Mr. Afterbar 4/15/2020 9:42am
4/15/2020 9:42am
Have some on my old E46 BMW. Time for some new ones actually.
Premix4Life 4/15/2020 9:50am
4/15/2020 9:50am
RoflCopter726 wrote:
Just put a set of 5100's on my truck last month. [img]https://i.imgur.com/zGgztsc.jpg[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/IMRH7oB.jpg[/img]
Just put a set of 5100's on my truck last month.



Sweet! What kind of truck? Ram?
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mauidex
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mauidex 4/15/2020 9:53am
4/15/2020 9:53am Edited Date/Time 4/15/2020 10:11am
Bilsteins were the shit on 70s cr!!!
Lightning78
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Lightning78 4/15/2020 9:58am
4/15/2020 9:58am
RoflCopter726 wrote:
Just put a set of 5100's on my truck last month. [img]https://i.imgur.com/zGgztsc.jpg[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/IMRH7oB.jpg[/img]
Just put a set of 5100's on my truck last month.



I put a set of 5100's on the front end of my 2007 Tacoma to lift it 2.5" essentially leveling it out and also installed a brand new set of rear OEM Bilstein's specific to the TRD Offroad model (which is what my truck is) these have stiffer valving than the TRD sport model.

I did not want to go with the brackets at all because I know they're not worth a dam for leveling out the front end. Id already done a ton of reading on the 5100 series shocks and knew the 5100's were really good but I was blown away at just how good they actually are! For a suspension shock that looks OEM'ish in size and diameter I could not believe how well they enhanced the performance of my front suspension!! The improvement was astounding, my truck can handle bigger hits I used to cringe at and slow down for but now it rides like a Cadillac over bumps and G-outs. Replacing my old worn out rear OEM Toyota TRD Offroad spec bilstein shocks with brand new takeoffs on which I got for free, my truck rides like its brand new again with MUCH better suspension as an added bonus.

Long story short...... dont let the appearance of the Bilstein 5100 series shocks deter you from giving them a shot, they aren't very expensive and their "bang for buck" ratio is off the charts!!!
Lightning78
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Lightning78 4/15/2020 10:02am
4/15/2020 10:02am
Falcon wrote:
If you had an early 2000s TRD Tacoma, you had Bilsteins on it. Maybe still to this day, but I'm not sure.
They're still yellow/blue on my 2007 Tacoma TRD Offroad ... I put a set of 5100's on my front end and they work exceptionally well....see my post just above this
Rawly
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Rawly 4/15/2020 1:21pm
4/15/2020 1:21pm
Surprised they didn’t touch on their dominance back in the day and put re-enter into the article. Wonder when they quit the motocross shocks ? Don’t remember hearing much from them in the 80’s after most of the manufacturers went to the single shock. Any Old School Moto guys here have an answer ?
RoflCopter726 4/15/2020 1:29pm
4/15/2020 1:29pm
RoflCopter726 wrote:
Just put a set of 5100's on my truck last month. [img]https://i.imgur.com/zGgztsc.jpg[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/IMRH7oB.jpg[/img]
Just put a set of 5100's on my truck last month.



Premix4Life wrote:
Sweet! What kind of truck? Ram?
2017 Silverado, I have the fronts set to the 3rd ring for a 1.25" lift in the front. Not completely level but took out a lot of the factory rake so it doesn't look ass-end high. Also put a set of BF Goodrich KO2s on.

JOE_SPROCKETS#1 4/15/2020 1:46pm
4/15/2020 1:46pm
I’m pretty sure they come stock on my 19 tundra limited. I’ll give it a look next time I’m outside to be sure.
Johnny Depp
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Johnny Depp 4/15/2020 1:50pm
4/15/2020 1:50pm
Bilstein never made rebuildable tunable shocks for bikes, or most cars. They do have remote reservoir, but most of their lineup is low tech with no ability to pressurize. Automotive disposable stuff for OEM's mostly. Z71's were some of 1st to use them.
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Indian_Dunes_4ever 4/15/2020 3:57pm
4/15/2020 3:57pm
Remember Bilstein shocks? I've put them on all my performance cars over the years. My Bimmer rides on Bilsteins...this beast handles like a car half it's size. It will be interesting to see what they do in the 2 wheeled market.








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Mugen racer
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Mugen racer 4/15/2020 4:55pm
4/15/2020 4:55pm
Yeah, had em on my 75 Elsie and my new Tundra.
The Sneak
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The Sneak 4/15/2020 5:11pm
4/15/2020 5:11pm
Bilstein is extremely reputable in the automotive world. I have put Bilstein shocks / struts on VW GTIs, a BMW M3 (a 1995 I put 170k on), a vintage Porsche 911 etc. only once did one leak or fail, and Bilstein replaced it free of charge.

Like many manufacturers, they have several product lines. OEM replacement all the way to real racing stuff. My experience is with their Heavy Duty and Sport models, and for a mix of street and track use.

Curious to see what transpires w their move into 2 wheels.
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