How many running Elkas and raptors?

Dmf

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2010
Messages
371
Reaction score
398
Location
Grande Prairie
Looking to upgrade shocks, don't want anything to complicated, steering towards first stage Elkas or raptor shocks. Had fox floats years back on my rev didn't care much for them, maybe be better on a XM? thoughts and opinions and also how you have set yours up on what you run would be appreciated
 

007sevens

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2009
Messages
20,973
Reaction score
16,989
Location
At my Place in Alberta
Running Elka's on a pro rmk. All four. Ordered by weight, I have played with them a bit but never really spent a lot of time. I love them. easy to adjust
 

mountainsledmania

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
1,187
Reaction score
1,231
Location
sherwoodpark
I have raptors on my 14 front and rear. deff awesome for jumping and whooped out trails. My only complaint is theres so many adjustments that you can make I cant figured out how to dial it rite in.
 

007sevens

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2009
Messages
20,973
Reaction score
16,989
Location
At my Place in Alberta
Yea I feel like I don't know where to start to tweak first. and then if its a good snow day well F*** the shocks im more worried about enjoying it.

Yup me too. Tried tuning on a bumpy trail one day. All I ended up doing was race down the hill at Mach chicken beating up my body.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Dmf

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2010
Messages
371
Reaction score
398
Location
Grande Prairie
Thanks for the input guys, who will be selling raptors and elkas at the Edmonton sled show?
 

FranktheTank

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2008
Messages
624
Reaction score
1,232
Location
Regina/Bc
From everybody's posts I gather spending $1000 on front shocks isn't really worth it. Too many adjustments to really dial it in. Nobody takes the time to do it. When do front shocks matter? On a whopped out trail that you spend maybe 5% of your day riding. Hmmmmmm. Another $1000 towards fuel for truck and sled I guess it is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

lilduke

Active VIP Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
19,689
Reaction score
70,200
Location
Local
Its really easy to setup front Raptors shocks on a sled. There is one Dial, harder compression one direction, softer the other direction.

I ride aggressive so I start on the Hardest setting and adjust down if it feels too harsh.

If you like a softer ride on the trail, id start at the softest of the settings and if it bottoms out, turn up a click or 2 until it quits bottoming.

Very simple, just ride how you normally would when adjusting them though, don't need to start just pinning it.

The difference the Raptors make on a 30k whooped out trail is unreal. Id never go back to stock shocks.
 
Last edited:

XanderKane

Active member
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
Messages
134
Reaction score
90
Location
Red Deer, Alberta
Its really easy to setup front Raptors shocks on a sled. There is one Dial, harder compression one direction, softer the other direction.

I ride aggressive so I start on the Hardest setting and adjust down if it feels too harsh.

If you like a softer ride on the trail, id start at the bottom of the settings and if it bottoms out, turn up a click or 2 until it quits bottoming.

Very simple, just ride how you normally would when adjusting them though, don't need to start just pinning it.

The difference the Raptors make on a 30k whooped out trail is unreal. Id never go back to stock shocks.

Are they that much better than the KYB40's you had on the freeride two season's ago?
 

Altitude

Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
Messages
9
Reaction score
12
Location
Barrhead, Alberta
I picked up a set of Elkas for my 08 Grizzly 700 about four years ago. Best mod ever. The stock Grizzly shocks would heat up and just be boingers but with the Elkas you can ride hard all day with no fade and an awesome ride. My nephew even put a set on his Kawasaki 750 and what a difference. They are not cheap but I have over 2500 rough kilometres on them and they ride like new.. Highly recommend them.
 

lilduke

Active VIP Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
19,689
Reaction score
70,200
Location
Local
Are they that much better than the KYB40's you had on the freeride two season's ago?

The Freeride KYB 40's are good. Just the stock X or SP package not so much. Sure you can ride with them.

Cant always have everything you want, but if you have 2500$ to blow, id say shocks are a great way to spend it haha


If I couldnt spend 2500$ but still wanted an upgrade, Id get back skid shock first, that will make the most difference(per $). Then front shocks, and then last the center shock. It does the least amount of work, if you had the rest, you could get away with the stock center shock.




JMO
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Dmf

007sevens

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2009
Messages
20,973
Reaction score
16,989
Location
At my Place in Alberta
The Elka's were an immediate improvement. Just so much more adjustment that maybe necessary for a mountain sled. you can adjust the shocks fast compression and the slow compression separately. as well as how fast you want the rebound to react.

They are about $950 a shock.
 

Nonhighwayservice

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2012
Messages
347
Reaction score
423
Location
Delta B.C.
I picked up the stage 1 elkas last year and they made a huge improvement. Will definitely be buying the rear shocks this year.
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: Dmf

Bnorth

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
10,845
Reaction score
21,061
Location
Salmon Arm
I have Raptors and one of the attractions for me was the one dial adjustment. I'm not a shock scientist and I didn't want to learn to be one to setup my sled for the day. One clicker up is harder down is softer, start in the middle and work from there. Pretty simple.
 

IFSM8

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2008
Messages
214
Reaction score
74
Location
Chestermere, AB
Well I am not running either of these brands but I am running Exit's X-1's all around. Best investment I have made. I love the ease of transfer and the ability to change the ride of the machine with a couple of clickers. Having the rear springs at a softer rate because the shock doesn't fade is also a huge improvement. To each their own but for me who does not ride many groomed trail areas these shocks were a great investment. Good luck shopping!
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: Dmf

BRP QSC

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
741
Reaction score
522
Location
Not Sure Yet
So I am going to buy the rear raptors to start. What do you think of the rear spring elimination kit they have for the XM's
 

Bnorth

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
10,845
Reaction score
21,061
Location
Salmon Arm
So I am going to buy the rear raptors to start. What do you think of the rear spring elimination kit they have for the XM's
I think it's pretty pricey for the benefit. Would look at a baker rear arm instead.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
Top Bottom