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Fox Racing Shox “Twin-Clicker”
High Performance Shock
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Fox Racing Shox has a well-deserved reputation for performance, control, stability, on both the racetrack, and the road. Maximum-Suzuki recently had the
pleasure of testing out the new shock for the 2001+ Suzuki Bandit 1200.
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The stock suspension on the Bandit 1200 is actually decent; it handles touring well, and pulls off mild sport duty without too many objections. For the aggressive street rider,
and the racer, the limitations of the rear shock become apparent very quickly. The two main issues with the stock rear shock are the lack of fine adjustment for spring pre-load, and the weazy valving. I
was never able to find a decent pre-load setting, or a damping setting, that was “dynamic” enough for my riding style. It wasn’t too hard to find ways to upset the rear-end, and
practically throw the bike out-of-control when really pushed.
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Above: The “TC” in all its glory.
Left: The shock reservoir mounted on the B12 grab rail.
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Fox answers the call of novice and Pro riders alike, with the Twin-Clicker Performance Shock (often referred to as the “TC”). The hardware itself is very impressive, comprised of
high-grade aluminum alloys, and a chromoly steel shaft. This lightweight and exceptionally durable shock, displays excellent craftsmanship throughout its construction. The TC offers fully adjustable compression and
rebound damping, fine-adjustment of the spring pre-load, and ride-height adjustability. Fox also utilizes a remote reservoir set up, providing ease of access to the compression damping adjustment, as well as
additional cooling. This translates into an exceptionally wide range of configurations, to fit any style of riding, for any type of road condition.
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With the Fox TC installed and configured, I immediately noticed an incredibly smooth ride. The difference in feel was so pronounced, I actually got off the bike to verify the settings to
assure myself I did it correctly. General freeway cruising is an absolute joy with this shock. It soaks up every road-surface inconsistency, and takes the abruptness out of the usual obstacles. It lends to a
thankful butt after a long ride.
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In the twisties, and high-speed sweepers, the TC really shines. Even during the most aggressive riding, with rough road surfaces, divots, and potholes, the TC never misses a beat. The
feedback from the rear-end told me everything I needed to know about the road conditions with precision, while filtering out the extraneous (and often annoying) feedback that serves no purpose other than distraction
- no weirdness, no surprises, just a clean and honest feel of the road. The TC’s dynamic nature, and impressive performance, makes it the perfect shock for the Professional Rider, the average guy who likes to
do track days, or the “Hooligan”. With only minor adjustments, the shock can be quickly transformed to accommodate the more “predictable” surfaces found on closed-course race tracks, allowing
for even greater improvement in handling.
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While giving the TC a proper shakedown, I came upon a particularly ugly off-camber turn that I’ve done battle with before. In past confrontations, I had to be real easy on the gas
while leaving the apex; the road surface is just too choppy and broken. This makes “whooshing” out of the turn impossible. The stock shock would always start to hop violently as the throttle came up
– a very scary situation. The first time I hit this turn with the TC onboard, I was utterly shocked (pardon the pun) at the feel. The rear-end was exceptionally smooth. Pondering my disbelief, I immediately
turned around and went back through the turn slowly (examining the pavement) noting that it was still pretty thrashed. I proceeded to give myself some distance, and turned around again, this time entering the same
turn at almost double my previous speed. The TC never flinched, it sucked that turn dry of every divot, hole, crease, and bump, leaving me with all the speed and control I could handle. That turn is officially
conquered.
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Overall, I find the Fox Twin-Clicker nothing short of impressive. Everything the road threw at it was met with a quick and smooth responsiveness. Everything I threw at it intentionally was
dealt with just as well (with my off-road experience, I find it easy to torture streetbikes if the situation demands it, heh). With the proper configuration, i.e spring rate, rebound and compression damping, and
ride height, the TC isn’t even comparable to the stock shock. On the other side of the fence, other high-end shocks I’ve tried should be embarrassed that their shocks didn’t seem to offer any
significant performance advantage over the Fox shock, yet cost hundreds of dollars more.
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Fox Racing Shox stands behind their products, and help is never more than a phone call away. The technical staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and there’s never a long wait. Fox also
has an extremely valuable, easy to understand, online setup guide with extensive information on getting every aspect of the shock dialed-in. If you’re looking for a high-performance shock for your B12, that
wont break the bank, then Fox has exactly what you need.
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Griff, Maximum-Suzuki.com
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Any speeds mentioned in this article which are above the legal speed limit, are complete fabrications, and the author is obviously lying.
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