Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - June 2008 - (Page 49) SPECIAL FEATURE STORIES Wilbers, had joined the board of directors and R&D team of Y.S.S., a Thailand company manufacturing shocks for many smaller Asian brands. Knowing the quality that went into the Wilbers shock led Klaus to extrapolate that a quality product would result with this association. He proved his hypothesis and soon became the U.S. importer for Y.S.S. shocks, a product that he says “has something for everyone.” Considering market history, some might be hesitant to consider Y.S.S. because the region has been cited frequently for questionable quality control, and Klaus was quick to acknowledge a real problem does exist. “The concern is absolutely valid,” he said, noting that he’s seen many examples of shoddy products creeping in from the Far East. However, when it comes to Y.S.S., Klaus said he personally toured the factory and assures consumers that Y.S.S. makes an excellent but still moderately priced product, one that is extensively tested and used as OEM equipment on smaller bikes manufactured by Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha. Of Y.S.S. shocks he says simply: “The quality is absolutely there.” He also predicted that current testing and R&D work assures even higher quality and performance in the future. In operation for 25 years, Y.S.S has earned quality certification by major testing authorities and the web is filled with positive testimonies from riders of different makes worldwide. Help On the Road “Call us with your problems and requests,” Klaus said, “and we will try to help.” The help, by the way, extends far beyond the simple interstate delivery of parts. Klaus cited a recent case, a touring rider who had broken BIKER OF THE MONTH down in Bolivia. It seems that the rough roads there caused his shocks to bind and resulted in the frame breaking several times. “We had to get something down there to him quickly,” Klaus said, explaining that simply replacing stock parts wasn’t enough. An engineered solution was needed, so Klaus analyzed the problem and provided the correct springs for the conditions. Unfortunately, Klaus reported his riding recently has been very limited due to business demands, but he did get to do a New Year’s Day ride in New Jersey with friends, an annual tradition for the group. He does, however, plan to do lots more riding in the future, and certainly has an enviable selection of mounts. He does have one particular ride in mind, another excursion on his Heinkel scooter. Yes, he still has it. Wonder if it needs new shocks? WALNECKS.COM I WALNECK’S CLASSIC CYCLE TRADER® I JUNE 2008 49 http://WALNECKS.COM
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