American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 175 February 2014 | Page 18

MID-USA Motorcycle Parts
HAZELWOOD, Missouri based
distributor MID-USA Motorcycle
Parts has an updated 2014
edition of its "En-Cycle-Pedia"
available for its dealers, and
with it the company inviting you
to "expand not only your
horizons, but your bottom line
as well".
Recent new parts introductions
include OEM replacement

swingarms for 1989/1999 Softail
frames, and an exclusive line of
moly coated 96 and 103 cubic
inch standard compression
replacement pistons that use
stock Hastings rings.
Manufactured to factory
specifications they ship with
wrist pin and clips.
The company has also updated
its custom rear fender program,

introduced some custom oil
gauges, 'Speedline' passenger
footboards and fork panel
accent strips, in addition to oldstyle vintage-look mini ED air
cleaners and billet oil coolers
that are available in choice of
chrome or black.
MID-USA MOTORCYCLE PARTS
www.mid-usa.com

Bitubo enters custom shock market
EUROPE in general, and Italy in
particular, have long been internationally
regarded as a 'hot-bed' of motorcycle
suspension design and engineering
excellence.
The race pedigree of its suspension
manufacturers needs little boosting, and
the market leading suspension
technologies that the demands of the
track have had on the handling solutions
developed there have been market
defining.
One of the leading Italian
manufacturers is Bitubo. Founded in
1963, the company's core expertise was
vibration dampening of all kinds - from
systems for oceanic platforms and naval
engines, right through to the precise
micro applications and sensitivities
required for markets such as seismic
dampers and even artificial limbs.
In 1975 the company entered the
motorcycle market with a now iconic
design of a pair of shock absorbers
connected by two compensating rubber
tubes - hence 'BiTubo' ... geddit?
By the late 1970s the company was
starting to win world championships,
since then having racked-up literally
dozens of Italian and international race
successes.

In 1992 the company introduced a
first patented product, steering dampers
with a Nitrogen compensating coaxial
chamber; a year later it introduced its
"big piston" system, the world's first
front fork with a separate chamber; then
1998 saw the launch of what was
considered to be the revolutionary Mono
4 Regolazoni rear shock - a concept that
Bitubo says is still a suspension
technology benchmark.
Since then, Bitubo has patented an
innovative 'FPS' hydraulic system for fork
cartridges (said to be the first with
hydraulic spring preload) and two years
ago introduced what is said to have been
the first semi-active electroereological
system for suspension (ER) and its first
adaptive suspension (DS) system.
These days, their range includes more
than 400 models available for super
bikes, touring bikes and scooters, and in
November 2013 Managing Director
Gianni Mardollo unveiled their entry into
the Harley-Davidson aftermarket and
cruiser twin rear shocks market. The
range includes replacement and upgrade

Gianni Mardollo, Managing Director of Italian suspension specialist BITUBO,
told AMD Magazine that "although our focus has always been on sports
bike, street bike, and race suspension, we have all the components, advanced
manufacturing processes and expertise to produce excellent shocks for the
Harley afermarket, and cruiser and custom V-twin markets."

For performance applications,
Bitubo WMT rear twinshocks are
said to offer "maximum
personalization through
adjustments to the model-specific
calibration and length." Fully rebuildable, Bitubo say these shocks
have been developed for high
performance and touring bike
applications.

fitments for XL 883 and 1200 Sportsters,
V-Rods, tourers, Softails and Dynas.
Available with or without chrome
covers, and in a choice of spring colors,
the line was picked up very quickly by
German distributor W&W Cycles (as
announced in AMD Magazine last
month) and includes upside down as
well as conventional compression
shocks.
Highly adjustable with tuned and
matched internal hydraulics and linear or
progressive springs according to the
vehicle application, Bitubo say their
shock absorbers are easily serviced with
parts kits available for each fitment.
www.bitubo.com

Bitubo's adjustable WME
shock absorbers are
available with or without
chrome covers, and in a
choice of spring color
and finish, twin shocks
are said to improve
riding comfort and
vehicle control
thanks to their
"internal hydraulic
system and
fitment-specific
linear or
progressive
springs"

Specifically for softail style bikes,
these "upside down" shocks feature
a chromed steel alloy main body,
spring preload adjustment system,
14mm steel rods with a nitrogen
pressurized coaxial chamber;
available in pre-year 2000 and 2000
and up versions

PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

Bitubo are offering replacement and
upgrade shock absorbers for most of the
best selling Harley-Davidson models,
including Sportster, V-Rod, Tourer and Big
Twin (Softail and Dyna) platforms

18

AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - FEBRUARY 2014

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