iShock "Suspension Made Simple"
El Cajon, CA – The
Fall of 2004, I received an email from Hydrodynamics USA,
informing us that they were going to be entering the ATV
market in 2005 with the release of their front end suspension
kit. I must admit that this wasn’t the most earth
shattering news that I have heard considering the numerous
manufacturers already producing aftermarket a-arms and suspension
for the ATV market, so I decided to investigate Hydrodynamics
USA (iShock).
It didn’t take long to discover that
iShock wasn’t new to the suspension market as they
have been actively involved in the pit bike market since
2001 when iShock President, Darren McGarvie, released his
first rear shock for the pit bike market after not being
satisfied with what was currently available for pit bike
racing. In less than a year in production, iShock became
the number one selling aftermarket pit bike rear suspension
and had developed a reputable name in the industry with
top MX superstars Chad Reed, Nathan Ramsey, Mike Metzger
and Carey Hart looking to iShock for their pit bike suspension.
As iShock sales increased with its ever
growing popularity in the pit bike industry, Darren recruited
his good friend, Brian Bott, to heads his sales and marketing
team, so Darren could focus on developing his next product
to fill a void in the ATV industry. Before Darren developed
his first prototype shock, he was a parts manager for a
major distributor in Southern California, which alerted
him to a problem in the ATV industry. He would have customers
come into the shop and request to purchase a complete replacement
aftermarket front end for their ATV, which seemed simple
enough, but when he went to order the parts, he was constantly
faced with task of finding components that didn't worked
properly together and/or were on backorder. When the parts
did arrive, sometimes the break lines were too long or the
a-arms were designed for a slightly different length shock
than what was ordered, and the customer was left frustrated.
Darren’s solution to the problem
was to develop a complete front suspension package with
shocks, a-arms, brake lines, installation tools, and instructions
that could be readily available and sold over the counter.
Darren had the suspension component of the kit under control
with his extensive suspension knowledge, but for the rest
of the components, he sought the professional assistance
of baja 2000 champion and former Timmy Boy Designs engineer,
Tim Neidhardt, for the development of the proto-type designs.
After extensive prototyping the components went into production
in early 2005 and were finally available June 16th
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Pro-type iShock
YFZ450 Front Suspension System |
For the initial release, two complete suspension system
kits are available with and without shock reservoirs and
the a-arms and shocks along with the rest of the components
are available individually, and all the components come
with a lifetime satisfaction guarantee.
Before the iShock “Complete Front
Suspension System” was available to the public, I
made the trip out to Southern California to visit HydroDynamicsUSA
(iShock) headquarters and meet with Darren and Brian to
learn more about iShock and their new ATV product line.
When I arrived, they were through most of the product development
phase, and were focusing their attention on packaging the
product with typical recreational rider in mind that may
not have any mechanical experience, but with proper instructions,
tools, and guidance could handle replacing their ATV front
end.
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(left to Right)Travis
House, Brad Kroepfl, Darren McGarvie, Brian Bott |
Tim Neidhardt
busy proto-typing suspension components |
I was impressed by the attention to detail
that they put into the box design all the way down to the
CD tutorial with step by step instructions along with some
specialized tools to make the installation even easier,
which is something you rarely receive from any aftermarket
parts manufacturer regardless of the product. On initial
inspection of the kit, I could tell they did their homework
in designing the products, and I feel that customers looking
to upgrade from stock components will be impressed with
the iShock product and it should provide them a lifetime
of riding with its guarantee.
Unfortunately, ATVriders.com didn’t
have the opportunity to put this new product to the test
during visit, but ATVriders.com plans on doing a review
on the “Complete Front Suspension System” in
the near future, and from our initial impression of the
product from visiting the iShock facility we feel it will
be a great replacement product for the recreational market,
but we don’t expect to see any of the Top GNC or GNCC
Pros making the switch from their current shock or a-arm
manufacturers next season because from our interpretation
this product is geared toward the recreational riders looking
to upgrade without all the headaches or expense of piecing
together the components from various manufacturers, but
again, this is only a first impression, and we will know
more once get a chance to test the system.
For more details on the iShock “Complete
Front Suspension System” be sure to visit iShock.com
www.ishock.com
9303 Bond Ave. Suite C
El Cajon, CA 92021
(619) 390-2430
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