FEATURE: IKON SUSPENSION

Words: Mike Ryan

Photos: Supplied

Amongst owners of classic and modern motorcycles, restorers and custom bike builders, racers and the speedway fraternity, Ikon is a household name, but how much do you actually know about this Australian company and the products they offer?

The Ikon story predates the Ikon name and goes back as far as 1962, when ‘Proven Products’ was established in Sydney by Peter Antill and Lance Lowe. Offering suspension componentry to the automotive, four-wheel drive, heavy vehicle, motorcycle and motorsport market, Proven Products also supplied springs and hydraulic shocks for other applications. The Dutch suspension brand, Koni, was distributed initially, but Spax, Monroe, Girling and Armstrong suspension would be added to the Proven Products range over time.

Proven Products still exists today and Geoff Lowe is the second generation in charge. Geoff got involved in the business from a young age and has been a steady hand at the wheel since the mid-1980s.

The Ikon side of the business goes back to the dawn of the new millennium, when Koni exited the motorcycle suspension market. Proven Products had built up a wealth of experience over almost four decades distributing Koni shocks, so felt confident that they could make the transition from distribution to manufacturing. This led to a licencing agreement with Koni where Proven would make shocks, using the Koni design and specs, under a new name. That name was Ikon.

Moving from distribution to manufacturing was a daunting decision, but Geoff’s experience and his passion for motorcycles made it an easy one. And history shows it was the right decision!

The first motorcycle shock absorbers to wear the Ikon name were completed in early 2001 and it's been all systems go ever since, with the range constantly expanding.

It’s important to note that every Ikon shock is assembled here in Australia – in Proven Products’ Albury factory, to be specific – using premium components. Not everything can be found from an Australian supplier, though, so Ikon source from around the world to ensure the best quality materials go into every shock they build and fork spring they offer.

Now, with that knowledge in hand, it’s time to bust a few myths.

Myth #1 – Ikon only make rear shock absorbers

This one is probably born from the fact that Koni never offered fork springs in their range, so it’s been incorrectly assumed Ikon is the same.

“Back in the day, Koni had zero fork springs – absolutely nothing,” Geoff explains. “When we were approached by representatives of an American company in the 1980s to distribute their products, it gave us, amongst other things, a range of fork springs that we never had. “When we became a manufacturer, we needed to create – and have created - a very extensive range of fork springs.” Ikon offer fork springs in both progressive and linear rate style, to suit a range of makes, models and motorcycle types, from yesteryear to today.

Myth #2 – Ikon only service the classic bike market

This is probably the biggest myth that needs busting. If you think the Ikon range ends at motorcycles from the mid-1970s, have a look at their product list (from ikonsuspension.com) and you'll see some very recent model years – we’re talking 2020 and newer. "Our application lists were updated as recently as last week,” Geoff adds.

As the Ikon range is being updated so regularly (largely driven by developments around individual models and model families), you’re advised to contact Ikon directly if you have a current motorcycle and aren’t sure if shock absorbers to suit are available.

“And our fork springs cover a multitude of different bikes, from all sorts of eras, too,” Geoff says. “Modern sports bikes, you name it, all sorts are in our fork spring range.”

MYTH #3 – Ikon only cater to volume brands

The likes of Harley-Davidson, Triumph, BMW and all the Japanese brands feature prominently in the Ikon shock and fork spring catalogue, but if you’ve got something rare and it originally came with coilover shock absorbers and conventional fork springs, there’s a good chance that Geoff and his team have suspension to suit. For example, models under the Maico, Sanglas and SYM marques are covered, along with the likes of MZ, Jawa, Moto Morini, Zero electric motorcycles and recently departed marques like Hyosung. Ikon also offer the full 5-shock set-up to suit Ural sidecar outfits.

Of course, former volume brands, like Norton, BSA, Matchless and AJS are covered, too.

Ikon’s expertise and product range doesn’t extend to girder fork types and plunger rear suspension, but if you’re looking to upgrade a classic’s suspension, like jampot rears for example, to newer and more reliable componentry, Ikon can assist.

Myth #4 – Ikon doesn’t manufacture monoshock suspension

Twin shock rear suspension makes up the bulk of the Ikon range, specifically the 7610 and 7614 series, but monoshock rear suspension units are manufactured as well.

“It’s a lesser element of what we do, but there’s quite a lot we offer in the single shock world,” Geoff says.

“Go through our product list and you’ll see quite a lot of roadgoing monoshocks. For example, the modern Triumph Speedmasters and the post-2017 Harley Softails that were the merger of the Dyna and Softail platforms. We cover all of those, along with lots of others.”

MYTH #5 – Ikon don’t do dirt bikes

The off-road bike market started moving away from Koni in the 1980s, which has perhaps fuelled the perception that Ikon isn’t a part of this space. But Ikon do service the motocross and dirt bike market, just not to the same breadth and depth that they do with road bikes.

“Our focus is largely roadgoing motorcycles, rather than dirt or adventure bikes. We do quite a lot in vintage motocross bikes, though,” Geoff explains.

“We do motorcycle speedway as well and supply the majority of competitors in this part of the world – and New Zealand – in the sidecar racing fraternity.”

If you were at the Centenary of Speedway in Brisbane this past December, you may have noticed Ikon sponsored the solo evening. Geoff adds that Ikon also sponsored the first round of this year’s Australian 500cc solo championship.

MYTH #6 – Ikon can’t make small batches

Nothing could be further from the truth. Being local and with a huge range of componentry available, Ikon can mix and match spring rates, shock lengths and valving to suit small runs or even individual requests.

“We tend to try and work to small batch sizes, where we can make, literally, one pair of something for somebody,” Geoff explains. “We don’t say, ‘Well, if you want that, you’re going to have to take 100 or 1,000 of them’. That’s where I get down to this idea of ‘a batch of one’. If someone wants to buy one of something, then we’ll make them one of something.”

Not all requests are inherently doable, though, mainly due to practical considerations around clearance, function and rider safety. But when they are doable, those specific, individual commissions don’t mean the customer will be paying through the nose.

“Our manufacturing processes are specifically designed to take advantage of things being done in small volume.”

The Custom Scene

While the core of Ikon’s business is the retro, cruiser and Harley market, the rise of the custom motorcycle scene in the past couple of decades has brought new customers to the business.

“We’ve worked with the likes of Deus ex Machina in Sydney and Ellaspede in Brisbane for a long time, as well as guys doing a one-off build – their bike, or a bike for someone,” Geoff says. “We work with all kinds of customisation, whether it’s being done personally or professionally. It’s a small part of the business, but it’s a real part of our business.”

Getting back to Myth #6, the flexibility of Ikon’s manufacturing process is the main reason why you see Ikon suspension namechecked in so many custom builds – especially here in Australia. A home builder isn’t going to need 100 shock absorber units, so getting Ikon one-offs at a reasonable price has obvious appeal over suppliers who either can’t provide shock units to the required specs, or insist on them being purchased in volume.

Royal & Oil

Like many other motorcycle aficionados in Australia, Geoff has noticed the rise of Royal Enfield in Australia – and globally – over the past decade, so has responded accordingly.

“We have developed fork springs and shock absorbers for many Royal Enfield models, including the 650s,” Geoff explains. “We’ll continue to follow the resurgence of Royal Enfield in the Australian market.”

Another point worth noting is that Ikon also offers shock absorber and fork oils.

“Firstly, the oil is the same oil that we use in assembling our shock absorbers,” Geoff says. “Secondly, these oils embody all the qualities you want in a proper suspension fluid – high temperature resistance, anti-foaming properties, etc. – so the fluid does its job in a sustained way.”

What’s Next?

While the 7610 and 7614 series shock absorbers with adjustable rebound and progressive rate springs remain the core of Ikon’s range, there’s a lot going on outside of that and Ikon are always observing new developments in the market.

The emergence of electric bikes is the next frontier in motorcycling, so if you’re going EV, it won’t be too long before Ikon will be there to make your ride more stable and comfortable.