04/14/2026
Very well written and worth a read.
How did Race Tech p**s off so many people.......?
Their products are awesome. Their philosophy is second to none and they continue to innovate whilst others simply copy.
For mine....and I have dealt with this company for over three decades....they simply made the mistake of making suspension "easy" for the average person with a little bit of mechanical know how.
To do such a thing....to allow the rider or mechanic to have an insight into the suspension world, comes at the expense of the tuners who have held dearly onto the myth that only the true suspension alchemists or sorcerers can dabble in such black arts....
To put a product (that truly works) into the hands of mere mortals and allow them to not only create an outcome, but now to have the ability to tune for themselves....this is suspension heresy.
I would love to say that there truly is a "Black Art" or something "Mystical" surrounding the suspension world....but the fact is....it's simply science.
Those who study hydraulics and fluid dynamics will have a complete understanding of how this stuff works.
The "Black Art" or "Dark Magic" is the realm of those who simply make this s**t up as they go along.
RT developed a theory back in 1991 that they could eliminate port area influence and direct all the relative tuning to the shimstack (maximum tuneability) by employing larger ports in their valve designs.
By doing so, the ability to remove harshness was amplified.
This theory is now employed by nearly all OEM suspension designers today.
KYB, Showa, WP etc.....
So, if the suspension world is adopting the Race Tech design philosophy, why is there such an "Ill feeling" towards this company......? Because they allowed the average bike rider / mechanic to bypass their tuner, reducing his possible income.
If someone threatened your income, you would get the s**ts too!...and I get it.
By bypassing the tuner, RT created a "lot" of enemies out of those tuners.
But, put that aside for a minute. RT still have the most complete range of tools to support the industry along with the absolute best springs available and a willingness to educate the industry, creating the next wave of up and coming tuners.
The guy who owns Race Tech is a guy called Paul Thede.
Paul's credentials are more impressive than the medal array on a 5 star General and the smartest guy I know in this industry.......having said that...I won't be inviting him over for dinner anytime soon.
The guy is great with suspension....maybe not so good with people. I'm not so good with people either so I can't hold that completely against him.
But hey.....Race Tech have created more opportunities for more people (including factories) than any other company and their strict adhesion to absolute quality is unparalleled.
Like any company, there are going to be people they have p**sed off (which is not too hard these days) but I really don't see any other company doing as much to advance the entire industry as Race Tech.
There are many companies striving to leave their mark on the industry.......Race Tech have "Elevated it"!
The haters will always be out there but in my opinion, the fact remains......no one has done more for this game. Not Pro Circuit....not Factory Connection.... not Enzo.....no one!
I know that someone with an axe to grind will obviously want to comment after this but the fact remains....nearly every company that wants to be a "Company" in this game either owns or has copied a Race Tech product....its a fact!
https://www.shocktreatment.com.au/brand/race-tech/
Tech Suspension
