VF500F Rear Shock - Bitubo or YSS

So upon searching the forum for rear shock options on a 1st gen VF500 the consensus seems to be the YSS mono shock as the popular option. Thailand brand if I'm not mistaken.
The price is around $370 for the YSS.
https://firefoxracing.co.uk/parts-a...87-yss-mono-shock-absorber-mz456-340trl-19-2/

The second option and the one I am not so sure about is the BITUBO rear shock for the VF5.
https://twsuspensiontech.co.uk/h0028xze01-bitubo-rear-shock-absorber-honda-vf-500-f-1984-1988
Around $710.
Bitubo is Italian.


Does anyone have any experience using Bitubo?

Why such a price difference?

Which one is better for the VF?

Which one is more adjustable?
Ride height options on both?

My rear OEM Showa shock is blown. I NEED to replace it ASAP.

 

All I can say is that I'm totally happy with my YSS. No experience with Bitubo.

 

Me too; I have the YSS on my ST1300.

 

YSS have been great for me x6. I think value exceeds cost, for sure.

I also think that in respect to the rest of the chassis, it makes the most sense on a VF500F. Are you really going to realize an additional $350 of performance when the chassis is twisting and the forks are flexing?

Spend the money you saved and make those forks as good as possible.

EDIT: Not sure if the VF500F application is ride height adjustable. It will be rebound adjustable, but most applications for our bikes do not have remote reservoirs to provide compression damping adjustment. You are not racing, you really don't need a remote res. I find their compression dampening settings very good, perhaps slightly on the firm side, but not "harsh" in most situations... which I would want.

Also, beware of application chart errors. They have their VF1000F/R applications mixed up. Verify stock shock length and compare against the part number, which decodes shock length. If it is not ride height adjustable, but comes in a version that is 10mm longer than stock... great. That is what you would want anyway. Even if it is stock length, you will still likely realize some ride height increase (good for the geometry on that bike) due to the shock actually being sprung correctly.

 

you are right. I am not racing.
I think anything better than a blown stock factory shock would do, lol. And I would save half of the money.

thanks for the good advice

 

The shock IS ride height adjustable. I gave some info in jstehman's thread...

https://vfrworld.com/threads/my-1986-vf500f-revival.59080/page-7#post-649057

Recommend buying from biketyresuk eBay store.

 

I bought from Firefox Racing in the UK; no issues with their performance

 

Yep. biketyresuk is their store front. They are the UK R&D for YSS.