OK, so I had a quick and very short spin up the road today after I replaced the rear wheel (powder coated & new Avon Cobra). The shocks are much firmer than stock but not harsh, just well controlled and damped. The bike steers much better, mostly due to the tyre but the longer shock helps. I did less than a mile as I had no silencers on - just the collector box... It's not as loud as you would think due to the really crappy design of the collector.