[roger albert]

Roger, you're the only one I ever heard claiming Showa OE are of higher quality than WP.

A couple things come into play. You may not spend as much time working with shocks, or talking to as many people that do, as I do. As a yank, I have no horse in the race, on WP vs Showa, so national pride certainly doesn't come into it.

Secondly, comparing mass-market OE Showa, to WP is not fair comparison.
Looking at the better (mid) spec'd Showas (but still OE) compared to the boutique bikes typically coming with WPs (also mid level suspension) and they're about the same, with a slight not to Showa, for seal longevity. They don't really perform any better than WP. Showa almost always biases seal diameters to longevity, and WP often to lower friction (which is good for a while, but when they go off, offers a big problem, dropping their performance

These guys make some high quality stuff and are innovative, unlike most (ESA is a WP development). They have a collection of world titles in MX and racing. They are nowhere near the level you are suggesting. You may not like them, but just because you don't like them doesn't make them bad.

I don't think I ever said they were bad, so I don't know why you're getting bent out of shape. In fact, I think I said a 'slight nod to Showa'. Also, ESA is not exactly an endorsement. It has in general not held up well, which only underscores my case.

I like you, but when it comes to suspension you are opinionated and far from objective.

I am opinionated on it, which is what happens when you know something about it, spend a lot of time on it, devote virtually all of your professional life to it for a few years (and probably too much of your personal life) and actually see thousands of suspensions and see what holds up and what doesn't.

A give age of Showa shock on severe service upper end dirtbikes, almost always lasts longer than a WP before leaking (and the WP in turn, almost always outlasts KYB, Sachs, or Boge). Another bike that we see here a lot that has come with both Showa and WP (probably because they're also a small manufacturer) is Buell. I've worked on more than I count. In that particular example, I'd say the gap in reliability is a bit larger (Showa over WP) but still small.

I can see it in bounce tests, watching a guy on track, feel it myself, and show it on test equipment. That sir, respectfully, is objective, whether you like it or not.

WP and Showa are both good units. WP's generally look better constructed. The Showas do really well, despite their more pedestrian appearance.