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Rear Shocks, Teach me, I cave

  • Thread starter Thread starter BentRod
  • Start date Start date
B

BentRod

Guest
ok, so I'm caving to the idea that my rear shocks (original) are a bust, and after talking with OldSchoolOrange, I'm starting my hunt for new rear shocks.

I know very little about this market (brands, norms)

I am on a tight budget (student)

I have no problem adapting other shocks, or machining fittings.

I have a 1981 GS(x)400L which is slowly turning a little bit cafe-ish

I'm a new rider.

I need you guys and dolls to point me in the right direction. I'd like to spend as little as possible. Is it possible to rebuild the old shocks on the cheap? What is this likely going to cost me? I'm not looking to do any track days, but I'd like something that I can have some fun on curves with at moderate speeds.

Thanks everyone!

And Chris, if I keep listening to you, I'll be broke in a month!
Long live the airbox!
 
Cheapest ones I've seen someone put up on here were 80 bucks. If you do a search you'll find them. Look similar to the Progressive ones. Might have been branded MDI??

Dan :)
 
BentRod said:
ok, so I'm caving to the idea that my rear shocks (original) are a bust, and after talking with OldSchoolOrange, I'm starting my hunt for new rear shocks.

I know very little about this market (brands, norms)

I am on a tight budget (student)

I have no problem adapting other shocks, or machining fittings.

I have a 1981 GS(x)400L which is slowly turning a little bit cafe-ish

I'm a new rider.

I need you guys and dolls to point me in the right direction. I'd like to spend as little as possible. Is it possible to rebuild the old shocks on the cheap? What is this likely going to cost me? I'm not looking to do any track days, but I'd like something that I can have some fun on curves with at moderate speeds.

Thanks everyone!

And Chris, if I keep listening to you, I'll be broke in a month!
Long live the airbox!
Click to expand...

Hum, to be honest, if you're on a super tight budge I'd leave them alone. Sure they won't work great, but think of all those riders way back in the day with plunger, or even rigid frames. You still have better suspension than those guys. Hey, in 1952 a Vincent Black Lightning did 150mph with more primitive suspension than you have.

If you're determined, I would suggest finding a second hand OEM fitment. Since you can do machining (and thus welding, I presume), the fitting won't be an issue. Just make sure the shocks you get are rebuildable, I'm afraid you'll find that most OEMs aren't.
 
true true, back in the day people did some pretty crazy stuff on hard tails, or absolute crap shocks. but there was also a much higher fatality rate.. and those people were experianced riders.

I remain on the hunt, but if push comes to shove, I guess i can always cop out and put a spacer in the old shocks.

Keep the input coming.. I'll look into MDI
 
get the MDI's, they are the best bang for your low buck. They are a little stiff but thats not a bad thing for spirited riding. You old shock or probably worn out the damning oil in them is toast and the factory springs were under sprung from the factory. Basically any is better then what you have.

welcome to old bike ownership :) if you plan to do anything more then under 30mph on city streets, these bike will cost you money. Just to put things in perspective, a good set of shock will set you back anywhere from 300 to 1200 bucks.
 
Tick....tock....tick.....tock........8-[

VIPEXShocks.jpg
 
hmmm.. Those looks sweet... external reservoirs are one of the greatest examples of the magic-bullet solution.

I read the thread on those... sound great, but kinda like killing a fly with a hammer. Those are much more than I need.

Salty Monk: (Off the top of my head) If you are refering to the rather large attachment holes on those shocks, then yes, those can be easily fitted by machinging a bushing. However though, depending on ratio of width to depth, a flanged bushing, cut to a slight interference fit on the outside with a close running fit for the mounting bolt inside. With out looking it up, I'd say you could go with brass, but bronze would be better. Look for heavy machine washers to use as blanks. Avoid steels (they will bind), and if brass is not available, aluminum will work too.

strip all the paint off the inside of the end fitting of the shock before you measure, so that you are not relying on the thickness of the paint for your fit.
 
The MDI shocks are sprung very stiff, so they're probably not good for a smaller bike. Check out www.loudfastugly.com in the shock area and read some of the suggestions.

If you have eye-to-eye most of those shocks should fit.

~Adam
 
BentRod said:
Salty Monk: (Off the top of my head) If you are refering to the rather large attachment holes on those shocks, then yes, those can be easily fitted by machinging a bushing. However though, depending on ratio of width to depth, a flanged bushing, cut to a slight interference fit on the outside with a close running fit for the mounting bolt inside. With out looking it up, I'd say you could go with brass, but bronze would be better. Look for heavy machine washers to use as blanks. Avoid steels (they will bind), and if brass is not available, aluminum will work too.

strip all the paint off the inside of the end fitting of the shock before you measure, so that you are not relying on the thickness of the paint for your fit.
Click to expand...

I wasn't looking for tips how to fit them more of a review from someone who did eventually fit them.... :)

Dan :)
 
New Shocks Recommended

New Shocks Recommended

It has been suggested on this forum that I should junk the shocks off my restoration project, '78 GS 750C, and buy new. I checked the Progressive website and they list shocks for the "E" model. Will these fit the '78 C model? Are there other aftermarket shocks available for a '78 GS 750C?

Thanks,
rickt
 
Sorry Saltymonk.. I just assumed.. oops

MDI seems to have the price right.. I'm seaching for availablility.. see what i can get my mits on...
 
I just put some MDI shocks on my 850. They are STIFF. I notice that there is a ring about a third way up from the bottom compressing the springs below it. I am guessing that the company just makes one shock and locates the spacing ring to adapt it to the individual model.

I am hoping they will soften up after a while. If they don't I may try to remove the ring and see what happens.
 
salty_monk said:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Browse/tf-Browse/s-10101/N-111+10211+600014338/c-10111

Has anyone fitted these in the end??
Click to expand...


Yes, I have a set on an '82 650L. I put them on and had to make sure that it did it right. :shock: I think a rigid frame is more compliant. If I bounce on the seat, I can make them compress a bit, but riding down the road and hitting little bumps, like manhole covers or tar strips is almost painful. I strongly believe that if I had the maximum amount of air in the tire, I could run over different coins and tell you their denomination. Not sure about telling if they were heads or tails, though. 8-[

Looking for something for my wife's 850L. Not sure what, yet, but I do know it won't be the ones from JC Whitney.


.
 
dpep said:
I just put some MDI shocks on my 850. They are STIFF. I notice that there is a ring about a third way up from the bottom compressing the springs below it. I am guessing that the company just makes one shock and locates the spacing ring to adapt it to the individual model.

I am hoping they will soften up after a while. If they don't I may try to remove the ring and see what happens.
Click to expand...

From looking at the pictures, isn't that ring just riding between two different weight springs? It looked to me like they aren't using a real progressive-rate spring, just two differently-wound ones together with that spacer in between. Without the spacer would the springs stay where they're supposed to be?
 
That's the way I saw them too... Perhaps he means he's going to remove the ring & take the small spring out, that would defintely make them softer... :D
 
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