Rear shocks (and unwanted shocks!) and handling

[dogshome]

The front forks are behaving now they have new seals, progressive springs, a good clean out and nice thin synthetic oil in them. I am sure a conversion to pressure relief valves would be an advantage, although the teeth-rattling bangs I was getting before the rebuild have gone now. I have an RT fairing and high bars, so most of my weight is on the seat and pegs. No spacers required in the forks.

Relatively high tyre pressures and a hoop type fork brace have hugely improved cornering and got rid of the white line 'horse approaching water jump and changing it's mind' kind of deal.

Which brings me onto the rear ones. Originals with approaching 70,000 miles on them. Now I have nice front suspension, I'm really noticing how hard the back end is. I'm a big guy, so I use the second preset which drops what feels like a proper amount when I get on. Damping by jumping up and down on it seems fine and I haven't had any bouncing, stepping sideways in corners or wobbles of any kind. Well, belly wobbles maybe, but the bike doesn't.

I normally take wight onto the pegs for the very low speed ramps as these always jarred the front and back previously. I go over them slowly anyhow as I've replaced several car springs in the past due to these. If I forget or a small pothole catches me out I get a proper smack through the spine which has definitely got worse!

No oil coming out, but the rods look like they have had it and i can imagine a rubbery, rusty, gunky mess inside causing the very hard response. Shocks traditionally go soft and bouncy, these appear to have gone the other way 

The splodge in the upper part of the pic is missing plating and not just a reflection.


Is that typical of these shocks? Stiffening up and complaining about it in the only way they know how?     

[Bob_Roller]

I put Koni shocks on my '81 R65 in June, 1984 and they have about 70,000 miles, 115,000 km still working good .
I put Hagon shocks on one of the LS's, got them from a member that was parting out his '79 R65 after a collision, so no idea how many miles/km they have on them, but work good .
If you have the original Boge shocks, they only last 15-20, 000 miles, 25-30,000 km at best .

[Tony Smith]

I have had excellent service from the Before that were built to my specifications several years ago. Dealing direct with the factory was made easy by Google translate. The only caveat is that if you want to change the damping the only way to do so is to pull the shocks apart and change the fluid.


More recently I bought iKON shocks to fit to my R100RS, these are old friends and just worked.

I am about to pull the Konis off the 1978 RS (fitted around 1985, so well used) and send them to iKON for rebuilding if possible (given they are a very early model of the adjustable damping monks iKON are concerned that they may not have parts).

[dogshome]

These looked good in the photos. They look equally good in the hand. I bought them from Germany 

Quite how they got through the "wholly manufactured in the EU" and delivered to my door across the English (yes still English  ) Channel I don't know. 3 days from online order in current conditions is very good. Full marks to Louis.

They look and feel like ABU fishing reel or Shimano pushbike gear change stuff.  Very nice. Throwing my (not inconsiderable) bulk on the bike was met with "meh, can't you try any harder?". Test ride to follow. Test boots and footpegs also.

[georgesgiralt]

Hi Lads (and Gals),
On my 1982 R65, I put a very long time ago Fournales shocks. They use no spring, it being replaced by air. So you adjust riding height by modifying the air pressure inside in the 10 bar range... (so you need a dedicated air pump ...). As the designer worked in the aviation industry, they outlive the bike and... can be rebuild bor cheap. But they are hard on the back of my spouse.
So I put a pair of "Shock Factory" on the R65 (https://shock-factory.fr/fr/ )
they guy is from the British Isles, living in France and if I'm not mistaken a former EMC employee. These shocks have an adjustable spring and a detent adjustable valve. Very good in comfort and road handling and made to measure. I'm back from 2K km in Spain with them on the bike and the Missus on the saddle and no one complained....
So a very satisfied customer ! (even if the Fournales factory is 3 miles from my house... )
Just my 2 ¢ ...
P.S. : I bought the R65 new and the OEM Boge didn't last the 20 000 km stated above. They turned into air pumps way shorter than that. The Fournales ran fine (except for comfort) for more than 200 000 km....

[dogshome]

Headed out over my least favourite road with bumps (nothing like Oz!) and happy. Suspension is firmer, but bone jarring thumps are gone. I can feel the push up from below, but that's all it is. The standard springs YSS are plenty firm enough for me with about 10mm of pre-load and I reckon zero preload would almost be OK. I like plush though. Also suits me on corners where we get gravel, bumps, potholes, drain covers, off camber ripples etc. Hard = Skitter or jump. Softer = hakuna matata. Too soft = wallow or weave.

The ride height is slightly more at present (like all new springs) and whether they settle down much being parked up on the centre stand, we'll see. The original Boge I had on second click and conspired to be low, hard and jarring. nearly 70,000 miles on them though.