Lansdown dampers and rear shocks

Springs that are designed to "suit" a known aplication , ie in a pen, or clock can be made to suit that enviroment because they are subjected to a constant known force.
Its impossible to make a fork or rear spring that will suit "all" riders , solo rider smooth road surface, or two up 100kg riders on a rough surface the springing will be completly differant.
Now the subject of stock norton fork spring v progressive? Which is best? what is best anyway? My "old mate " Arnie loves super soft suspension, to an insane degree he winds all the pre-load off and ....this is true...lets his tyres down! He is 78 ..and rides about ,happy the bike is pogoing along, the bike is a VFR 750.
I took it out and give her a thrash...OMG! its wallowed about, over steered it was bleedind crap! Took it back and said " Arn this is dangerous!" he said " it suits me. nice and spoongy"
Last week he fell off it! was i shocked? NO!
Anyway Springs. I have always considered that a suspension should have a damper systen that controls the spring action, bit like the tail lift on your car, you wouldnt like to release the trunk and it flys in your face! like the forks you want a smooth hydrulic control,,springs just" support the bike, dampers control the springs..progressive or stock ? soft or firm...you can shoot a rabbit with a air rifle or a 44 mag results the same...my MK 3 was owned by a guy who was over 30 stone, i am 12 stone...it just sat lower when he had it...i have made no changes to it..except a set of Lansdowne units..to prevent that klonk!

Hagons were always said to be a copy of the gas Girlings which appeared as an after-market product in the mid to late 1970s. I always found gas Girlings to be non-compliant and harsh when compared with the earlier oil-damped types which were a nice shock for ordinary road use, but with rather a short life. Many only lasted a couple of winters before leaking.

Obviously a new pair of shocks always felt better than a knackered set but if ridden back to back with both sets in good condition then the gas shocks felt like a retrograde step to me. I am a bit of a lightweight though (in more ways than one :roll: )Were they cheaper to make or was it marketing that brought about the change ?

79x100 said:

Hagons were always said to be a copy of the gas Girlings which appeared as an after-market product in the mid to late 1970s. I always found gas Girlings to be non-compliant and harsh when compared with the earlier oil-damped types which were a nice shock for ordinary road use, but with rather a short life. Many only lasted a couple of winters before leaking.

Obviously a new pair of shocks always felt better than a knackered set but if ridden back to back with both sets in good condition then the gas shocks felt like a retrograde step to me. I am a bit of a lightweight though (in more ways than one :roll: )Were they cheaper to make or was it marketing that brought about the change ?

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Re; “I always found gas Girlings to be non-compliant and harsh when compared with the earlier oil-damped types”
This may have been the double wound spring available at the time :?:
There was a load of different spring poundage’s available then.

Alf Hagon has spent a considerable amount of money on improving the rear dampers, obtaining new machines e.t.c. and you are right they only appear to last a couple of years if used daily.
BTW; did you know that Hagon’s will supply the dampers only of yours are knackered
But watch out :!:
they appear to have changed/increased the diameter of the damper body, meaning the earlier Girling /Hagon springs and collars/ spring adjusters will not fit the later ones.

There used to be available, up to the 1970s from Girling only, a pair of race shocks which the top cap unscrewed so these were rebuildable.

I figure that since CNW uses Hagons on their bikes, they must be a decent damper though obviously one with adjustable settings is more versatile.

mike996 said:

I figure that since CNW uses Hagons on their bikes, they must be a decent damper though obviously one with adjustable settings is more versatile.

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Well, Hagon do make them, but have you seen the prices of these muti ajustable dampers :?:
They are on par with Ohlins