Which shock absorbers?

robs ss · Jun 18, 2020

Well - my Nitron R3s arrived - and very good looking - but upon fitting the LH unit fouls the chainguard.
I have a solution, which is to make a spacer to lift the spring by 26mm. The spring adjustment will allow this (29mm). Why the spring is so low mystifies me.
Anyway, I'm waiting for the agent to confirm fitting the spacer will not affect warranty.
Meanwhile, a friend is machining them for me - 316ss - will match with the springs - once I have them chromed.
I have run the bike with the Nitron on the RHS and the difference in comfort (better) is immediately evident.
Can't wait to have both fitted, run-in and adjusted!

storm42 · Jun 18, 2020

jseng1 said:
Yeah - those look 13.4" Falcons look like the ticket if they really have 3" travel. I might want them in steel so they don't wear. And I'm thinking about rigging up alum adapter plates on my wideline - then (maybe) going with 11" shocks (with 3"travel) and laying them down at a steeper angle. I had adapter plates and twin shocks on my race frame before I worked out the monoshock details. See alum adapter plates below.

Finally got round to measuring the Falcons for you, these were built for the Seeley. If you go with the Falcons, I would specify the spring rate as I found that Robin underestimated the spring rate for these.

Fast Eddie · Jun 18, 2020

storm42 said:
If you go with the Falcons, I would specify the spring rate as I found that Robin underestimated the spring rate for these

Same here. By quite a lot actually...

Fanfan26 · Jun 18, 2020

The 4 way adjustable 1653"He is the one who made the reputation of the ikons as for the olds KONI.

robs ss · Jul 2, 2020

Well, I have finished the mods, to fix fouling the chain-guard, to the Nitron R3s, fitted and given them a run today.
They have transformed the rear end! Bumps that used to be "kidney-shockers" that I used to partially stand on the pegs for are now noticeable but not uncomfortable.
After the spacer mod (to lift the springs to fix the clash with the chain-guard) the springs only have 18mm compression (from free length) on the centre stand. The high-speed compression damping is set to minimum (1 of 16) - the other two damping settings (low-speed compression and rebound) are set mid-range (8 of 16 and 12 of 24 respectively).
The spring compresses 14mm when pushed off the centre-stand and another 16mm when I sit on it (78kg plus riding gear).
I am seriously impressed at the improvement they have delivered.
I'm going to fit small electrical ties to the chrome shafts to confirm the amount of travel I'm using before pulling the springs off to get them chromed (purely my thoughts on what looks good!)
Photos below - hope this helps someone in choosing a comfortable improvement.
Cheers
Rob

kerinorton · Jul 3, 2020

Fanfan26 said:
The 4 way adjustable 1653"He is the one who made the reputation of the ikons as for the olds KONI.

The financial director told me to buy the 1653's, and she has paid for them already. Something to do with being safety conscious.

blaisestation · Jul 3, 2020

kerinorton said:
The financial director told me to buy the 1653's, and she has paid for them already. Something to do with being safety conscious.

you´ll like them Dereck i have the koni units on mine.

Fullauto · Jul 3, 2020

kerinorton said:
I need rear shocks for my 850 and have been thinking about IKONs. Have a quote from the local agent for
7610-1653 Ikon Shock 1.00 $875.00 NZ plus gst
or
76-3044 Ikon Shock 1.00 $625.00 NZ plus gst

Not sure which to buy. Do I need the 4 way adjustable 1653"s or would the non adjustable 3044 Basics be ok.

Dereck

The basics are fine. 60,000 miles now with no issues.

gortnipper · Jul 3, 2020

kerinorton said:
The financial director told me to buy the 1653's, and she has paid for them already. Something to do with being safety conscious.

They are great, what I put on mine for the resto.

Now to complete the safety overhaul you need some Lansdowne dampers.

kerinorton · Jul 3, 2020

Hi Dave. Been thinking about it. Maybe next year as I don't want to push my luck. I think that is the last super-duper mod I can do to it, apart from the licorice start. That will have to wait till i'm paralytic.

ntst8 · Jul 3, 2020

kerinorton said:
The financial director told me to buy the 1653's, and she has paid for them already. Something to do with being safety conscious.

Dereck, will your bike be as shiny as Robs when the shocks are mounted?

gortnipper · Jul 4, 2020

ntst8 said:
Dereck, will your bike be as shiny as Robs when the shocks are mounted?

I nearly spit my beer...

FastFred · Jul 4, 2020

That bike will look nice with a good polish..
You have 30mm of laden/rider sag there which is quite a lot . I would put some mini cable ties on the damper rods just to see what you are actually using. Lovely bike.

robs ss · Jul 4, 2020

FastFred said:
That bike will look nice with a good polish..
You have 30mm of laden/rider sag there which is quite a lot . I would put some mini cable ties on the damper rods just to see what you are actually using. Lovely bike.

I have done that Fred.
The last 100 miles used 72mm of the 86mm available travel.
I'll incease the spring preload and/or the high speed damping if I get to the limit.
Cheers
Rob

Onder · Jul 4, 2020

kerinorton said:
I need rear shocks for my 850 and have been thinking about IKONs. Have a quote from the local agent for
7610-1653 Ikon Shock 1.00 $875.00 NZ plus gst
or
76-3044 Ikon Shock 1.00 $625.00 NZ plus gst

Not sure which to buy. Do I need the 4 way adjustable 1653"s or would the non adjustable 3044 Basics be ok.

Dereck

I you ride with a pillion or panniers then the adjustable damper setting is useful. Otherwise less so esp given the price
difference. Probably the most important thing is the spring rate factoring in the bike weight with half a tank and your weight with yer duds on. I looked at the Ikon calculator which asks what your weight, passenger weight and pannier weights are but the neglect the fact that there is about a 20 pound difference twixt the Roadster and Interstate.

kerinorton · Jul 5, 2020

Hi Ian. Don't let on what my bike really looks like. Besides, if it looked as good as Robs, I wouldn't like to ride it. Thought about painting the fairing pink, like my HQ hHolden. Nah.. Black's best. Cant see it in the dark, and invisible at the speeds I dream of riding.
Dereck

Ps, must be time for another long ride eh, Blaise.

kerinorton · Aug 6, 2020

Well they arrived on the 29th July and I fitted them on Saturday 1st Aug. Haven't ridden yet though. Too busy. Too wet. Too lazy. Got a notice about my rego last night, but wof was due in May. Looks like the govt is being generous at the moment because of the Covid thing, and has just asked us to update our licenses as soon as we can. I wonder if that means if I ride it this weekend, i might not get a ticket for no wof. Anyway its booked for the 18th so hope for the best, safe till Sept. A new member of our club, mentioned in our latest NOCNZ newsletter was brought around to see both my Nortons last Sunday [ by one of his old college teachers who runs in our HH Harriers group. Small world as another of our runners was his form teacher in his 5th form year. ]
The rear shocks looks good. Chrome shocks and black springs. A bit gaudy for my taste but who gives a crap.

gortnipper · Aug 6, 2020

kerinorton said:
Well they arrived on the 29th July and I fitted them on Saturday 1st Aug. Haven't ridden yet though. Too busy. Too wet. Too lazy. Got a notice about my rego last night, but wof was due in May. Looks like the govt is being generous at the moment because of the Covid thing, and has just asked us to update our licenses as soon as we can. I wonder if that means if I ride it this weekend, i might not get a ticket for no wof. Anyway its booked for the 18th so hope for the best, safe till Sept. A new member of our club, mentioned in our latest NOCNZ newsletter was brought around to see both my Nortons last Sunday [ by one of his old college teachers who runs in our HH Harriers group. Small world as another of our runners was his form teacher in his 5th form year. ]
The rear shocks looks good. Chrome shocks and black springs. A bit gaudy for my taste but who gives a crap.

Get out there! You may not get a ticket, but if you prang it I bet your insurance would balk at payout. Even if it wasnt your fault.

What did you set them up at?

kerinorton · Aug 7, 2020

gortnipper said:
Get out there! You may not get a ticket, but if you prang it I bet your insurance would balk at payout. Even if it wasnt your fault.

What did you set them up at?

I set them up on the standard settings. Setting 2 for rebound and on the lowest height. I got my wife to "eyometer" the originals and then the new ones . Of the originals, the r/h one compressed more then the l/h one whereas the new ones compressed the same. The originals were set on at least the middle height position. I'm not so big as some of you guys so think that's a good start for now.
Thanks for the encouragement. Cant afford to prang it cos it will hurt me toooooo much. looking forward to getting out on it again and especially the next rally. Glad I didnt take it to work today as it started raining. Big hail lumps at home apparently. Nothing like you can get in Sydney though.

Dereck

gortnipper · Aug 7, 2020

Pissing here too. Roofer coming to fix the leak tomorrow.

Which shock absorbers?

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