Thumper Club Forum
Technical => Bike Problems/Questions => Topic started by: welland99 on June 10, 2015, 09:50:54 PM
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My right rear shock absorber is very leaky. It's been leaking for a good 6 months now and its getting worse. In fact, Im surprised that it's still leaking - thought it might have run out of oil by now.
And the left rear has now begun to leak too.
So the question is this:
1) Is there any possible worthwhile repair that can be done
OR
2) should I be looking to buy a new pair?
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They strip down to the damper unit easily enough, but how easy it would be to change the seal ( I assume thats what is leaking) I'm not so sure. It could probably be done but might be expensive and they are nitrogen charged I seem to recall. Might be easier to try and get a good pair off Ebay - they come up quite often- or look and some replacement ones if you're not bothered about originality.
For 1980's FVQ - aka 'fade very quickly' shocks they last amazingly well.
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Dear welland99,
STOP being tight and buy a new pair of shocks, your neck is at risk and that of any poor sod who gets in the way of the uncontrollable missile! ??? I had a pair of Hagon shocks on the Duke and one blew the seal within 12 months, getting the bike home, it bucked and weaved on any undulations and was definitely not fit for the road. I replaced that pair of shocks with another pair of Hagons and they started to weep after about 18 months. Hence the Betors, which I know will work on the Duke and have been used for classic racing, with encouraging noises from an 'enthusiastic' rider. ;)
Might I suggest a pair of these: Betor_shocks (http://betorspain.com/en/) Well made reasonable price.
Also the long established: Hagon_shocks (http://www.hagon-shocks.co.uk)
Or worth a consideration: NJB_shocks (http://www.njbshocks.co.uk/)
And finally these distributors from whom I purchased a set of Betors for the Duke, rapid phone answering, supplied the product requested and P&P was not extortionate: Bike_Revival_shock_absorber_suppliers (http://www.bike-revival.co.uk/page1.html)
Leaking shocks are lethal and for gawds sake don't go replacing one at a time for economy reasons or the sake of "originality". "Original" bikes are often unrideable! :(
If the moderators want to move this to 'Rants' because of my tone of phrase, please do, I just don't 'get' the continued use of knackered shocks. ???
My regards, Bill
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I put some Hagons on mine at one point and found them rather soft ( I'm not that heavy!!) so went back to the honda ones. Wasn't impressed with their fork springs either :-\.
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Two pennuth worth. Just my opinion and in no way a criticism of what other people think.
I agree whole heartily with bill's sentiments. I ride for pleasure and there's no pleasure in an evil handling bike. Worst case, it compromises your safety. My bikes look a bit shed built (I wonder why), but underneath (where it counts) I like to have it all working properly. That means decent suspension, tyres, controls etc.
I had no experience of hagon shocks until I put a pair of their cheaper ones onto the Beemer. The damping quality is good enough for that era of bike and the spring rate is spot on for me. I put them on three years and about 15k miles ago and no leaks yet (touch wood, you know what'll happen now!). The paint quality isn't the best, but not dire by any means. My bro put the dearer version hagon on his xbr and we both find it a bit over sprung. He's not had any quality issues as far as I know?
im worried by bill's experience with the hagons as I'm giving consideration to fitting a shock to my gpz500.
The type of roads I like certainly give the suspension a good workout.
I heard recently of a company called RAM shocks. There's also maxton, with whom you'd have complete confidence but pay treble what you'd get the cheaper hagon for. Maxton are fully rebuildable tho.
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Yes, again I totally agree with bill on this one, don,t buy cheap or you,ll defo buy twice, like prop said, I put the fully adjustable hagons on to the XBR and defo find them over sprung for the bike with my 12n half stone (all muscle of course) frame on it, however as my bike is now in cafe racer guise and has been on a pretty serious weight loss programme and has shed quite a few pounds (kilos) along the way, so maybe that's part of the reason why they feel over sprung on my bike. I,m going to splash out on some maxtons for my XBR "tracker" when I get to the point of rebuild, expensive yes but apparently very good. Built around you and your bikes weight, so again you,ll get what you pay for. (I hope 8) 8))
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Tony ordered shocks from Wemoto to replace the knackered ones on his XBR. When he showed me them, I thought, 'they look a a bit weedy', as in skinny. Sure enough, he fitted them, and they were way too light, as we both suspected, yet were listed by Wemoto for the XBR. He contacted them to let them know, and ended up with a heavier, more appropriate set. So, buyer beware :-\
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For 1980's FVQ - aka 'fade very quickly' shocks they last amazingly well.
I'm not sure what you mean by FVQ - please explain. :-\
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Tony ordered shocks from Wemoto to replace the knackered ones on his XBR. When he showed me them, I thought, 'they look a a bit weedy', as in skinny. Sure enough, he fitted them, and they were way too light, as we both suspected, yet were listed by Wemoto for the XBR. He contacted them to let them know, and ended up with a heavier, more appropriate set. So, buyer beware :-\
How do you tell weedy / skinny shocks from something heavier (visually)? And what difference does it make when riding?
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For 1980's FVQ - aka 'fade very quickly' shocks they last amazingly well.
I'm not sure what you mean by FVQ - please explain. :-\
I remember them coming out. Would be circa 1979. Maybe even '78?
Can't remember Honda's official acronym, but the press quickly attached the mention by Steve. The claim from honda was that they were more responsive over little successive bumps, so I guess this was a first stab at addressing high speed damping? That's my recollection but it was a long time ago!
They were on my new CB550k3. I'd say, from memory, that they were better than my 400four, which I had before it.
They did look a bit, well, skinny!
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Tony ordered shocks from Wemoto to replace the knackered ones on his XBR. When he showed me them, I thought, 'they look a a bit weedy', as in skinny. Sure enough, he fitted them, and they were way too light, as we both suspected, yet were listed by Wemoto for the XBR. He contacted them to let them know, and ended up with a heavier, more appropriate set. So, buyer beware :-\
How do you tell weedy / skinny shocks from something heavier (visually)? And what difference does it make when riding?
Once you know the definition of each word then it's self evident.
Implications?
Structurally, skinny things, all else being equal are less rigid and suitable for carrying less load. You notice I said "all else being equal" because some skinny things happen to be very well designed and or made from superior material. If, say, the rod was skinny, it might bend or flex.
Volume wise, skinny things, all else being equal, will carry less fluid. In a shock, this might place limitations on the damping quality as well being prone to fading very quickly.
Coil spring. Now this can mislead. Bigger doesn't always mean stronger.
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For 1980's FVQ - aka 'fade very quickly' shocks they last amazingly well.
I'm not sure what you mean by FVQ - please explain. :-\
FVQ were the make of rear shockers fitted as standard to many 80's Honda's along with Showa front forks. Generally they didn't last long before leaking and going soggy so quickly got the nickname 'Fade Very Quickly'
The XBR ones seem the execption as they last ages.
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For 1980's FVQ - aka 'fade very quickly' shocks they last amazingly well.
I'm not sure what you mean by FVQ - please explain. :-\
FVQ were the make of rear shockers fitted as standard to many 80's Honda's along with Showa front forks. Generally they didn't last long before leaking and going soggy so quickly got the nickname 'Fade Very Quickly'
The XBR ones seem the execption as they last ages.
Hi steve.
They were also on the cx500 and the first dreams. So that would date to around 77 or 78.
My 550k3 did about 15k miles without leaks. My cx500 did 30k miles without leaks and that bike was sprung very well for back road riding. A very well designed bike imo.
All my bikes were used year round in all conditions back then.
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Fully variable quality. That's how honda wanted it to be known.
Ps: weren't they made by Showa?
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The ones Wemoto sent Tony at first had much lighter weight springs and were visually skinnier than the standard ones. Once fitted the bike bounced about all over the place, they were more like what youd expect on a 125.
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Hee hee, know one shud,nt laugh at these things but I,m just picturing an XBR bouncing up the road like a pogo stick with your mate sat astride it. Bet it was entertaining tho
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Came across this illustration. Might be of a bit of interest.
http://world.honda.com/mechanical-illustration/large/20.html
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Dear welland99,
Replying to your message enquiring about the course of action you should take to rebuild or replace your leaking shock absorbers after a period of 6 months use on the public highway, you knowing that one was leaking and the other had started to leak was not intended to be defamatory of you. I apologise if you find my comments defamatory or offensive to you and would not coerce others to my thoughts, but ask that they make their own opinion, having read your message.
My reference to "gawds sake" was not intended to be derogatory to your or anybody else’s religious beliefs, but my use of my vernacular to express my surprise at your apparent nonchalance to your described inoperative condition of your motorcycles rear shock absorbers.
Yours sincerely, Bill Rayner
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BTW "fading" with respect to a shock absorber means that the damping properties have temporarily reduced. Due to heat build up in the oil and in some cases aeration. After being left to settle down, the normal (for the particular shock in question) operation should return.