Rear shock help K75... non stock

[ronbuell]

Probably go w/Works Performance when this one goes bad. :riding:

[richarddacat]

I have a Works on my K75, made a different bike out of it.

[beachcomber]

We've [ RAM ] supplied almost 200 shox for all versions of Kays - and every feedback has been the same as your experience - transformed the bike !
 I then went on to develop a progressive front spring - as the "good" rear shock showed up the already deficient front end.

The OEM shock is marginal in it's performance and prone to severe deterioration after about 30K miles. A long term owner would "adjust" their riding style to compensate without really pointing the finger at a poor shocker.

BTW - OEM shox ARE rebuildable, but that would cost as much / more as a good quality aftermarket unit with full adjustment ! I think that all ftermarket shox [ with the exception of Ohlins ] will also be cheaper than an OEM replacement. :2thumbup:

[Dragwn]

I have a shock marked Progressive with a remote reservoir, and the hose fitting is at the base of the shock body but the number and serial number are almost illegible to my eyes. Anyone have this same model, it is on my '85 100rs.

[pdg]

I'm going to assist in the thread necro here - I missed it first time round and to be frank I'm shocked.... (what I did there, did you saw it?)

Starting with the 'turning the shock over swaps compression and rebound damping rates' (yes, I called it rebound damping, because y'know, that's what it's actually called...) Are you actually being serious beachcomber? I mean, really?

Here's a simplfication that's actually correct. A damper is essentially a washer on a stick in a tube - on compression the stick is pushed into the tube and on rebound it's pulled out of the tube. How is the washer expected to know in which orientation it is sitting? In actuallity, the 'washer' has valves and shims, but they are fixed in relation to the travelling direction of the stick, regardless of orientation of the assembly.

You said you were referring to an 'experimental' shock "for a trike". Until I see some drawings or photographs of how the shock determines which way up it is I'm calling bullshit.

Now, as for the spring being fitted upside down (which going from the order of the thread is what you assumed was the reason for the hardness), again, really? Are you also working on experimental unidirectional springs that only bounce one way?

I know from previous experience that I'm flogging a dead horse by asking this, but what do you actually know about suspension design, other than "it feels better"?

To be quite blunt, saying it feels better means 2 parts of fuck all, a blancmange would probably feel better than a properly fubar OEM shock. And who replaces a good shock? Nobody normal, they replace them because of problems, real or perceived.

From a personal perspective, there is no way I would ever consider buying a shock that someone who said what has previously been said in this thread, had any sort of hand in "developing". It's even been known for me to change my mind about buying something because the person selling it didn't know what they were talking about.

BTW - OEM shox ARE rebuildable

SOME OEM shocks are "rebuildable". The K75 OEM unit is crimped so can't be stripped for rebuild by normal means. They are designed as a disposable unit.

[TimTyler]

FWIW - I called the Tech line at Progressive Suspension a while back inquiring whether my Progressive 465 might be upside down.

The tech told me that the shock functions the same regardless of which end is up.

Progressive recommends their shocks be installed  one way or the other only so that the fit does not interfere with other parts of the bike, like ABS pumps, etc.

I should add, however, that my original OEM shock was mounted piston-up and when my rear brake master cylinder failed, the brake fluid sprayed onto the piston and seeped into the shock, causing the shock to fail within a day. That shock sucked anyway.

[Motorhobo]

I got a YSS and it transformed the bike too...probably because the one it replaced was f**cked. In that sense, any new shock will transform a bike which previously either had a shock which was f**cked or of poorer quality than the replacement.

Having said that...pdg, you sure you don't just have a woody for beach after the last head butting extravaganza last year? Works makes quality stuff... I don't think anyone would deny that. Maybe you could frame your valued perspective in perhaps a slightly less confrontational dialectic?

Which translated into simplified Yankspeak means more or less -- 'Dude, lighten up...'

[pdg]

Having said that...pdg, you sure you don't just have a woody for beach after the last head butting extravaganza last year? Works makes quality stuff... I don't think anyone would deny that. Maybe you could frame your valued perspective in perhaps a slightly less confrontational dialectic?

Works suspension does indeed look like quality equipment with a good reputation for custom built units. However, I am not aware of any connection between Works and Realm engineering. As I have previously stated, I have no experience with Realm engineering products over and above the 'marketing' carried out on a few forums, so I can't honestly say whether they are good, bad or indifferent. The only information I can possibly work from is what is presented on said forum discussions.

Confrontational? I can see how that could be inferred - although perhaps 'blunt' might be a more apt term most of the time. I'm not going to go all 'fluffy' because I might offend someone - remember, offence is taken not given. Personally, I would much rather people just come out and say what they think instead of beating around the bush in a vain attempt at politeness.

When it comes to technical (in)accuracies, I probably do sway more toward confrontational. It very much irks me when people spout utter nonsense while hiding behind 'the voice of experience'. Using a sentence along the lines of "but I DO have 35 year's experience with shox and their application [ race and road ] and having been involved in the design / development of the RAMSHOX for the past 9 years" implies the author would be a good source of knowledge. Sadly, this was shown in great big flashing red neons that in this instance it was so far from the case it couldn't even see the case any more.

It's certainly not a vendetta against any indivdual or company - had a 'spokesperson' for let's say ohlins or WP made the same comments, I would have made the same reply.

[Bill]

Just read the entire thread and commend pdg on his honesty.  The idea that a shock or spring could detect its orientation relative to the earth was something I JUST had to read .... inquiring minds just need to know !