Topic: Broke my shock absorbers today.

[Old Moe Toe]

Had my very nice K0 out for a ride today and hit a big bump in the road, going too fast to avoid it but at least got my backside off the seat to avoid the unwanted spinal compression. Wondered at the time if it was enough to dent the front rim but it looked to be spinning true so onwards we went.
Got home and started draining the oil for a service and when emptying the main oil tank noticed the RH rear shock absorber was cracked and bent on the adjuster. Looked at the LH side one and same story there. Never done that before!.
As it is a fairly original K0 I would like a shock absorber replacement that looks original.
I see Yamiya makes a variety of replica ones.
Would be very interested to hear from people who have used these type and what they think about them.
Cheers
Brad

[RAFster122s]

Wow!
How do you like the looks of the chrome shock spring Ikons? (Rebuildable version of course)

[Old Moe Toe]

Did not know Ikon had chrome springs, thought they were black springs.

[robvangulik]

From here it looks as if only the  adjustable rings are broken!

[MauiK3]

I'm working on a 1973 Kawasaki Z1 and I can get replicas for a little over $100. I have trouble with the idea that these would be very good at that price point. I'm going with Hagon shocks like I did on my K3 750. Chrome springs, stainless body, they look very nice and work well.

[Stev-o]

Wow...you must have hit it hard!  I'd contact Ikon and ask if they have what you are looking for...

https://www.ikonsuspension.com/wp-content/uploads/full-ikon-shock-absorber-application-list.pdf

[BenelliSEI]

I’d take one apart. If the shock is still dragging on rebound, why no just replace the “step collar”? Lots of old units around to strip down for bits...... I probably have a few you can have, but postage Canada - Australia might be a bit daunting! Let me know. John D.

[ekpent]

K1 shocks had the black inner body and top mount also. Maybe an option for used replacement or parts if you can swap them over. I changed some out on one of my K1's because the rear was a pogo stick. Not sure if K2-K6 use the came parts down there or not,probably.
  That must have been quite a bump !

[BenelliSEI]

Note that most of the replica shocks have a 5 position collar. Yours is probably three? Should interchange nicely with any K0-K6 collar.

[Old Moe Toe]

I did see that some of the replica shocks from Yamiya have 5 step adjusters. I could live with that as it would take a very pedantic eye to pick up on that and the rest of the unit looks true to the originals.
So has anyone bought these replica ones from Yamiya and what do you think of them or do most people go for the Ikons?. The Yamiya ones are not a bad price and look more like the original style. I cannot see Ikon make any with the black body and chrome springs either.

[RAFster122s]

Would be custom order to get chrome springs... Nils would do those at low cost to us sohc4 members.

[Old Moe Toe]

Would be custom order to get chrome springs... Nils would do those at low cost to us sohc4 members.

Thank you for the info RAFster. I am in Australia where they make the Ikons and have just sent them a picture of the original shock and am waiting to hear back from them.

[chiefum]

This is the ikon I have on my K1, not exactly the same as original,  but close enough for me.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[BenelliSEI]

I did use a set of Yamiya on one K0. They worked well and looked perfect.

[ekpent]

The new Yamiya you would think would have to work as good or better then a 50year old original.

[MauiK3]

I suppose the replicas work well, I just don't see how a $100 set of shocks can be that good.

[Don R]

 I have two sets of these, they are a little stiff one up, but look the part. 5 position adjuster, I have not tried to swap them for 3 position originals yet.
https://z1parts.net/sandcast-shocks-1969-honda-cb750/

  Z1 parts also has a set of original sandcast used shocks.

[BenelliSEI]

I have two sets of these, they are a little stiff one up, but look the part. Z1 also has a set of original sandcast type shocks. 5 position adjuster, I have not tried to swap them for 3 position originals yet.
https://z1parts.net/sandcast-shocks-1969-honda-cb750/

Will be curious to see if that works? The shocks on my s/c have decent adjusters, so thinking that is a good solution?

[Don R]

I have two sets of these, they are a little stiff one up, but look the part. Z1 also has a set of original sandcast type shocks. 5 position adjuster, I have not tried to swap them for 3 position originals yet.
https://z1parts.net/sandcast-shocks-1969-honda-cb750/

Will be curious to see if that works? The shocks on my s/c have decent adjusters, so thinking that is a good solution?

I'm hoping yes, but have not wanted to try the swap that badly yet. I do have the spring compressor out and parted out some broken aftermarket junk a couple weeks ago.
  I also saw them on ebay and offered last years price, they took it.

[Terry in Australia]

Fcuking hell mate, are you sure you didn't jump a London bus on your K0? I've never seen damage like that! I bought some Ebay cheapies (JBS) for my K0 build and they're fine, (the OEM shocks on CB750's and Z1's were sh1t quality even back in the day) but Ikons would be better.

[Old Moe Toe]

Fcuking hell mate, are you sure you didn't jump a London bus on your K0? I've never seen damage like that! I bought some Ebay cheapies (JBS) for my K0 build and they're fine, (the OEM shocks on CB750's and Z1's were sh1t quality even back in the day) but Ikons would be better.

No London bus jumps Terry just a really nasty hollow in the road, like a 350mm dia round solid concrete pipe had been dropped from 10,000 meters and landed right across the road causing a perfect half round dent in the bitumen.
I was always wondering if the original shocks were still any good, they had 12000 miles on them when I bought the bike. I felt that they were a bit soft but not like a pogo stick. I had them set on the hardest of the three settings. On a ride one day with 2 friends one of them who was following me commented that from behind he reckoned the shocks were working marvelously well.
Anyway I have a set of Ikons on the way and was a bit horrified at the cost of $792 Aussie bucks. Recently bought a pair of Progressive rear shocks for my HD Shovel and they were way cheaper than that.
As you would know there is a Honda 4 specialist in Victoria, he happened to have a couple of spare sets (2nd hand) of the adjuster rings that I broke so ordered a set of them to repair the ones I broke in case I ever sell my K0 as an original.

[Old Moe Toe]

Fitted the new Ikons today (1st pic) and looking forward to seeing how they go, will take the bike out for a ride tomorrow.
Was also keen to fix the old pair as  they were not working too badly at all.
I noticed when I got sent the second hand adjuster rings they were made from raw aluminum while the adjusting rings on my K0 are chromed, so that was a bit disappointing. Thought I would polish them up a bit to make them look like a better match to the damaged ones.
When I took the shock absorber apart though I quickly realized that the 2nd hand adjusting rings are not the same size as well as not being chromed.
The inside diameter of the adjusting ring that was on the K0 is 32mm while the inside diameter of the second hand ones is 36mm.
I had a look at the adjuster ring on my K2 and it was also 36mm inside dia.
So I guess I have to assume the K0 shocks were a different size to later models, unless the shocks on my K0 have been replaced at some stage by aftermarket ones (which I doubt).
If someone on this forum has a K0 with the original shocks still on it I would be very interested to know if the adjuster ring inside dia (or the o.d of the tube the adjuster turns on) is 32mm and whether or not the adjuster is chromed.

[Terry in Australia]

You’re quite correct, in that assumption. The K0 and early K1 shocks were completely different than late K1-6 and beyond Brad. The K0 shocks were nitrogen filled upside down dampers and were quite “High tech” compared to the later shocks which were rubbish and used on everything from 350’s thru to 750’s. I have some K0 shocks in pieces somewhere that I’ll eventually need to reassemble and put on my K0.

[Terry in Australia]

Your new ones are probably longer than your K0 shocks too, so check your chain tension before you go for a ride, if it was correct before it’ll be too tight now.

[HondaMan]

You’re quite correct, in that assumption. The K0 and early K1 shocks were completely different than late K1-6 and beyond Brad. The K0 shocks were nitrogen filled upside down dampers and were quite “High tech” compared to the later shocks which were rubbish and used on everything from 350’s thru to 750’s. I have some K0 shocks in pieces somewhere that I’ll eventually need to reassemble and put on my K0.

This reminds me, Terry: the K0 shocks were identifiable by their shorter length, too. They were 12.8" long. The later ones, with their fish-oil filled dampers, are 13.1" long. I have several sets of those.