Author Topic: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?  (Read 5611 times)

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Offline dave500

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Re: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?
« Reply #50 on: November 09, 2017, 10:34:00 PM »
try driving a new jeep with the shock absorbers removed,you can get new temptingly cheap bike shocks from china etc,they look good but wont be any better than old worn ones in no time ill wager,modern tyres and decent rear shocks really do improve the safety and road manners of any old bike,the front forks are a bit more involved in any mods or swap outs.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2017, 10:36:58 PM by dave500 »

Offline aminemed

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Re: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?
« Reply #51 on: November 10, 2017, 02:52:08 AM »
Do you know if any modern sport bike shocks can fit cb 750 K2 ?

Offline RAFster122s

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Re: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?
« Reply #52 on: November 10, 2017, 04:40:38 AM »
Stev-o, Sean;
Ignorant people can be taught, stupid people ...well what are you going to do, it is to the bone.
David

  Your bike will not handle any better with new shocks. 


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Possibly the most **** post I have ever seen on this site.

It’s a 40 year old bike even if he bought new OEM shocks for his bike he would not see any difference in handling. 



Plz stop giving bad/incorrect advice.   
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline Killer Canary

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Re: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?
« Reply #53 on: November 10, 2017, 06:06:04 AM »
try driving a new jeep with the shock absorbers removed,you can get new temptingly cheap bike shocks from china etc,they look good but wont be any better than old worn ones in no time ill wager,modern tyres and decent rear shocks really do improve the safety and road manners of any old bike,the front forks are a bit more involved in any mods or swap outs.
I installed a pair of the cheap piggyback shocks on the MT250; the bike is overweight (also the rider ;D) and many gravel pits later, they're still firm.
Not as heavy as a street bike, but the MT saw a fair amount of air time over the last two summers.
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
Honda MT250, CB400F, CB450K, CB550, GL500, CBR929
Kawi GPz900, H1

Offline Ridem32

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Re: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?
« Reply #54 on: November 10, 2017, 08:06:19 AM »
Hey RAF122S.  Don’t be stupid and ignorant.  Your just being pure ugly!!!  God don’t like ugly.    Go back and read all the OP posts.   He has a nice bike and as it seems his rear shocks are not bad.   No matter what you do the old cb750 are dinosaurs compared to the new bikes just like old classic cars with drum brakes etc.   go to a car show and see how they judge the original parts on it. They even count off if you don’t have OEM exhaust nuts.  So his bike is all original except for his exhaust from what he says.  Also check out the cbx forum those guys are hard core OEM parts. And most of them have very very nice bikes.


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Offline PeWe

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Re: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?
« Reply #55 on: November 10, 2017, 09:31:20 AM »
OEM shocks were junk for many years ago. Serious owners replaced them with Koni, Marzochii etc when the bikes were almost new. CB750 has OK handling and can be ridden rather hard way beyond the speed limits.

Most fun is between 70-190 kph (country roads were the limits are 70-90). OK that newer bikes can ride faster, but not that useful where others are driving cars like sleeping zoombies. Boring on highways were our max speed is 120kph. My bike will go beyound 200, nut not that much more. Maybe 220 when everything is tuned. Most modern bikes will make 250-300 without any problems.

Anyway the fun is still the 70-190 acceleration and still have time to avoid others.  Cruising around 120-150kph is perfect.
CB750 K6-76  970cc (Earlier 1005cc JMR Billet block on the shelf waiting for a comeback)
CB750 K2-75 Parts assembled to a stock K2

Updates of the CB750 K6 -1976
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180468.msg2092136.html#msg2092136
The billet block build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,49438.msg1863571.html#msg1863571
CB750 K2 -1975  build thread
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,168243.msg1948381.html#msg1948381
K2 engine build thread. For a complete CB750 -75
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180088.msg2088008.html#msg2088008
Carb jetting, a long story Mikuni TMR32
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,179479.msg2104967.html#msg2104967

Offline Sigop

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Re: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?
« Reply #56 on: November 10, 2017, 10:57:04 AM »
If the shocks were junk when new, then on my Carolina to Canada ride back then I didn't notice it.  But then, my body had better shocks than the bike back then also.

So I'll probably put shock shopping on my winter project/purchase list about half way down.  In fact that might be a decent thread.  Tell us about your winter project priority list.

I appreciate all the thoughts folks. Hardly ever black and white is it?

CB750 K3  Original Owner and Operator

Offline RAFster122s

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Re: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?
« Reply #57 on: November 11, 2017, 05:20:12 PM »
Sigop, they were worn out and needed replacement in maybe 15k miles at the most.  Often the shock seals inside are not working and they have very little resistance and it is the springs that are providing any cushioning.  Springs were an early form of cushioning a ride before hydraulic shocks were developed.

In '78 Honda was using a brand called FVQ.  Standing joke was that stood for Fades Very Quickly.  Inexpensive shocks never last very long, even today, but the technology and materials have advanced well beyond what it was in the 70s and even the 80s. Some brands were built with longevity and quality in mind and used some if not the best material available and others, just like today, are merely disposables when used up.
So, keep them if you want, but anyone who wants their bike to handle well today should be looking to replace their shocks if they find them still on the bike and they want something they can ride and enjoy.

If I went solely on spring strength my police interceptor would probably never fail the bounce test as it is hard to deflect the body down much on any corner to get an accurate read. I know the shocks are past their useful life and are being replaced next week.

Once uncoupled from the springs in the suspension I expect them to be pretty easy to move in and out of the shock body. I know I have put it off too long.  The rear shocks are a real pain to replace, so much so many will cut a hole in the trunk to be able to reach the top nut of the shock, rather than very slowly removing the top shock nut, it is a  real pain
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline Sigop

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Re: Assessing Rear Shock Life: How?
« Reply #58 on: November 11, 2017, 07:38:22 PM »
Thanks RAF122S.  I'll probably seek some look-alikes with new technology.  Appreciate your thoughts.
CB750 K3  Original Owner and Operator