TOPIC:

Shocks should be firm, but not overly stiff. The object is to keep the tire in contact with the road even on uneven pavement. If they are too stiff (think of a bike with struts instead of shocks) the bike will lift the rear tire off the road when if crosses a bump at speed. If they are too soft, they can cause the bike to "pogo" up & down on uneven roads.

I noticed my stock shocks were shot when going around a highway ramp at a fairly high speed. The bike felt unstable even though I had sticky, racing compound tires on it. I rode through that turn several times to see if it was consistent - it was. I bought new high performance shocks (S&W) and rode through the ramp at the same speed - totally stable. I rode around and came through the ramp again - this time at about 60 mph - totally stable. I rode around and came through the ramp again as fast as I dared - totally stable. BUT while I was making the loop around to make that 3rd pass on the ramp a MD State Trooper had set up a radar trap on Route 95. As I roared around the ramp onto the highway I saw his light come on. He clocked me at 75mph on that 45 mph ramp, but after explaining I was doing a safety test he wrote the ticket as if I had been on the 65 mph Route 95 rather than the 45 mph ramp. Ed

74ullc wrote:

bountyhunter wrote: The stock shocks are pretty soft and floaty.

My bike only has 12K on it so I didn't think they could be dead, sure they are old, but low miles. But soft and floaty is exactly how I would describe what I was feeling on my last ride.

So is stiffer safer at higher speeds?

I think the stock shocks were just too soft and floaty and made the handling very uncertain. The Progressive gas shocks feel a bit more stiff but not uncomfortable. Stock shocks are a part that just need replacing regardless of age.

Just my .02 here. I do not have a lot of cash. There are a lot of things to spend money on in my particular build. I have literally spent hours researching shocks. A lot of guys will tell you that good shocks are worth every penny. I will never race my bike but I do like the twisties. I have modified for a wider tire and now need longer shocks. It is irritating to find that $300 will not neccisarily buy you good shocks. It also depends on what look you are going for. My bike is not even close to stock anymore. There are piggy back shocks call RFY that can be had on eBay. I have used them and can say they are slightly better than stock. Then I ran across a gentleman from a cafe site that rebuilds them.
He is a nice guy and is happy to answer questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. obvioulsy his name is Chris. Web site: chrislivengood.net/wp/?page_id=1176
Here is an article from his web site:
RFY Shocks – Overview
DECEMBER 27, 2013 AT 2:50 PM
There has been a great deal of interest in RFY Shocks, not just here, but also on other websites and forums. Rightfully so, the shocks are available on eBay from around $80 to $100 and they come in a myriad of colors and sizes. This presumably allows people to pick and chose to suit their needs and tastes while replacing there bounced out 40 year old models. Given the low price point and the ability to pick your color it’s not a hard purchase to make. There are plenty of people on the web both raving about these shocks and at the same time others are denouncing their quality. Since I’m building my bike and like to take things a part I decided that I too would purchase a set, but before strapping them on my multi-thousand dollar machine would take them a part just to see what is inside. Both for science and safety.

Before taking my RFY’s apart, the best information I had was posted by user Crazypj on the DoTheTon.com forum. He took his shocks completely apart and then made a few upgrades of his own, but since I am not going to steal his information you’ll have to head over there to find his post.

Here is a semi-exploded view of my shocks. Give it a look then scroll down.



The above photo shows the shock almost completely disassembled. All that remains is the shock seal, shaft, and piston in the shock. The bladder fits on the cap and is pressurized externally using the Schrader valve. The gas in the bladder does not come into contact with the damping fluid. This bladder colapses as the shock shaft displaces oil. The circlip holds the bladder and cap assembly in the reservoir of the shock, and bladder seals to the interior of the reservoir preventing fluid from escaping. Upper left in the photo is a semi-translucent washer. This washer goes between the upper spring perch and spring. I assume it’s primary function is to provide a surface that won’t chafe as the spring moves on the perch do to compression.



Here you can see the entire shock rod and all of its components. The piston and stacks are of most interest, though the components are all pretty standard. Which, in my opinion, is a good thing. Overall quality appears good, though there were challenges in disassembling the shock this far. The overabundant use of high strength thread locker was the main obstacle. A nice addition to the shock is the rebound bump stop which has a spring and should help prevent adverse wear and tear when your wheel suddenly extends to full droop.

My impression is that these shocks are more than usable. They do appear to be copied from an Ohlins shock. All things considered, they are in fact very nice. I wouldn’t however buy a set off the shelf and install them expecting a good ride. On my set, the factory assembly would have provided an ill working shock. These shocks are completely rebuild-able, and I was able to disassemble mine without ruining any of the parts. Without modification, I was able to reassemble my shocks while preventing the introduction of air into the system. Additionally, if one were in need of different damping characteristics, the stacks could be changed to accommodate.

The bottom line, if you want Ohlins, pony up the cash. If you want to go racing, get Ohlins. For the rest of us, if you want a shock that has the potential to perform like shocks that cost twice as much, the RFY is a great choice. Just know that before hand that you will need at least a partial rebuild to get them right.

Again this is just info. I have only spoke with Chris via email but others have had him rebuild the shocks with good oil and fill them with nitrogen and like the outcome. I will be using him myself in the coming weeks. If I had the ability to get the appropriate amount of nitrogen in the reservoir I would do it myself.

I'm not sure WHAT the specs are on my Hagons! I think the "330" refers to the length, but the rest of these numbers...??? I have attached a copy of my invoice, and the end of the Hagon box..I am probably around 200 lbs...Hope this is of some help!