Bouncy rear end...

Hi,

I was more or less a dedicated sports bike fan but I thought I might try a cruiser and came across a VL800 so went for it...Though I noticed the rear end seems so bouncy I can't tell whether it was designed that way or rear shock is shot...When ever I go over some hump the rear end goes gedoing gedoing gedoing 3 times before it settles down.

Any thoughts?

Check the spring setting. It sounds like your on the lowest setting which can be a real bouncy castle ride compared to your previous rides.

It is in 3rd notch from highest...

Any sign of oil leaks from the shocker rods ? ... if so possible loss of damping.

I thought that as well but saw no signs...but I only got it a month ago so it is hard to tell.

Yes ... if someone has been 'clever' they could have cleaned off the leaking oil - so it is hard to tell 'on the bike. I suppose you could remove one shocker and (if you have suitable kit) take off the spring to 'assess' the damper. If it is shot you will be able to push the rod in & pull it out with very little resistance - & if it is 'shot' then it needs replacing/rebuilding.

If you are removing the spring, wind the pre-load down to the softest setting. You can sometimes compress the spring with a decent lever or large open ended spanner (if you exercise appropriate caution) to remove the retainer cap - but a proper spring compressor is the 'safe' way to do it.

These comments are 'generalised' for a typical twin shock rear set up as I do not have the details of the VL shockers to hand.

I suppose if you knew someone else local with a VL you could swap shocks to test ..... but you'd need a good 'buddy' to do that kind of testing.

put it on a stiffer setting and see if that firms it up if not sounds like the shock as had it lol sorry not much help I tend to get someone to hold the bike push the rear end down with my weight and let go it should go back up in a nice motion and stay there if you let go and it go's up then bounces up and down before stopping then the shocs seen better days

Well I had it at 2nd hardest setting and it bounced around so much that I had to bring it down to 3rd notch...

as mentioned above, Oils gone if there's no damping effect.

Yeah sounds about right.

Not bouncy anymore...took off the swingarm cover and put in a shock for Austin Mini. Just the right amount of damping. Transformed it. It will do until ridiculously long Hagon monoshock order arrives.

Bloody hell thats one way of doing it, glad it has temporarily sorted the problem for you

Austin Mini? Kinnel! who'd have thought that would fit? lol Just out of interest though? Is there another Suzuki "donor bike" monoshock that would fit the C/VL/M 800?  Worth thinking about I'm sure 

Only from US I can get used ones from...

Now that's excellent improvisation! A Damper situated between the Final Drive and Helmet Lock bracket! 

I actually had to grind off the helmet lock and weld much heavier steel onto the brace... The bottom bracket is just bolt on.

Hi,
You had me worried at first when I read 'Mini shocker', & I instantly thought what about the spring .... but in seeing what you have actually done I can see how it works ! ..... & why it will work.
Nice bit of innovative thinking ....   .... & I guess original Mini shox are cheap !

If you are struggling with Hagon, then other people have recommended Brook Suspension in Bradford (They may be able to rebuild O/E units).
See website :-  www.brooksuspension.co.uk/    
I personally have not tried them yet .... but have bookmarked them for possible future use.


  Yam

Well....Hagon shocks nearly cost £300 Mini shock is £30 and they are far stronger than those original shocks!

I might send my old one in once I get hagon.

Vl800 is not listed though...I have a strange feeling the original shock for vl800 is not rebuildable...just looking at it looks so cheap compared with monoshocks from other bikes. To disassemble it you have to grind off the welds and cut off the press formed sealed ends...

What a brilliant improvisation, I am impressed by your thinking.

Brilliant use of a Mini shock matey! 
Shows that necessity is indeed the mother of invention!

What an amazing mod, now you can stay cause we likes you

Yep - I get where you are coming from thinking the standard shock might not be rebuildable - but it costs nowt to enquire. Their (Brooks Suspension) website suggests they can. Made me wonder if they cut off the welded section and thread the upper part of the shock body to retain a cap on the top thus creating a serviceable unit - this is wishful speculation - so don't quote me on that. They might have other components that could provide a workable solution though.

From my days of messing with minis, there were aftermarket mini shocks that would take coils over the shocker .... mainly used on grass track cars and some kit cars. Spax and AVO did them. My Haughton Coldwell Biota (Kit car) used Greeves scramble coil over shox on the rear suspension (Dates back to the early 70's). However adding the spring to your mini shock will not give the same rising rate effect if your existing mono-shock unit is on a pivoting link. (i.e. you would lose some of the 'sophistication' of the O/E spring loading pattern.

Yea, I checked out those but in the end it costs about as much as Hagon unit. Though I will enquire about the rebuild option. Unfourtunstely right now I have no other mode of transport I had to resort to an improvisation...

Excellent mod,well thought out and engineered.