Fournales Suspension.Why don't people buy it?

Vern

Vern

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What is wrong with Fournales suspension,and why don't people buy it?It's been proven time and time again,and I've only heard one or two horror stories about them,unlike ohlins,where seal failure seens to be the norm.

The struts on my 1100 have done over 140,000 miles now,and no problems at all.No adjustment needed for two up or luggage,just get on and ride.

I know people like to boast about how their two speed damping and rebound adjustment is an absolute must,but do they really adjust it to go on holiday two up,then get the C spanners out to adjust it again when they've emptied their panniers,and then spanners again when they go for a blast on their own,and then adjust it back for the ride home? What about when you do a load of shopping,adjust it in the car park then:augie

So come on,what's wrong with a top notch strut(apart from the price) that you fit and forget(a bit like the posh,multi adjustable WP or Ohlins really)I can't think of anyone else with an oilhead that has them fitted front and rear.

Maybe this should be in the rant section
 
i have very nearly bought them a couple of times. never heard anything bad about them, everything good from the very few owners i've encountered.

must be the lure of the yellow and gold :)


oh yes, the importer is very nice and helpful, but it all seems a bit...hokey :nenau
 
Vern said:
What is wrong with Fournales suspension,and why don't people buy it?It's been proven time and time again,and I've only heard one or two horror stories about them,unlike ohlins,where seal failure seens to be the norm.

The struts on my 1100 have done over 140,000 miles now,and no problems at all.No adjustment needed for two up or luggage,just get on and ride.

I know people like to boast about how their two speed damping and rebound adjustment is an absolute must,but do they really adjust it to go on holiday two up,then get the C spanners out to adjust it again when they've emptied their panniers,and then spanners again when they go for a blast on their own,and then adjust it back for the ride home? What about when you do a load of shopping,adjust it in the car park then:augie

So come on,what's wrong with a top notch strut(apart from the price) that you fit and forget(a bit like the posh,multi adjustable WP or Ohlins really)I can't think of anyone else with an oilhead that has them fitted front and rear.

Maybe this should be in the rant section
Click to expand...


I have one on my shelf, needs rebuilt though as it leaks pressure :augie
 
Interesting question......

I wouldn't buy them (or they certainly wouldn't be high on my shopping list) because the first thing I think of when I hear their name is collapsed rear ends with blocks of wood jammed inbetween the swingarm and the rear subframe holding the tyre oway from chewing the rider's arse off :eek:

TBH I could'nt tell you where that impression came from, probably HP2 problems I've read about?:nenau

Beyond the 'first impression' level that the name brings up though, I'm not sure my gut feeling trusts a system that doesn't have at least a degree of physical resistance between the sprung and the unsprung in case of failure.....but that may well be down to the fact that I know little about them and what happens when/if they do fail?
 
I put them on the rear end of the big Burger, and they are lardy buggers,
never gave them a thought after fitting. I did 38,000 miles on that one
and they made a hell of a difference to the bike. Our Vern is getting me another set:thumb2 Not cheap now the £ has bombed but ha! Ho!
Lyn.
 
There are environmentally friendly
 
Fanum said:
Interesting question......

I wouldn't buy them (or they certainly wouldn't be high on my shopping list) because the first thing I think of when I hear their name is collapsed rear ends with blocks of wood jammed inbetween the swingarm and the rear subframe holding the tyre oway from chewing the rider's arse off :eek:

TBH I could'nt tell you where that impression came from, probably HP2 problems I've read about?:nenau

Beyond the 'first impression' level that the name brings up though, I'm not sure my gut feeling trusts a system that doesn't have at least a degree of physical resistance between the sprung and the unsprung in case of failure.....but that may well be down to the fact that I know little about them and what happens when/if they do fail?
Click to expand...

You can make a get-you-home repair with lots and lots of cable ties. :thumb
 
Cant comment about them on a GS or even any recent experience but I had a crosser years ago with one on the back suspension. Seals blew twice and the 3rd time I took it off and put a normal spring shock on. This was all in about 1.5 years and I am certainly no off road god. It did an ok job I suppose when it was on but it just couldn't cope with off road riding. To be honest I didn't know they still existed outside the mountain bike world. My M8 has one on his mountain bike and the seals keep failing on that as well.
 
What was your crosser and how long ago was that?

What is your mates mountain bike and what model of shock is it?
 
I'd never heard of them till this thread. Had a quick google and info certainly isn't easy to come by. However the Ohlins I just put on are the exact opposite. More opinion, reviews, supprt and backup availible all over the world.
 
Vern said:
So is that it,the complete verdict of a website with 10,000+ members:nenau
Click to expand...

I've no experience whatsoever of them and don't know too much about them.
Ohlins, WP & Hagon etc. are more widely known and are of conventional design so people will tend to go with what they know or what their mates recommend.

If Fournales are truly fit & forget then I might be interested if the price is right. I adjust my suspension now and then but I'm never convinced it's quite right.
 
I've had a Fournales Suspension unit on my K10016v years ago in the early ninties, and also had a unit on an old airhead.

Never had any problems with them, did approx 30K on the K series but only a few thou on the airhead. Bit fiddly getting the air correct, especially without the special air pump.

I've seen a couple that had collapsed, and as mentioned when that happens on a fournales air shock you aren't riding anywhere.
 
I've been told that they don't suddenly collapse,rather start to lose a bit of air first,then fade away slowly,but like you say,when they do go,you're fecked(ish)
 
bike was a CR 250 and was late 90s, havent a clue about M8s mountain bike as I know nothing about them other than it had an orange frame thats make not colour. I know he builds his bikes rather than buys a compete bike and they cost thousands as he is seriously into them.
As for when they fail, yes they can fail completely and suddenly. Mine did every time but as I said that was off road, on road might not be the same but with my experience I wouldn't be taking a GS off road with one fitted. My shock was new by the way so not like it was an old shock with unknown history. They were supposed to be the dogs danglies which is why I bought one but for me anyway weren't reliable.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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