Has anyone got a G/S rear shock they could measure centre of eye to centre of eye please. I’ve got a ST one and though the G/S shock has 15mm more movement I want to know if in fact they are actually longer than the ST one.
Shock measurement
- Thread starter scooter paul
- Start date
Thanks I thought so. Like a twit I had a WP G/S shock and sold it. I’ve also fitted a 21” front wheel to my ST so a longer shock might balance it up but in fairness it handles really well as is.
YSS shock I believe is 365mm with a +/- 5mm adjuster. From what I have read, at maximum adjustment this takes to the the same ride height as the Wilbers +15mm that I have. I did take a measurement but don't have it to hand.
When I was looking into shocks I was advised that an emulsion shock would be OK for mainly road use, but for bikes used off road it is better to use a remote reservoir shock because the piston will break through the surface of the oil under full compression, causing cavitation and loss of damping. The separation of oil and gas in a remote reservoir avoids this. In addition, ride height adjusters reduce overall travel and introduce one more part that can fail. This was from ADVrider's Prutser, otherwise known as Bas from Hyperpro. Admittedly he does use his airheads in more extreme conditions than most riders but I figured he should know what he is talking about.
When I was looking into shocks I was advised that an emulsion shock would be OK for mainly road use, but for bikes used off road it is better to use a remote reservoir shock because the piston will break through the surface of the oil under full compression, causing cavitation and loss of damping. The separation of oil and gas in a remote reservoir avoids this. In addition, ride height adjusters reduce overall travel and introduce one more part that can fail. This was from ADVrider's Prutser, otherwise known as Bas from Hyperpro. Admittedly he does use his airheads in more extreme conditions than most riders but I figured he should know what he is talking about.
Thanks all. The ST shock is 350mm centre to centre so this ties in with what has been said. The YSS shock seems to be a good option both in price and as I’ve used them before on Triumphs, I know they work well.
Beemerboff
Registered user
Some of Pruster's stuff like ride height adjusters reducing overall travel is simply and clearly stuff and nonsense, and most of his posts are much the same, just stuff and nonsense.
But he likes to big note himself.
He has obviously never fine tuned a bikes suspension properly - on a finely tuned bike couple of mm difference in ride height can make a huge difference, and on a good few airheads with the flat plate top triple it cannot be done simply by slipping the tubes through the triples.
I was sucked into buying one of Hyperpro's spring kits for a VFR a few years ago, it made the bike virtually unrideable and had to be removed immediately, and a few others have had the same experience.
All things being equal a remote reservoir shock will perform marginally better than one with an integral reservoir, at the extreme end of the performance scale, but things never are equal.
Most bikes suspensions are never set up to anywhere near their full potential, and the bikes are never ridden at the extremes either, so the last bit of performance at the extremes is never going to matter anyway.
FWIW my Royal Enfield Himalayan has suspension which has attracted universal praise .
It has achieved this with a Gabriel shock which I can replace for around $A170-/80 quid, including post from India.
OK, Harris Bros are part of the RE group and are responsible for the frame design and suspension set up, and they know what they are doing.
But it does suggest that suspension is as much about knowledgeable set up as anything else, just bolting on expensive, hi spec , random, parts will get you no where unless you have the ability to set them up correctly, and if you have the ability to do that the stock or basic parts will usually be more than adequate.
And if your Airhead shock needs replacing a well set up basic shock will be more than sufficient - no need for all the bells and whistles this side of a race track.
But he likes to big note himself.
He has obviously never fine tuned a bikes suspension properly - on a finely tuned bike couple of mm difference in ride height can make a huge difference, and on a good few airheads with the flat plate top triple it cannot be done simply by slipping the tubes through the triples.
I was sucked into buying one of Hyperpro's spring kits for a VFR a few years ago, it made the bike virtually unrideable and had to be removed immediately, and a few others have had the same experience.
All things being equal a remote reservoir shock will perform marginally better than one with an integral reservoir, at the extreme end of the performance scale, but things never are equal.
Most bikes suspensions are never set up to anywhere near their full potential, and the bikes are never ridden at the extremes either, so the last bit of performance at the extremes is never going to matter anyway.
FWIW my Royal Enfield Himalayan has suspension which has attracted universal praise .
It has achieved this with a Gabriel shock which I can replace for around $A170-/80 quid, including post from India.
OK, Harris Bros are part of the RE group and are responsible for the frame design and suspension set up, and they know what they are doing.
But it does suggest that suspension is as much about knowledgeable set up as anything else, just bolting on expensive, hi spec , random, parts will get you no where unless you have the ability to set them up correctly, and if you have the ability to do that the stock or basic parts will usually be more than adequate.
And if your Airhead shock needs replacing a well set up basic shock will be more than sufficient - no need for all the bells and whistles this side of a race track.
Beemerboff, your last statement is very true. I also have a Rninet Scrambler. Many people comment on the ‘ poor’ suspension. I agree it’s not wonderful but do I ‘need’ better? No, it suits me fine. I’ve said the same about many bikes I’ve owned.
For a shock with all other components the same, adding a ride height adjuster is going to result in an increase in overall length. Shrinking the shock back down to the original length can only be achieved by making another component(s) shorter - the obvious ones being the shock body and shaft. Assuming these have been designed to allow the maximum possible travel, reducing their length will reduce travel - fact.
I cannot speak for others' experience, however the hyperpro shock that I fitted to my old X-challenge, after I wore out the original (and subsequent warranty replacement) came correctly adjusted and, with the WP43 forks, gave the bike a magic carpet smooth ride. That was a bike I rode hard and covered a large number of miles over all surfaces - I knew it very well.
The Wilbers on my g/s gives the maximum amount of travel that can be achieved without adding clearance by adjusting the frame cross member. It took a little setting up on the ride height and adjusters but I now have a bike that I feel confident to ride off road at reasonable pace. Unless it came perfectly adjusted from the factory this would not have been possible with a non-adjustable shock and this still wouldn't give the flexibility to adjust for luggage etc.
For many riders a standard shock might be perfectly adequate. I might not be racing now but have done my fair share and know the difference decent suspension makes. That might not be everyone's objective, but it suits me.
I cannot speak for others' experience, however the hyperpro shock that I fitted to my old X-challenge, after I wore out the original (and subsequent warranty replacement) came correctly adjusted and, with the WP43 forks, gave the bike a magic carpet smooth ride. That was a bike I rode hard and covered a large number of miles over all surfaces - I knew it very well.
The Wilbers on my g/s gives the maximum amount of travel that can be achieved without adding clearance by adjusting the frame cross member. It took a little setting up on the ride height and adjusters but I now have a bike that I feel confident to ride off road at reasonable pace. Unless it came perfectly adjusted from the factory this would not have been possible with a non-adjustable shock and this still wouldn't give the flexibility to adjust for luggage etc.
For many riders a standard shock might be perfectly adequate. I might not be racing now but have done my fair share and know the difference decent suspension makes. That might not be everyone's objective, but it suits me.
Beemerboff
Registered user
i have never seen a shock that could not have length adjustment incorporated without reducing the stroke, and every bike specific length adjustable shock I have seen has had the same stroke as the factory shock.
Even the cost effective YSS shocks can manage it, and a most others offer it as an option.
So Pruster's statement that it is not possible is simply stuff and nonsense, and IMHO reflects the level of competence that characterizes the rest of his products.
Even the cost effective YSS shocks can manage it, and a most others offer it as an option.
So Pruster's statement that it is not possible is simply stuff and nonsense, and IMHO reflects the level of competence that characterizes the rest of his products.
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