Shock problem

[pete h]

Took myself and the wife out for a scoot round north yorks this afternoon and stopped off at Squires in Sherburn for a coffee. When I parked up I noticed what appeared to be either steam or light smoke coming from the swingarm area.

A quick look revealed a watery/oily mix dripping onto the bike but I couldn't locate the source. There was only a small amount of fluid dripping, so I checked what I could, brake fluid ok, coolant ok, oil level looked okay as well.

Gingerly bimbled home and put it in the garage for a better look.
It's still dripping a little bit when I park her up, but it soon stops.


Now it looks to me like the fluid is coming from the shock, and to be fair it was the first time I'd been out two up on the bike so I'd put the handling differences down to the extra 7 stone on the back......but now I'm not so sure.



Obviously if this is the shock fluid leaking out it's not good, but does it mean the nitrogen is already gone or still there, is the shock beyond salvaging ?

Bl**dy excellent timing as well, I'm off to tour France in 3 weeks and could do without the expense of a new shock.

I've seen the hagon ones on wemoto for £248, does anyone else do suitable shocks ?

Whats the furthest anyone's travelled with a bust shock - is it do-able or is it like riding a bronco ?

[Dee Duble Yuh]

I'm not sure if I understand your final question. Don't even think about riding any distance with a failed shock. Apart from the discomfort etc. the rear tyre won't stay on the road surface, which woul be dangerous when braking. You don't give the bike's mileage, but I guess a '99 model will have covered some miles. Unfortunately rear shocks are border-line consumables! They need replacing every 20k - 40k (depending on your riding style and dumb luck!)

[Lord Vader]

Had also my rear shock go on my 02 Vara at 23000milesPhoned up Hagon direct(brilliant) lots of good tips and help and ordered directly from them.Just can not remember the price but somehow i think it was around £240 or so
But i did a lot of 2up and luggage trips,also the Vara is one of the cheapest touring bikes out there so i was not to upset.Got a GSA1200 now and my rearshock went as well at 24ooo miles (again a lot of 2 up with luggage) so maybe its more how you use the bike

[pete h]

I'll give hagon a try direct Vader and see if it's any cheaper, did you fit it youself then, how awkward a job is that ?

Dee. I was only wondering if I could establish if the shock has completely gone, because the last 30 miles home were bouncy but not dangerous, or certainly didn't feel that way, granted there was a pillion on the back so that may have been keeping the back end down. (Just in case the better half reads this, that's not saying you're fat in a roundabout way - you're not)

I bought the bike at 33k miles at the start of the year, I've done 4k on it, and to be honest the shock looks standard to me so I'm guessing it's never been replaced and its time has just come up.

[Steve C]

I'm not sure if I understand your final question. Don't even think about riding any distance with a failed shock. Apart from the discomfort etc. the rear tyre won't stay on the road surface, which woul be dangerous when braking. ...snip

Peteh, hi there
I can vouch for what Dee Duble Yuh is saying - I no longer had any kind of traction or steering and then got pinged out of the saddle...

Baaaaad

[Dee Duble Yuh]

Ah, I see. Once it begins to deteriorate like that, it'll get worse rapidly. Pretty soon there'll be no damping at all. So you're right about its time being up.

[Steve C]

I'll give hagon a try direct Vader and see if it's any cheaper, did you fit it youself then, how awkward a job is that ?

Dee. I was only wondering if I could establish if the shock has completely gone, because the last 30 miles home were bouncy but not dangerous, or certainly didn't feel that way, granted there was a pillion on the back so that may have been keeping the back end down. (Just in case the better half reads this, that's not saying you're fat in a roundabout way - you're not)

I bought the bike at 33k miles at the start of the year, I've done 4k on it, and to be honest the shock looks standard to me so I'm guessing it's never been replaced and its time has just come up.

Yes, that was my experience (on an AT) recently. It was soft to sit on but then it always had been. It became more bouncy over a few weeks and I only noticed under certain conditions but the bike generally behaved itself. It 'seemed' ok though and I was fine chasing Yeti and Chad through the twisties up in the Yorkshire Hills on our way up to the Bunk House stage of Longest Day. Then on a slow road and travelling slow, also under undulating conditions, it suddenly failed and I fell badly - spent almost 2-weeks in hospital and I'm still not walking... Chad has the bike and took it out before changing the shock for me and said; "I don't know how you rode it in that state, it's all over the place!".

I think I had imagined that a worn shock would have a slow and predictable demise. It didn't and, to be honest, I had to be paying attention to notice the early deterioration. But then, your shock is a little more sophisticated than an AT's...

Anyways, now I say, Worn Shock = Warn - Shock!

[pete h]

Thanks for the replies chaps,

I'd hoped I might get a bit more mileage out of it, but it doesn't look like that's a goer.

Ah well, I'll just have to bite the bullet and splash the cash, last thing I want is it failing totally on me in france on a sunday afternoon..

[Loudpedal]

Hi Pete

Look on the bright side.
Once you have a new shock in you can relax and look forward to your tour.

Then enjoy the improved handling that the new shock gives you.


Loudpedal

[pete h]

Right, the bullet's been bitten, new hagon shock on the way in the post - should be fitted this weekend, just hope that's the last of the expensive consumables before my trip!

Will be touching wood and looking for black cats for the next 18 days!

Why don't honda make their shocks re-buildable though ?