OzVMX Forum
Marque Remarks => Kawasaki => Topic started by: BAHNZY on October 12, 2008, 06:48:02 pm
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Have an 83 KX500 with a good, but tired rear shock. Over time the shock body has copped a flogging (internally) and whilst it is still good, i need something better. So what to do.
- Convert a 4k bike into a 6K bike that will be worth 4.5k by fitting an Ohlins shock.
- Re-Build the standard shock with upgraded internals.
- Modify a late model MX shock.
- Haunt e-bay looking for something used ie: WP, Ohlins, Technoflex, etc.
Any suggestions?
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Haunt ebay.. There was an Ohlins in the US last week for $250 buy it now but it is gone now. I thought about it but already have one. A few White Powers turn up on there too.
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Bahnsy, give Walter at YSS a ring and discuss a rebuild option with him.
i recently asked him for a price for my WP and he quoted approx $150 including a shorted shaft (spacer)
i sent it away to SA from Melb' on a Thursday (express mail), it arrived Monday morning and Walter Rang me approx 11am that day after he had pulled it apart to discuss what was required and i said go ahead he rang back tuesday arvo said $181 inc postage back, and i did the mastercard thing on the phone and it arrived friday morning with YSS Posters (with Girlies) and notebooks, etc.
Exceptional Service and Value for Money, highly recommended
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yss is the go mate excellent service good people
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Yeh i had a look at the one on e-bay but it was for a later model bike where the reservoir is part of (integrated) in the shock. The 83 utilises a remote reservoir as there is no room in and around the shock to have an integrated reservoir. The WP ones that have come up on e-bay recently have been listed for early Kawasaki's but they wer'nt, in fact two of them were road bike shocks of some description.
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Bahnsy check out item #330276882968. It's finished but was just what the doctor ordered and only $150 US.
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FFFAAAARRRRKKKKK, How did i miss that. >:(
E-Bay is surely going to send me to an early grave.
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hey john next time i want something
i am gunna ring you up for you to get it for me :o
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Ha ha no worries Rusty.. as long as i don't need for my bikes.
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To all the TechHeads,
Is it possible to cut the piggyback reservoir of a piggyback reservoir style shock, cut a thread into each seperated part and fit a braided line between them?
If this is possible then most late model, correct length, piggyback shocks could be used in the 83 KX500 where only a remote reservoir style shock can be used.
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Intresting project Bahnsi , keep us posted. Could fit in straight after the bumpstop chapter , what you think , we still have enough room for that , Paul ?
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hmmm up until a month ago when the exchange rate was good it was a realistic option to get all new ohlins parts individually from US and built your own shock to how you want it. i will see what ohlins info i can rusltle up for you on the KX 500. i reckon i might have some.
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TO TECNICAL FOR ME WALTER IM STILL ON SPRINGS
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If we have the original as sample, we have all the parts here in Adelaide to build any Monoshock with no loss of currancy ;)
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Option 1 no problem
Option 2 ????
option 3 Techno Flex is now YSS , also no problem
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could only get info for late 80 onwards ohlins for KX 500 sorry. if honda or maico single shock would have been no problem
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i think. i will have a look
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no i checked and out of luck here sorry. my mistake, only got 81 maico specs and 83 honda CR 250/500, plus heaps of twin shock stuff.
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send me a email and then it will remind me to do it. thanks
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Walter,
Whilst rebuilding the standard shock maybe an alternative, is it a bit like polishing & chrome plating a turd? Is the best option to replace the unit with a new unit?
So the big question, what's it going to be worth? :)
Bahnsy
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No thats not quit like that , there are bits on your old shock that are OK to be reused and will save you considerable money. The heart of the shock is the piston and shaft set up , so if we can replace that, you have a much better shock straight away. ( Considering that your old shaft needs rechroming anyway)
Unless you need a High Low speed Compression adjuster, this would be the most cost effective option.
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If it was mine and I could not find a good used ohlins/WP etc shock for this bike I would get it rebuilt and fit a modern Race Tech gold valve (piston)
http://www.racetech.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=7&subcat=5&cat=Gold+Valve+Shock+Kits+for+Dirt&L2=Shocks&L3=Shock+Valving&L4=Gold+Valve+Shock+Kits+for+Dirt&showPage=dirt
and possibly do what many companies such as White Brothers did back in the 80’s which was to bore the passages to the reservoir hose larger and fit a braided hose with a bigger ID for increased flow, and also fit a larger finned alloy remote reservoir. White Brothers called them a ‘fade free reservoir’ When they did this and modified the valving the shock was a lot better than stock but no where near as much as buying a new aftermarket one. It would be possible to either fit a modern gold Ohlins reservoir to the stock shock you have or use a combination of custom made parts and off the shelf parts. I am getting someone to make me some reservoirs that are no longer available and I will use off the shelf end caps and internal piston.
You know what will happen don’t you. You will get your stock one all re-built and good and then a good used aftermarket shock will come up on ebay specific to you bike ;D
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Thanks for the info Walter.
Just wondering if you can build up a complete shock for the 83 model as the one I have aquired seems to be fitted with the wrong shock as it has no resevoir at all.
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Walter,
I'm with Geoff on this one. Can you build a shock for the bike, and if so what would be a ball park figure?
Rod
Also in previous post you advised that "Techno Flex" is now YSS. When you do an E-Bay search for KX500 shocks there are truckloads of Techno Flex shocks avalable in UK. The E-Bay site goes to the point of saying that we can build a shock for you if we don't have one avalaible.
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Bahnsi , Techno Flex has become YSS ( or in Holland also known by the name of PROMAX Racing) in 2004. The name Techno Flex Europe has been purchased by a group of Dutchmen to restart and use the name .( We will see , making a prototype is one thing but producing ongoing new models is another)
Due to our formation of YSS lot of shuffeling went on . For example WP Suspension ( my former Buisines)
was sold to WP Europe as per 1.9.08 and now owned by KTM Holdings. I still own the name Techno FLex in Australasia, but do not use that name.
So if you still see Techno Flex shocks in England , that may well be the case , they where a top shock and are long living. Lots of the Techno Flex Expirience flowed into YSS and we like to keep that quality and performance going , just on a lot bigger scale.
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Thanks for the info Walter.
Just wondering if you can build up a complete shock for the 83 model as the one I have aquired seems to be fitted with the wrong shock as it has no resevoir at all.
PM sent
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why- because they have to match my valve and hose caps i already have
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the price for the race tech pistons is on the website here
http://www.racetech.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=7&subcat=5&cat=Gold+Valve+Shock+Kits+for+Dirt&L2=Shocks&L3=Shock+Valving&L4=Gold+Valve+Shock+Kits+for+Dirt&showPage=dirt
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Wow thats double our price :D Do they have an update shaft option? Because thats the key to lots of sucsessfull conversions.
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dont ask me. as far as i am aware they are a modern hi tech piston to replace the old OEM ones
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what i was meaning is if you wanted to know you could email them or look on their site yourself.