My Maico-first impressions ?

[Maicojames]

Paul, while I admire the ingenuity of your billet aluminum shock, it is a single shock, and thus in the US-would move the bike from Grand Prix(1978-1981) to Ultima(1982-) in AHRMA competition. Do you have available a set of twin billet aluminum shocks? 

[gator]

hey paul ask 414 about his work's performance shock's

[maicomc490t]

Hey Pauly,

Mate things are going from bad to worse in your life.

First you pulled a cone out of the bong.

Next you taped it to the custom strut (holes pitched at 15 1/4" I hope) to create a set of piggie backs.

And THEN you gave your little doggie a hair cut !!!

Man you are insane, lol, but that's fine by me 

See ya,

Dave Mac

[All Things 414]

Nah. You're right Pauly. I'm a lot better after the lobotomy. You probably saved me from a lot of strife on the home front. As for the shocks. Well gator's the local expert around here. Just ask him about how you measure a set before you order ANY brand ...........

[All Things 414]

Sorry. Got me wrong there. They make them in whatever length you need. If you are after Works Performance, probably the best way to do it is through a Maico dealer in The States. If they've got them (W/P's) before they should be able to get the spring rates right and all that bizzo. I get all my shocks and parts through my Montesa man in The States. If you're not too comfortable dealing with someone from so far away, you might be better going for a local brand that you know you'll be able to get your bits from no worrries. The only Works Performance distributor that I know of (this came from the company) is some Harley shop in Qld somewhere and they aren't into the dirt side.
Having said that, I'm more than happy with all of mine (3 sets) and have had no dramas.

[Phil]

Works Performance shocks are fairly reliable but today are sadly out dated technology. The very same design has been used since 1974 or so. Firko has two pairs of '74 era Works shocks that we pulled down to find that they were actually better quality than the later items!
 I've got Works shocks on four of my bikes but recently fitted a pair of Ohlins to my '74 Maico 250 and the difference is unbelievable. I'm fitting YSS to another bike in the new year to see if they are really as good as everyone says.
You seem to have some sort of problem with YSS 414 so if you need to go to new shocks why not use Ohlins or something else more modern. Works Performance are truly yesterdays shocks.

[Maico31]

Yes Phil i found the same thing. I pulled apart a set of Works shocks that my mate had since '74 and then pulled down the new ones that i bought and they're exactly the same inside. They use spring loaded ball bearings over small holes for dampening which is very old technology. Ohlins use a shim stack the same as modern bikes and i presume YSS are the same which is a much better system and easily adjusted using diffferent shims. Works shocks also don't have a bladder or piston to seperate the oil and nitrogen. Having said that the Works shocks i have on my RM250b work very well, i think they are ok on earlier bikes with less wheel travel and less horsepower.

[firko]

True Phil and John......I couldn't believe it when we pulled down my old circa 1974 finned body Works shocks and found that they are exactly the same as the latest bling versions. In fact the earlier cast bodies hold more oil! Johns right regarding the old school dampening using a ball and spring. Although the dampening works reasonably well, it doesn't even come close to comparing to the tunability of the stacked shim set up of Ohlins and YSS (and even 70's Arnacos). I replaced the Works shocks with YSS on my 350 Maico pre 70 bike and the difference was astounding. It turned a known good bike into a brilliant bike. The PVL ignition helped as well!

To their credit Works shocks are a vast improvement over all pre 75 period Japanese shocks and Koni and Girling aftermarket replacements. They are also as reliable as a Slant Six Valiant and look cool. The downside is their obselescence, price and extremely difficult customer relations. I once had the misfortune to meet company owner Gil Vallaincourt and I struck an immediate dislike to him. He was like a used car salesman telling me that his shocks and his shocks only were the saving grace of vintage motocross and how advanced in design his product was.  When I told him that I had discovered that his shocks were almost identical internally to Curnutts he spun out. Later I read that he'd bought the old sixties Curnutt design and tooling. Go figure.

[090]

Hey Firko, do you have a code number for the shocks you have (YSS) on the square barrel? As i would like to fit same to mine and make it easier to ask Walter then. Cheers

[firko]

I'll check Brad but I think Walter has all of the specs of my shocks on hand.

[090]

Ok i will ask Mr YSS

[All Things 414]

Phil. I'm not bending any arms. You stick to what you like best