83/84 - KX500 Rear Shock Upgrade

[LWC82PE]

could only get info for late 80 onwards ohlins for KX 500 sorry. if honda or maico single shock would have been no problem

[LWC82PE]

i think. i will have a look

[LWC82PE]

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.

[LWC82PE]

send me a email and then it will remind me to do it. thanks

[BAHNZY]

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

[YSS]

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.

[LWC82PE]

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 

[GMC]

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.

[BAHNZY]

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.

[YSS]

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.

[YSS]

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

[LWC82PE]

why- because they have to match my valve and hose caps i already have

[LWC82PE]

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

[YSS]

Wow thats double our price    Do they have an update shaft option? Because thats the key to lots of sucsessfull conversions.

[LWC82PE]

dont ask me. as far as i am aware they are a modern hi tech piston to replace the old OEM ones