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Voltaire
3rd July 2010, 16:40
Recently spotted on Bevelheaven.com that Bevel suspension can be improved.:gob:
Hmmm...the Marzocchi Stradas are now over 20 years old and the forks could do with a rebuild.
so took the plunge and bought a Works Suspension package based on riding style and weight.
Well the Works Billet Trackers are a thing of beauty and even come with a really cool tool to adjust them with.
The front springs are made up of two springs and a 'sag' spacer that you trim to length.

Rebuilt the forks with new seals and fitted the springs.
Greased the swingarm and head bearings.
Fitted the shocks.
Fitted new steering damper
Set the sag.
My initial impression was " not as firm as the old ones..."

Took it up to Wellsford for a run today and what a difference, the harshness is gone , you fell the bike is tracking over the roughness better and it holds a line in a corner really well even with bumps.
Admittedly the old suspension could have benefited from fresh fluids and seals but it would sitll have been over sprung and under damped.
Well thats my 2 cents worth...er quite a bit more than that.....
98tls
4th July 2010, 18:33
Nice work,how about some pics of the old girl?
Voltaire
4th July 2010, 20:50
Nice work,how about some pics of the old girl?

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/album.php?albumid=1514&attachmentid=168581

I haven't got the hang of loading pictures, heres one from a couple of years ago.
Old....seems like only yesterday I bought it in Sydney in 1986.......:love:
PeteJ
5th July 2010, 16:12
Heh heh heh - "bevel drive suspension"...that explains why my Ducati's was so harsh.

I wondered why the damper rods seemed spiral.
98tls
5th July 2010, 19:07
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/album.php?albumid=1514&attachmentid=168581

I haven't got the hang of loading pictures, heres one from a couple of years ago.
Old....seems like only yesterday I bought it in Sydney in 1986.......:love:

Nothing comes up for me on that link mate.
hayd3n
5th July 2010, 19:33
link broken
Voltaire
5th July 2010, 19:43
this is an older picture..:innocent:

<a href="http://s129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/?action=view&current=kb2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p235/rednzep/kb2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
98tls
5th July 2010, 19:57
Very nice indeed fella,good for you.Lovely to see them being looked after.Your braver than me i wouldnt have let those 2 anywhere near the thing with a hose and sponge.
nudemetalz
5th July 2010, 22:14
so did it start... after two reckless females with water go near the electrics?
(says another Italian bike owner)
98tls
5th July 2010, 22:17
so did it start... after two reckless females with water go near the electrics?
(says another Italian bike owner) Thats what i was trying to say politely.:shifty:Mind you if i get liberal with the hose mine turns into a TL500.
Voltaire
6th July 2010, 07:50
The thought did cross my mind, and you know its more likely with an audience. If I recall ...I think I used the kick starter....as you don't see that too often on road bikes.....
On Saturday it became a SD 450 for a while as once of the leads had worked loose....rode it about 20 kms like this.......yeech.
The only weakness I have found in the electrics is that the main loom and the sub looms are all connected under the steering head with the same type of plugs that computers use internally. Seeing as they were using the BMW headlight they should have bunged it all in there.....ah Italians.....