Wanted: honda sp1 rear shock

[James Deuce]

A 20,000km OEM shock is rooted.

Most OEM suspension is in need of a decent overhaul by 20,000km.

That shock WON'T be sprung or valved for the bike it going on, and being a complete dick about it, if it causes an accident then it wasn't worth it.

[imdying]

I would have thought that valving etc in the shock was somewhat specific to the bikes geometry, weight, linkages etc. Just like you're potentially going to have trouble swapping carbs between bikes, you're potentially asking for trouble by using a foreign shock. With a carb you can rejet it, and it'll possibly just run like shit when it's wrong. With a shock, it can be revalved, but if not it'll potentially get bound into knots at the most inopportune moment and throw you.

Besides it got to be better than OEM that's coming up 20 years old

No, it doesn't have to be better. You would of course like to think that it would be, but you're really just taking a potentially fatal stab in the dark. It would be very easy to have it looked at by someone like RT who knows what they're doing, so easy that it seems a bit silly not to bother.

[vifferman]

I would have thought that valving etc in the shock was somewhat specific to the bikes geometry, weight, linkages etc. Just like you're potentially going to have trouble swapping carbs between bikes, you're potentially asking for trouble by using a foreign shock.

In general terms, yes. You can't just fit some shock that's approximately the right length and expect it to work.
But there are shocks that are known in Interdweebland to be compatible between bikes. Frinstance, a CBR929 shock works better on a VFR800 than the OEM shock, even though it's shorter and needs an adapter made in order to work. And a common conversion is fitting SP1 or R1 front forks.

And Mr Jim2 - a 20,000 km shock's not necessarily rooted. Assuming it's the original shock, the shock on my VFR had somewhere between 45 and 50k miles on it. Its shortcomings were due to the design more than wear'n'tear. And the VTR1000 had a shock with similar mileage on it when I traded it in.
It all depends on the roads it's been on, how fat the rider is, how much crap he carried, etc.

[James Deuce]

And Mr Jim2 - a 20,000 km shock's not necessarily rooted. Assuming it's the original shock, the shock on my VFR had somewhere between 45 and 50k miles on it. Its shortcomings were due to the design more than wear'n'tear. And the VTR1000 had a shock with similar mileage on it when I traded it in.
It all depends on the roads it's been on, how fat the rider is, how much crap he carried, etc.

Depends if it has been looked after or not and 99% of people don't look after their suspension. I would not trust a suspension component bought off Trademe to be in a good state. In this case it is most definitely NOT right for the bike it is going on. Most manufacturers don't make suspension components that last because new bike buyers typically don't keep a bike long enough to notice it wear, and second hand buyers typically don't know it was worn out when they bought. They just think that's how it always was.

Suspension wear happens incrementally and you adjust with each minor degradation in performance. Most people will put up with suspension that is a long way below par, and often sell a bike because it isn't "fast" enough, when a bit of grease on suspension linkages and swingarm bearings/bushes will make a huge difference, to say nothing of servicing forks and shocks.

It is a rare motorcycle that has suspension that functions anything like new at 20,000kms.

[nc30vfr400]

thanks for your concern about my saftey but this isnt a disscussion forum its a trading one, theres no reason that a sp1 shock wont be better then the original even if it the original was rebuilt, considering the nc30 shock would have been designed for 50kg japanese guys, including the ride height, the nc30 will benifit with a increased ride height racers do it, times prove it and i wanna experiment dont discourage trying new things, theres only one way to find out if a idea will work

[Marmoot]

SP1 rear shock would be quite rare. Heck, the SP1 bikes themselves are quite a rarity.

You'd be better off keeping your options open (GSXR rear shocks, Blade rear shocks, R rear shocks, etc) and see what comes your way.

Modern blade shock is not much inferior to SP1. This is from experience of having ridden both.
The only concern for you would be the mounting, and the linkage (you are using a linkage yea?). Without proper linkage even Ohlins would give shite handling.

As long as you can get the linkage sorted, then just bolt your suspension on and adjust it from there.
If you can't sort it out, then think about revalving it.

No I don't have any rear shocks to sell, but as I said, keep your options open. Maybe change your thread title a bit.

[James Deuce]

thanks for your concern about my saftey but this isnt a disscussion forum its a trading one, theres no reason that a sp1 shock wont be better then the original even if it the original was rebuilt, considering the nc30 shock would have been designed for 50kg japanese guys, including the ride height, the nc30 will benifit with a increased ride height racers do it, times prove it and i wanna experiment dont discourage trying new things, theres only one way to find out if a idea will work

The original shock can at least be re-srpung to suit your weight. The SP1 shock isn;t going to work as well as you think it is until it is setup for your bike with you on it.

It's simple. You don;t seem to want to learn anything so why post in the first place.

Ask Shaun Harris and Robert Taylor and get some decent advice.

As you've so trenchantly noted, Internet forums are full of shit.

Ask an expert.

[imdying]

In general terms, yes. You can't just fit some shock that's approximately the right length and expect it to work.
But there are shocks that are known in Interdweebland to be compatible between bikes. Frinstance, a CBR929 shock works better on a VFR800 than the OEM shock, even though it's shorter and needs an adapter made in order to work. And a common conversion is fitting SP1 or R1 front forks.

In my experience, the 'common swaps' on the Internet forums are merely ones that people have found to fit, not that they've had tested and have been found to be a good upgrade. Pretty big fucking difference IMHO.

[imdying]

thanks for your concern about my saftey but this isnt a disscussion forum its a trading one, theres no reason that a sp1 shock wont be better then the original even if it the original was rebuilt, considering the nc30 shock would have been designed for 50kg japanese guys, including the ride height, the nc30 will benifit with a increased ride height racers do it, times prove it and i wanna experiment dont discourage trying new things, theres only one way to find out if a idea will work

Hahahahha, well I for one will LMFAO if you hit a fence post and die... (oh noes, I'm a cunt, what a fucking surprise).

You might think things are well under control, but if you're doing the tonne and your suspension ties itself up in knots, you'll be on your arse before you've even figured out what's going wrong.

Happy riding fella

[nc30vfr400]

i dont think there is any need for saying things like that mate, as for taking it to a profesional i am one im fully qualified mechanic and what makes me laugh is gimps like you spending all day searching forums puting in there 2 cents when they arnt asked for, im after a shock thats all, its none of your buisness what i do with it, again this is a wanted add, not a 'what do you think?' thread because to be honest i dont care what people that laugh when other people die have to think. stop wasting time and posting your opinion on this thread. and to the other people that are being helpful and not wishing death on others, thanks for your input

[nc30vfr400]

SP1 rear shock would be quite rare. Heck, the SP1 bikes themselves are quite a rarity.

thanks for the positive helpful reply dude, theres been afew on trade me lately (i was suprised too) but the reason i want a sp1 item is because i know itll bolt straight in and APPARENTLY work.
anyhow cheers

[imdying]

No no, you misread that... I don't laugh when other people die... I'm going to laugh if you die because somewhere you read on the internet it's a good swap, but you didn't take the time to have it easily and painlessly checked by someone who has a shock dyno and can 100% confirm or deny whether it's a good idea.

But if you want some 'useful' advice, check eBay in the states, plenty of SP1s over there (although they generally call them something else, RC51 iirc).

[nc30vfr400]

haha good one your comedy is wasted here join a club.
met a guy last week who has one on a nc30. it works. and im going to try it. if i doesnt work oh well. now please if go away. i wanna buy a shock not talk to you.

[vifferman]

In my experience, the 'common swaps' on the Internet forums are merely ones that people have found to fit, not that they've had tested and have been found to be a good upgrade. Pretty big fucking difference IMHO.

Well, in this case, you're wrong.
I wouldn't have posted that if it was "just ones that fit". In fact, the 929 shocks don't fit (without minor modification), but do work well. Not as well, perhaps, as an individually-tailored Ohlins, Wilbers, Hyperpro or Elka, but significantly better than the OEM "one size fits all" Showa.
Not all Interdweeb forums are frequented by semi-mindless pleebs that post all sorts of mindless crap; there are some in fact that are mines of useful information.

[Morcs]

Apparently a gixxer 750 shock fits with not much modification.

I suggest checking out the 400cc grey bike forums (cant be arsed finding a link sorry) but they do heaps of mods with photos and stuff.