Electronic rear shock?

[Robert Taylor]

The March issue of BIKE reports on a BMW GS, it may be the Adventure, which has button adjustable preload and damping I think. It read as if there were two buttons?

I can't check on the details because I loaned the mag to the guys @ Energy Honda because there was also a report on the new CBR1000RR...

That mag may still be available in the shops?

On a different topic, I bought my original Ohlins off TradeMe. Having some difficulty understanding the suspension threads on here I bought a book to explain some of the dark art. The book was a modest help.

I recently took the bike to Robert and explained what was bothering me and what I wanted. He explained what needed to be done. Suffice to say it has made a big difference. But there is already another thread reporting on that.

Ohlins have made shock absorbers for some BMW models with handlebar mounted electronically activated damping adjusters. But sales worldwide have not been exactly stellar which raises the question, is the market in reality actually ready for it?

[FilthyLuka]

Ohlins have made shock absorbers for some BMW models with handlebar mounted electronically activated damping adjusters. But sales worldwide have not been exactly stellar which raises the question, is the market in reality actually ready for it?

Further more, has anyone actually ridden one of these BMW's? Is it even necessary or purely there for wank factor?

[Robert Taylor]

Further more, has anyone actually ridden one of these BMW's? Is it even necessary or purely there for wank factor?

At least on the Ohlins version ( all that I am familiar with ) it is actually a device to close off or open further the low speed compression bypass needle. That actually works out to be useful on undulating roads that cause 'g out' because the adjustment gives more overall damping to ''catch'' sudden movements more effectively. To an extent this will also compensate some for the g out caused by a passenger and extra baggage. Especially useful on BMWs that can tend to get loaded in this way.
Thankyou to those who posted their support for me in a no win situation of an argumenatative disposition.

[Hinny]

If you are referring to the magneto rheological type it uses iron powder as a damping medium and a magnetic coil around the damper tube. By varying the current applied to the coil, the magnetic field strength changes and thus the "viscosity" of the iron powder. Ferrari use the on the 599.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magneto_rheological_damper

this also proves that there is really nothing new under the sun. British auto electrics manufacturer Smiths used magnetically controlled iron powder in an automatic gearbox (Smiths easidrive). it was offered in Hillman Minx vehicles in 1959.
so technically there is not that much between Ferraris and Hillman Minxes :-)

Hillman Minxs would be able to navigate the ridiculous roads we have around Remuera/One Tree Hill better than almost any newish Ferrari. The Ferraris don't have the ground clearance to navigate the ski jumps slapped all over our roads.
It's no wonder there are so many Remuera tractors around.
The morons who destroy our roads with bumps and chicanes like maladjusted meglomaniacal bmx/autocross track designers need to be taken outside and shot.

[Hinny]

At least on the Ohlins version ( all that I am familiar with ) it is actually a device to close off or open further the low speed compression bypass needle. That actually works out to be useful on undulating roads that cause 'g out' because the adjustment gives more overall damping to ''catch'' sudden movements more effectively. To an .

'g out' ?

I have Rancho adjustable dampers on my Safari. They recommend hard settings for off-road and soft for highway cruising. I always thought this was arse about face.
Are you saying the adjustment to have 'more overall damping to "catch" sudden movements' is the same as their 'hard' setting?

[Robert Taylor]

'g out' ?

I have Rancho adjustable dampers on my Safari. They recommend hard settings for off-road and soft for highway cruising. I always thought this was arse about face.
Are you saying the adjustment to have 'more overall damping to "catch" sudden movements' is the same as their 'hard' setting?

No, those are US ( Mexican ? ) made shocks. Soft / highway cruise mode is for smooth roads because there are no sudden large stroke movements that need ''catching''. I had a set of Rancho adjustables on a vehicle and was so dissappointed with them that I removed them and built something that both gave me ride height control and absorbed the nasty abrupt bumps.

I think in the mass market auto industry its very often a case of will the shock fit and over simplistic terms like hard and soft are used. That can often mean rock hard or slightly less rock hard. So little attention is paid to the motion ratio, how fast and how far the shock shafts move relative to wheel movement. In most shocks damping is proportional to velocity.

I wonder how many millions are wasted every year because the damping and spring calibration of what has been fitted does not match the motion ratio imparted to it. Very often its because many ''fitters'' in the auto industries and private individuals choose to learn nothing about it. And there are many ''experts'' who are not that at all. I was assured by an auto shock shop that those Rancho shocks would be ''just the ticket''. Food for thought.

[Hinny]

No, those are US ( Mexican ? ) made shocks. Soft / highway cruise mode is for smooth roads because there are no sudden large stroke movements that need ''catching''.

I use the hard setting on the highway to limit body roll - firm up the suspension.

So little attention is paid to the motion ratio, how fast and how far the shock shafts move relative to wheel movement. In most shocks damping is proportional to velocity.

I thought the soft setting was best for off road to allow for maximum wheel travel/bump absorption. Like a motocross bike. Faster speeds giving more damping.

Very often its because many ''fitters'' in the auto industries and private individuals choose to learn nothing about it. And there are many ''experts'' who are not that at all. I was assured by an auto shock shop that those Rancho shocks would be ''just the ticket''. .

I was told that too.

Like the Koni shock on my bike. Do I have it soft for highway cruising one up and harder for racing around with full luggage? Wind the pre-load up for luggage/ pillion? Does this include high speed riding?

Do I just come and see you?

[JimBob]

Thankyou to those who posted their support for me in a no win situation of an argumenatative disposition.

Dont mention it! Happy to help. Obviously the easiest way to win an argument is to remove dissent. Problem solved.

[Robert Taylor]

I use the hard setting on the highway to limit body roll - firm up the suspension.



I thought the soft setting was best for off road to allow for maximum wheel travel/bump absorption. Like a motocross bike. Faster speeds giving more damping.



I was told that too.

Like the Koni shock on my bike. Do I have it soft for highway cruising one up and harder for racing around with full luggage? Wind the pre-load up for luggage/ pillion? Does this include high speed riding?

Do I just come and see you?

The answer is in part that those Rancho shocks ( like many afermarket auto shocks ) do not have a sophisticated valving stack that modulates according to shaft velocity. The external adjustment for damping is probably little more than a bypass bleed. In truth they lack low speed damping control which in part is why you get so much body roll, but also this is best complimented by an anti-rollbar ( we have adjustable anti rollbars on the race cars I work with ) But also ( correct me if I am wrong ) when you wind those shocks up to hard the ride becomes very harsh over abrupt bumps.
Most passenger cars ( and many many bikes ) lack low speed damping control, often the dampers are only single acting and have lots of preload on the springs to effect a crude measure of ride height control. Those that do have a compression damping curve will also usually ''hydraulically choke off'' when encountering abrupt obstacles, those ones you grit your teeth about.

[Hinny]

Yes the ride is harsh over bumps at low speed. At low speed I put them on the soft setting and disconnect the anti-roll bar. This works very well enabling you to travel over rough tracks like riding down a highway. On the hard setting on the road the suspension firms up and it handles remarkably well. Don't feel highway bumps. It tends to wallow a bit like a standard vehicle if the shocks are on soft.
Do I use the adjuster on my bikes Koni shock in a similar manner? Softer for low speed / rough roads etc. and harder for high speed touring.