Talk To Me About Shocks

[map]

So the scooter that mine most resembles is the Handsome Boy. I'm looking to upgrade the stock shocks to handle something more off road. I'm looking to replace the back and front fork shocks completely for whatever might be better for the area I want to take it through. A lot of bumps and small drops.

[90GTVert]

I usually upgrade to an aftermarket adjustable shock that meets the length requirements for me. I can usually find something for around $50 that's decent. I've got a YSS on one scooter that was at least double that price, but I can't really tell much difference. It looks nicer and came with the tool to adjust and stickers, and that's about the only difference I truly noticed. I bought a $400 pneumatic adjustable shock once and put it on a midbike with a 114cc engine. It was certainly well made and very adjustable, but for a non-pro rider or suspension expert, it wasn't really that much different than the generic adjustable shocks to me.

www.49ccscoot.com/faq/shock.html


I've never swapped to aftermarket front shocks. I've added spacers or sometimes thicker or more fluid to stiffen then up, but that's about it.


Hopefully a suspension guru will come along and give you better advice. Most of the time I'm always just looking for something good for a heavy rider that feels more stable.

[lilpinny]

The Doppler shock is an air rear shock. www.mnnthbx.com/product/doppler-air-shock-honda-ruckus-met/

It just adjusts with air instead of adjusting the spring. It’s a big shock and you’d want to make sure it fits. You might just want an adjustable rear shock with the spring.

Your front shocks look specific to that bike. You might try to rebuild those shocks with different springs and internals.

The aftermarket front stuff I see is primarily designed to lower the bike. You’re kinda trying to do the opposite.

[AtariGuy]

Get together with a machinist and fit a pit bike fork to your scoot?

[map]

Dec 28, 2017 20:10:21 GMT -5 AtariGuy said:

Get together with a machinist and fit a pit bike fork to your scoot?

I wonder how that would even look. 

[AtariGuy]

It'd look slightly like a moped from the front, but a scoot from the floorboards back

[ThaiGyro]

Hi map. Not sure your overall intent for offroad. My thoughts are a few other things to consider...depending on budget.

First things is that offroad vehicles handle the bumps and drops by using a fork setup that has more travel, combined with a wheel/tire that is larger diameter. A tire small enough to be enveloped by a hole will put you over the bars. You need diameter to fit your off road conditions.

Second, the increase in travel allows you to soften the suspension...Never stiffen it for dirt or bumps or you will lose your grip for sure! You need damping that covers the travel range...and a spring to match your weight over bumps and the ever important down hill adventure. The rear needs to go the same direction.

The Yamaha TTX Adventure did just that. In the picture from 2012 Bangkok show...you see the cartridge forks are longer with off road tires...There is an under-bone stiffener in the cockpit. (Wow, that wasn't meant to be sexual) What is harder to see is that the chassis is also reinforced and includes a right side shock and pivot arm to reduce stress on the engine mount pivots.


 

I love the idea. I had thought about picking up a Zoomer X or Ruckus front end from "Slammer" builder. Not expensive here, but I would want a 14"tire for off road. The best option is to buy or parts clone a MX front end from a 50cc or 65cc dirt bike. Honda, KTM and Yamaha have good stuff! For the rear you could just soften up the setting and spring pre-load and add a cheap lift spacer to the shock mount. Even 1" of height would help.