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New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer (Read 1197 times)
xaman
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #45 - 12/08/16 at 06:57:28
 
Are these shocks preload adjustable with a stepped collar, or a threaded "infinitely" adjustable set up?  How easy is it to adjust for more or less preload (when you go from carrying a passenger to solo)?
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Dave
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #46 - 12/08/16 at 07:09:21
 
xaman wrote on 12/08/16 at 06:57:28:
Are these shocks preload adjustable with a stepped collar, or a threaded "infinitely" adjustable set up?  How easy is it to adjust for more or less preload (when you go from carrying a passenger to solo)?


I haven't had any in my hands yet - but it appears the threaded collar allows for infinite adjustment, and there is a lock nut.  The ebay listings show 2 wrenches are included with the shocks.
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #47 - 12/08/16 at 07:42:14
 
Yes, they are preload adjustable with the collars and they send 2 spanners with the shocks.

Dave, the 320mm is about 12.6" so the 12.5" intruder shocks don't do much for me.  I either keep the stock shocks and their limited travel (which I spent plenty of time one this summer) or have to reconfigure my build a bit to get the look I want with the RFYs.  

I'm leaning toward form over function right now.  Ha, ha.  But that's not really the point of posting in this thread.  That discussion might be more appropriate in my build thread. I mostly wanted to share my impression about the potential with the belt drive.
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Gary_in_NJ
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #48 - 12/09/16 at 06:00:58
 
I agree, the 320mm shocks look out of place. RFY also make shocks in lengths of 280 and 300mm. I dont know the stroke length of these. You could contact Chris and see if he is able to get these lengths.

With that said, I probably wouldn't upgrade your shocks. Since you have lowered your forks by using spacers your forks will be quite stiff, providing little in the way of travel and virtually no damping. To keep the suspension in balance I would keep the rear as stiff as the front.

It won't be fun to ride over rough pavement, but it will look good doing it.
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« Last Edit: 12/09/16 at 08:42:03 by Gary_in_NJ »  

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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #49 - 12/09/16 at 07:10:16
 
Gary_in_NJ wrote on 12/09/16 at 06:00:58:
I agree, the 320mm shocks look out of place...With that said, I probably wouldn't upgrade your shocks...It won't be fun to ride, but it will look good.
---------------

That's right!  Ha, ha....

The ride with the stock shocks isn't that bad for my purpose and it is pretty well balanced with the lowed forks.  Really not much different than my old Triumph TR6.

As for the shorter RFY shocks, they appear to be sprung for scooters.  Chris was looking into them a bit and he also felt that we might not be able to get the correct springs.  

I'll pass the RFY's on to someone who could use them.  They are listed in the classifieds.
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Gary_in_NJ
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #50 - 12/09/16 at 07:44:27
 
Gary_in_NJ wrote on 12/09/16 at 06:00:58:
It won't be fun to ride, but it will look good.


I don't like what I've said here. Let me refine it to "It won't be fun to ride over rough pavement, but it will look good doing it."

I've never in my life have met a motorcycle that wasn't fun to ride, but I have ridden plenty that made me cringe on broken pavement.
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #51 - 12/11/16 at 06:31:42
 
Ordered the shocks from Chris. In the process of making them work.
One of the things that bothers me about the look of the bike is how far the shocks sit out. I narrowed the pulleys to 1" (and am having the belt cut down). Now I can make the left shock sit on top of the lower mount instead of outboard of it. Chopped off a bit of the left top mount, drilled and tapped the remaining profusion, and used a mangled lower clevis mount on the bike. Without moving the right shock, now the shocks look symmetrical.
Have to do some welding and such to the lower left clevis mount to make it sit on the lower shock eye.
So, I'll end up with the right shock in the stock location, and the left shock inboard about an inch from stock.
Just bolts on!
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #52 - 01/05/17 at 09:29:14
 
I received my new shocks from Chris Livengood today.  They look really nice, and I hope they work as nice as they look.  Chris sent me an email last week and stated they were coming...along with this hopeful comment:  I got your shocks built and the spherical bearings installed last night. Boy howdy these ones really turned out nice. I wrote a new program for machining the upper bearing pockets and was rewarded with excellent results. I do want to let you know I did a modification to the piston that I have never done before but in bench tests they are f'n perfect. I was never really a fan of the Model 0 shock until yours, they are making me think differently. I think these are going to really perform well.

I ordered the spherical ends for the shocks, as I noticed my bike was not nearly as responsive as the Ninja when I sit on the seat....there seems to be a bit of "reluctance" to move easily to small movements - you have to do a bit of a bounce before the rear shocks would react.  I believe the friction at the shock mounting points was likely the cause.


Unfortunately we have our first significant snow of the year going on today - but that most likely won't stop me from putting them on and bouncing up and down on the seat this weekend!



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Gary_in_NJ
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #53 - 01/05/17 at 09:53:16
 
They do look sweet. After you are done playing bouncy-bike, be sure to set your initial rear sag and just as importantly, recheck the fork sag settings.
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #54 - 01/05/17 at 12:21:30
 
Nice. No I need to find some shortys like that!
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #55 - 03/15/17 at 19:15:23
 
New here! This will be my first post. I have a Ryca conversion, but weight around 220 on a good day lol so I feel like the Ryca rear shocks are a little short and I feel like I load them so much that the rear of the bike sags so far even on the highest setting. Should I just buy the generic RFY shocks on eBay to see if they work for a few rides before getting them redone? Also, what is the shortest and tallest setting these shocks can be adjusted to? I'm used to cbr's only so I'm definitely used to tight handling and think the Ryca is a tad bit slow in turning.
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #56 - 03/15/17 at 19:41:00
 
Yeah it's gonna steer slow with the rear tire buried up under that cafe seat. Special order some Progresive shocks , know the bikes weight and your suited riding weight when you call them. They will fix you up and lighten your wallet too ! Grin
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #57 - 03/16/17 at 05:56:57
 
eastsidedirtykid wrote on 03/15/17 at 19:15:23:
New here! This will be my first post. I have a Ryca conversion, but weight around 220 on a good day lol so I feel like the Ryca rear shocks are a little short and I feel like I load them so much that the rear of the bike sags so far even on the highest setting. Should I just buy the generic RFY shocks on eBay to see if they work for a few rides before getting them redone? Also, what is the shortest and tallest setting these shocks can be adjusted to? I'm used to cbr's only so I'm definitely used to tight handling and think the Ryca is a tad bit slow in turning.


Welcome to the forum, and welcome to the wonderful world of custom building. Right out of the gate - your cafe racer will never be like your CBR in ride or handling. It will be different - but that doesn't mean "worse" - just different.

Here's the problem with getting an RFY from eBay - what spring rate does it have? And when you get it, is it the spring rate or the damping that you don't like? Before riding with a new RFY shock you should set your sag (10mm static and about 32mm race - assuming 108mm of travel). If the spring rate isn't right you'll never get the sag setting you need.

Chris can send you a set of shocks with the correct spring rate and compression damping built in. He has three different spring rates for the RFY shocks and my guess is you will need the higher rate spring.

I did play with the shock length and found that my chain made contact with the swingarm with any length beyond 13" (330mm). The other thing to be concerned about is the tightness of the chain/belt (I only checked this with a chain drive which, due to slack, is more forgiving then the belt drive) during full compression. With the RFY, at a fully compressed length of 10.25" the chain is about as tight as it could be. At a compressed length of 10.125" the tire is difficult to turn due to chain stretch. My concern with an under-sprung shock and a rider weight of 220-230 is that you will be riding at the extreme limit of chain/belt tension.

Given your weight you might try a length of 13.25" (338mm). If you have a chain drive, listen for chain contact during breaking or unloading of the suspension. If you have a belt drive you won't hear anything if you are making contact, so you'll have to examine the belt for unusual wear. With that said, I believe that the pulley set is larger then the sprockets and the contact points won't be the same.

I'd get the shocks properly sprung.
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #58 - 03/16/17 at 18:35:16
 
Thanks for the help! I'm pretty wishy washy on the topic of upgrading my shocks because an underlying issue is I am 6 foot 2 and have an inseam of 34 inches, so I feel pretty big on the bike. I don't mind the width of the bike at all as I actually like skinny bikes especially cafe racer types.

My issue is the height and I find it super low to the ground, hence I was seeing if I could raise the end of the bike to make it taller by upgrading the shocks. I am in the process of modifying the RYCA seat to sit a little higher too but was curious about the shocks to try them out.

Also, I want to (Decrease?) the rake a tiny bit so it can respond a little quicker as well.

Haha I have all these ideas and don't want to waste money but the RYCA kit was so amazing as my entry level project into the world of custom building!
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Re: New Shocks for my RYCA Cafe Racer
Reply #59 - 03/16/17 at 20:35:06
 
Maybe 130/100 18 rear tire a bit taller and a lower profile front tire to help with rake angle after you get the right shocks
What size is your front wheel 18 or 19 ?
I went with 18 front & rear on my RYCA tracker
Good rear shocks are worth the money and if you didn't get a fork brace get one
Then a upgraded front brake
Oh your no where near done with this project !!! Grin Grin Grin
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