Rear Suspension on Lifan 200 GY 6

[Jim]

Hey I thought I would post some pictures...

Some people said it may be an oil reserve or something attached to the shock, but it really looks like an air valve...

I put a tire pressure gauge on it, and it has no pressure, I was going to try putting some air in it, but the air filler valve thing I have is too long to fit past the swingarm and stuff, hmm, maybe it would be a better idea to try with a bicycle pump then a compressor...


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On a somewhat related note, Frostbite if you read this, the gallery won't seem to create thumbnails for me anymore... Maybe something is configured wrong with the gd or imagemagic or whatever the new server is using?

[kczukiman]

I will be waiting to see what you find out I have two of these on my atv and I don't know their purpose?

[Gimpdiggity]

More than likely it's for adjustable dampening.

I see them on lots of older "sports" bikes. The suspension upgrades for my Yamaha Radian had them, and I believe their purpose was for adjustability.

Suspensions have two ways that they adjust...preload and dampening. The dampening is what you adjust when your bike seems to be riding too soft or too hard...you can tell by when you hit bumps.

I would imagine putting some air in it would help the bike soak up bumps a bit better. It probably has no air in it because I don't think you're supposed to ship things with air in a compressed cylinder...which is technically what that is.


***EDIT***
I just did a bit of searching, and found that it is in fact a compression dampener. It probably doesn't really need to be used. The information I found on it said that you should mess with it if you find that you are bottoming out your suspension even if the spring rate is correct. So basically, it would be something that you would use if you are doing things that require serious suspension work.

Like, if your bike has the correct spring rate, it's sag will be fine...but then you are still bottoming that rear suspension out when, say, jumping...that's when you'd want to mess with that compression dampener.

It would probably make the bike ride quite a bit stiffer if you filled it with air...which MAY be what you are looking for. For a bike that's street only (which my Hi-bird will be) I would want the suspension as stiff as possible, because that's what I'm used to...so I would fill it with some air to see how it reacts.

[Jim]

Thanks Gimpdiggity :)

What is a spring rate?

What I was thinking is I can lower the bike by adjusting the nut type things on the top of the spring, raising it up, and then stiffen it up by adding air to it maybe? Or would it remain the same height basically but be stiffer?

Thanks again.

[Gimpdiggity]

Spring rate is basically a measure of how "strong" the spring is.

They are generally rated in kilograms per millimeter...or KG/MM. Basically, it measures how much weight in kilograms is required to compress the spring 1 mm.

If you change the settings on the nut thing, it will probably not really lower the bike, but more than likely will stiffen it up...or loosen it up depending on which way you go with the nut...seeing as a compressed spring is harder to compress more than an uncompressed spring.

I don't think that adjusting any of the settings on that shock will really lower the bike at all. If you want it lower you would probably have to look for other spring options or to get some blocks made that would fit in there to lower the bike.

[Jim]

Hey thanks again :)

I had loosened off those nuts, and the bike got lower while I was sitting on it, but like you said, it just loosened the suspension up...

Thanks :)

[Gimpdiggity]

No problem man.

That CL350 should be a pretty sweet project. I had purchased a CB350 from 1970 to work on as a project...but after sending the guy the money for it he's disappeared with the bike and my money. I'm in the process of trying to find him right now...but it's not looking very good.

[Jim]

That's too bad, good luck though, hopefully you catch him

The one I've got looks like it's pretty decent, but it doesn't run, although I haven't looked into why yet, no battery, and the chain is off, but I guess it's been sitting in a barn for 10 years, and I don't know what before that...

I've got a 72 GMC pickup that is the current project, so once that is done, then we'll get to the Honda :)

[bellinbuffalo]

I'm not trying to pick on anyone but the correct term
is DAMPING for shocks
Dampening would mean you are adding water
this is a common mistake

[Jim]

damp·en
(dmpn)
v. damp·ened, damp·en·ing, damp·ens
v.tr.
1. To make damp.
2. To deaden, restrain, or depress: "trade moves . . . aimed at dampening protectionist pressures in Congress" Christian Science Monitor.
3. To soundproof.
v.intr.
To become damp.

wouldn't it be like 2, to depress / restrain?

[Gimpdiggity]

I actually have seen it used both ways on many different VERY good motorcycle how-tos.

I think it's one of those things that's just accepted as interchangeable...like saying the word "nuclear" like "nuk-you-ler."

[5star]

Well #1 reason why their on china bikes is for looks to make it look like a actualy race bike shock.

That is called a reservior. Its to help the shock run cooler. And the dial on it is the compression adjuster. For best performance you want it turned in as little as possable. With it twisted out it will get the best traction and the tires will stay on the ground more and will have a softer ride. But if your going to be hitting bump after bump on in ruff woods you will need to twist it in more to prevent the shock from botoming out. But never twist it all the way in because it can cut off oil flow.

You might want to look twords the bottom of the shock also. Check for the rebound screw. It controlls how fast your shock rebounds.

The pre load rings are at the bottom normaly but may be at the top. Their made to controle the ride hight. It also softens or stiffens your spring rate

Your front forks might have adjustments on them also.

[Jim]

Thanks for the info man :)

[BoY860]

this is to dampen the rear shock or raise and lower it to change the stiffness of the rear