Hi all,
(I have popped this into the offroad section as well, as I was not too sure where would be best - sorry if that is wrong Mods)
I have just bought an old Suzuki DR600 (1986 I think), and the rear shock (mono) is really really soft. There is no apparent adjustment on it, and a replacement one is a fortune. There is a breaker advertising other DR shocks, not the DR600, and I was just wondering if anyone knew if any of these would fit.
Any help would be gratefully received!
All the best
Stormme
Suzuki DR600 going soft on me :o0
Suzuki DR600 going soft on me :o0
that's my 2 cents worth.....
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BuzZz
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All DR's, especially those from the 80's and 90's had cheap, low quaility suspension. Not rebuildable and not really very good. They worked for what they were intended for, less aggressive off-roading and street duty, but for harder off-road use, you needed to go to the aftermarket.
Being as the bike is an 86, it is very possible your biggest problem right now is a sacked-out spring. The spring can be replaced, and aftermarket stuff is better quality and often cheaper than stock here. It won't help with any lack of damping, so the bike will still pogo around if the damping is shot, but it will bring the rear back to normal ride hieght.
You can also check with aftermarket suppliers for a whole replacement shock. Some of them are fairly reasonablely priced, and they are 100X better at what they do. And much lighter. Plus they should be rebuildable, with any luck. Google motorcycle shocks or suspension and you will get a long list of places to check out.
Replaceing it with a stock shock won't get you much, more than likely. And if it's off a smaller machine, the spring will be lighter and need changeing anyway. Throwing good money after bad, so to speak....
Being as the bike is an 86, it is very possible your biggest problem right now is a sacked-out spring. The spring can be replaced, and aftermarket stuff is better quality and often cheaper than stock here. It won't help with any lack of damping, so the bike will still pogo around if the damping is shot, but it will bring the rear back to normal ride hieght.
You can also check with aftermarket suppliers for a whole replacement shock. Some of them are fairly reasonablely priced, and they are 100X better at what they do. And much lighter. Plus they should be rebuildable, with any luck. Google motorcycle shocks or suspension and you will get a long list of places to check out.
Replaceing it with a stock shock won't get you much, more than likely. And if it's off a smaller machine, the spring will be lighter and need changeing anyway. Throwing good money after bad, so to speak....
No Witnesses.... 
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TechTMW
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Buzz is spot-on. I think that buying a shock from a breakers is a bad idea, unless you find a completely rebuildable aftermarket shock on a similar DR and get it rebuilt.
Hagon shocks are a budget minded firm out of the UK. Their DR replacement shock and spring combo is in the £225 price range, according to their website. I've ridden bikes with bad shocks/springs, and I've never felt that money spent on good suspension has been poorly spent. Quite to the contrary, I've kicked myself on more than a few occasions for not making the swap sooner!
Hagon shocks are a budget minded firm out of the UK. Their DR replacement shock and spring combo is in the £225 price range, according to their website. I've ridden bikes with bad shocks/springs, and I've never felt that money spent on good suspension has been poorly spent. Quite to the contrary, I've kicked myself on more than a few occasions for not making the swap sooner!
“People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”
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- Soren Kierkegaard (19th century Danish philosopher)
Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciate it. Just gotta save up the pennies now to buy another shock. The new shock will double the value of the bike! 
I have noticed a few web pages talking about adjusting the preload on the rear shock. Looking at the shock, I can't see an obvious preload adjustment, although there is a bolt head sticking out near the top of the shock housing which seems to be lose, I'll tighten it and see if there is any difference.
You are right, it is a pogo stick at the moment. Aah well....
Just waiting on the bike shop to get me a flasher unit and some indicators so I can get it though an MOT and ride it. Shortage of open bush on this mud island, I think it is going to end up polling to work and back, with the occasional foray through a ditch or something..... still, at least I can put it on it's back wheel.... when I have sorted the rear shock. At the moment the back end just sags down under acceleration. Ho hum............
Thanks for the advice all!
I have noticed a few web pages talking about adjusting the preload on the rear shock. Looking at the shock, I can't see an obvious preload adjustment, although there is a bolt head sticking out near the top of the shock housing which seems to be lose, I'll tighten it and see if there is any difference.
You are right, it is a pogo stick at the moment. Aah well....
Just waiting on the bike shop to get me a flasher unit and some indicators so I can get it though an MOT and ride it. Shortage of open bush on this mud island, I think it is going to end up polling to work and back, with the occasional foray through a ditch or something..... still, at least I can put it on it's back wheel.... when I have sorted the rear shock. At the moment the back end just sags down under acceleration. Ho hum............
Thanks for the advice all!
that's my 2 cents worth.....
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BuzZz
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The spring pre-load will be a threaded collar on the shockbody that one end of the spring rests against. There will be a locking ring that doublenut locks the adjustment when it's set. Loosen the lockring and turn the threaded collar to compress the spring more.... if there is any adjustment left. then snug up the lockring.
Some bikes came with a special tool to turn the collar with, most didn't. You may have to get creating when turning it. A punch and hammer ussually works when all else fails, but you can try a long srewdriver in there or anything else you can find.
Still won't stop the bounce though...
Some bikes came with a special tool to turn the collar with, most didn't. You may have to get creating when turning it. A punch and hammer ussually works when all else fails, but you can try a long srewdriver in there or anything else you can find.
Still won't stop the bounce though...
No Witnesses....
Hey BuzZz,
Ok, that makes a lot of sense, thanks! But you are right, the spring is the only thing which is doing anything at the moment, the shock is completely shot.
Aah well.... time to go beg, plead and grovel with the bank manager, if security will even let me in the building this time!
Ciao
Ok, that makes a lot of sense, thanks! But you are right, the spring is the only thing which is doing anything at the moment, the shock is completely shot.
Aah well.... time to go beg, plead and grovel with the bank manager, if security will even let me in the building this time!
Ciao
that's my 2 cents worth.....