I was thinking about lowering the back of my motor bike to give a bit more "bobber style" look. Can I just remove rear shocks and replace them with shorter metal brackets ! I know this will lower it and make for a very hard ride.but my question is .will it still get a WOF.Are shocks a legal requirement for a WOF !
Thanks
Mike
outbidyou2,
Mar 26, 5:05am
No you don't need shocks for a WOF.
meathead_timaru,
Mar 26, 4:02pm
It will need LVV certification.
doug207,
Mar 26, 4:07pm
What kind of bike is it! If twin shock, yes you need shorter shocks. If mono, you can get lowering links for it.
I highly doubt you'll be asked to get a cert for them, I have far more interesting mods on some of mine and they haven't needed a cert
mekongmike,
Mar 26, 8:33pm
Its a '79 Honda 900 CB.Standard shocks are about 370 mm.I wonder if I could get some about 270 ! Any ideas !
bjmh,
Mar 26, 8:54pm
Modifications
3. A modification that affects the steering system must be inspected and certified by an LVV specialist certifier, unless the vehicle:
a) is excluded from the requirement for LVV specialist certification (Table 9-1-1), and
b) has been inspected in accordance with the requirements in this manual, including those for equipment, condition and performance. could come under this,definetly need shocks if originally fitted.
daryl14,
Mar 26, 9:03pm
He's not touching the steering though is he! There are plenty of hard tail motorcycles around.
bjmh,
Mar 26, 10:09pm
if they were produced hard tail yep all good,as i read it you can;t reinvent the wheel i.e turning a suspension with shocks into hardtail without LVV . changing the susp could alter the way it handles/steering.all about interpretation.
m16d,
Mar 26, 10:13pm
Lowering the back will make it handle like a Harley.
meathead_timaru,
Mar 26, 10:27pm
Rake and trail is affected.
muzz67,
Mar 27, 2:35am
Pull the shocks apart,, yes it is possible, and fit a sleeve around the shaft so it wont poke out the top as much. You will have to lower the front too,, then raise the footpegs, pipes, sump.
mantagsi,
Mar 27, 3:55am
Easy trick, especially if you have a twin shock rear end. Make up a few wooden posts with a hole at each end, equal to the different length shocks you wanna try. Fit them, and see how they look (no, dont ride it with these in place!) You will be surprised, you wont need to take much off to get the look you want
doug207,
Mar 27, 5:31am
Lots of classic bike shocks out there for sale, around the 300mm is common on old Triumphs and they tended to run a 10-12mm eye on them, so pretty easy to retro fit to anything.
You only need a cert if the WoF chap notices, I've got WoFs with USD swaps purely because they're tidy. And brake swaps.
Have to agree with mantagsi, it's how I got the height for one of my current bikes
mekongmike,
Mar 27, 1:29pm
That sounds like a good idea.Thanks
mekongmike,
Mar 27, 1:30pm
Thanks for that.I will start looking on Trademe .
doug207,
Mar 27, 1:36pm
There was a nice set of Gabriels on here for $120 or so a few weeks back. I was tempted to buy them but I expect the spring rate will be too much on the bike they're for.
waythe,
Mar 27, 11:49pm
I have the same model one of them I changed to Koni's they are about an inch shorter with another one I converted it a single shock off a cbx 750 also it also has a longer swing arm it's not bad but i wouldn't do it again a truck load of work for little differance.
mekongmike,
Mar 28, 3:46am
The Koni shocks that I have on at the moment are 370 mm from eye center to eye center. Ideally I would like shocks that are 270mm.but could go up to 300 mm. If anyone knows what I should be looking for :)
doug207,
Mar 28, 4:30am
GN250 shocks are around that length. Probably need about 60 of them to get a decent spring rate though lol
waythe,
Mar 28, 5:04am
gn shocks won't work as they are differant bottom mount you also have to be careful what pipes you have as you lower the bike a 4 into 1 scraps pretty badly
mekongmike,
Mar 28, 2:57pm
Hi waythe, I have lowered the bike to 270 mm using metal struts just to see how it looks, and the clearance seems to be fine, can you suggest what brand.( or shocks off another bike) that might fit with the correct bottom mounts !Thanks. Mike
waythe,
Mar 28, 3:11pm
I have done it before a long time ago I was just playing around and at the time I was working in a bike wreckers in lower hutt so I had a massive chioce and can't remember what bike they came off but with the bottom mount I had to make a bracket up to convert it from an eye mount to a bolt mount or square mount,I would sugest just going along to your local wreckers and going though there stock.When I was talking about clearance I was meaning compressed clearance a few months ago I went though some winding roads with one of the kids on the back she's only about 50kg's and srapped my header pipes apart so just watch where your collector box touches
mekongmike,
Mar 28, 3:30pm
Good advice.so when I find/adapt some suitable shocks.I will put a bit of extra weight (maybe the wife !) on the back and see how it is when it "bottoms out" . Thanks for that .
Mike
waythe,
Mar 30, 5:09am
just found some off a cb750 or 900 custom they a about 25mm short than originals but the ones I have are stuffed but it's a start
brokebloke1,
Mar 31, 2:24am
then it will be better then
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