I do not think that is correct. If one adjusts the damper setting on the AVO it becomes more difficult to move by hand in both directions.
Misc: Everything Else Dampers
- Thread starter Bazlerker
- Start date
I don´t know anything about the AVO, would be surprised if you cannot modify compression or extension forces - in some way. My guess they contain some springs and drillings around valves that you can modify. My photo shows the piston of a NOS Vincent Koni. The strong spring sets the extension force when you use the bottom key for more spring preload. The wave washer at the left is the component that sets the compression force. This is basically fixed force but you can hammer it a bit for less preload and so the tough compression force can be lowered as you like it. Same effect can be had by drilling some more through holes in the piston. It is no rocket science so that is why I´d want to have the tool for opening the damper and do the mods to my needs. So only dampers that can be opened should be acceptable.
Vic
Vic
I can't see them listed on the UK site:https://ikonshocks.co.uk/ ut they are listed on the Australian site:https://www.ikonsuspension.com/
The many different conditions for dampers would want me to have types that I can modify myself by having the tool to open them for messing around with oil fills or valve spring variations inside. This is not rocket science, you do mods in small steps - yes, you can !
For weight variations you will want a range of springs plus threaded adjuster for preload. Typical coil-over shockers on modern bikes got their face-cam adjusters, in two or three settings - a minimum standard.
The suppliers of dampers should - at least - have an approved dealer who got the equipment for fast mods on all continents. So the customer has no excessive shipping times and costs for any demands.
Vic
For weight variations you will want a range of springs plus threaded adjuster for preload. Typical coil-over shockers on modern bikes got their face-cam adjusters, in two or three settings - a minimum standard.
The suppliers of dampers should - at least - have an approved dealer who got the equipment for fast mods on all continents. So the customer has no excessive shipping times and costs for any demands.
Vic
Back in the day when Thornton first became available, the advert in MPH always carried an endorsement from Ted Davis stating that it made his bike a lot more comfortable, but they were a bit pricey, and you had to sign some sort of release document absolving the seller of all responsibility if you had a crash or whatever and felt that the shock was to blame.
I prevaricated as per usual, then I cast my eyes on a Thornton instruction manual, at the time the adjustment procedure seemed so complex, involving a strip down, and then moving springs and ball bearings around different size ports, it kinda put me off purchasing one, up to that point I had been riding with either standard Vincent or a designated front Koni, very easily adjustable once dropped out of the forks.
And that worked fine for many years, then Avo came along, adjustable in situ, fantastic.
Then Thornton became unavailable, and I thought to myself, I wish I had tried one of those Thornton shocks, bloody typical, of me anyway, “don’t it only go to show, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” (Joni Mitchell, Big Yelliw Taxi.)
Then a few years ago I purchased a set of Girdraulic forks, and what is that I see nestling in the shock position, you guessed it, a Thornton front shock, so now I have my chance, I had previously purchased from eBay a complete Thornton spring set, front and rear for very little money, so a perfect opportunity to try a complete front end kit to use on my D Comet, other than clean it up to make it look pretty, I did nothing to the shock, just fitted it as I had acquired it.
And what a delightful set up it is, I couldn’t be happier with its performance, so good is it that I haven’t got round to fitting my Norman Walker/John Emanuel steering head kit, because I have no desire to change a set up that works so well, but of course I am very aware that I am missing out on the obvious safety advantage of the Emanuel setup, which does concern me a little, but in 56 years of riding I have never had any steering frights in the way of wobbles or weaves so I am keeping my fingers well and truly crossed.
I think my headstone should read “Rode a bloody dangerous motorcycle for x amount of years, and died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, friends, and his Vincents!
I prevaricated as per usual, then I cast my eyes on a Thornton instruction manual, at the time the adjustment procedure seemed so complex, involving a strip down, and then moving springs and ball bearings around different size ports, it kinda put me off purchasing one, up to that point I had been riding with either standard Vincent or a designated front Koni, very easily adjustable once dropped out of the forks.
And that worked fine for many years, then Avo came along, adjustable in situ, fantastic.
Then Thornton became unavailable, and I thought to myself, I wish I had tried one of those Thornton shocks, bloody typical, of me anyway, “don’t it only go to show, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” (Joni Mitchell, Big Yelliw Taxi.)
Then a few years ago I purchased a set of Girdraulic forks, and what is that I see nestling in the shock position, you guessed it, a Thornton front shock, so now I have my chance, I had previously purchased from eBay a complete Thornton spring set, front and rear for very little money, so a perfect opportunity to try a complete front end kit to use on my D Comet, other than clean it up to make it look pretty, I did nothing to the shock, just fitted it as I had acquired it.
And what a delightful set up it is, I couldn’t be happier with its performance, so good is it that I haven’t got round to fitting my Norman Walker/John Emanuel steering head kit, because I have no desire to change a set up that works so well, but of course I am very aware that I am missing out on the obvious safety advantage of the Emanuel setup, which does concern me a little, but in 56 years of riding I have never had any steering frights in the way of wobbles or weaves so I am keeping my fingers well and truly crossed.
I think my headstone should read “Rode a bloody dangerous motorcycle for x amount of years, and died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, friends, and his Vincents!
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While doing the testing for the non ball bearing version of the JE steering head conversion I trialled numerous dampers all several times around a planned 12mile route taking in all types of tarmac surfaces.
These were the Koni that was already fitted, a NOS Koni, an Armstrong, a rebuilt standard damper, a Thornton and the AVO, these fell into 3 groups, the Koni's gave the worst ride over the small stuff where the road surface was breaking up, sort of like riding a road drill, in fact the Koni's seemed to be solid when small quick movement of the forks was required, then next pair were the standard and Armstrong, then the best being the AVO and Thornton, I have to admit to the Thornton being better but it was marginal.
Surprisingly they all gave the same reaction to sudden impacts (pot holes and viscous speed humps) and under emergency braking.
Chris.
These were the Koni that was already fitted, a NOS Koni, an Armstrong, a rebuilt standard damper, a Thornton and the AVO, these fell into 3 groups, the Koni's gave the worst ride over the small stuff where the road surface was breaking up, sort of like riding a road drill, in fact the Koni's seemed to be solid when small quick movement of the forks was required, then next pair were the standard and Armstrong, then the best being the AVO and Thornton, I have to admit to the Thornton being better but it was marginal.
Surprisingly they all gave the same reaction to sudden impacts (pot holes and viscous speed humps) and under emergency braking.
Chris.
The Koni's are not all the same........some are much softer than others........ I think Vic found the packing of some of the seals to be the culprit there perhaps........ I have striped and modified 2 of the Thorntons, one was actually a front one anyway and the other was a new rear one that I wanted to convert to a front one.......Again as Vic pointed out, it is just a matter of drilling the passageways for either the bump or rebound valving to change this........Both shocks ended up quite soft on the bump and more on the rebound........This made my friends Comet so much better........You do need some rebound damping especially on the twins, as too little will cause the front to rise up quickly when you open the throttle.