Koni Dampers

[vibrac]

I put Vincent dampers with the ball valve mod and a new seals on the Grey Flash Replica its done a few parades hill climbs and sprints I plan to top it up before next year if it needs it. have a look in '40 years on' or 'another 10' those books are great compendiums of mods, (the search feature on here is almost as good-though I wish it would allow shorter searches in capitals like 'RFM' or 'BT-H'. Truly there is nothing much new on modifying Vincents most of it has all been discovered at least twice before

 

[Jim Richardson]

Ian at the Spares company was going to send some Konis off for repair, when I spoke to him last month.

 

[Bill Thomas]

I have had a few Standard ones rebuilt by better blokes than me, But they didn't last long, I have only one good one left , So I have put it on the back of the new Comet, I don't mind if it leaks there, But I don't think I would trust one on the front again. I have a Spax on the front of the ex L/ning and a Koni on the back. I had better save up for an Avo for the 560, Which will be a standard "D" !!. I am rebuilding the Special into the "C" frame, And keep getting mixed up , As to what I am fitting to what !!. I hope I can stay Keen !!. Cheers Bill.

 

[stumpy lord]

I have had Konis for years and never had a go at adjusting !!, But trying to build another bike has meant a lot of switching about, I only had a Koni left, So that had to go on the front of my "new " Comet, I find it a bit hard. Yesterday I found another Koni !!, Which seems a little softer, So I have just had a go, All the way to the Left is Soft !!, But you guessed it, It was already done, I bet it was that nice Mr Ron Kemp !!, Can't think how many years ago that was. And as I took it out the vise, I saw "F" stamped on the bottom at the front !!. I nearly ordered 2 Avo's !!, That would have broken the Bank !!. Cheers Bill.

Hi ,
Many years ago Ron Kemp Supplied special soft seals for Koni Dampers, Perhaps his son Russell could supply some information on where and how you could acquire some of the same seals. The Only adjustment on a Koni is for Damping , to soft on the rebound can lead to the forks oscillating up and down when braking on a ripple surface, with a danger of the bike shaking its head. My bike did exactly that when I had the front damper fully soft, that was cured by adjusting the damper to a hard setting.
As far as I know Graham Hazelton of sports link suspension still services Koni dampers.
phone number 01280 822768
stumpy lord

 

[Chris.R]

As this conversation was started some years ago. I am about to remove my Koni Dampers as the Comet has not been on the road in thirty years can service kits still be obtained including bump rubbers and seals, can the existing ones be serviced, if replacement is an option what to use, I have seen that there used to be a near match replacement but that was 2012 Voc spares do not seem to do service kits and replacements are £243.00 + each and that is pricey. Is Graham above still servicing Koni`s
Chris

 

[Bill Thomas]

Morning Chris, Does it need it ?, My Koni's are over 30 years old and still work fine, The new stuff is softer and better, But your Bike may be OK, I would try and adjust what I had, You can slip the rebound rubber out, Make the damper small and turn the adjuster all the way clockwise, It may already be done, Or you could buy an AVO. Cheers Bill.

 

[vibrac]

Paul Ennis passed me a set of instructions for a revamped Vincent damper complete with recirculating valve improved sealing and bubble wrap etc I have a Modded one from days of yor I will upgrade it and add it to the test set

 

[Chris Launders]

The pair that were on my twin had been sitting for 30 years, no problems at all. If they need attention I would change to something else, I found they were too stiff, not responding to small irregularities at all.

 

[vibrac]

For what its worth during my days in the workshop trying to get my new Comet sorted I did fit a new front AVO and a Koni both on soft setting in line tandem one damper end in the vice and the other damper free end with a screw driver and pulled and pushed until one fully extended or compressed. As far as I could see neither one took precedence and they both opened and closed together

 

[greg brillus]

I was going to try that test on the AVO I have here, but I was worried the bolts holding the vice to the bench would fail..................