F: Frame Rear seat stays friction

[Peter Holmes]

If your Vincent has hydraulic damping of the rear frame, get rid of the friction dampers completely, they are superfluous, go fully sprung and support the rear of the seat by other means, your pillion passenger will love you, do not enter any concours competitions!

 

[Bill Thomas]

Trouble is those frame brackets, Without the stays they don't look good, Not seen anybody make them look OK, On my Special, "D" thingy, I debrazed them, But that was when everything was cheap. Cheers Bill.

 

[Peter Holmes]

I never notice mine when I am riding!

 

[Old Bill]

Bill, couldn't agree more, rear frames look odd with the stays removed and brackets in place. Personally l have not been impressed with friction dampers as once the initial load moving force has been applied they appear to do very little! Same applies re effectiveness on vintage Bentleys fitted with Hartford dampers, they either give a hard ride or fail to stop the vehicle bouncing after going over a surface deviation, with the length of the bonnet this can be alarming at speed as the whole plot bounces and sways! As you say with a hydraulic damper fitted they are perhaps superfluous anyway so lightly nipped with as Bruce says a drop of loctite will maintain the bikes original looks without hindering ( too much ) suspension articulation? Good luck..

 

[Bill Thomas]

Bill, couldn't agree more, rear frames look odd with the stays removed and brackets in place. Personally l have not been impressed with friction dampers as once the initial load moving force has been applied they appear to do very little! Same applies re effectiveness on vintage Bentleys fitted with Hartford dampers, they either give a hard ride or fail to stop the vehicle bouncing after going over a surface deviation, with the length of the bonnet this can be alarming at speed as the whole plot bounces and sways! As you say with a hydraulic damper fitted they are perhaps superfluous anyway so lightly nipped with as Bruce says a drop of loctite will maintain the bikes original looks without hindering ( too much ) suspension articulation? Good luck..

My Comet is not bad at the back, I have followed some that are really bad,
I have done what Bruce said,
Just think that bearings will make it better, Something else to play with !. Cheers Bill.

 

[vibrac]

Yes the ears do look a little forlorn on the 2020 see pic. main thing is to check they dont hit the seat stays I suppose you could put a couple of alloy bobbins in between the ears but I will take function over form any day

 

[Peter Holmes]

The real misery with the original set up is mainly experienced by the pillion passenger, on anything other than smooth roads, and there are not many of those around these days, the ride is horrible and the after effects felt for days afterwards, one has to protect the health of your pillion passenger, without her good health who is going to do the housework and the gardening.

 

[Bill Thomas]

My biggest Fear, Was seeing Big Bill Telfer at the side of the road, Broke down and wanting a lift !.
I told him this, And he said there was No Way he would ever get on the back of my Bike.
Cheers Bill.

 

[stu spalding]

I've had a look and cannot find a bearing (ball or needle) that will fit inside the seat stay drums without modifying the casting which I'm not willing to do. I have found an oilite bronze bush that will fit with a little modifying on the lathe so will order some and have a go. To me it just looks wrong to use friction band material as the bearing surface if you want to reduce the friction.
Simon

When I ran rear stays and a Koni damper I just greased the friction bands. Cheers, Stu.

 

[davidd]

This is one of the retired TT bikes that became a test bed for rear suspension mods. It had a cantilever seat, lowered damper and an aditional knee action damper. No ears on the RFM.

David