Not so much modern bikes !,
The "D" had a single spring and Damper , And fully sprung seat ! , In 1955 !.
F: Frame Snapped Rear Mudguard Strut
- Thread starter danno
- Start date
The "D" had a single spring and Damper , And fully sprung seat ! , In 1955 !.
I have no doubt that the AVO coil over is much superior to the original system but I do not know how far from the standard appearance danno is prepared to go. Of course, I would suggest the JE front steering stem and all the kit to go with it, plus all the discussed mods to the rear end, but I do not want to be seen to urgiing him to spend money if he does not wish to do so. I have sold about 300 of the JE kits which improve safety and comfort which means that the majority of Vincent riders prefer to keep the original system. Quite a few with the orignal fork geometry have now bought the hydraulic steering damper kit, while others have fabricated their own hydraulic steering damper systems, which goes someway to improving the safety, Each to his own.
It feels like there’s no suspension. Getting the rear a bit softer would be a start.
Had a look on Avouk.com and I could manage that. Could do with more space
around that area anyway.
Hope it’s a straight swap and no modification needed.
I’ve no idea what the front shock is. Koni I presume. Not a lot of suspension there either. I see the steering damper mentioned but not sure if this needs to be replaced.
The early KONI dampers, part no. 76F- 1239, should not be used on the front of a solo, I've had a better ride on a pogo stick! I believe they later had a model or a modification to suit the front. Personally I wouldn't go back to the original design if I were getting a bike useful. I was lucky to get Thorntons front and rear, but there are now alternatives either as good or better.
£240 for the rear AVO coil over damper. No modifications needed. If you want to keep the front suspension stardard but fit a hydraulic steering damper then a kit is £125 including everything you need including the damper but you have to have the two holes in the lower part of the original steering head. If you are interested then PM me with your email address and I will send you the fitting instructions so that you can see what is involved.
I prefer standard appearance as much as possible but if that means it’s only rideable on very good road surfaces then changes need to be made.
The Alton was the last mod I did and that’s an improvement over the previous 6v dynamo/JG converter.
Lucas Rita ignition draws a fair bit but that’s a different story.
A couple of Vincents get up to the local club and I’m quite envious of how immaculate and neat they look. Possibly bought like this or have had a lot of time and/or money spent on them.
My Rap has had a few things added for ease of use such as indicators, D stand, electric start and Craven rack.
It’s all got a bit untidy.
The stand and E. start are good but taking the rack off, fitting better indicators and rear shock is next.
Take the rack off and see if there is any improvement in the ride. Easy to do as a first step. Advice given by all the oldtimers is to do one thing at a time and see how things change. I found my bike got much harsher to ride with the same Craven set up you have when I first put it on. All the flex points were a nuisance to keep working properly. I finally went to the Avo coil over rear suspension and a fully sprung rack which has transformed the bike. If you are not touring a tank bag is all you need for day trips.
The type of Vincent Koni I got from the Spares Co 30 years ago can be modded for smooth action. Just you need some good spanner for undoing the top slotted round nut which presses on an o-ring . Shows that o-rings are great for securing all sorts of nuts like inspection caps and carb tops.
Problem with these Konis is the excessive compression damping plus a piston rod seal which was just a stamped piece of rubber mat, no lipped type as you´d see in all hydraulics since decades. So once you got access inside it is no rocket science for tuning some components. The compression is controlled by wave washers which are too hard. You just hammer them a bit for minimal preload to your liking, but no play here as you´d get some lack of damping then for some bit of stroke.
The punched out rubber "seal" can be replaced for real hydraulic PU seals for 11 mm piston rods. Just you fabricate an adapter on the lathe for accepting the new lipped seal.
So then you´d get an acceptable ride as variable extension damping was done on these Konis by taking out the rubber buffer and compressing the damper fully for engaging in the bottom key for setting the spring preload on the extension valve washer.
One thing to keep an eye on is the rod end has to have some give for misalignment of mounting brackets. The bottom end of the Koni and original dampers is solid drilled steel, no selfadjusting property here, typically you´d find rubber bushes on other dampers. So in consequence the top mount has to be floating and with spherical joint at best. Neglect this matter and you´ll be sorry later with wrecked seals and bushes in leaking damper from side loads - and broken piston rod in cases.
I have not seen later Konis but surely you can do mods on these as well. Maybe somebody had a look inside for showing pictures here ? The first one to send me one will get free modded damper as I am curious to see one .
Vic
Problem with these Konis is the excessive compression damping plus a piston rod seal which was just a stamped piece of rubber mat, no lipped type as you´d see in all hydraulics since decades. So once you got access inside it is no rocket science for tuning some components. The compression is controlled by wave washers which are too hard. You just hammer them a bit for minimal preload to your liking, but no play here as you´d get some lack of damping then for some bit of stroke.
The punched out rubber "seal" can be replaced for real hydraulic PU seals for 11 mm piston rods. Just you fabricate an adapter on the lathe for accepting the new lipped seal.
So then you´d get an acceptable ride as variable extension damping was done on these Konis by taking out the rubber buffer and compressing the damper fully for engaging in the bottom key for setting the spring preload on the extension valve washer.
One thing to keep an eye on is the rod end has to have some give for misalignment of mounting brackets. The bottom end of the Koni and original dampers is solid drilled steel, no selfadjusting property here, typically you´d find rubber bushes on other dampers. So in consequence the top mount has to be floating and with spherical joint at best. Neglect this matter and you´ll be sorry later with wrecked seals and bushes in leaking damper from side loads - and broken piston rod in cases.
I have not seen later Konis but surely you can do mods on these as well. Maybe somebody had a look inside for showing pictures here ? The first one to send me one will get free modded damper as I am curious to see one .
Vic
Will try these ideas before spending any money.
From what I can see, the rear suspension consists of two shrouded springs with a damper in the middle.
Reads:
Adjustable
Koni - Holland
1G - 1239
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Not to sound confrontational, but a 'cheap welding kit' is pretty much out of the question. Just like everything else in life, from your speech to your dress, welding is an art learned only by hours 'under the hood' (or goggles). If you want to learn to weld you are in for a long journey considering oxy-acetylene, MIG, TIG and stick. It's already been stated the bracket need to 'fall into place' before it is bolted up, and just achieving that fact takes some patience. Buy or make a new bracket, un-hook that seat bracket and give yourself and the bike a fully sprung rear end, you'll love it. If you're riding a totally stock machine you're in trouble in the first place. The thing can't stop, and particularly today with every vehicle on the road equipped with disc brakes and a driver whose attention is riveted to the cell phone, and looking out of tinted windows. If the rear mudguard is cracked it can be welded with 1100 rod even though it is Birmabright. I can't see the machine but it sounds like it's box stock which means it isn't ready for prime time on any street. Try an emergency stop, call Ian Savage and ask him about his experience with stock brakes. If you really want to put some miles on it in stock condition, buy yourself an life insurance policy, and that's not meant to be tongue in cheek. Riding two-wheeler is about as serious business as you can ask for.