• Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Sweden - About 1988 and older

  • Hi everyone,

    As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.

    When he passed, I worked with his kids to gather the necessary credentials to keep this site running. Since then (and for however long they worked with Coffee), Woodschick and Dirtdame have been maintaining the site and covering the costs. Without their hard work and financial support, CafeHusky would have been lost.

    Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working to migrate the site to a free cloud compute instance so that Woodschick and Dirtdame no longer have to fund it. At the same time, I’ve updated the site to a current version of XenForo (the discussion software it runs on). The previous version was outdated and no longer supported.

    Unfortunately, the new software version doesn’t support importing the old site’s styles, so for now, you’ll see the XenForo default style. This may change over time.

    Coffee didn’t document the work he did on the site, so I’ve been digging through the old setup to understand how everything was running. There may still be things I’ve missed. One known issue is that email functionality is not yet working on the new site, but I hope to resolve this over time.

    Thanks for your patience and support!

What aftermarket shocks do you like?

Eurofreak

Eurofreak

Husqvarna
AA Class
The Huskys are fine but one of my other projects needs 12-13 1/2" good shocks. I have no experience with Works Performance, YSS, or others. On my 73/65 Triumph scrambler currently running Konis but I would like to upgrade them to a charged rebuildable shock. While it's a pig, it is fun in the woods but the current shocks don't cut it.
I have a 35mm Betor front end on it with cartridge emulators and fork brace that work well.
Cheaper is better, a good used source is fine too. I have seen plenty of $6-800 shocks.
 
Noleen shocks. Do you know he even raced for pro circuit for Husky back in the old days.

I have several friends that are very happy with these shocks. Customer service is first rate. Looks to be
really well made. I would choose these first. He knows his valving.
 
I installed the progressive shocks on my '77 250wr and my '78 250OR Husqvarnas with the heaviest springs for my weight. They worked fine.
 
Progressives are junk if you plan to actually ride the bike. Those YSS shocks are probably OK for a scooter/moped, they have no business on a dirt bike. There are no good cheap rebuildable shocks, if you want good and rebuildable its going to cost you $550-600 at least.
 
justintendo said:
he said he wants a REBUILDABLE CHARGED shock
Click to expand...

I used the freon filled progressive shocks with the heavier springs. I hammered my 390cr it had them too. What's worse than a 300lb guy bouncing on these shocks. I don't know they weren't rebuildable.
 
"Progressives are junk if you plan to actually ride the bike." Not true. They are fine for a 4 inch travel bike. However, they are not the best for long travel, lay down suspension. They don't have the best damping for a lay down. Plus they are not rebuildable. Good rebuildable shocks are out there but not cheep. The best thing to do is copy somebody that has already done the homework with the same bike you have. I have used Works and been disappointed. Don't get me wrong, they make a fine shock, but if it is set up wrong, it is bad. On the plus side of Progressives. You can buy 2 sets for what others cost. If you get used shocks, keep in mind if they need to built, different springs, different valving. $$$ BTW, I know he wants rebuildable, Brian just insulted everyone who uses Progressives.
 
If you get used shocks, keep in mind if they need to built, different springs, different valving.
Click to expand...
good point. I can do some or all of that.
I have looked at Progressive- definitely want something rebuildable. This Triumph will be ridden for dual sport and perhaps a vintage enduro just because.
I don't know that YSS are crap. Old Works Performance shocks that I can rebuild (or Drew) have a cool factor plus better performance. I did look at Noleen- they are a contendor too. There are some Ohlins that sell for ~ $600. On the high side for me.
 
Lots of Triumph guys ran Curnutts and still do. If you can find the later model bypass gas shocks I can re-valve them and set them up with springs pretty reasonably. They are rebuildable.
 
Thanks Chay Zed. I've been shopping for a while and haven't seen much of anything used. Is the gas-bypass a piston design?
 
I think the reason that this was popping as a question is their seems to be less and less core good quaility
used ohlins available. And if you do find them lately have had to replace the tubes , shafts, pistons etc.
Its expensive. Of course i would choose Ohlins first. ( I have really one new never used set here )

So the question is what new shock is available?? Also would consider Race tech new rear shocks as another option.

Their are no new Ohlins being made or are available from Ohlins in the Husky size and style. Only parts. Talked to all the Ohlins guys first hand in NC
 
Reiger shocks seem the set-up over here for the pre65 and pre74 classes with short travel. They are waaay too expensive though.
 
Eurofreak said:
Thanks Chay Zed. I've been shopping for a while and haven't seen much of anything used. Is the gas-bypass a piston design?
Click to expand...


Yes, the gas shocks came into existence around 1975. They are nothing like the older floating valve shocks most people are familiar with.
 
eBay offers used shocks you guys will know if there rebuildable or not I think some are currents.
 
Jeff B said:
"Progressives are junk if you plan to actually ride the bike." Not true. They are fine for a 4 inch travel bike. However, they are not the best for long travel, lay down suspension. They don't have the best damping for a lay down. Plus they are not rebuildable. Good rebuildable shocks are out there but not cheep. The best thing to do is copy somebody that has already done the homework with the same bike you have. I have used Works and been disappointed. Don't get me wrong, they make a fine shock, but if it is set up wrong, it is bad. On the plus side of Progressives. You can buy 2 sets for what others cost. If you get used shocks, keep in mind if they need to built, different springs, different valving. $$$ BTW, I know he wants rebuildable, Brian just insulted everyone who uses Progressives.
Click to expand...

I disagree 100%. I actually like the damping and the overall performance of the Progressives is very good, but they are just not durable enough. In 2007 when I started Vintage racing, I blew up 4 sets of Progressives in 4 months, and that was on a 4" travel bike. In my experience they are only suitable for a show bike that will not be ridden or a bike that will only be very lightly ridden. I can only comment on my experiences with them, which could not have been worse from a durability standpoint. The same bike I bought a set of base steel body Works Performance and they are still working perfectly without a rebuild after being on several different bikes since 2007 when I got them. I have also had good results with Noleens and Ohlins.

As for Works Performance setting up their shocks, you are correct, many times they dont get them right. They typically come underdamped and under sprung so what I always do is when you talk to them or send in the information form, I always list my weight as 20-30lbs more than I really weigh. Since I started doing that every pair of Works have been perfect.
 
I rode my cr390 4 to 5 times a week maybe more at the t dam all summer long. Never blew a progressive shock. Did you have the correct spring rate to your weight? I ran the max spring rates they offered and never bottomed them out.
 
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