fitting new Falcon alloy rear shocks

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acotrel said:
When I was a kid I watched Geoff Duke race the Gilera four at Fisherman's Bend in Victoria. I was very disappointed that the four pipes on the Gilera were not chromium plated. Aluminium shocks on a race bike might be a bit like that.
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Chrome pipes on a race bike means you are more interested in show than go.
 
swooshdave said:
Chrome pipes on a race bike means you are more interested in show than go.
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Might have been because chrome adds weight. But the later Gileras had chromed pipes. It's strange what you think is important when you are very young. I was only 14. The thing that struck me the most were my watering eyes when I was standing behind the dummy grid which was full of bikes with their motors running. Most had megaphones and they were burning methanol, probably too rich. The air was full of acid. That was in 1954. I didn't go to race meetings regularly until 1958, then I was always there. At the 1954 meeting, I remember Duke taking long sweeps right past the leaders and into the corners. Fisherman's Bend was pretty fast, but Duke made it look easy. My uncle's friend who rode a 7R, almost fell off in fright when Duke passed him at Bandiana race circuit. In those days, most race bikes weren't so fast, but speed in races is always relative.
 
fitting new Falcon alloy rear shocks
SteveBorland said:
I tried fitting my new alloy Falcon shocks on the bike last night. They are lovely, very light compared to the Hagons that were there before, but...

I'm having problems getting it to clear the chainguard. It looks as if I need about 7mm of space, which is a bit too much to simply move the bottom mount over by.

Before I start looking at modifying the chainguard etc., I was wondering if other people had noticed any problems similar to this?

There are so many variables on the Commando, it's hard to know what the problem could be - swingarm, rear iso (or front actually), frame, top mounts....

Oh, the joys of owning a 45 year old bike :)
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I fitted a pair last year with no clearance issues and a standard chainguard as can be seen in the pic.

Dave
 
SteveBorland said:
Mmm, interesting that...
I'm hoping to be able to get some time in the workshop this week - did not happen last week though, hence the lack of the promised photos.
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Steve,

Just found the update I wrote up after initial fitting

"Fitted the Falcons today and the spring rate is bang on for my 15st - 110 lb/inch springs give me 4mm static sag and 19mm dynamic sag after adjustment, Robin recommends 25% dynamic sag which is 19mm of the 76mm travel. No issues with the standard chain guard they even clear with the adjusters right at the bottom of threads."

Dave
 
I installed the alloy Falcons on my '73 850/stock chain guard last year and they mounted with no issue, replacing the Hagons I had on the bike since '07.
 
Are you happy with them and is there much of a difference twixt them and the Hagons?
 
Dellis said:
View attachment 9506

I fitted a pair last year with no clearance issues and a standard chainguard as can be seen in the pic.

Dave
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Looks like there's a rubber bushing between the shock bottom and the chainguard. Could that have been omitted? I could see a clearance issue if it had been.
 
Onder said:
Are you happy with them and is there much of a difference twixt them and the Hagons?
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Yes and no to both questions... The spring preload is 'infinitely' adjustable based on the fact that the outer diameter of the shock is threaded for most of its length so there is a huge range of adjustability compared to the Hagons. And, as noted, they are much lighter. I never actually weighed them/the Hagons so I don't know the actual weight difference.

OTOH, the fact that they are infinitely adjustable makes adjusting them somewhat of a PITA because there are no "clicks" or detents or anything to make it easy to determine where each spring preload is set other than carefully measuring. Not that that's technically difficult but it is more fiddly than dialing in a setting.

Also, when I received mine - with springs for my specified weight with gear, they didn't work well at all with the preload as delivered. In fact, I nearly lost the bike in a turn and, had there been a car in the opposite lane, we would have crashed. It was great on the road/general riding more comfortable than the Hagons but with the as-delivered pre-load, in 10/10ths cornering (10/10ths of MY ability - probably 5/10ths of most riders) the bike wallowed/pogoed badly and I nearly lost it. This was with the same speeds I would have done the turns with the Hagons with no issues. TO BE FAIR, I should have checked sag after mounting them the first time rather than ASSUMING the correct preload had been 'dialed' in before shipment.

SO...if you buy them, be sure to check sag, etc BEFORE using them; DON"T assume that because you ordered them for your weight that the spring setting is OK for the way you ride. Actually, they were great as-received for general riding. I always felt like the Hagons were too stiff in general at the lowest setting but they worked great in the twisties. With the new shocks spring preload (sag) now adjusted to work well when aggressively riding in the twisties, they work great in the twisties... and they are pretty much as stiff as the Hagons were. :(

So, are they worth the money? Well - they look good and they ARE lighter and they work just as well as the Hagons... ;) I would have to say that if you really work at getting the suspension exactly how you want it for specific riding, the fact the they are much more adjustable preload-wise and can be fitted from the factory with whatever spring you want, makes them a better shock.
 
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Danno said:
Right there in Dellis' pic. With Girlings, the center bushing contacts the flat washer which lays against the chainguard bracket.
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The shocks are mounted directly to the shock mounts on the swinging are there are no spacers.

Dave
 
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