ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: Le Z Turbo on February 06, 2014, 01:09:35 AM
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After only 2500 kms my rear shock is bouncing like a mad kangaroo and leaking oil.
I will have to go and see my dealer. By the way he has no computer for the firmware update, maybe able to borrow one one day or another !!!
But as you now on the 2013 DS model the rear shock is really too small to resist, and it will happen again and again.
So I had been searching in my area (in France) what kind of replacement shock I could have. Wilbers and Ohlins are specific to different motorcycle model and I haven't found anyone who'd like to try to find a suitable one for my DS
So now I'm dealing with EMC (http://www.emc-suspensions.fr/ (http://www.emc-suspensions.fr/)) who should be able to make a fitable shock
I should go and see them in two days I think
Laurent
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Please keep us informed! I am very interested in upgrading this suspension over time. Harlan's S-wheel-based supermoto kit revolutionized the braking with the big front rotor but the suspension still feels like mountain bike parts.
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I bought a new 2013 S last Spring. About six months in, my rear shock blew a seal. I took it to my dealer and they replaced the shock.
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http://www.worksperformance.com/ (http://www.worksperformance.com/) sells many shocks for many bikes. I did not see Zero listed on their webpage but they could probably make one. I hope there is space around the Zero shock because some aftermarket shocks might be larger diameter.
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I seem to recall that Zero was selling a name-brand rear shock as an accessory for the 2012 S at one time. I think it was a Fox shock. But I believe that they sold out of the few that they had and it doesn't seem like it is being offered any more. You might give Fox a try to see if they have something on their shelves that would fit your bike.
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Impossible in France as the french distributif is mainly a mountain bike shock distributor and as for the other Lakers will sell ONLY for Motorcycle modèles they have on the compatibility list. I've tried to tell them that I can give the length, travel and bushes dimensions of the shock but they simply won't bother !!!
Friday afternoon I will go to EMC while riding from work
Laurent
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So I have been to EMC. They can make me a shock, I have to dismount mine to have the exact lengh, travel and bushes. And also to check if the new shock diameter will fit in the space of the frame. Will do that at the end of the week. No price yet either
Laurent
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Wow.... How much will it cost ?
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Well the latest news: the shock from EMC is really big and on 2013 DS the area of the shock upper mounting is SO small. Any other shock won't fit because there's this huge round frame tube.
So for the EMC: I could have one (it's 500€) but with a shock extension to fit the narrow upper fitting which mean a shock with little travel. I am taking all the measure as we speak to go back at EMC.
Another solution is this one http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330827543804&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 (http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330827543804&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649)
which I think will fit perfectly. DNM is still chinese but you will find part easily and it's still better than FASTACE
More expensive is this one: http://www.wahlracing.com/product.php?productid=19808&cat=259&page=2&click=srclick (http://www.wahlracing.com/product.php?productid=19808&cat=259&page=2&click=srclick)
You will need the 0.75 extension on the DS to have proper lenght.
But all these are "dirt mini bike" shocks as the Fastace original and not really motorcycle shock !!!
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This is where my shock is leaking oil: below the rebound knob.
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As you can see the upper space is very tight
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Here is the too-small-for-motorcycle 280mm shock, very small !!!
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For the EMC shock I had to measure the REAL rear wheel travel in relation to the travel of the shock. I made mutiple measure with a jack and without the shock, the travel is perfectly linear, perfect for an air shock !!! The 195mm travel at the wheel is real !!!
On the drawing I went more than the actual shock travel.
I also measure sag with bike weight and also with me on board
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FWIW: Works performance made a custom shock for our 2013 MX dirt tracker that has worked really well. We had spent hundreds of $s on trying to modify the stock Fastace shock to no real improvement. The custom WP shock solved all our rear suspension problems.
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I just went on their website, it seems to be a great shock company. They have deported piggy back models which may fit the Zero. Too far away for me but for US rider I think it could be a great way of improvement !!!
Laurent
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I'm trying the big DNM MT-BAG in 280mm. It fit upside down but with very little clearance. But the 280mm one doesn't have the same travel as the original FASTACE. Maybe it will be better with the smaller model MK-BAG which is still much larger than the FASTACE !!!
The remote piggyback reservoir has to be put somewhere also.
I will post ridding impressions
Laurent
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Futhermore on the original FASTACE rear shock the upper bushes had already built a noticable play.
The DNM has sperical plain bearing which is far better !
Laurent
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The play in the top of the rear shock made a cracking noise on my bike when it was new.
I took off the shock absorber and mounted some small metal pieces so the play was gone and also the cracking sound :)
But I think it´s possible to disassemble the Fastace shock and put a new seal in it.
Try search Youtube for disassembly procedure videos.
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Well on my Fastace the rebound knob seems to have a lot of play, it could almost been pull out of the shock body.
If I disassemble the shock I' ll need new seals and I don't know where to find them. I will also need to repressurise the piggy back and I don't know how to do it.
Futhermore the 2013's Fastace is really too small, I have almost the same but better quality Fox Dhx on my DH mountain bike !
I don't know about the 2014's one, it may be bigger and longer ?
Laurent
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Repressurize is easy but you need the right tools. I assume it has the same valve as your car tire. I have a small tank of nitrogen that can be bought at welding supply stores all over the place. Then you need a regulator and a gage to cut the pressure down from like 2000 psi in the bottle to the 140-170 psi in the shock. The size of any motorcycle shock is so small that you cannot just pull the hose off of the valve because just like the car tire it loses some air as you remove it. They sell a little valve that is not all that expensive that you screw onto the shock and it has a little bar to spin that opens and closes the shock while under the pressure from your tank. If you hold 150 psi on the shock then close the shock valve, you know you have trapped 150 in it. Then you can remove the hoses and it doesn't matter how much gas escapes because the shock is already closed.
Maybe if you don't do this often, it costs several hundred dollars for stuff you won't use again. I bought the right stuff because I tuned my own shocks for a while years ago. So it made sense to have the equipment. Maybe the motorcycle shop has the equipment to do it if you don't want to buy the stuff. The little valve was sort of hard to find. I went to a store that carried pneumatic stuff and they had to order it.
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I don't know about the 2014's one, it may be bigger and longer ?
Laurent
That's a question I've had on my mind. How hard to adapt 2014 suspension to 2013s? I think the '14 FX was advertised as having a large head bearing so it might not be trivial to use the 2014 triple clamp in the front. But might the improved rear shock swap for any of our bikes?
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There no presta or schrader valve on the shock, just a screw on the piggyback which seems to access a rubber seal on a very small diameter hole....
Laurent
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Some of my shocks had a little screw with an o-ring. It is a way to let air out and then add a little oil. When assembling the shock, you might not get it perfect and have a little trapped air. I suspect I always have a little air trapped in the shock. The pressure should be zero when you unscrew it. They also had a Schrader valve as well though on the bottom of the reservoir. With no valve then I don't understand how they pressurize it.
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I don't know about the 2014's one, it may be bigger and longer ?
Laurent
That's a question I've had on my mind. How hard to adapt 2014 suspension to 2013s? I think the '14 FX was advertised as having a large head bearing so it might not be trivial to use the 2014 triple clamp in the front. But might the improved rear shock swap for any of our bikes?
Hello People!
Just bought a 2013 Zerod DS...it had 645 miles, now has 1650 miles! 8)This thread caught my attention because, well, I gained a load of weight in my forties and am weighing like 250 these days and I fear, though I've adjusted my shocks to where I think is proper, that I may eventually have this issue. So...I am keeping an eye on this thread.
Also, to do maint, just jack her up from under the battery?
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As you can see the upper space is very tight
Sorry for resurrecting this thread, but I'm having no luck elsewhere. I'm taking the rear shock out of my 2013 S, but don't know whats necessary to get to it. Is there a special tool that I need, or does the zero just need more disassembly than I want to admit to myself?