250R Question

[Fox250R]

So I got some money to burn and im looking to upgrade my trike! I want a new swinger, axle, rear shock and front forks. Could any of you give me some tips on what I should be looking for and where to buy? My front forks have been leaking oil for years after replacing the seals many times. My front tire hits my fender just coming down from a wheelie. When I lift my grab bar my rear shock doesn't move up what so ever. At the dunes it feels like I have no suspension at all!

I guess my question is, should I be fixing these problems or just replacing them? What would be a good rear shock that I could just buy off the internet?

Im not sure how to attack all of this yet so I wanted to get some pro info from you guys first..

Thank you. :)

[El Camexican]

My front forks have been leaking oil for years after replacing the seals many times.

Forget the fender rubbing and shock for now, are your fork tubes pitted? Scratched? Bent? Misaligned? What brand of seals have you been putting in? What oil are you using? Leaking is not normal or acceptable, there has to be a reason. Are you using wipers? Hard to tell in the photo.

[C.J]

Send your rear shock to Mr. George over at Suspension 101! My zuki rear shock is on it's way there right now as we speak!! Ask Manbearpig how good his work is! Or JasonB (unless he hasn't rode on his yet),,,

As for the forks: I'm like El Camexican. Something ain't right for them to constantly leak like that.

If you got serious dough to burn go buy one of LSR's swingers..... Sheesh they spendy.... $1000 for a swinger, carrier, chain guide,,,, no thanks..
Does Tyler over at MetalTech do ATC swingers? If not someone needs to get him to make a jig and all for y'all! He makes some sweeeeeet a-arms and quite a few of my zuki buddy's are running his set up.

The axle I would get/plan to get for my zuki is the Durablue Eliminator 2+2. It can be "adjusted" to up to +4 wide. My buddy is replacing his bent zilla axle with one, and I will be doing the same next year.

Yes I know I said 'zuki zuki zuki zuki' blah blah blah QWADZ but still,,, all very good sources right?? Lol

[200x newby]

I had the 04-05 450r rear swinger, shock and linkage on my 86 R and loved it. As for front forks it really depends on what you want to spend. I had a set of progressive front springs and NASA spring adjusters and it made a hell of a difference on the cheap side OR you could get with Jason Hall and get a set of triples for inverted forks.

The 450r stuff is bolt on. BTW if you go that route I have everything you need for the 450r rear suspension and progressive fork springs (parted my bike out).

[JasonB]

metaltech does atc swingers, i have had them do an air cooled 84 +6 swinger for me and a +6 on my 310 86 bike.

suspension 101 is great, George did my rear shock and its a world of difference. i want inverts for my 500 and 310 bikes though, suspension makes the difference. What is going fast worth if your super uncomfortable and out of control while doing it?

[barnett468]

as far as the forks go, you can easily get it to keep from bottoming by using thicker oil and/or heavier springs.

what weight oil are you using?

how much do you weigh?

do you know if your springs are stock?


get your front tire just slightly off the ground.

have someone steady the bike.

grab the forks at the axle and try to wiggle them front to back.

if they wiggle at all the lower tubes are worn.

if they wiggle just a hair they are ok and not the cause of your seal leak.

if they wiggle a lot they should be must be replaced and are at least one cause of your seal leak.

if you need complete new forks are you looking for suggestions for possible aftermarket ones like marzocchis etc or just where to buy orig ones?

they might also might make a damper rod kit for your tubes that will change the damping characteristics and possibly increase travel slightly.

[barnett468]

as far as the rear shock goes revalving/rebuilding is a good option imo however if you have a really fat wallet, call works performance shocks in van nuys calif and see if they make something.

[JasonB]

works is great, my buddy Gary bought DHAM's big bore 250R bike at glamis in March this year and watching that thing hit the 'woops at the base on some of the hills was amazing, it just soaked them up like no big deal. That shock also cost more than a 250R, (over 1,000$). Works builds their shocks to your specs, but so will Suspension101. Mine was revalved, rebuilt, and with new parts and a stronger spring was still closer to the 400$ price tag shipped back to me. Your call, but that 700$ more for the works shock could be better spent on the inverts from Hall with a set of cartridges. just my 2 cents :D

[Fox250R]

I am around 6'2 200. And I'm not really sure what kind of oil, seals or springs i'm using. Never really thought about it until now. My R rides so rough now its beginning to get really hard to enjoy it.

[barnett468]

ok,

your bike looks really nice.

there are many questions you have not answered. in addition to the questions above:

is this your first high perf trike?. the reason i ask is because your bike with your rear tires will feel very rough over wash board roads and harder terrain etc. it is simply the nature of the beast. it is still likely that the harshness can be reduced but it will never be able to be reduced to a point where it feels like your grandparents caddy flyin down the freeway.

what is the air pressure in your tires? low air pressure noticeably reduces harshness over all terrain.

if you simply stand over your bike and push down on the forks do they push easy?

do they push very far?

if you push on the rear does it push easy?

does it push very far?

when you let up in the rear does it rewturn all the way to the top?

when you sit on the rear how fsar does it compress? just use a tape measure to determine this.

it is possible your fork springs are orig and sagged out plus stock springs are slightly light for a 2000 lb rider.

you previously said when you lift on the rear it does not go up anymotre. if this is the case then someone increased the preload on the spring and/or installed a stiffer spring. onec you do these thests ant sanswer the questions we will have a better idea.

there may also be a knob on the rear shock that adjusts the rear damping. if so, turn it all the way one direction and try it then all the way the other direction and try it.

to reduce the easy bottoming in your forks you can try the following if after inspection the forks are determined to be useable.

insatall honda seals.

install 10 wt oil.

raise oil level 5/8" from the stock recommendation.

either add 1" long spacers on top if the springs using hardware store tubing close to the same size as the inside of the tube or add around 10 lbs of air pressure to the tubes if you have air fittings on the top.

when you come down from a wheelie your forks should go around 1/2 way down.

when you run over a curb head on they should go down aroumnd 3/4 of the way.

you can put a zip tie on the tube to determine how far the fork is traveling.

if you do not have enough air in your tires you might dent your rims if you do this test.

[barnett468]

OK, I WATCHED YOU VIDEOS WHICH ARE XLNT.

FORKS

Your forks never bottomed out.

when you stopped using fron brake on the downhill they only compressed around 1/2 way. it would be good to see them over some jumps but it looks like the springs are not too soft to me and might even be a bit too stiff.

put the zip tie on the tube and determine exactly what is happening and where. also find some jumps to test travel on.

since i saw no bottoming i would not out heavy oil in the tubes.



TIRES - Looks like they have a lot of air because i did not see them compress much.


REAR - This looks like the rear spring is very stiff, it hardly seems to move.


TRAVEL - It looks to me like it has more than stock, someone else here might be able to tell. if so then someone has definitely been in threre messiing with things so who knows what you currently have.

[barnett468]

Post correction

i would not use heavy oil in fork tubes.

[BOB MARLIN]

Call "suspension 101" Tell him how much you weigh and what type of riding you do. Put your stuff in a box and ship it to him. Done.

[Fox250R]

Well when I push down on my forks they don't rebound all the way back up. Sometimes ill lift up on the handle bars to get the forks to fully recover. And that's with me not even on the bike.

I just got back from the dunes a last week and as I was loading my bike back in my truck I noticed oil all over both forks.

[Fox250R]

Some of those vids are up to 4 or 5 years old :) When I jump just a foot in the air and land I can hear my front tire rubbing against my fender.. Even does it when i come down from a wheelie.

[El Camexican]

Well when I push down on my forks they don't rebound all the way back up. Sometimes ill lift up on the handle bars to get the forks to fully recover. And that's with me not even on the bike.

I just got back from the dunes a last week and as I was loading my bike back in my truck I noticed oil all over both forks.

Properly functioning forks don’t fully extend unless your front wheel is off the ground and even then there is a small spring in each fork that prevents it from fully extending otherwise they would make a loud clunk every time you lifted the front wheel, but in your case the amount of sag you have means nothing because your forks aren’t working properly. If you want help with this and setting up your suspension you need to indicate if these are going to be replaced with inverts or rebuilt.

[Fox250R]

I think id like to just go with the rebuild for now.

[barnett468]

Well when I push down on my forks they don't rebound all the way back up. Sometimes ill lift up on the handle bars to get the forks to fully recover. And that's with me not even on the bike.this has already been addressed however in addition a general rule of them is that your suspension should compress 1/3rd from fully extended with the rider sitting on the bike. in other words if the bike has 12" of travel with the wheels off the ground it should compress 4" with the rider leaving 8".




Some of those vids are up to 4 or 5 years old When I jump just a foot in the air and land I can hear my front tire rubbing against my fender.. Even does it when i come down from a wheelie. I just got back from the dunes a last week and as I was loading my bike back in my truck I noticed oil all over both forks.the leak has reduced the oil level in the tubes. if this level is reduced by around 1" it will cause the forks to be slightly "softer". a reduction of 2" will cause them to even softer. This is because the natural air in your forks acts as a spring. the more it is compressed the more spring effect it has and vise versa.

the forks were much stiffer in the video than they are now. the only possible reason for this is because something has changed. if you changed the fork oil you might not have set it as high as it previously was. also if you did not know exact;y what weight the oil was before you changed it then you might have inadvertently put in heavier oil. making what seems like a small change from 7.5 to 10 for example will have a noticeable effect on the firmness of the fork.




I think id like to just go with the rebuild for now.you have the info to determine if they are in good enough condition to reuse without them leaking so if it is determined that they are, in your case i would simply use original honda seals, 10 weight oil and raise the oil level 3/4" higher than stock. if it is still too soft then go to 15 weight oil. your springs could not have possibly softened enough to be the cause of your problem.

[Dirtcrasher]

Post correction

i would not use heavy oil in fork tubes.

I'm 5'10"s and have 85/86 250R forks with progressives on my 86 350X. I was bottoming the front at Trikefest last year and changed 20wt to 30wt. Do you have another suggestion? Nowhere around here to test them.

Is there a gold valve for those shocks??

[barnett468]

I'm 5'10"s and have 85/86 250R forks with progressives on my 86 350X. I was bottoming the front at Trikefest last year and changed 20wt to 30wt. Do you have another suggestion? Nowhere around here to test them.

Is there a gold valve for those shocks??

hi dirtcrasher, is that a question?

1. a bikes suspension does not care how tall a rider is, it only cares how FAT a rider is...ouch.

2. in general, progressive springs are not ideal for suspensions with around 10" of travel or less but there are exceptions. they typically get too stiff too quickly which causes a harsh ride. i've tested zillions [almost] of springs over the years.

3. the comment of mine you quoted is only a typo correction and is only a portion of a complete sentence albeit maybe not a coherent one. it is not intended to mean that i would not use oil that is heavier than stock in a forks. i have done this many times

if you are asking a question then i would say this.

1. i think the std weight oil in a 250r is either 7.5 weight or atf which is generally 7.5 weight. unless one weighs around 200 million lbs or more it should rarely if ever be necessary to use oil that is thicker than 15 weight or 20 max in a 250r or tecate etc. one of the things that wear in the forks is the seal on the damper rod. the more it wears the worse it seals which allows oil past the seal which means that not all the oil is going thru the hole in the rod as it was designed to. the more oil that leaks past the seal the softer the damping becomes in both directions.

based on just the info you supplied it sounds to me like your damper rod seals are likely leaking.

2. if someone is maybe 185 or more i might use straight wound springs that calculate to a compressed rate that is around 15% heavier than the origs and increase the thickness of the oil by around 50%. i would also use low preload on heavier springs.

3. if one weighs this much or more AND has the forks on a reasonably heavier bike then they were designed for, then without knowing the difference in weight between the two vehicles, i would estimate going 20% heavier than stock on the springs and around 75% thicker on the oil providing it is around 20 weight oil or less.



without really knowing anything about your set up i would suggest first replacing the seals on the damper rods then using heavier oil using my estimates and if that is still too soft see what your compressed spring rate is then add air to the tubes until it quits bottoming then calculate exactly how much pressure in lbs that air adds to the "spring rate" then get a spring that calculates to the number of your compressed springs added to the number of the compressed air.

i weighed 155 when i tested a box stock 86 250r and i could bottom both front and rear reasonably easily but only under severe conditions.


NO WARRANTIES OR GUARANTEES EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED...Uh, oh.


:Bounce

[barnett468]

If anyone finds Barnett's EDIT button please PM it back to him

Based upon the info you supplied above I suggest you use 90 weight gear oil filled to the top of the tubes and 100 lb per inch springs with 3" of preload AND quit stuffin your face with pizza and beer. :D


Actually the fork tube engineers say it is better to run light oil like 15 wt or less as opposed to heavier oil. to do this in your case if it is still needed after replacing your damper rod seals you can simply weld up the damping holes in your damper rods and drill smaller ones.

:lock:

[barnett468]

I'm 5'10"s and have 85/86 250R forks with progressives on my 86 350X. I was bottoming the front at Trikefest last year and changed 20wt to 30wt. Do you have another suggestion? Nowhere around here to test them.

Is there a gold valve for those shocks??

81 thru 85 atc250r

p/n FEGV3801 $169.00 front

p/n SMGV QR4001 REAR $169.00

http://racetech.com/ProductSearch/3/Honda/ATC250R/1981-85



86 250r

p/n smgv qr4002 rear $169.00

http://racetech.com/ProductSearch/3/Honda/ATC250R/1986

[El Camexican]

I think id like to just go with the rebuild for now.

Cool. As mentioned a few times in here you need to assess what is worn and needed to fix them. If the tubes are pitted, bent or dinged you’d be well served to start looking for a good used set, but if they are otherwise rebuildable you need to disassemble them and rebuild them using new bushings and seals. As mentioned already OEM is the way to go when it comes to these parts seals.

Do you know how to take the forks apart? If not I don’t recommend learning without someone who has done it before on-hand to guide you. You may also require a couple of tools that they don’t sell at Sears. When apart they need to be cleaned to perfection. That grey crud on everything is abrasive and must all be removed (it was formerly your fork components). Inspect the tubes for any imperfections. A low spot means a tiny bit of oil will escape each time the spot extends past the seal, but a high spot with a sharp edge means your new seal will be damaged almost immediately if you don’t smooth it out. Knock any high spots down with 2000 sandpaper. They don’t have to be perfect, but they can’t be sharp edged.

I don’t specifically know these forks, but there is usually a rubber wiper ring above the fork seal (the retainer is usually above it and often there is a washer too) that is meant to remove the crud off the fork tubes before the seal passes over the shaft. If your forks have them and you plan to reuse them make sure they are not torn and that they are clean on the inner diameter as this area is usually full of dirt.

Once the forks are rebuilt put a set of protective boots on them so the seals have a fair chance to last a while. Running them open like you have them in the photos looks cool, but it is not the best thing for the shafts and seals.

Springs: I don’t know what you weigh, but if it’s over 175# I’d look for a set of stiffer springs. Progressive sells a set (I have them in my Yamaha) for yours, but I don’t know what the rates are suited for. Given that it’s a 250R I’m guessing you have more than one aftermarket option. If you want to reuse your stock springs at least measure the free length against what the manual states it should be. It could be that a previous owner decide to cut them for some reason.

Oil: As far as weight is concerned I would not go more than 5 over whatever stock was. I’m no expert on the issue, but it has always been my understanding that the thinner the oil was the faster and more responsive the action of the forks is. Too thick and movements get sluggish so if Honda suggests 10 I wouldn’t go over 15. However, once you have the correct springs installed adding oil in small increments over and above what the manufacture suggests (AKA raising the level) is a well know way to minimize bottoming. I would not add more than 10mm (height) at a time and don’t overdo it as some tuners will tell you that if your suspension is set up properly for the way you ride you should bottom out (lightly) once per ride. That said they mean “Once per ride the way YOU ride. If you like to trail ride you don’t want the same set-up as the guy that spends ½ his time in the air. If you do ride aggressively I suggest you do some reading on MX suspension set-up. At the very least you will be able to make informed decisions about your suspension investments.

Tire Rubbing: As stated the condition of your forks is not helping this, but in theory your trike should be able to bottom out the forks without the tire rubbing the fender, so here are some things to check for while you’re working on the forks. Make sure that they aren’t raised up in the triple clamps too much, or that someone didn’t stick some shims under the fender mounts and change the angle. Is it an aftermarket fender? That alone could be the issue. Also, when they are apart check that no one put lowering blocks in the forks at some point, like perhaps some ice race. These are usually just small aluminum or steel tubes that fit between the dampening rod and the upper fork tube shortening the fork assembly. If there is something like that in there and it does not appear on the Honda drawing get rid of them. And finally make sure you don’t have an overly tall or over-inflated tire on the trike. Any of the above could be causing the problem.

Keep us posted on the rebuild!

Proud owner of an edit button since 2011

[Dirtcrasher]

81 thru 85 atc250r

p/n FEGV3801 $169.00 front

p/n SMGV QR4001 REAR $169.00

http://racetech.com/ProductSearch/3/Honda/ATC250R/1981-85



86 250r

p/n smgv qr4002 rear $169.00

http://racetech.com/ProductSearch/3/Honda/ATC250R/1986

Currently, you guessed it, I am a fat 220lbs. 2 weeks, 15 eclairs, 10 small carrot cakes and numerous bottles of beer with my bacon and feta pizza ago, I was 205lbs.

My rear linkage suspension does not bottom when I get big air. So that says to me it works fantastic :D

The front forks are NOS 85/86 250R and as I had said, I am bottoming the front end on that same type of jump. And as I said, I cannot test that here.

I did once wonder if the oil damping holes could be lowered, raised, or welded up and drilled smaller.

But unless I can get back in the 190lb range, maybe there is no option. I thought there was an emulator or gold valve available for these shocks.

Obviously, I can just call a few suspension shops, but I wanted your input. That is all, PSHHHHT, eclair out........

[barnett468]

Currently, you guessed it, I am a fat 220lbs. 2 weeks, 15 eclairs, 10 small carrot cakes and numerous bottles of beer with my bacon and feta pizza, I was 205lbs.Actually sounds like it was worth it to me.




My rear linkage suspension does not bottom when I get big air. So that says to me it works fantasticit might even be a bit overly stiff. the stiffer the rear is the more it will drive the forks into the bumps causing them to feel stiff. obviously the forks sound too soft irregardless but if you soften the rear a little it will improve the front at least a little guaranteed.




The front forks are NOS 85/86 250R and as I had said, I am bottoming the front end on that same type of jump. And as I said, I cannot test that here.so are you saying your forks are brand new with virtually no hours on them. the tunes, lowers AND damper rods?

if this is the case then your damper rod seals are obviously not worn out.




I did once wonder if the oil damping holes could be lowered, raised, or welded up and drilled smaller.well, as i mentioned they can positively be welded and redrilled. as far as raising, lowering this would be bad. as far as adding more holes above the existing compression holes and below the rebound holes well this is a different kettle of fish that won't help your particular problem.




But unless I can get back in the 190lb range, maybe there is no option. I thought there was an emulator or gold valve available for these shocks.well they list one for 85 but not 86, just call them, their number is in the link i posted.




Obviously, I can just call a few suspension shops, but I wanted your input.no prob, always happy to give out free bad information. You can also pm me if you want. i'll be on the site daily for a week or so.

If there is no gold valve and you do call a suspension shop they will give you the same info if they know what they are doing because the suggestions are the only way yto approach the prob. its really basic, no rocket scientist stuff here.




PSHHHHT, eclair out........Man I was just about to eat.





I'm 5'10"s and have 85/86 250R forks with progressives on my 86 350X. I was bottoming the front at Trikefest last year and changed 20wt to 30wt. Do you have another suggestion? Nowhere around here to test them.Did you test them on a big jump with the 30 in it?

if so did it still bottom?

was it bottoming really hard with the 20? if not then the 30 shoulkd stop it. that is a big change.

i don't know what the std honda spring is and since your current spring is progressive would it is impossible to calculate the compressed rate but the spring mfg can however it might be difficult to contact them.

one suggestion i have is one i already mentioned which is to add air to the forks.

if yoiu have 30 weight and it bottoms a little try 5 lbs, if it bottoms hard try 15 lbs, use a low pressure tire gauge. you will loose about 2 lbs when you remove it so if it says 10 then you will really only have 8 once it is removed.

since you already have springs you can get a kit to join the tubes so you only have 1 air fitting. this keeps the air exactly equal in both tubes no matter how much you loose when removing the gauge. if you leak the air get a leak and loose the air you will still have springs so your forks won;t collapse.

i use a small 4 gallon portable air tank.

[Fox250R]

I was considering
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Works-QuadStar-Gas-Emulsion-SRS-Rear-Shock-Honda-ATC250R-ATC-250R-1985-1986-/400254063801?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d310054b9&vxp=mtr


I was wondering if this would be the best way to go. Have any of you bought from this guy yet?

Or should I just rebuild my shock?

Money really isn't an issue so I don't mind paying a little extra..

I could do some of the work myself but i'd much rather just take it somewhere and get it all done at once...Just don't think I can find a place like that here in Oregon.

[Fox250R]

just wondering if the price for this shock sounds about right.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Works-QuadStar-Gas-Emulsion-SRS-Rear-Shock-Honda-ATC250R-ATC-250R-1985-1986-/400254063801?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item5d310054b9

[Fox250R]

OK I guess its this one now

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Works-QuadStar-SRS-Rear-Shock-w-Remote-Reservoir-Honda-ATC250R-1985-1986-/380382356874?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58908e258a&vxp=mtr

[El Camexican]

That shock with the reservoir is a middle of the road shock at best (I have one and wish I didn’t) and the gas emulsion shock you were looking earlier at is an econo-shock at best, shocks like that have no place on an ATV. A rebuilt stocker with the correct spring is likely better than either of these two as the one with the reservoir does not appear to have damping or rebound adjustment.

If you have the money consider an Elka, Fox or even the Works ULTRAX. There has to be other options out there for a 250R as well, just make sure you pick one with a reservoir, damping and rebound adjustment and the correct spring for your riding weight.

[Fox250R]

That shock with the reservoir is a middle of the road shock at best (I have one and wish I didn’t) and the gas emulsion shock you were looking earlier at is an econo-shock at best, shocks like that have no place on an ATV. A rebuilt stocker with the correct spring is likely better than either of these two as the one with the reservoir does not appear to have damping or rebound adjustment.

If you have the money consider an Elka, Fox or even the Works ULTRAX. There has to be other options out there for a 250R as well, just make sure you pick one with a reservoir, damping and rebound adjustment and the correct spring for your riding weight.



Well CRAP! I almost bought this today.. Not sure what to do do now.

[Fox250R]

That shock with the reservoir is a middle of the road shock at best (I have one and wish I didn’t) and the gas emulsion shock you were looking earlier at is an econo-shock at best, shocks like that have no place on an ATV. A rebuilt stocker with the correct spring is likely better than either of these two as the one with the reservoir does not appear to have damping or rebound adjustment.

If you have the money consider an Elka, Fox or even the Works ULTRAX. There has to be other options out there for a 250R as well, just make sure you pick one with a reservoir, damping and rebound adjustment and the correct spring for your riding weight.

Im on Ebay now and I'm not seeing Elka for ATC250R! Would the 86-89 TRX be about the same?

[barnett468]

Well CRAP! I almost bought this today.. Not sure what to do do now.I was sponsored by Works Shocks and spent some time at their factory and am familiar with their general design. They use a spring and bearing type valve with low, medium and high comp stages. It is the same design used in many of the Score Off Road race cars as well as other types of race cars.

If you want works Shocks, I would review the links below then call them directly and tell them what you are looking for and ask how you can buy them and where to return them if you need a revalve.

They will change springs and revalve it for free for the first 30 days. That’s kinda hard to beat.


Ultra Cross, adj rebound.

http://www.worksperformance.com/html/atv.html


Black Widow, adj compression and rebound.

http://www.worksperformance.com/html/atv.html

[El Camexican]

Im on Ebay now and I'm not seeing Elka for ATC250R! Would the 86-89 TRX be about the same?

I would call Elka directly. If you can get one that fits you'll be very happy with it.

[bkm]

There was a shock discussion on FB the other day, Rob Selvy commented that with a revalve and spring upgrade, the oem Showa shocks for the 250r were better than the high dollar aftermarket shocks. I would find a NOS rear shock and send it off to be reworked unless yours is still in great shape.

Just thought I would pass that along.

[bkm]

I put in a message to Rob about the showa suspension. I'll report back with what he has to say.

[bkm]

Rob quoted me $125 to revalve my oem showa. My shock is NOS so it doesn't need to be rebuilt. If yours needs seals, bumpstop, ect, figure in additional charges.

[Fox250R]

I would call Elka directly. If you can get one that fits you'll be very happy with it.


BTW, you were right about that Ebay works shock I was looking at! It didn't have
damping or rebound adjustment. I'm Glad you pointed that out to me cause I never would of noticed. I would of paid $759 for that thing ha! I'm sure its just a rebuilt 250R Shock anyway.

I'm thinking about http://www.elkasuspension.com/products/atv/atv-stage1/
Just not sure how much better if any this would be over a rebuilt OEM shock.

[Fox250R]

I put in a message to Rob about the showa suspension. I'll report back with what he has to say.

Awesome man! thank you so much!

[82 250r]

Rob quoted me $125 to revalve my oem showa. My shock is NOS so it doesn't need to be rebuilt. If yours needs seals, bumpstop, ect, figure in additional charges.

Does Rob have a website?

[bkm]

You can contact him through Facebook or BDT motorsports. For the record, before this gets into a sausage swinging contest between which shock is better, I'm just passing along info, but will be sending my shock to Rob in the next few weeks.

[El Camexican]

You can contact him through Facebook or BDT motorsports. For the record, before this gets into a sausage swinging contest between which shock is better, I'm just passing along info, but will be sending my shock to Rob in the next few weeks.

LOL! Don't look at me, I think your OEM suggestion is the best bang for the buck by far and I say this even though I was sponsored by Works (they gave me FREE stickers when I bought a shock:lol:)

[82 250r]

I was sponsored by Works (they gave me FREE stickers when I bought a shock:lol:)
LOL...
If that's all it takes, maybe i can get sponsored by Rob Selvy!

[barnett468]

Hello Fox250R;

POST 3.

Send your rear shock to Mr. George over at Suspension 101!
POST 5.

suspension 101 is great, George did my rear shock and its a world of difference. i want inverts for my 500 and 310 bikes though, suspension makes the difference. What is going fast worth if your super uncomfortable and out of control while doing it?
Post 7.

as far as the rear shock goes revalving/rebuilding is a good option imo however if you have a really fat wallet, call works performance shocks in van nuys calif and see if they make something.
Post 8,

works is great, my buddy Gary bought DHAM's big bore 250R bike at glamis in March this year and watching that thing hit the 'woops at the base on some of the hills was amazing, it just soaked them up like no big deal. That shock also cost more than a 250R, (over 1,000$). Works builds their shocks to your specs, but so will Suspension101. Mine was revalved, rebuilt, and with new parts and a stronger spring was still closer to the 400$ price tag shipped back to me. Your call, but that 700$ more for the works shock could be better spent on the inverts from Hall with a set of cartridges. just my 2 cents :D

that Ebay works shock I was looking at! It didn't have damping or rebound adjustment. I would of paid $759 for that thing ha! I'm sure its just a rebuilt 250R Shock anyway.All parts are new and designed and mfg’d by Works.





I'm thinking about http://www.elkasuspension.com/products/atv/atv-stage1/If you are concerned about damping adjustments on an aftermarket shock, you should compare the number of adjustments between the works models I listed and the others you are interested in.

If you buy an aftermarket shock other than a Works I suggest you ask if they will re-valve and/or re-spring it within the first 30 days for free like works will if this is a concern for you.

I know nothing about the Elka or TCS shocks, however, my guess would be that none of the shocks in this price range are bad or a whole lot different than each other.





Just not sure how much better if any this would be over a rebuilt OEM shock.There is definitely a noticeable difference on extremely rough terrain at the very least, however I guess the question is, ”Is the difference big enough to justify spending around an additional $600 for a custom shock as opposed to a re-valved and re-sprung stock one?”.

I can say that in my experience, there is no shock that makes a bike ride like a 1960’s caddy does on the freeway when the bike is ridden on a rough track, but on a smooth track or soft terrain, there is a much smaller/less noticeable difference between a $200.00 shock and an $800.00 one.

[Fox250R]

Talked to Tom at "Works" Gave me a $900 quote for http://www.worksperformance.com/html/atv_single_ultracross2.html

Still trying to figure out what to do.

[El Camexican]

Talked to Tom at "Works" Gave me a $900 quote for http://www.worksperformance.com/html/atv_single_ultracross2.html

Still trying to figure out what to do.

No damping on that one either? I would do the leg work on a tricked out stocker before dropping $900 on that unit. I bet you'll save money and have a better shock in the end.

[Fox250R]

No damping on that one either? I would do the leg work on a tricked out stocker before dropping $900 on that unit. I bet you'll save money and have a better shock in the end.

LOL! I can't do anything right hahaha!

I'll keep looking but I'm starting to think you're right, I should just rebuild.

[barnett468]

Talked to Tom at "Works" Gave me a $900 quote for http://www.worksperformance.com/html/atv_single_ultracross2.html

Still trying to figure out what to do.That shock has 18 position reb damping only. One that has compression adjustment as well is much better but likely much more money.

Did you price the ones below that I posted earlier?


Ultra Cross 18 pos reb and high and low compression damping.

http://www.worksperformance.com/html/atv_single_ultracross.html


Black Widow 18 pos reb and high and low compression damping.

http://www.worksperformance.com/html/atv.html

[Fox250R]

That shock has 18 position reb damping only. One that has compression adjustment as well is much better but likely much more money.

Did you price the ones below that I posted earlier?


Ultra Cross 18 pos reb and high and low compression damping.

http://www.worksperformance.com/html/atv_single_ultracross.html


Black Widow 18 pos reb and high and low compression damping.

http://www.worksperformance.com/html/atv.html

Yes, the Black widow is around $1400. Seems a bit much for a shock for a 30 year old 250r :) Going to start looking into the Rebuild I think..

Thanks :)

[250rRoostmaster]

I would look into getting progressive springs and use 15wt oil in the forks for Oregon dunes, i had my local honda shop rebuild my stock rear shock and it made a world of difference. You forks are either pitted or bent though if they are leaking that badly.