Marzocchi strada shocks

Learned my craft on the twisties in Scotland.
Anywhere else I have lived (Kent, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Catalunya, Madrid) has offered less of a challenge.
Western Australia was flat and relatively featureless (from a bike riding point of view), punctuated with dirt roads and bitey bastards.

The point is I get on with it, I don't worry about these things. I go by the feel and work round any issues.
We're talking 30 to 40 year old clunkers. If such things worried me I would buy a modern bike to mollycoddle me with 10 power settings, ABS, ESP, BBC, ITV etc.
 
Grant said:
We're talking 30 to 40 year old clunkers.
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for some reason I had you down as older than that...

I know what you mean about riding to the feel, I can remember changing my first VFR from Metz 33/99 to the then newly available radials - it never felt like I was riding harder, I just found that journeys took less time. One memorable run saw me sat in a friends kitchen up by Aberfoyle when i realised it was starting to rain and my waterproofs were at home. Had to crack on to stay ahead of the rain  :D

 
I don't want to upset anyone but if someone tells me that old shocks and bad rubber lets you ride as good as with modern shocks and modern rubbers, there are only 2 possible things that would keep me from saying bullshit: one is that person is a formula rider who is able to drift any bike through each corner or b) the average speed is so slow that it really makes no difference. I can't judge any of you folks experience, so please do NOT take any personal offense here!!!

sorry, but my experiences on my bikes are totally different.

I started my Jota with AG Stradas and standard rims/swingarm etc. with Metzeler tires. The bike was shit to ride, cornered like steam train and as a consequence, I dropped the bike several times (the Metzeler tended to slip when older than 3 years...).

First I changed the swingarm and changed from Marzocchi to Koni, which made a huge difference already. Added a fork brace and progressive springs to the front, improved it a bit. After a drop of the bike, the full restoration saw an overhaul of the hole bike and along that, the fork was overhauled, too (with standard components, but with the progressive springs). Adjusted the front end for smoothes travel and let Jens from Dynotec ride the bike (those guys who built ?hlins shocks for their customers...). He was massively impressed by the handling of the bike ("We have a looooong way to go to get a Guzzi ride like that...!"). And that was with standard Rims but with BT45 already.

I changed the Konis later on for some YSS (rebound damping only) and also the rims to GSX-R rims with BT012SS tires. I was amazed to see another major step forward after setting the YSS right.

Overall, the handling improved so much that I would say it is a development standpoint now of a good mid 90's Bike, which makes a difference of almost 30 years development.

On the 1000 SFC, I had several things improved, too, and had a chance to have a head-to-head comparison with a standard 1000 SFC. Never would want to go back again, really... made an easy to ride bike out of a heavy lump...
 
I am not doubting your experiences Lothar.

I'm not saying I can ride faster than anyone else here, old rubber and shocks vs new.
All I am saying is I ride by the feel of the bike and do my best to work around any issues.
And the modern tubeless radials, brakes, suspension I have on the Corsa and POP don't make me ride any faster than before.
In fact I would go as far as to say that I was a hell of a lot faster when I was mad and young than now.
It was normal then for bikes to buck and weave, squirm and shake. In fact if they were not doing it you were not going fast enough.
It was fun taking them to the edge and over. Certainly sharpened my bike riding skills.
Maybe that's why I have a dislike of new stuff. No sensation of being close to the edge, until you step over it and the nanny state electronics can't save you.
 
:-*

Just trying to explain why I don't think everyone needs the latest must-have in order to go fast.
Sorry if it makes.you yawn.
 
I don't have a problem with Marzocchi's, i have used them for 30 years on Ducati's and never had reason to complain. tyres on the other hand have moved on but as most of us are stuck with 1950 design rubber anyway (cross ply) i think people are splitting hairs. If i wanted to scrape my elbow and  ride the front wheel into bends i wouldn't be on my Laverda :). Most bikes are what they are and once you start improving on one thing another will be a let down. Change the shocks, change the wheels and put radials on, change the swing arm and weld up the frame, brace the forks lighten everything and you will still have a Laverda thats not a patch on a ?500, 25 year old EXUP.... Just love it for what it is :-)
 
Change the shocks, change the wheels and put radials on, change the swing arm and weld up the frame, brace the forks lighten everything and you will still have a Laverda thats not a patch on a ?500, 25 year old EXUP.... Just love it for what it is :-)
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Bingo!
 
Re: Stradas being sh*t

Grant said:
I mustn't have got that memo then.
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There were worse shocks.....erm.......Corte E Cosso for one :-)

Things happen over 40 years or so.....my ?70 Chinese jobbies performed very well today on my Honda TL - I shall chuck 'em on the 3C in the Spring and report back!

If all goes well, I'll sell the Ohlins and retire on the proceeds!

The Ohlins are frikkin' awesome. Better than an old git needs for the bike. And TBH, don't look "period".

H
 
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