rear "shocks"?
- Thread starter oilspot
- Start date
Believe it or not, they really are oil-damped shock absorbers, not just springs. The manufacuring quality is pretty good; those are some nice aluminum castings and the metal covers are a nice finishing touch. Where they fall down is in their designed capacity. These were intended for a 120lb max rider and relatively smooth roads/trails. That's why they bottom-out and bend so easily. It's also why the covers are bent 99% of the time.
The shocks weren't changed until the `79 models. The `80s and `90s bikes definitely have nicer ride quality in stock form. Fortunately, a CT70 can handle at least 300lbs of passenger load and there are lots of aftermarket shocks available. Some are really good, nearly all are better than OEM.
The shocks weren't changed until the `79 models. The `80s and `90s bikes definitely have nicer ride quality in stock form. Fortunately, a CT70 can handle at least 300lbs of passenger load and there are lots of aftermarket shocks available. Some are really good, nearly all are better than OEM.
That's going to present a challenge. The stockers are about ideal for sub-120# rider. Anything suited for a 200# rider is going to be pretty stiffly sprung for 50% of that weight. IMO, you'd be best off biasing the choice of shocks for more weight. As a kid, I used to ride rigid bikes with no ill effects. 35 years later, suspension tuning matters, shall we say, "a bit more" 
Although it's possible to spend $700 or more on a set of KYB or Ohlins shocks, that's way over the top . Bike shocks can get quite expensive and the size of the bike doesn't really enter into the equation. You get what you pay for, the question is how much shock one really needs or even wants. $135-300 should easily be enough to get what you want. At the lower price point, entry level Kitaco adjustables or OEM Honda Nice are a huge improvement over OEM. The kitacos are very stiff, even on the softest setting, they're also noisy (the springs rattle over certain road irregularities, they squeak over big whoop-de-dos). I assault the scale at about a buck-ninety and find these shocks to be on the stiff side. They are, however, perfect when the spousal unit is added to the bike...even on rough terrain. The Honda Nice shocks are very well-built, even beefier than the Kitacos and have a well-balanced ride quality (nowhere near as stiff as the Kitaco). They are, however, about 5mm shorter than stock (almost undetectable) and non-adjustable. The springs are powdercoat yellow from the factory. At the high end of this range are Showa adjustables. These are about perfect for a 200# rider and need to be clicked-up for a passenger. They'll be on the stiff side for a 120-pounder, but not nearly as much as the Kitaco units. In-between are adjustable shocks from Gazi and Yoshimura. I've not personally tested these as yet, however, the reviews have been very favorable and they offer a lot of value for the money. Some models even have adjustable compression/rebound as well as spring preload adjustment.
Although it's possible to spend $700 or more on a set of KYB or Ohlins shocks, that's way over the top
. Bike shocks can get quite expensive and the size of the bike doesn't really enter into the equation. You get what you pay for, the question is how much shock one really needs or even wants. $135-300 should easily be enough to get what you want. At the lower price point, entry level Kitaco adjustables or OEM Honda Nice are a huge improvement over OEM. The kitacos are very stiff, even on the softest setting, they're also noisy (the springs rattle over certain road irregularities, they squeak over big whoop-de-dos). I assault the scale at about a buck-ninety and find these shocks to be on the stiff side. They are, however, perfect when the spousal unit is added to the bike...even on rough terrain. The Honda Nice shocks are very well-built, even beefier than the Kitacos and have a well-balanced ride quality (nowhere near as stiff as the Kitaco). They are, however, about 5mm shorter than stock (almost undetectable) and non-adjustable. The springs are powdercoat yellow from the factory. At the high end of this range are Showa adjustables. These are about perfect for a 200# rider and need to be clicked-up for a passenger. They'll be on the stiff side for a 120-pounder, but not nearly as much as the Kitaco units. In-between are adjustable shocks from Gazi and Yoshimura. I've not personally tested these as yet, however, the reviews have been very favorable and they offer a lot of value for the money. Some models even have adjustable compression/rebound as well as spring preload adjustment.