Probably is, I've not seen one like it before, my Suzuki has the conventional dog bones and rocker arm set up, like my 35 year old FZ750, I've not seen that arrangement before.
I sat and looked at it, but still not sure how it works
I'm glad I'm not the only one, I think as the swingarm goes up the triangular plates must rotate anti clockwise, compressing the suspension
It's a puzzler, isn't it?
I just made this help me understand it, think it's right(ish).
That's Honda's "Unit Pro-Link", which is made specially to not require mounting the top of the shock absorber to the bike. They reckon they can make the frame lighter this way, which sounds right as you don't need a big strong bar across the middle.
The basic point of linkages is to adjust the amount of shock movement versus wheel travel depending where you are in the travel. This allows you to tune in softer suspension on small bumps but firmer suspension as it gets towards bottoming out. It also allows you to mount the monoshock further forwards while maintaining longer shock stroke so the oil can move enough to provide controlled damping.
Works well and is probably necessary on a supersport bike, but o most bikes I'd rather have a direct-linked shock out the side of the bike like on an ER-6 or MT-03 just for simplicity, as there's a lot of little bearings to maintain in a suspension linkage.
The wheel has turned full circle, as a similar arrangement was originally used on the 1980-82 RD250/350 LCs, although it didn't look quite the same and the monoshock was hidden under the tank.
mangocrazy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 2:21 pm
The wheel has turned full circle, as a similar arrangement was originally used on the 1980-82 RD250/350 LCs, although it didn't look quite the same and the monoshock was hidden under the tank.
My LC had less weight to deal with compared to my current steed
mangocrazy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 2:27 pm
We all weighed less back then...
The LC monoshock also took up valuable airbox and tank space, which I suspect is why Yamaha went to a more conventional linkage on the YPVS.
More because it works a lot better, if the LC type suspension had been as good as the linkage type, the YZs and TZs would have stuck with it.
You're forgetting how shit the original LC shock was - that was also improved on the YPVS. And early TZs did have the long 'de Carbon' shock like the LC. Linkages had multiple benefits - the ability to dial in rising rate and packaging being the main ones.
mangocrazy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 2:27 pm
We all weighed less back then...
The LC monoshock also took up valuable airbox and tank space, which I suspect is why Yamaha went to a more conventional linkage on the YPVS.
More because it works a lot better, if the LC type suspension had been as good as the linkage type, the YZs and TZs would have stuck with it.
You're forgetting how shit the original LC shock was - that was also improved on the YPVS. And early TZs did have the long 'de Carbon' shock like the LC. Linkages had multiple benefits - the ability to dial in rising rate and packaging being the main ones.
Ya know what, my LC was 3 months old when I got it. And I was 22.
It handled superbly and we used to steam into Hairpins several abreast and relied on the stonking stoppers.
Or so it seemed
But, I don't think I'd brake as late now on this GSXR as I did on my LC.
mangocrazy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 2:21 pm
The wheel has turned full circle, as a similar arrangement was originally used on the 1980-82 RD250/350 LCs, although it didn't look quite the same and the monoshock was hidden under the tank.
Which is, afaik, the same as the arrangement on the 1930's Vincents.
