Shocks

[Pete]

I have a 78 400 MC5, and somewhere along the line, someone put a set of Bilstein shocks on
it.I don't think they have the correct travel
length.They are only 13 inches from eye to eye.My question is, what is the correct length and manufacturer that belongs on this bike? Thanks.

P.S. My wife says "only 13 inches" doesn't
sound like a problem to her. Ha Ha Ha.

[Chris Brown]

Pete,
Mine had the Bilstiens too, and they worked great 'till one blew a seal.

Correct length is 13.5". Not sure how you got some a half inch short. Anyway, the axle travels 2:1 of shock travel, so a half inch lowers the seat an inch, and you lose an inch of travel. A shock too long will not work correctly either, for the same reasons.

Also, the Bilstiens are no longer made and there are no parts available to rebuild them. I just went through this whole issue with my 78MC5. I looked at EVERY option for shock replacement and finally ordered a set of WORKS.

I do like the shocks, they work quite well. The have an odd damping mechanism, some kind of spring-ball detent or something. They don't feel like there's much damping at a standstill, in fact when you bounce on the seat they almost feel like they're already blown. But the faster you ride the better they work. I went from 3-4th gear woops to 5-6 gear and it tracks straight as an arrow. No more kicking out the back end.

My recommendation would be to put new WP shocks on. A little expensive, but good for the life of the bike.

Also, they were dialed in perfectly right from the factory. You can either order direct, or have your favorite dealer order them for you. You send them all your specifications and they custom build them to suit.

Take it from someone that knows... for sure,
Chris Brown

 

[Pete]

Hey Chris, Thanks for the info,it was a big
help in my decision.