FOX air shocks

[dirtbike]

Does anyone know what kind of shocks these are?
I assume that they are FOX air shox. If so, how do they work?
I have plain Öhlins which is excellent but I thought that the FOX
setup might be more trick. At least here in Husky/Öhlins land.
http://web.tiscali.it/no-redirect-tiscali/ktm70pages/My%20KTM%20250%20gs%2081%202.jpg

Maybe someone even has a decent set for sale?

[Rocket]

Dirtbike
I can't enter the site, says I am forbidden to use.
Rocket

[tomale]

Me too... I got the same message.

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.

[dirtbike]

Odd!
I don't understand their technique. That is the correct address but one has to browse in there, not access directly from another site.
maybe this will work!

http://web.tiscali.it/ktm70pages/My%20KTM%20250%20gs%2081%202.jpg

NO it doesn't, que stupid!
Well it's the KTM 70's pages and the link "Anni 80" and the first bike there is (a 250GS).

[Mike OReilly]

I strongly suspect that those are Marzocchi shocks (it says "Farioli" on the tank, so it is likely Italian - thus the "Zokes" connection). They certainly aren't Fox air shocks.
Mike

[tmc3c]

HEY Dirtbike,             I am getting the pic. with no problem and they are not like the zokes I have. I wish Rocket could see it, I bet he could tell. They sort of look like Olhins, they sure have a large plunger shaft , looks to be about 3/4" in dia. I wonder if they came that color or have been painted to match the frame.How about Kip Kern,Have you e-mailed him ?on it?

Thomas Carmichael

[dirtbike]

Well, I'm not really after those, mere FOX'es!
Are there FOX air shox suitable for my 250GS -81.
I have these Öhlins but they are so common, so untrick over here so I figured I would be the man with those FOX shocks.
How do they perform? Are they comparable to the Öhlins?
Can they be rebuilt without to much special tools or other arrangements?
Frankly, are they any good?

[tmc3c]

Dirtbike, The time I had ohlins on my Husky I thought they were hard to beat, I never had any problems with them. Have you looked into Progressive ? Or Worx shock's? I think that is the right spelling, I have Marzocchi on my 76 250GS, I have yet to try them but they are what came on my bike in 76 so that is why they are there and I hear they are pretty good.Good Luck In finding somethimg TRICK but sometimes the old tried and true can be your best bet.

Thomas Carmichael

[Gavin Housh]

The Fox air shocks are still trick shocks, but they are not as good as Ohlins. They will work on an 81 250. Some draw backs are you need a sepcial air guage that does not allow the air to escape while filling or checking pressure. These guages were available in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The guage had a widget you could turn in or out. when the widget was turned in you could fill the shock. Then you turned the widget out before you disconnected the guage. By using this type of guage you didn't loose any pressure while filling the shock. Without this guage you can not accuratly fill the shocks. These shocks also had a tendency to leak out pressure. so evey weekend you had to fill some before you could go riding. The pro riders used these shocks for a few years and they carried a nitrogen tank to fill, but most local riders just used air. I believe the seals as well as instruction manuals  are still available from Fox. I have the telephone number here somewhere if anyone needs seals. One other drawback. The chain runs very close to the chromed saft of the upside down shock. If the chain hits the chrome it will end up damaging the seals. Some riders would make a guard out of thin metal that would fit on the lower shock bolt. I think it came up about three or four inchs. The guard had a bend in it so that when the shock was fully compressed the shock body didn't hit the guard. Brad Lacky and other pros raced gran prix motocross with these shocks and were able to make them work, but with the remote resevoir Ohlins and other leading shock makers producing Decarbon style shocks that were more reliable the "Fox Air Shox" went the way of the dinosaurs.

[dirtbike]

True!
I have stumbled upon all sorts of shocks between older italian or spanish stuff to japanese kayabas and showas! One thing is certain though. Putting an Öhlin shock in there will improve the action tenfold. I'v tested my 250GS -81 some last summer and I must say that the rear is up to anything, even today.

Actually, my preferences has been pretty messed up since I had this maico 250 -83 spider with the factory installed Öhlin mono shock back in 1983. Nothing has ever been better of for that matter even close. I'm doomed to consider all rear suspensions as junk after that one.
Sad in a sence. Especially since they aren't TRICK over here!