Fitting rear shock.

[FurstyFerret 66]

Anyone know which side/way the two dots on the bottom of the rearshock are supposed to face?

 

Hyperpro rear shock fitted and mechanic reckons it's leaking gas, rebound adjustment hasn't functioned properly from the off. So. Refitting the old shock whilst the Hyperpro gets sent back to Hyperpro. 

[FurstyFerret 66]

1 hour ago, FurstyFerret said:

Anyone know which side/way the two dots on the bottom of the rearshock are supposed to face?

 

Hyperpro rear shock fitted and mechanic reckons it's leaking gas, rebound adjustment hasn't functioned properly from the off. So. Refitting the old shock whilst the Hyperpro gets sent back to Hyperpro. 

Facing the chain side if anyone needs it.

[Bunzena 8]

I've also replaced by OEM shock with a Hyperpro unit.

 

99% sure that the 'dots' [casting marks?] on the bottom of the OEM shock were to the left as you look from the back of the bike.  Looking in the workshop manual, the picture is small - but looks to confirm this.  Hope this helps.

 

I'm very curious about the issues you have with the Hyperpro.  I've recently fitted mine and it's 'noisy'.  When I bounce the bike there's a slightly gritty/squeaky noise. 

 

All the bearings were properly greased on fitting - and I took care to keep everything clean.  So my best guess is that the noise is probably fluid passing through the valves inside the shock.  If I tweak the damping to it's most aggressive setting - the noise is much less - with softer damping the noise is more obvious.

 

I've only had a short test ride and it seems to be an improvement on the OEM shock.  But seeing your post about a potentially faulty shock from Hyperpro, I wondered if your experience could shed any light on this?

 

Many thanks.

[ScaredyCat 1,659]

Can I ask your reasoning for not going stock again?

 

Just interested as I've just replaced mine with another OEM one. 

[FurstyFerret 66]

5 hours ago, Bunzena said:

I've also replaced by OEM shock with a Hyperpro unit.

 

99% sure that the 'dots' [casting marks?] on the bottom of the OEM shock were to the left as you look from the back of the bike.  Looking in the workshop manual, the picture is small - but looks to confirm this.  Hope this helps.

 

I'm very curious about the issues you have with the Hyperpro.  I've recently fitted mine and it's 'noisy'.  When I bounce the bike there's a slightly gritty/squeaky noise. 

 

All the bearings were properly greased on fitting - and I took care to keep everything clean.  So my best guess is that the noise is probably fluid passing through the valves inside the shock.  If I tweak the damping to it's most aggressive setting - the noise is much less - with softer damping the noise is more obvious.

 

I've only had a short test ride and it seems to be an improvement on the OEM shock.  But seeing your post about a potentially faulty shock from Hyperpro, I wondered if your experience could shed any light on this?

 

Many thanks.

Almost immediately the Rebound was not clicking on the shock. Hyperpro's advice was to open the Rebound all the way, ride (carefully) for two miles, then adjust. This worked each time, but only for one adjustment. In the end I was just opening it fully then bouncing the rear up and down to get it to click and only on the increase adjustment.

 

Over about four months the ride began to feel progressively harsh till it was like the suspension had been replaced with a bag of wet sand. The ride has become really harsh. High speed (c.60-70mph)bumps feel like you're losing vertebrae (which was where the 27k [now back on] left off).

 

Went to a suspension specialist to get them to look at the setup in case it was me (spanner monkey), but without knowing about the above they suggested gas had gone on the shock.

 

It made a squishing gas sound at one point when bouncing the rear at a standstill also. Was fitted c. September, issues with it pretty much throughout Winter to now. At no time has the ride been "amazing", but again - roads are also really bad.

[FurstyFerret 66]

1 minute ago, ScaredyCat said:

Can I ask your reasoning for not going stock again?

 

Just interested as I've just replaced mine with another OEM one. 

The stock basically has no adjustment, was atrocious (in my case) 27k miles in, and the roads around here are beyond bad. Saw a lot of people with YSS shock success and in my imagination, the Hyperpro was going to give a "Magic Carpet" type ride to a high mileage commuter that was becoming so uncomfortable it was (is) difficult to commute on.

[ScaredyCat 1,659]

5 minutes ago, FurstyFerret said:

The stock basically has no adjustment, was atrocious (in my case) 27k miles in, and the roads around here are beyond bad. Saw a lot of people with YSS shock success and in my imagination, the Hyperpro was going to give a "Magic Carpet" type ride to a high mileage commuter that was becoming so uncomfortable it was (is) difficult to commute on.

 

Wow 27k - I was at 56k when mine went. I'm a chunky chap so I don't have any issues with the stock (also replaced the seat). It does feel a lot better now but the change was a little while ago when it just felt way too bouncy. Are the Hyperpros spendy? I know I had to wait a couple of weeks for the stock one to arrive and it wasn't cheap. 

[Skidt 1,333]

9 hours ago, ScaredyCat said:

Are the Hyperpros spendy?

You can get a “Streetbox” kit, with a remote preload adjuster for an early NC for just over £800 iirc. Obviously it’s less without the remote adjuster. They’re built to order I believe, so you might have a few weeks wait for delivery. 
 

There’s a very good review / thread on here from Viator, who fitted the same to his 2021 NC? Well worth a read if you’re thinking about it. On this thread there’s a link to a YouTube review from Chris Moss who recommended the upgrade. 

[FurstyFerret 66]

11 hours ago, ScaredyCat said:

 

Wow 27k - I was at 56k when mine went. I'm a chunky chap so I don't have any issues with the stock (also replaced the seat). It does feel a lot better now but the change was a little while ago when it just felt way too bouncy. Are the Hyperpros spendy? I know I had to wait a couple of weeks for the stock one to arrive and it wasn't cheap. 

Some people have been happy with the NC's suspension, some unhappy. I'm in the later group.

 

I got a 15% discount through Bennets (insurance), if they're running the Bike Social membership (which I believe you can get even if you don't insure with them) it may be worth getting it for the discount (obviously checking if you'll get the discount you want first).

 

Think I was swayed by the reputation/made in Holland, etc. If I had my time again, I'd probably go YSS because people seem happy with them, they are very familiar with the NC, and also, again, a shock built for Thai countryside roads is probably a better match for the UK than a shock built with familiarity of Dutch countryside roads in mind. 

[oldwisedude 21]

I've been following threads about suspension upgrades for years, relating to every bike I've owned, because the stock suspensions of those bikes have always been compromised by manufacturer's budgets to keep the on-the-road price competitive. 

 

We are very limited with upgrade options for the NC range. Neither K Tech nor Nitron list NC applications. Regarding Hyperpro, their fork kit does nothing to upgrade the crude valving and their rear shock cannot be serviced in the Uk - it has to go back to Holland.

 

In the past I have fitted K Tech, Nitron, Maxton and RaceTech to various different bikes, all of which benefitted from much better tracking, handling, comfort and confidence.

 

I have recently ordered Maxton SD20 fork cartridges and an NR4 rear shock for my 2023 NC750X-DCT.  Big expenditure - yes!  Worth the money - personal choice, I'll find out soon!  Appropriate upgrade - probably overkill but I tend to like good things. Its a bit like hifi really - you can get a decent system at affordable cost, but to achieve that last 10% of realistic believability you have to spend ten times as much.

 

I'll report back in a few weeks after I've installed the Maxtons

[RC166 701]

I’ve got Maxton front and rear on my 2018 DCT. Fortunately, fitted by previous owner. Huge improvement, the stock front end particularly, was bloody awful. 

[VinnyB 744]

Nitron wil now have front and rear supension mods available for 21- NC750X. They used my bike as development bike, they fitted cartridge front and NTR1 rear shock with HPA rear.

Edited April 30 by VinnyB

[Viator 1,561]

30 minutes ago, VinnyB said:

Nitron wil now have front and rear supension mods available for 21- NC750X. They used my bike as development bike, they fitted cartridge front and NTR1 rear shock with HPA rear.

Hi @VinnyB have you/will you be writing up a review on your Nitron set up as I would be as interested as I am in learning about @oldwisedude's impressions of his Maxton set up in due course👍I had planned to change my NC this year but if I can improve further on my HyperPro set up I may keep it a while longer.

[VinnyB 744]

I probably will once I've done a few more miles on a wider variety of roads. I rode it about 130 miles back home on Friday, mainly motorway and dual carriageway and it was obviously way better than standard, the rear is spot on now I've wound out a couple of turns of preload but the front is still a touch firm for my preference so I'll wind out the preload on the forks too. I'm sure once it's dialled in properly for me it'll be great.

Edited April 30 by VinnyB

[oldwisedude 21]

As we know, after 2021 Honda lowered the ride height of the NC750X, changed side panels, shortened the suspension travel plus other styling changes. I will be upgrading my rear shock to a Maxton NR4 next week so wanted to understand what is entailed. The most difficult part is accessing the top fixing bolts. I attempted to remove what seemed like the appropriate side panels but these are fiendishly interlinked with all the other panels and cannot be removed in isolation. I suspect you would need to remove all the side panels, starting at the front and working your way rearward. This is another major faff. (The job would have been so easy if Honda had provided a removable circular cap in-line with the top shock bolt). So I could not get convenient side access to the top fixings. The lower fixings are easy but I wanted to solve the top fixing access problem first, otherwise I would delegate the job to my Honda dealer.

You either need a centre stand or some stable lifting equipment to ease the weight from the rear wheel but still leave it resting on a thin block of wood or just touching the ground. All bolts are fitted from the left side, with nuts on the right side. The nuts are 17 mm A/F, bolts are 14 mm A/F and 8 mm Allen socket.

I could barely see the top fixings - they are so tucked away. Getting head, eye and torch in position and then locating a spanner is very challenging. The RH top nut needed the longest 17 mm combination spanner that I had, hooked up to a similar ring spanner to give it extra leverage. I also alternated with a fine-toothed 3/8 drive ratchet and small socket. The LH side 8 mm Allen bolt could be reached (just) from the rear, accessing above and around the chain area, provided you have small hands (I had to removed my rear hugger to improve access).

Needless to say you can barely get a 30th of a turn on anything, because you haven't room to swing the spanners. (On the production-line Honda would undoubtedly fit the shock before the side panels were fitted). So it means a tiny bit using the ring, then a bit with the socket, then a bit with an open-ender, then back to the ring and so on. The LH 8 mm Allen bolt was difficult to locate, since with only six flats available I had to let the RH self-locking nut rotate the bolt until I could locate the Allen. What a rigmarole! But heroically I eventually succeeded, without damaging any nuts or bolts.

Once I proved I could remove the top bolt I then removed the bottom fixings (easy job), dropped the shock out and greased the pivots at the same time.

Much of the time is initially spent gathering a selection of tool options, of which I have plenty. The top shock bolt removal is extremely tedious but it can be done in situ without panel removal but the job needs immense patience. (It is easier on pre 2021 models)

 

Reply

[Viator 1,561]

The side panels come off fairly easily in one big piece, there is a push pin at the top under the seat that needs to come out, then starting at to top/front of the bike pull the plastic lugs out of the rubber bungs but be careful of the lowest point as this has to be lifted upwards off of a vertical pin.

[Viator 1,561]

In this photo you can see the rubber bung locations and the vertical pin just above the brake pedal.

[Viator 1,561]

When I was setting up my rear shock I left the side panels off as it was easier to remove the shock and adjust it that adjusting it in situ👍

[oldwisedude 21]

I totally agree that reaching the rear shock is MUCH easier with the side panels off. It looks like you managed to detach the lower and rear side panels without removing the blue tank plastics. What year is your bike? 

[Viator 1,561]

26 minutes ago, oldwisedude said:

I totally agree that reaching the rear shock is MUCH easier with the side panels off. It looks like you managed to detach the lower and rear side panels without removing the blue tank plastics. What year is your bike? 

Mines a 2022 model, although the panel pictured previously looks like three sections it is in fact just one piece, what looks like chrome nuts are just welded plastic rivets. Picture of the bike attached with just the seat and this single panel removed👍

[oldwisedude 21]

Thanks for this. I’ll have another look at removing the same sections. My 2023 should be the same. I thought it might need everything from the headlights back to be removed, which is quite a faff. The section you showed before looks much more manageable and will make the job much easier than the way I did it. 

[VinnyB 744]

I'm so glad, after hearing what a faff removing the rear shock is, that somebody else did mine.🙂

[Andy131 770]

Cheers guys, was genuinely going to take the bike to a local bike mechanic to adjust the rear shock as there’s not a hope in hell of me getting my orangutang  sized hands in there. 
Hoping that stiffening the rear helps with cornering at speed as gently weaving is common. Bearing in mind that I am roughly 20st (130 kg?) kitted and the shock is as it left the factory, so set for someone considerably lighter. 

[Viator 1,561]

With the panel removed access to the offside of the upper shock bolt is straight in and simple...

[Viator 1,561]

Access to the nearside less direct, I used a 3/8 drive swivel joint just to hold the bolt while undoing from the other side...