[garynortheast]

Several years back for my 2000 curvy, I bought a set of the cheap emulators (Debrix I think) we obtained here on the org as a group buy. I left the original springs in place, sealed up the appropriate holes in the damper tubes with JB Weld, added fresh oil and put them all back together along with a pair of the pre load adjusters from the later version of the curvy. I just guessed at the preload settings and took general advice on the emulator settings from the org (quite possibly Yorkie Chris). The difference it made to the forks was very noticeable. Gone was the pogo effect when the bike was pushed a bit in the corners, and gone was the infamous fork clonk!
Recently I changed the oil and seals in the forks (long overdue!) and gave them a quick inspection while I was at it. I was pleased to see that the JB Weld was still firmly in place. The oil and seal change freshened the feel of the forks quite nicely, so while I was in the mood I checked the static sag. My guesswork from four or five years previously had been good and the static sag was bang on!

Earlier this year I decided that the back end of the bike was starting to feel a bit off. Not surprising I thought as the original shock is still on the bike and I now have just short of 88,000 miles on the clock (69,000 of those are mine since May 2010). I decided that maybe I would take a look at the rear linkage before doing anything else as I have never taken it off and greased it. As I had a spare rear linkage on the bench, purchased from another orger, I cleaned and serviced it, gave it a good greasing, and fitted it. When I took the old linkage off, it was completely seized! Out for a ride with the newly serviced linkage and the original shock - blimey! What a difference. Proper suspension at the back again.

Now, I know that the prevailing opinion is that these shocks are fekked at 20,000 miles, but I can tell you now that mine still functions well enough with my 11st on board to get me around corners at a rapid pace without wallowing, and to cope with some of the poor road surfaces around here without pogoing. I'm not a racing god, but neither am I a particularly slow rider either. I like my corners and have next to no chicken strips left on my tyres.

I've not yet set the static sag on the rear shock. I jacked up the preload a bit last year to help with the extra weight of carrying a pillion here and there, but I'm guessing it's not far out as the back feels good and doesn't sink too far when either of my daughters climbs on the back.

I have no doubt that a £300 rear shock would make a difference, but the bike handles so well currently that I really don't think it would be £300 worth of improvement. I have seen off much more modern and supposedly better suspended bikes around some of the corners here without having to wrestle with mine, and that says to me that there's not a lot wrong with the suspension on my old curvy.