Ignacio In the Iron Butt Rally

[mattster31]

Is it possible to blow the nitrogen portion of the shock and the oil part still work?

I would say yes ..........although it happened on my FOX racing shock for my mountain bike. Then again, it uses air for the preload and the nitrogen is for the damping. I didn't realize that's what it was but it acted like it would periodically "lock out". When I had it serviced the guy told me what had happened. I'm sure it could happen on a motorcycle shock

 

[Brian R]

Oh...and I still haven't even gone to therapy yet for all the crime scenes I've been to. The fact 101 riders dabbled around anywhere near the headspace of rally creator, Bob Higdon, is a recipe for multiple prescriptions to SRI's. I don't know why, but this bonus still haunts me as somehow representative of the worst of the human condition:

No Kidding - I did this one on leg #1. I parked near the back of the lot by the dumpster, got off the bike and pulled out the rally pack and read the instructions - guess where I was standing....... You guessed it....On the grassy Knoll.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kline's Freeze 271 points Daylight hours only

8200 Centreville Rd

Manassas, Virginia

N38 46.703 - W077 27.057

Take a photo of the building, showing at least the word "Kline."

Category: Malicious wounding.

Irritated at her husband's behavior, Lorena Bobbit sliced off his ***** while he slept, too it to her car, and tossed it out of her window as she drove up to the nearby traffic light. It landed on a grassy knoll near the dumpster, was recovered, and (apparently) successfully reattached. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity; he began a new career as a **** movie actor.

Date: ________ Time: _________Odometer: ________ Code: DIK Approved: _________

I never quite recovered from the mental picture of this heinous crime.....

Damn nice rally to both Iggy and ScooterG

Brian R.

 

[FJReady]

Iggy,

Just found this as I was going through photos from my cross country adventure. Just in case you needed areminder of how fresh you looked on day 10 of the IBR. Good to meet you. Nice finish!

 

[Dan S]

Congratulations on a great ride and thanks for sharing your experience. I'm the admiring fan that interrupted your breakfast, reunion with family, and final document sorting a few hours after you finished just to say hi. Sorry for the imposition - but I suppose that's what comes with stardom.

 

[Ignacio]

A follow-up on the shock that failed:

I had GP Suspension tear it apart and asked for a frank assessment on what went wrong, whether the emulsion shock design of the value Wilbers 640 I bought some years ago should be upgraded to one of the Penske or Ohins offers, or what they think happened.

Nothing was actually blown, no damage to any component, but he did say the oil was extremely dirty and soupy. Asked how many miles on it and I had pegged it at about 19,000 miles. 11K from the Iron Butt Rally before it went TU, 3K to get to the starting line, and about 5K between the Utah 1088 and other riding commuting. That would have been under full rally load all the time. And he said 15K is the recommended service interval.

Combine that with the fact I thought I had twisted in full pre-load, but hadn't twisted in any....and I'm thinking I just asked too much of the shock.

I also asked him if switching to a different shock would help and he suggested it probably wouldn't make that much of a difference given their mileage service is the same. Maybe a little improvement because of a slight increase in oil in the Ohilins and Penske, but I decided it was probably not worth the big financial investment in the longevity department.

It doesn't totally explain why it went so bad so quickly, but over the course of 100 miles it could be the oil changing critical stages from good to crap. And maybe it was also a bit temperature and cycle related. Part of me thinks the shock may have been a bit better in the cool morning hours of the final night.

So, I went ahead and had him do the service and send it back. I'm keeping the shock, naming it "Wonky", and going to plan factoring in a 15K service requirement for future long rides. If I do the Iron Butt Rally again, consider doing 12,500 miles again (I did only 10K in '07), and have a 3,000 mile commute to the starting line...I may have to ship my fresh shock to the starting line and limp there on a stocker.

Wonky and I are best buds again.

 

[Mr Bill]

Wonky and I are best buds again.

Thanks for the update!

I sold my Wilbers to a good home and I'm looking forward to a new three way Penske. I can afford it, I didn't buy anything for my bike all year!

I need a rebuild every two years and you need a rebuild every two months?

What is the service interval on their fork parts?

They told me what they tell everyone else about the Wilbers, the spring is way too weak.

 

[SkooterG]

I had GP Suspension tear it apart and asked for a frank assessment on what went wrong, whether the emulsion shock design of the value Wilbers 640 I bought some years ago should be upgraded to one of the Penske or Ohins offers, or what they think happened.
Nothing was actually blown, no damage to any component, but he did say the oil was extremely dirty and soupy. Asked how many miles on it and I had pegged it at about 19,000 miles. 11K from the Iron Butt Rally before it went TU, 3K to get to the starting line, and about 5K between the Utah 1088 and other riding commuting. That would have been under full rally load all the time. And he said 15K is the recommended service interval.

You know what, Iggy? I am calling BS on this. 15k service for all aftermarkt shocks? You gotta be kidding me. Say what you want, but I am really starting to question some of the stuff coming from GP suspension. THEY are the one's that rebuilt it shortly before the IBR. And so what EXACTLY happened to your shock? How did the fluid go bad? And that was the only cause of your problems? I am no suspension expert, but something doesn't sound right.

How many other folks have well in excess of 15k on their Wilbers or other aftermarket shock with no issues?

Like me -

Wilbers installed at 36K. First rebuild was at 101k - 65,000 miles later. There was nothing wrong with the shock, but I wanted to get it serviced before the 2007 IBR. I had a stronger spring installed though the guy said I didn't really need it. And frankly, it's too stiff for just one up. However, in rally mode with fuel cell and all luggage it's pretty much dialed in - which is what I wanted.

Now - I haven't had it serviced since. Currently with 210k on the clock. Or, 109,000 mile since the last service. And it's working great.

So I am having trouble buying the 15k service interval, and also why your shock went bad so quickly after a rebuild.

 

[dougc]

How many other folks have well in excess of 15k on their Wilbers or other aftermarket shock with no issues?
Like me -

...and me.

My Wilbers, high zoot, top of the line, rear shock was installed and later resprung all in 2005 and ran the '05 IBR. While I was considering a rebuild before the '07 butt finances and time prevented it. Been riding it ever since and will deliver it to GP after a certain desert event in two weekends. Very interested in what they find.

No real issues to speak of but a perceived degradation of damping particularly when in rally trim.

 

[Ignacio]

The only other variable I can think of is actually in that picture by FJReady. As I left I launched off that curb back onto the road. I didn't think the 6" drop was that bad, but I noticed the shock go wonky shortly after that.

 

[Warchild]

Iggy probably puts the Wilbers through the paces in a serious way.... his rally bike isn't light, he isn't light, and the operational conditions are fairly brutal.

LD Riders should absolutely plan on annual re-furbishing, if they want to keep the performance afforded by the aftermarket shocks.

I've never had an aftermarket shock - Works Performance, Ohlins, Wilbers, etc - last more than 20K before a rebuild was required.

 

[dcarver]

Iggy probably puts the Wilbers through the paces in a serious way.... his rally bike isn't light, he isn't light, and the operational conditions are fairly brutal.
LD Riders should absolutely plan on annual re-furbishing, if they want to keep the performance afforded by the aftermarket shocks.

I've never had an aftermarket shock - Works Performance, Ohlins, Wilbers, etc - last more than 20K before a rebuild was required.

Oh crap, it's Friday, and I here I go..

So, Dale, you sayin' BubbaIggie needs to go on a diet? Just sayin'...

then again, I have my GP Suspension rebuilt, front and rear, every year...

and they always say 'my gawd, what have you done to our work' every time...