Won't repeat my introduction here - suffice to say my project is out of mothballs and back on track after a forced layoff [ ill health ] for the past 5 years.

The project started off with a view to creating a Race Rep style bike and work was going in that direction and I chose a Yam R6 fairing for the job. That was 9 months before BMW aired their copy of MY bike [ !! ] - the S1000R which used the same base fairing for their prototype ! Not wanting to be accused of blatantly copying, I ripped all the embryonic bodywork off and went down the Street Fighter route.

That's basically how the project was left when ill health set in. In the interim I've been developing parts for the Kays which have now been productionised by Realm Engineering [ RAM ] and several of the parts used by ultra successful B.E.A.R.S. [ 3 x time Champion ] and Endurance racer Ben Kingham.

It's seeing his bikes in action that have prompted the final change in style direction to Cafe Racer. Fortunately I already have a set of Tarrozi clip-ons, RAASK rearsets, etc. I'll start out with the bikini fairing from the Streetfighter - the style seemed to work on Ben Kingham's racers.

I developed a 5 spoke wheel conversion [ along with K1100RS forks ], but unfortunately sold the lot off when I thought the end was nigh. Fortunately I didn't sell the bike !

So, back out of mothballs and work begins again.

First step was to reassemble all the parts that I had sold off ! A week later - thanx to good old E Bay - I have K1100RS forks, K1200RS wheels, discs, calipers. That just leaves the front spindle to be made. Fortunately I still have the drawings from my first conversion spindle AND a couple of lengths of St.St. round stock.

No pix allowed ? I'm guessing that's a function of how many posts you've made ....... You'll just have to guess what it looks like !!

Might be some help posting pictures;

https://www.k100-forum.com/t998-posting-pictures-and-movies

Arlina wrote:Might be some help posting pictures;

https://www.k100-forum.com/t998-posting-pictures-and-movies

 many thanx for the headsup ..... however original computer dummy here ! I'm going to try the copy from Internet and post method. A bit long winded but .... maybe - and yes it does.

The pix show the bike 5 years ago when it was going into storage ..... thought I'd never see it again !

Yes, I know the last bike pic is reversed - NO idea how ???

fantastic to see

keep at it ....and many thanks from a whole heap us folks ...for keeping the development and fervour of these fantastic old bikes going strong

perhaps one day I can play at making something   a bit above the average performance wise also

having ridden "Halos" hybrid k1100 suspension ..k100 8 valve machine a few years ago ...there is a desire to do similar

if you haven't seen it ...port modified engine restoration ...nearing completion

Thanx for the welcome Charlie.

The first thing I wanted to sort out after I rode my new to me Kay - was the suspension !!

Fortunately I have had years of experience setting up our race cars [ RAM ] based on replica Cobras .... replicas with Carroll Shelby's personal endorsement.

I was able to talk our shock supplier into developing a unit to my design and specs - the RAMSHOX range. Completely transformed the ride and handling, so then I turned my attentions to the front end.

I designed progressive springs [ RAM Goldline ] to replace the pathetic units fitted as standard. Again - that made a world of difference - so much so that Ben Kingham adopted the units for his B.E.A.R.S. Championship winning [ x 3 ] K100. Then when I did my K1100RS front end conversion I naturally needed progressive springs for that set up - yep, they are now also developed ! As I wanted sharper steering I also raised the fork tubes by 15mm in the yokes.

Much simpler with Paralever rear ends as I designed an adjustable rear strut to raise or lower the bike.

My bike quickly became the "mule" for testing out all my ideas - which were then passed over to Ben Kingham to give them a racetrack work out.

And now after 5 years of ill health [ and 3 at OMG status ! ] I'm pretty well back to normal and raring to get stuck in again.

 

many of us on facebook are following Ben , just awesome !!!

"I was able to talk our shock supplier into developing a unit to my design and specs - the RAMSHOX range. Completely transformed the ride and handling, so then I turned my attentions to the front end."


Thanks Beachcomber550, I love my lovely red RAM to the aft of my K100.  This was the single most expensive part that I bought for my rebuild and my high hopes were fulfilled.  I was expecting an improvement in handling, had no frame of reference other than 'It just has to be better', and ended up with "OMG, this shock #%ing rocks!'.


Keep posting, I'm loving the streetfighter!


Woodie

Good service from Realm Engineering. Sent mine back for overhaul after blowing the rear seal (three years/40,000 miles of Irish roads) but something went wrong somewhere. I called three weeks later wondering what had happened to it; a couple of hours later I got a call back saying the overhaul guys had misplaced it but it had been found and would be next on the list.  Another week went by and still no shock. Called again and again, awaited a callback which duly came. A very exasperated person on the other end said it still hadn't been done and he wasn't going to make me wait any longer. A spanky new shock arrived on the doorstep (well, in the woodshed actually) the following day.

A combination of RamShock and progressive springs (HyPro, as it happens) with an upgrade from 7.5 to 10 weight oil and I thought someone had given me a new bike but with all the old scratches on!

Dai wrote:Good service from Realm Engineering. Sent mine back for overhaul after blowing the rear seal (three years/40,000 miles of Irish roads) but something went wrong somewhere. I called three weeks later wondering what had happened to it; a couple of hours later I got a call back saying the overhaul guys had misplaced it but it had been found and would be next on the list.  Another week went by and still no shock. Called again and again, awaited a callback which duly came. A very exasperated person on the other end said it still hadn't been done and he wasn't going to make me wait any longer. A spanky new shock arrived on the doorstep (well, in the woodshed actually) the following day.

A combination of RamShock and progressive springs (HyPro, as it happens) with an upgrade from 7.5 to 10 weight oil and I thought someone had given me a new bike but with all the old scratches on!

Dai,

sorry to hear about your experience but glad it was all sorted in the end. Your riding experience reflects 100's of similar testimonial that have been received since the shock I developed went into production.

Possibly more impressive is the fact that Ben Kingham has used the SAME rear shock on #55 race bike for FOUR season's worth of racing !! AND without need for a rebuild.

That's exactly how I felt after the newly developed shox and springs went on my old test mule - completely transformed. Ben Kingham is testament to that !! 

RAM sell a lot of shox in the USA and only one has needed a rebuild in 10 years. As far as I'm aware NONE have needed a rebuild elsewhere.

The shocker is based on the technology and base components used in our RAM replica cars [ 30 odd years + a one make race series ] and is effectively vastly over engineered for bike use.

Not sure what other areas might be suitable for scrutiny !! I'll see when I get mine finished and back on the road ..... I have a lot of miles to make up.

Woodie wrote:"I was able to talk our shock supplier into developing a unit to my design and specs - the RAMSHOX range. Completely transformed the ride and handling, so then I turned my attentions to the front end."


Thanks Beachcomber550, I love my lovely red RAM to the aft of my K100.  This was the single most expensive part that I bought for my rebuild and my high hopes were fulfilled.  I was expecting an improvement in handling, had no frame of reference other than 'It just has to be better', and ended up with "OMG, this shock #%ing rocks!'.


Keep posting, I'm loving the streetfighter!


Woodie

Hey Woodie thanx for the kind words re: RAMSHOX .... yep, does what it says on the tin !! When I was developing the shox my co-conspirator at Realm echoed your thoughts ... why would someone spend almost as much on a shock as the bike !!! I buy cheap bikes ! I told him  it was because the Kays are so vastly underated it makes sense to spend some time and money and have something different from the herd. 

Now then my friend .... have you done your front end ? The progressive Goldline fork springs I developed make the same difference again. Not looking for sales, just saying !

Back to the plot ... I now have all the missing parts for the 5 spoke wheel conversion - wheels, discs, calipers, brake lever / MC.

Just the front spindle now !  In the meantime I removed the fugly ignition barrel mount from the top yoke.

SOMEWHERE in my stash I have 3 spare lengths of the St.St. stock I used for the last conversion I did. While I was looking for the stock bar I came across a set of mint downpipes that I had mirror polished - forgot all about them !

Hey you figured the photos out - no need to kidnap the passing six year old.  

I haven't picked the progressive springs for the front end but will definitely be getting them for the next build, which, God willing, will begin this weekend!  It might have a long gestation though....

How did you go about developing the shock?  I would love to know how that evolved.

Woodie wrote:Hey you figured the photos out - no need to kidnap the passing six year old.  

I haven't picked the progressive springs for the front end but will definitely be getting them for the next build, which, God willing, will begin this weekend!  It might have a long gestation though....

How did you go about developing the shock?  I would love to know how that evolved.

Think I have the pix thing sussed now. I pulled these pix from my Blogs on the DTT Forum where I have my own series of Biking Tales from the Sixties [ "Beachcomber's Tales from the Day" ] which will eventually become a coffee table book.

You really need a good progressive front spring to get the best out of the RAMSHOX.

Here's the short [? ] version on the shocker development.

I was in the replica car design and manufacturing business for almost 40 years and during that time also sub-contracted as a design development engineer to others in the business. One such was my pal at Realm Engineering and between us we were responsible for getting Carroll Shelby's unique endorsement for our Cobra replica. Part of his decision was based on our one make RAM / Bardahl racing series for identical RAM Cobra reps. Yep., you guessed it - we needed a pretty special shocker that could cope with the rigours of a full race season AND be compliant for road use. We contacted a major UK company to have a special shock commissioned to our specs. After I retired [ 2002 ] and was able to spend more time with my lifelong passion for blkes I tripped over Kays. Once I got into them it was pretty obvious that the OEM suspension was at best a compromise. It was only a short step then to contact our manufacturers to build up a prototype bike version of the car race shock. Basically I told them what features and specs I wanted - and they built it ! Thus the RAMSHOX are pretty bulletproof - and why Ben Kinghanm is now into his 4th season with the same shocker and not needed a rebuild ! 

Hey, Beachcomber:

Good to see you around again.  You're truly an icon in K-landia.

Just remember that to be truly hip Cafe bikes these days must have brown grips and a brown seat. (At least in the US on Craig's List. )

Cheers,
duck

Thanks for this Beachcomber but it has left me with even more questions.  Other than a very rudimentary understanding of what a shock does and how it works, I know next to nothing about suspension.  Here goes with a few:

-with all the technical resources that BMW had at the time, why would they spec such a mediocre shock?
-how did you decide on the spec (features seem like they would be comparatively straightforward)?
-how do you actually communicate the spec you want? I can see poetic imagery - "soft as the inner thighs of a......" - being helpful to everyone except engineers, but what do I know 
-are all the motorcycle Ramshox variations on the original or all they all different?

I could lob out many more questions than this but for that I think it would be more fitting if we were sat in a pub and I was shouting you to more than a few pints.  If this constitutes a thread hijack then please disregard the nonsense above.

Cheers,  Woodie

duck wrote:Hey, Beachcomber:

Good to see you around again.  You're truly an icon in K-landia.

Just remember that to be truly hip Cafe bikes these days must have brown grips and a brown seat. (At least in the US on Craig's List. )

Cheers,
duck

Hey Duck

humbled by your kind words.

Good to be back in good health and all that brings with it !

I'll be resurrecting myself over with "Your lot" [ K11OG ? ] over there as I'm gradually getting back all my Kay related sites - expect to see me soon !!!! I lost all my info 3 years ago due to a ransomware attack. How's your RAM stuff holding up ?
TJ

Woodie wrote:Thanks for this Beachcomber but it has left me with even more questions.  Other than a very rudimentary understanding of what a shock does and how it works, I know next to nothing about suspension.  Here goes with a few:

-with all the technical resources that BMW had at the time, why would they spec such a mediocre shock?
-how did you decide on the spec (features seem like they would be comparatively straightforward)?
-how do you actually communicate the spec you want? I can see poetic imagery - "soft as the inner thighs of a......" - being helpful to everyone except engineers, but what do I know 
-are all the motorcycle Ramshox variations on the original or all they all different?

I could lob out many more questions than this but for that I think it would be more fitting if we were sat in a pub and I was shouting you to more than a few pints.  If this constitutes a thread hijack then please disregard the nonsense above.

Cheers,  Woodie

First off Woodie, no hijack. Most times a topic will bring up associated topics - hence "Forum".

As to BMW and all their resources. Their shock is a compromise - it has to be ....... It has to cope with a 10 stone [ forgive Imperial measures ] solo rider with no extras and, well lets say 2 well upholstered adults with all their camping gear, kitchen sink etc. at maybe 40 stones !! That is the same shocker has to cope with a variation of maybe 4 times the lightest load. 

It has to cope with bimbling along country roads and fast canyon bend swinging - or English country lanes if you prefer. Oh then the extreme end .... Ben Kingham ringing it out.

Shox are hand assembled based on customer specified weight ranges for them and their bike and also riding style, which they present at the time of order.
 
There is a "default" setting for "off the shelf" use. However due to the large range of adjustments - apart from extreme upper / lower payload for the spring - the base RAMSHOX will cope. See "Duck" a few posts up - they had a group buy [ 10 ?] and I don't recall any issues with that.

Basically the default setting for internal valving etc. was determined by the above huge range of variables. Their brief was to provide us with a shocker that would fit all those parameters. I also wanted a larger range of movement - OEM bike shox [ and some afternamarket units ] only allow 2" or so of vertical range. I also wanted to retain the 16mm plunger rod used on the car versions. Again the simple "no tools required" dampener knob adjuster was retained from our car spec. units. Adjust even with gloved hands. 

After the first year of manufacture we had all the components deep clear anodised to preserve the looks. And finally, I wanted to retain the ability to rebuild the shocker by the home mechanic. We still have our original stock of 20 kits !!!!!! In 10 years [ over 1000 units ] we have had TWO back for replacement due to manufacture issues [ leaking  ] and maybe another 3 which was down to misuse .... which we replaced anyway as a gesture of good will.

Bear in mind that our "day job" was designing and building replica cars - Jaguar, Porsche, Cobra and the shox were my personal and selfish little project to provide good suspension for my own bike ! 

We went on to expand the range as demands grew for other bikes and also "Classic" twinshock equiped bikes, BSA, Triumph, UJM's and Italian steeds. Oh, then progressive fork springs and Hi-Po plug leads.........

The above is the shorthand version ! Suspension is not known as "The Dark Art" for nothing.

Beachcomber:

I had a RAM shock on one of my K75s for a while and liked it a lot. (And I recommend them to people when they ask me about aftermarket shocks.) Please don't be offended but I sold it off when I found an Ohlins for that bike.

duck wrote:Beachcomber:

I had a RAM shock on one of my K75s for a while and liked it a lot. (And I recommend them to people when they ask me about aftermarket shocks.) Please don't be offended but I sold it off when I found an Ohlins for that bike.

Hey Duck - not offended - flattered !!!  Swapping out RAM for the market leader.  

Of course, I like to think that for the money the RAM unit takes some beating, but then I AM biased.

Thanx for the kind words.

Now re-united over at K11OG

I've just found an excellent dent free tank.

My plan is to get it highly polished along with the original Pete Kyte alloy side panels I had made.

Just as a "what if" ..... if it doesn't look right I still have the GRP panels and original tank to paint.

What is it with some peeps ???

Agreed a price for the tank and carriage .... and now "he can't find it" ???????

Anyone in the UK got a dent free tank for my project please ?

It's an ill wind and all that .... got a totally dent free tank that has the bonus that it's already had all the paint stripped off !  Wasn't looking forward to that process.  AND it was £15 cheaper than the other one.

The PO removed the front mount tabs, but won't be a problem as the Pete Kyte alloy panels are very light so I'll just super glue tabs at the front .... local welding shop wanted £20 to weld a couple of tabs on.