Vintage Ride, Modern Shocks

By Richard Backus
Published on August 8, 2013
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Richard Backus' 1983 Laverda RGS1000
Richard Backus' 1983 Laverda RGS1000
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The Race Tech G3-shocks have straight-rate springs versus the old Konis’ dual-rate springs, identifiable by their winding.
The Race Tech G3-shocks have straight-rate springs versus the old Konis’ dual-rate springs, identifiable by their winding.
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The Race Tech G3-shocks have straight-rate springs versus the old Konis’ dual-rate springs, identifiable by their winding.
The Race Tech G3-shocks have straight-rate springs versus the old Konis’ dual-rate springs, identifiable by their winding.
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The cartridge emulator installed (above) and the damper rod drilled to provide more oil flow.
The cartridge emulator installed (above) and the damper rod drilled to provide more oil flow.
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Original fork showing poor appearance.
Original fork showing poor appearance.
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The same fork after cleaning and polishing but before hard annodizing and powder coating.
The same fork after cleaning and polishing but before hard annodizing and powder coating.
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Hard-annodized and powder-coated sliders with new fork tubes look great, but more importantly they work fabulously.
Hard-annodized and powder-coated sliders with new fork tubes look great, but more importantly they work fabulously.

Want your classic to handle like the latest from Ducati or
Honda? That might be putting the bar a little too high, but you can
dramatically improve the handling of your vintage ride, particularly if it’s
from the Seventies and Eighties, with some comprehensive upgrades.

Compared to modern bikes, vintage motorcycles typically have
pretty unsophisticated suspensions. During the 1970s, engine power — and by

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