• Can't post after logging to the forum for the first time... Try Again - If you can't post in the forum, sign out of both the membership site and the forum and log in again. Make sure your COG membership is active and your browser allow cookies. If you still can't post, contact the COG IT guy at IT@Concours.org.
  • IF YOU GET 404 ERROR: This may be due to using a link in a post from prior to the web migration. Content was brought over from the old forum as is, but the links may be in error. If the link contains "cog-online.org" it is an old link and will not work.

12-21 KAWASAKI NINJA ZX14R REAR SHOCK ON A C10?

Mercer

Guest
Guest
Will a 12-21 KAWASAKI NINJA ZX14R REAR SHOCK Fit in space allowed on a C10? Has anyone knowledge of this shock on a C10? These shocks have a 13 inch measure. They seem to be reasonably priced now on Ebay. Curious about?
 
I think a C-10 shock is 13 1/4" (??)
The biggest concern would be, the oil reservoir.
NOTE: The Rocker and shock is pointing backwards in the images that I looked at.
The oil reservoir mounts forwards on a ZX-14.
My OOps. The oil reservoir mounts Rearwards on a ZX-14.

Ride safe, Ted
 
Last edited:
I think a C-10 shock is 13 1/4" (??)
The biggest concern would be, the oil reservoir.
NOTE: The Rocker and shock is pointing backwards in the images.
The oil reservoir mounts forwards on a ZX-14.

Ride safe, Ted
Am thinking the .25 inch would be negligible perhaps. The spring spec and yes the reservoir position the issue.
Just could not envision the space it would occupy on a C10. So thought I would ask here.

In search box did not come up with anyone discussing this shock. Guessing your answer the reasoning. Thx Ted.

Bye de bye: Like my C14 shock conversion save for one issue. There is a hard hit on some types of bumps no matter my settings. Seems that it can be mitigated somewhat but not corrected by settings.

Here in Louisiana I ride some pretty sub standard roads. Might be expecting to much of the C14 shock conversion.
 
I suspect that others have seen the oil reservoir and were unwilling to invest the $$ for a shock that they assumed would not fit.
ie; There is a chance it might, but no one has tried.

At the recent National, my C-14 would occasionally hit me pretty hard.
I was thinking I needed to decrease pre-load, or damping. He felt that I had too little damping.
He was correct. (What I was feeling was the bike springing up, after I hit a certain type bump)
So, have you tried increasing the damping?

PS: In my earlier note I sed that the oil reservoir points forwards. I was incorrect. It faces rearwards.

Ride safe, Ted
 
Last edited:
I ride a lot of substandard roads so I may be expecting too much from my C10 with a C14 shock.
Initially rode with clicker 3-4 turns from full soft and lower adjuster turned 1 .5 from soft. The what I would call high velocity
speed bump like defects in road surface would be excruciating to my spine with those settings. I would hit these as they would
be hidden in the shadows of the sun filtering through the tree canopy.

I for a long time was thinking it was a front fork stiction or some oil related issue. Finally ruled all that out totally.

Now when I am riding on good roads 22 turns in on clicker and 1 turn from all in on lower adjuster. On substandard roads go
to 20 turns or if real rough 18. This leaving lower adjuster at 1 from all in. This softens these high velocity impacts the most and best.
But they are still there though softened greatly.

These settings offer the best of performance and least severity of the spine jarring hits. You will note from prior discussions
between you and I the bike is undersprung with me at 300lbs.

For what it is worth my gut tells me with the firmmer clicker settings at 22 the front fork angle and rear shock linkage angle are
better in some fashion and this more than anything is what softens hard hit some what. You might also remember I have longer swing arm/shock arm connector to keep original ride height with C14 shock.

So to repeat for clarity: firmer settings the less hard the what I am calling the "high velocity harshness".

Will probably respring my current C14 shock this winter.




The reason was asking about the ZX shock is it is more modern tech and as well is all the more adjustable.

A ZX14 shock would actually be more frugal then the respring mention above. That if it's spring and more adjustability would suffice . That if could be fitted in space.

On looking would have to at very least move battery perhaps down and back.



PS: Quick question: What internally stops the upper and lower shock from being rotated independently of each other?
Spring pressure alone when out of mounting brackets or something else??? Curious for obvious reasons.

Thanks as always Ted!
 
I've never been inside a shock to know what prevents internal rotation.
May just be the preload of the spring that prevents rotation.

NOTE: I like the idea of the adjustability of a ZX shock. (as it also has compression damping)
But, a ZX-14 shock may be weaker springed than a Connie shock, as a ZX weighs less and doesn't have bags.

Ride safe, Ted
 
I've never been inside a shock to know what prevents internal rotation.
May just be the preload of the spring that prevents rotation.

NOTE: I like the idea of the adjustability of a ZX shock. (as it also has compression damping)
But, a ZX-14 shock may be weaker springed than a Connie shock, as a ZX weighs less and doesn't have bags.

Ride safe, Ted
Yep my thoughts too. Need some research. Might buy one for Christmas and see what might be done.
I like the length also to get linkage ratios back in line with C10 original design.
 
Kinda surprises me that more COGgers haven't got into the discussion. (??)
Guess folks don't like to tinker anymore.

Ride safe, Ted
 
I have a small (very old / 1940) lathe, and access to a larger one.
But, I'm only a hobby machinist, so I have only limited capabilities.
What's on your mind?

Ride safe, Ted
 
Guessing 1940 is newer than my tech!

When I made my lower bushing for my C14 shock on a C10 did so with drill press, chop saw and file.
I used the stock C10 lower shock bolt as raw material. I had some drift with press or grease hole was not centered. and bolt hole is not centered to my liking.

Was thinking a lath would do better. Have some extra lower shock bolts. Do you have the capability to center drill them accurately?
In retrospect might would drill from opposite side of grease fitting hole perhaps.
 
I've never been inside a shock to know what prevents internal rotation.
May just be the preload of the spring that prevents rotation.

NOTE: I like the idea of the adjustability of a ZX shock. (as it also has compression damping)
But, a ZX-14 shock may be weaker springed than a Connie shock, as a ZX weighs less and doesn't have bags.

Ride safe, Ted
Saw online where someone reversed the orientation of top and bottom of shock by removing all spring tension or preload. There by being able to spin ends 180 degrees.

NEAT!
 
My point being someone who might need it will look for it in the classified section, as opposed to a thread about swapping rear shocks from a c14 to a c10....
 
Top