OK, I've searched and read a ton of posts and am now confused more than ever. I'd like to get a newer shock with the reservoir to replace the old original on my bike. I know the F3 and F4 and maybe even the F4i will fit, but i'm reading differently as to what the change in ride height is.

Some people have written than a certain year F3 will not change the ride height while others say it will change it an inch down. i've also read that an F4 or F4i shock will change the ride anywhere from 1 to 3" in the back. I know I can easily handle a 1 or 1.5" increase because of my size, but 3" would be a bit extreme.

I'm not looking at changing linkage or making modifications other than coming up with a mounting location for the reservoir.

Can anyone help me as to the actual lift the tail will get on the newer shock?

 

A few guys I race against do this,and they say you have to "ram the height all the way down" when you install it.Be very careful,you raise the seat too much yu will make the front tuck way easier.One step at a time.

 

The F4i shock will raise the rear at least 2". I forgot to measure when I did it, but it deffinatly raised it alot. I have a lowering link, so I got it back down, but if you use the stock dogbone, it will deffinitly be much higher. I would say go with the F4i shock and a lowering link and you are perfect. You got the new shock for like $40 on ebay and a lowering link for like $50.
Now, I do have a Fox Shock Twin Clicker that I might be willing to part with for the right amount of money. Its like a racing shock that you can adjust the length and the bound and rebound and damping. Its very nice, only got like 5000 miles or something. Let me know.

Later,
Elisha

 

i am doing the same thing...got a shock off of an F3 and hopefully she'll slide right into place

 

What is this lowering link and do you have a part number or a company to get it from?

At this point I'm going to skip asking you about the shock you have available and see if I can't fit the cheap stock one in there. There's some cheap ones on eBay right now that I'm hoping for.

As a side note, last summer when I first thought about doing this, I bought an F4 shock from someone on this forum and they shipped me a shock minus the hose and reservoir.[:@]By the time I realized it, I believe too much time had passed (left the box sit there as I was busy with other stuff) to do anything but try and contact him. No response as you probably figured. If I could figure out if I could get that hose and reservoir seperately somehow and charge it with nitrogen I'd already be set up. [:@]

 

I dont have a part number, but the lowering links periodically pop up on ebay. Just keep searching for "Honda F2 Lowering link" and that should come up with something.

 

Thanks. Wasn't sure if it was eBay or another company I should be looking at.

 

here is a link to the dog bone.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda...spagenameZWDVW

 

Wow, a link too. Sweet. Did you use the first hole or the second one when you did the conversion? Also, do you know if the lowering link allowed you to keep the same suspension travel? Last, is that the person you got yours from and were they fast on the shipping? (would you do it again?)

 

Lets see, I have had 4 different shocks on my bike.
1) The stock F2 shock with and without the lowering link. I could only use the lower hole, the top hole was TOOOO low, I was rubbing my tire on my undertail all the time.
2) A F3 shock with lowering link. Improved the ride and allowed me to go back to the stock dogbone and still have it lowered.
3) A F4i shock with a lowering link. I had to put the lowering link back in and set it too the top hole and that was pretty much perfect.
4) A Fox Twin Clicker shock with lowering link. This is the latest.

Suspension travel is not a function of the dogbone, it is a function of the shock, so yes, the travel stayed the same. That link was not the person I bought mine from. And I would do it again, it makes it look cool, which is pretty much all your going for. Unless you drag race really hard, there is no performance gain with lowering your bike. But I like it.