Back to the store: https://redeye.ecrater.com/
Stock Rear Shock Bushing Kit, Ver. 2 – Polyurethane
This is for the original Showa shocks, does not fit progressive shocks.
Fits all 1500cc Honda Valkyrie, 1997-2003
GL1500C GL1500CD GL1500CF GL1500CT
Contents: 4 Bushings (enough for both stock rear shocks)
What symptom does this fix?
Destroyed shock bushings, noisy shock bushings.
The Valkyrie likes to destroy its rear shock bushings. Honda supplies these bushings made of ordinary rubber, but they're dead in one season. The rubber bushing grabs too well to the upper shock bolt. This causes overstretching, overheating, and your bushing material degrades into mush.
This particular bushing must be allowed to rotate (quietly) as needed on the upper shock bolt. Red Eye uses a special-purpose polyurethane that does not make noise while it is moving against metal, with lots of force. This version does not have any teflon. The additive is I think called a "detergent".
How can I kill these things?
The shock bushings are happy until they get really hot. This can happen if you drive at 40 MPH for around 50 miles on a washboard patterned dirt road. There you go. Good luck with that.
Testing
Red Eye tested these bushings in a shop-made jig: They work as they should under a full load - they slip smoothly on the shock bolt and no noise develops.
Red Eye's informational web page is still under construction: www.ValkParts.com .
Installation Suggestions
1. Put the bike up on a jack and remove the rear shocks.
2. For the lower bushings, remove the metal sleeves.
3. Try using a vise and a ratchet socket to push the bushings out of the shock eyelets. If that doesn't work, you can grab the edge of a bushing with needle nose pliers and twist until the bushing collapses and comes out. That will pretty much ruin your needle nose pliers.
4. Use a vise to push the new bushing into the shock eyelet. You may have to poke at the edges of the bushing to get it started into the eyelet.
5. Reinstall the metal sleeve in the lower bushing.
6. Adjust the jack height so the shock mount points are the same distance apart as the length of the shock.
7. Clean off the top mount, getting any dirt or grease off.
8. When installing a shock, it is convenient to install the lower bolt first. Then horse the upper shock end onto the top mount. After one shock is installed, you might have to lower the bike a little on the jack, so that once again the shock mount points are the same distance apart as the length of the remaining shock. Then install the second shock like the first one.
[!model:Valkyrie]
