Reconditioning the rear shock absorber.

[magpul]

As you might have noticed by now, the rear shock absorber won't last forever. On the NTV, it won't last at all. And the price of a spare Showa is the ultimate rip off: 850 euros in France!!
Honda claims the RSA can't be rebuilt: the nitrogen canister inside that is usually the culprit in case of failure is sealed at the factory and not available as a spare part... So you're left between 2 choices: getting stiffed by Honda with the odds that you're gonna need a new rsa soon or going to the competition. YSS from SE Asia has the best offer: 330 euros but the dealer needs to know your weight before shipping (!) Chances are that adjusting anything on that SA might be awkward at best...
Fortunately,there's another solution: reconditioning.
I called Monsieur Frank Chaplain the well known sorcerer of shock absorbers and suspensions, dealing mostly with race bikes and I learnt this gentleman would totally rebuild my RSA for 260 euros S&H included.
He would change everything but the spring, and refill the nitrogen canister at a 210 psi pressure and fit it with a valve for future maintenance, he would also replace the cheap factory fluid with synthetic oil.
My RSA was repaired in less than 10 days and it works beautifully.
Here are some pics after the work was done, as you see everything is brand new with the best replacement parts:

img178.imageshack.us/img178/2443/amorto2.jpg
img840.imageshack.us/img840/1566/amorto3.jpg
img512.imageshack.us/img512/453/amorto4.jpg
img178.imageshack.us/img178/732/amorto5.jpg
img38.imageshack.us/img38/51/amorto6.jpg

Christian Chaplain
18 rue Mairie
28700 LE GUE DE LONGROI
02 37 31 50 98

A few links as credentials:

www.roadstercup.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4705
www.evolutionracingteam.fr/pages/reportages/stage-du-010309-prepa-suspensions-par-le-dr-christian-chaplain.php
www.team-az.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=3911

[bertrand78990]

I get mine at the end of the week!

[magpul]

Bertrand, I had a warning from the Boss: " Monsieur Chaplain, may I adjust the pressure on the reconditioned rsa if needed?" " Don't you dare messing with the bloody valve! Keep the cap screwed on and leave it alone! Don't even think of checking the pressure: capacity of the canister is so low that the pressure would drop instantly, besides you would need a special fixture to refill it. Should the need arise, and it shouldn't, I'd take care of the matter." From now on, the cap will remain superglued on the valve and I'll cease to worry about it.

[bertrand78990]

210 psi is serious!