@@jessherbst810 I think TMF made it pretty clear they were TEC shocks.... I for one was not suggesting he goes crying to anyone. I was suggesting a solution to his problem.
The lack of use is the reason it happened. The Orings on the shocks are self-lubricating. When you don't use the bike, they can't self-lubricate and fail. Regardless of brand or quality of shock you would still face similar issues on a bike that gets little to no use over extended periods. In saying that, TEC don't have a stellar reputation for quality so early life failure of the seals was probably a little faster than usual.
I’ve been licensed to ride since 1967 (yeah old coot here), so I’ve experienced plenty of common and weird failures on my different rides. Don’t ever remember having a rear oil dampened shock let go though, clearly not the end of the world and an easy fix. As an aside back in the 1969/1972 time one of my rides was a 1965 interceptor. Loved the power and torque and character of the bike, but it was abused when I got it, my father and I got it to a decent point but it was a bit of work to keep it tip top, locktite was a good friend for sure. I got seduced by the easy maintenance of the metric bikes and moved in the direction. Two years ago I bought a 2019 interceptor (slightly used), and have to say that at this point of my riding life that it’s the most enjoyable ride I’ve had in some time. 😎🍺🇨🇦
If one shocker is leaking the other one may start to leak as-well . I would always replace both shockers you can get a imbalance between the two which will cause serious handling problems. It’s false economy if it causes you a Accident
I think I'm on my own here looking at the comments, but for me any bike with an oil leak near a tyre isn't leaving the garage till it's fixed! Enjoyable video as always thanks
@@crispindry2815 ...I left that in because I thought it was quite funny - I actually thought the Enfield had a dipstick that's why I looked in there first expecting to extract a dipstick (as I own several bikes I can never remember which ones have dipsticks and which have inspection windows!). I got there in the end, I was the dispstick! Thanks for watching....
A trick i use to identify tricky leaks on newer bikes ( as fluids are generally new & similar colour, oil, shock oil, brake fluid) is to tape some kitchen roll around the bottom of each suspect item ( shock, shock resevoir, brake cylinder, brake resevoir etc) and leave. The leak becomes evident as it shows up soaking 1 piece of kitchen roll pee yellow! 🙂
I do something similar, but quicker. Just wiping round every suspect component with a bit of bog roll or kitchen roll. Any leak will soon be evident if you check the material after each wipe.
Hagons are good, I've had them on 3 bikes over the years and they will build them to suit your specific weight and riding style etc so they can be tuned to your requirements. I have also heard good things about YSS shocks too but haven't tried them. If the TEC shocks are under warranty they may be able to replace or repair them and given you have a a successful bike channel, they might be worth a call in the first instance. Great upload as always 👍
@@TheMissendenFlyer a friend of mine in the bike trade swears by their monoshocks as a great option for the price. I'm going to seriously consider them next time I need a monoshock. I'm also seriously thinking of getting an interceptor and YSS are high on the consideration list if I get one. I'm not sure but I think they will build to suit specifics too, which would be useful as I am north of 20 stone! If not it will be Hagons.
Love Hagons . They make them to suit your weight. They make them in Essex. Would make a good episode. Critical of chinese products. You had a little go at me afew years ago about that .
Hopefully you cleaned excess oil off rear tyre on your pre flight check,definitely don’t use until rear shocks (both) are changed as no more oil should appear as the contents have already been dumped out. Stay safe Andy.
And the shock is made in..? I have never, in my 40 years of riding, heard of an oil leaking shockabsorber. Not in those quantities. Put the OEM ones on again. Probably for the best. Enjoy the spring! Thank you mr Flyer!
I think I'd just stick the OG shocks on it for now. It'll just mean that the bike is available if you fancy a spin on it (before deciding if you'll get new shocks or if you've to wait for delivery).
Oil in shocks is for damping and doesn’t affect the spring rate. It will effect the ‘bouncy-nes’ of the rear. I had a seal go on an Ohlins shock once, just a fault on a seal which is always made more likely with under use. Try spraying a small amount of silicon on the shiney slider parts of your shocks and forks to avoid stiction when not using them regularly.
I’d be heading straight back to Tec. You do so few miles, it’s a manufacturing defect for sure (unless the builder buggered it up) and I’d have thought they would want to avoid bad press…
Hi Missenden Flyer as you have bikes that are laid up often, even if just for a few weeks, use super unleaded fuel. I say this for the simple reason that Super Unleaded contains 5% ethanol at the most but is likely to contain none. This means less chance of water contamination or fuel separation associated with higher ethanol content. Keep up the brilliant content btw :)
Here I am looking at first world problems of a fellow rider because there is a freaking blizzard outside and I'm glued to the sofa..lol! Happy riding y'all! (Looking forward to Spring).
If you want a similar look but something decent. YSS all the way. I had Tec on a thruxton a while ago and ended up changing them out. Had one total failure (snapped)… next set had oil loss like yours and got right out of sorts on a back road 2 up.
Not sure if you do this but when storing bikes for a long time make sure you put in fuel that has no ethanol in it and fill the tank to the brim (no space for water vapour to collect and condense). I usually add a fuel stabilizer also but I'm in Canada and we have at least 4 months when riding a motorcycle could be considered extremely risky.
@@davidsandilands1285 E5 is better than E10 for sure and for just a few weeks is probably okay but I'm in Canada where our bikes are off the road for pretty well 4 months so fuel with no ethanol is way better - it can be hard to find but there are some no ethanol fuels out there (Shell V-Power - super unleaded - being one of them . . . at least in Canada).
@@karlosh9286 If you can be bothered, there are kits that enable you to take almost all the ethanol out of these stupid modern fuels. Perhaps too much hassle for most but for those with older machines, or those who don't do many miles, it might be worth looking into.
Hi Andy. The idle issue on the Ducati seems quite similar to one I had on the Thunderbird. It turned out to be a throttle sensor that needed replacing. It kept fluctuating and couldn't remain consistent. They replaced it and it's been great since. Hope you get it sorted. G.
Hi TMF, for the RE I’d go back to the OEM shocks for now. I had a shock leak on a bike before and you’ll find it will start to pogo and get worse. as other have said try a warranty route. For the duke hunting issue, could be fuel, air, or sensor, probably someone on the pani forums will have experienced similar issue. Good luck with resolving both….
Should be easy enough to source a quality replacement pair of shocks. Think oil on the rear tyre would make me nervous in the first corners. I'm guessing you had a good clean-up.
I'm not sure I want that type again, they weren't any better than the stock ones other than they were in black (and only lasted for a few hundred miles)! Good excuse for an upgrade.....
Sorry to hear about the issues. Make sure to give the rear brake disc a good clean. I would also take off the rear caliper and check that the rear pads arent covered in oil.
I’m surprised people are so quick to dismiss the RE. You’ve spent a great deal of effort (and heartache) getting her sorted. In the grand scheme of thing swap out the shocks, job done!
TEC Bike Parts’ shocks have a very poor reputation. I’ve read/heard many horror stories. If I were you, I’d go for some Hagon’s, YSS, or better yet, Öhlins😊
Assuming it is just the shock, you don't have to worry about any causing any damage. If you are going to ride it like that, be aware that the handling might be affected slightly, but it won't be anything major. I would replace both rear shocks with gold colored non reservoir shocks. Those reservoir shocks look like they belong on a dirt bike. As for the oil level, it is supposed to be checked with the engine cold, or at least after letting it sit for several minutes after being run, so the oil can drain back down into the crankcase. The oil level should be even with the top of the sight glass. Oil level is fine. I really like the looks of that bike, but the tube type tires make it practically worthless to me. Now that there are cast wheels available for the Interceptor, I would get a set of those, and have them painted or powder coated gold, so you can run tubeless tires, and not have to deal with being stranded beside the road somewhere and having to call a tow truck. On the Ducati, if you left ethanol fuel in it, the injectors are probably partly plugged up. Run it close to empty, put fresh fuel in it, along with some injector cleaner. Ethanol plays hell with fuel systems, especially if it sits for a while.
They are just trying to give you the authentic experience of owning a British bike from the 60's. It just wouldn't be realistic if it didn't leak all over your garage floor 🙂
Thanks Mr. Flyer. At least you had a lovely time riding all those bikes! The oil leaking onto the tyre would make me very cautious to take the bike for a spin, so happy to see you were ok. I'd recommend removing the "shock" in question and placing it on some kitchen paper (or similar) on the bench for a few days or so then replacing it if it leaks again. As an owner of several 2-stroke bikes over the years I always check the spark plugs when a low mileage bike runs a little "off" The petrol shouldn't cause that unless it's years old imho :>)
Love to have that selection of bikes in the garage, just the one at present, has been ridden over the winter, the lawnmower had its first outing since October, it started on first pull 😅 You can replace the seals on the suspension, great if you can do it yourself, if you need a mechanic though, probably less labour to get a new one.
Andy .... A late response here swap out the original oem shocks to prevent the Enfield becoming even more of a money pit ! The obvious issue is a failed shock seal thats possibly presented itself sooner than later given they are inverted and pressurised keep up the great work with the channel Kind Regards CC
Been riding 51 years and never ever experienced a shock failing through lack of use , I've just recommissioned a 2000 SV650 that had been stood for three years and the shock is fine . Considering the oil is all over the rear wheel first thing I'd have looked at is the shock as it looked too thick to be brake fluid, and as you said Andy you could see the reservoir showed no loss , as for checking engine oil level looking through the sight glass is the obvious place , you can't see the oil level looking through the filler hole generally all you'll see is the clutch basket blocking your view . As has been stated it's not an Enfield failing it's the poor quality shock manufacturing. Happy to say I've had my Interceptor three years now and no issues at all , it isn't my main bike but it's done 9,000 miles and going fine. Ever thought of attending a mechanics course seeing as you say you're not very good at sussing technical stuff and you own a good collection of bikes? Just a thought ? 😉
I didn't get on my Speed Twin for 5 months ! Got dragged out a few times over the winter to run the engine . Went out on it yesterday. All seemed fine ! Tyres hardly needed any air in them ! As for the Interceptor shock. As far as I know , if it's an oil leak , well I can't think of anything more than brake fluid, shock fluid or engine oil. So it must one of them. You checked the engine oil and brake fluid levels, it really must be the shock fluid. I'm not an expert, If I had to guess , a rubber seal / o-ring type thing. They must (might ?) come apart, they were screwed together at some point. If it was me, I'd put the original shocks back on, and then attempt to take the suspect ones apart and have a look. Might be something simple. Or if they're young enough , just send them back ! It might be a really slow leak. Under normal circumstances, moving it around you might not notice it. Leave it for 5 months, and it's had a lot longer to leak in one spot and be noticeable. I guess my main concern on riding the Interceptor would be if the oil had leaked onto the rear brakes, I don't guess it'd be good for the tyre too , but you still have the main front brake !
I'd get a set of YSS shocks. They are available in different colours aswell, to satisfy the decorum 😅 On decent suspension it shouldn't be crashy anyway..
Bad luck, Andy! I’d put the OE shocks back on, so you can ride the RE at anytime. Then consider upgrading to Hagon shocks. You’ll notice a big leap in quality and ride quality. Good luck!!
Really enjoyed this and glad none of the other bikes had an issue. Get a new shock and then put more miles on the Enfield! Out for the first time yesterday on the Scrambler 1200 xe after a few winter mods and delighted it didn't miss a beat. Love this sunny slightly warmer weather!
Seems to me like the oil seal in the shock has perished or been pinched on assembly maybe. Its upto you really. Either get a replacement, or get a new pair.
I just took my Honda CBF600s (2006) out after 6 months, and it lives in a cold shed with just a battery tender, and it was spot on, you cannot beat quality....
All motorcycles like to be ridden regularly. I feel for the 899, the fuelling is telling you this. A tank of E5 and 100 miles of spirited riding will probably sort it out......
Here's a sure way to alleviate the problem with little to no effort. Leave the bike out front overnight with the keys in the ignition. Problem solved. :)
As many commentators here have already suggested that you swap out the shocks, I can only add to that. The seal in the nitrogen reservoir has given up the ghost, and let the oil out. I have re-built many shocks myself, but I have a fully equipped workshop and know my way around hydraulics. Not somethig a non-technical person should attempt, as there can be very high gas pressure in the reservoir, beware!!! I have no idea what a qualified technitian would charge you to re-build those shocks (do both at the same time), or what the replacement cost will be. Might not even be worth the effort to fix them. If you were close to me, you could just pop them off and come over for a brew, and I could fix them in no time. But, Sweden is a bit far away from Missenden...
@TheMissendenFlyer I think you will find the Hagon shocks to be far superior in every way. I have them on my T100 Bonneville and my son has them on his Enfield Interceptor. Ride quality is superb, especially when teamed up with Hagon fork springs.
I would definitely get it looked at asap TMF as I would personally be very concerned it would leak oil on to the tyre when you're riding it & before you know it you're off. Or it just lets go in a big way with the same result . Looks like it's time for a new shock! I've seen Hagon mentioned a few times & I agree, good choice & value.
On the Ducati - that sounds very much like old fuel. It really doesn't need to sit very long these days for it to go off. Random missing, fluffy bottom end and a feeling like it won't really ride properly until the rpms are up are all signs. It affects more sporty bikes more because higher compression relies on better fuel. It also affects larger cylinders more since any missfire will be more noticable. Same goes for more cylinder pressure so more cam lift/duration will also add to the effect. The 899 is pretty much the perfect bike aside from a 1299 to notice it on. A couple of tanks of fresh stuff should get it sorted. On the RE - if the shock has gone so soon and so catastrophically that points to a manufacturing defect. I would either ask for a replacement/repair or if you've lost faith in them just go to someone like Maxton or any decent specialist who can rebuild and adjust them to suit you're riding, weight and the bike. If you get the forks done at the same time it will completely transform the ride. It makes more difference on more basic bikes than on top drawer stuff so for me that RE would be the perfect thing to go for a full build on.
@@TheMissendenFlyer No problem mate. Hagon are a good bet. Not too expensive and very decent. I've had a few from them over the years and never had any poor quality or any faults. It should ride noticably better with them on, too - especially when you're on low grip or roads with ridge type bumps. They react much better to multiple little bumps than standard shocks on cheaper bikes.
Warranty or not, I would take both rear shocks (and the forks, for that matter) to Maxton or some other reputable suspension place and have them service/repair/upgrade them.
I have some YSS shocks on my Interceptor, front and back, both adjustable. They make a world of difference on the handling. Check them out I would say. Uncle Stew has some nice vid's on them. Btw, rear shocks are really easy to swap yourself. Front is more difficult.
When take of shocks be better have person to help as bit weight on seat might help get new shock to right postion to fit back on and removal on centre stand unloaded id thought
I have never understood the point of upside down suspension systems. From the Bantam D1 to the fastest new sports bikes it always looks an illogical way of creating a serious weakness. It's like putting the tiles on your roof the wrong way up. Your Enfield shocks demonstrate my point.
On the Enfield, as others have said, get it repaired or replaced. You don't want more oil on your tyres, also it might be an MOT fail? On the Ducati (never had one), it might be just lack if use. A mate had a Honda Hornet that he didn't use much, engine sounded rough; I suggested a good long ride and to get a tank or two of fuel through it. He did that and it was as good as new, no more rough engine.
How very authentic for a retro bike to have an oil leak, and don’t forget back in the day REs were often called Real Oilfields with good reason, so its all perfectly in character. Its just marking its territory! It didn’t feel too bad because even if it is supposedly an aftermarket “upgrade” its fairly basic suspension on a fairly basic bike. Its not exactly cutting edge race spec like your Panigale or hi-tech sophisticated electronic touring kit like the Wing!
Absolutely nothing wrong with the stock suspension on my Kawasaki W800, perfectly suited to the ride and style of the bike, but you pays your money and takes your choice.
@@ricatiman what the W800? Have you ridden one? The newer version from 2020 onwards? Its really not as bad as reported in the media. Besides the 360° firing order is the most true to classic 70’s British bikes as you can get. So expect some character and connection with the bike and the sound you get isn’t the same as bikes like the RE or Triumph with their 270° twins.
So, a PPL holder goes out to his little plane and shock horror, notices a pool of liquid underneath its wheels. "I know", he says, "I'll just give it a little fly around and see if I can work out what's wrong" good grief.
@@TheMissendenFlyer regardless of your "small print", riding a bike with a known fault on the roads is stupid. God forbid you lost control and killed someones child walking along the path. You're an "influencer" (you shil loads of crp) so perhaps should at least pretend to be responsible and not hide behind the small print like a petulant child. You should read the thread on well known adv forum regards this video.
That Ducati most likely wants some fresh petrol and a damn good thrashing. A friend of mine worked at a bike dealer that had a rolling road. They had a guy come in with a Hyabusa complaining that it ran rough. It checked out fine. The owner was asked if he used the performance…..”Oh yes, 80mph!” They told the owner to nip down the road and get a pub lunch while they had another look. They put it on the rolling road and firewalled it. Apparently it popped and banged and threw out loads of smoke until it finally cleared and then ran like a dream. When the owner came back he was absolutely thrilled. Asked what they’d done to fix it…..”fine adjustments”.
Get some decent shocks on that bike, it deserves better. Go Nitron R1s, you won't regret it. I have them on my interceptor and they are the best shocks I have ever riden on. 👍😎
Ducati running rough …may have been said but if your using e10 then the water content settles, makes a mess, condenses and yuk yuk… I always use super unleaded and no issues, the tip came from a garden machinery mechanic friend who showed me what e10 was doing to the equipment that comes into his workshop and have to say my z900rs runs a treat, wintered perfect not running for 3 months. You can get a fuel stabiliser, Honda make one if leaving for any length of time.
Get them cheap Tec parts of, Mat from the dirty garage guy took 1 apart and it's shocking how badly they are put together. I mean it's not like your risking your life with them or anything. If it gave out just sitting there it'll probably give out when riding.
Thanks Andy interesting and entertaining as always. Seriously I wouldn’t want your annual bill for running your fleet …..😊 regarding your Ducati I suspect some fresh fuel and a spirited run out will likely resolve. 👍
You put them on then. And I was blaming Enfield. Back in the day folk always took oil out with them on old bullets. Do new Enfield hold up reliability wise and rust wise?
Your ducati sounds like it's got dirty fuel or something gunged up. Had the same with my old ZXR9 had to clean the carbs & coils. What i'd do is just give everything a clean carb or fuel injectors give those a good clean.Then also give your sparks a clean while you're there might aswell. In my case that fixed the rough idling issues. Just the fuel wasn't burning as it should or wasn't able to get into a fine mist.
If the suspension is rubbish and you have the money, go for the upgrade. If it's usable/okay in your opinion (when operating normally) then just go for the repair... while nothing is cheap suspension shouldn't be crazy expensive to repair (I do my own suspension work on all my bikes and the rear is surprisingly simple). I would repair or replace as soon as possible though, running without oil/low oil can cause excessive wear on internal components. Especially since the seal is leaking, dust and dirt can be pulled up into the internals as they collect more on the shaft with oil residue on it.
I know everyone means well tmf, but some of the comments regarding wiping oil off rear tyre, remind me of my vehicle handbook, that tells me not to drink the battery acid. Haha
Those TEC shocks just seemed suspiciously cheap to me when I was looking at rear shocks. I ended up forking out for the basic YSS rears, and I think this has probably justified my decision. Best of luck getting it sorted.
As they say - buy cheap, buy twice... now replace it with Hagons or YSS or other quality parts. I wouldn't bother about the warranty as sooner or later you will have to replace those shocks again with a proper ones.
Check oil when engine is cold...this way all the oil is in the sump, and the reading is correct... checking when warm means oil is distributed around the engine and filter parts...false reading in sight glass...
Buy Hagons I suggest Hagon 2820 Adjustable Shocks for Royal Enfield 650 INT & GT... available in a variety of finishes. As you ride, the bumps will pressurize the shock fluid, and that leaky shock will continue until it pushes all the fluid out past the leaky seal. Quality shocks are rebuilbable, so seals and shafts can be changed, but those are very pricey shocks - Ohlins, etc...
