Traxxion Rear Shocks for Lehman Monarch II Trike

Good evening to everyone,

An opportunity was presented to me several days ago and thought I would put it to the Trike Talk board for some guidance.

A friend of mine converted his 2002 Honda GL-1800 Gold-wing to a Lehman Monarch II LLC trike. This gentleman went the route several years ago to rebuild the front forks and the stock Honda shocks to the Traxxion performance set up. When they did the conversion, to the Lehman LLC, the rear shock was set aside as you cannot use it on the Lehman LLC independent suspension setup set, thus the suggestion was put to me, why not utilize this on your solid axle Lehman Monarch II.

My question to the masses, would this improve the handling and ride of the 2008 Honda GL-1800 Gold-wing Lehman Monarch II trike?

[QUOTE=B25bsaboy;589331]Good evening to everyone,

An opportunity was presented to me several days ago and thought I would put it to the Trike Talk board for some guidance.

A friend of mine converted his 2002 Honda GL-1800 Gold-wing to a Lehman Monarch II LLC trike. This gentleman went the route several years ago to rebuild the front forks and the stock Honda shocks to the Traxxion performance set up. When they did the conversion, to the Lehman LLC, the rear shock was set aside as you cannot use it on the Lehman LLC independent suspension setup set, thus the suggestion was put to me, why not utilize this on your solid axle Lehman Monarch II.

My question to the masses, would this improve the handling and ride of the 2008 Honda GL-1800 Gold-wing Lehman Monarch II trike?[/QUOTE]

To re-phrase your question:

Would a Traxxion GL1800 rear shock be a suitable replacement for the Lehman Monarch II straight axle OEM Honda shock ? :Shrug:

That is an excellent question and would probably be addressed better on the Honda portion of the forum.

Interesting question, didn't know that Traxxion made shocks for trike rear. Sure like to smooth out my Road Smith just a tad. Springs are already full out.

[QUOTE=bikerbillone;589377]Interesting question, didn't know that Traxxion made shocks for trike rear. Sure like to smooth out my Road Smith just a tad. Springs are already full out.[/QUOTE]

Good morning, That makes two of use, but they do! Here is the link:

[URL]http://traxxion.com/product/honda-gl1800-gold-wing-rear-shock-absorber-kit/[/URL]

Expensive when you start converting the Canadian dollar to the US green back-:(

Will let you folks know how things work out in retrofitting if I can to my Lehman Monarch II trike:-)

Folks, I've installed perhaps 200 Traxxion setups on Goldwings over the last nine-plus years. The Traxxion rear shock for the GL1800 is certainly not intended for fitment to any trike, whatsoever. Depending on which shocks your trike has, it may (or may not) be possible to take them apart, then revalve them and provide proper springs according to your weight, passenger weight and cargo load.

Regardless, in my experience, achieving a super compliant ride on a trike, whether solid or independent rear suspension, is unlikely.

[QUOTE=B25bsaboy;589405]Good morning, That makes two of use, but they do! Here is the link:

[URL]http://traxxion.com/product/honda-gl1800-gold-wing-rear-shock-absorber-kit/[/URL]

Expensive when you start converting the Canadian dollar to the US green back-:(

Will let you folks know how things work out in retrofitting if I can to my Lehman Monarch II trike:-)[/QUOTE]

Deleted.

[size=3][B]The naysayers here don't own a Lehman and do not understand how the Monarch I and Monarch II straight axles are constructed or they might see an advantage to the Traxxion shock on a Lehman.

On straight axles only, Lehman uses the OEM GL1800 coil-over shock as the primary suspension support. It attaches similar to that of the OEM swingarm.

[/B][/SIZE]

[size=3][B]The Monarch I uses the OEM shock mounted in the original position and 2 additional coil-over shocks mounted at each wheel to support the additional weight.

[/B][/SIZE]

[size=3][B]The Monarch II uses an OEM shock in the original position and a lateral mounted coil-over directed to the rear body frame section.[/B][/SIZE][size=3][/SIZE][size=3][B] Lehman also utilized a lateral coil-over to help the OEM handle the additional weight of the conversion.[/B][/SIZE][size=3][B]

In 2007, Lehman started sending kits to dealers with a 1100# progressive spring to eliminate sagging on the OEM shock setup on the Monarch II.

Depending on the quality of the Traxxion unit, it may improve the ride and could be a substitution for that OEM unit, on top of that it will fit on both the Lehman Monarch I and Monarch II straight axle versions.

Personally, I don't know anyone with a two-wheeler that had the Traxxion rear shock, so I have no way of knowing what the exact improvement really is.[/B][/SIZE]

[QUOTE=RocketMoto;589444]Folks, I've installed perhaps 200 Traxxion setups on Goldwings over the last nine-plus years. The Traxxion rear shock for the GL1800 is certainly not intended for fitment to any trike, whatsoever. Depending on which shocks your trike has, it may (or may not) be possible to take them apart, then revalve them and provide proper springs according to your weight, passenger weight and cargo load.

Regardless, in my experience, achieving a super compliant ride on a trike, whether solid or independent rear suspension, is unlikely.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for your comments and impute to my question.

My question then would be to you, “Have you ever tried to install a Traxxion rear shock system to a Lehman Monarch II trike”? If so, then your comments hold water, if not, not sure what to think. If you have tried, what were the end results, both good or bad?

One of the issues that we all have is the lack of information and drawings to fully understand the engineering behind our Lehman trikes or for that matter any trike design. In the case of Lehman Trikes, thank heavens for Jim Murphy and his expertise!

In my case, in theory I understand there are two (2)shocks on my unit as Jim Murphy explains it and my question is why wouldn’t it work. Your last comment in that achieving a super compliant ride on a trike, whether solid or independent rear suspension, is unlikely.

Who knows unless some tries. I recall the aviation world saying to Charles Lindbergh it is unlikely you’ll make it across the Atlantic Ocean and he did. Why, because he tried!

I will keep you posted whether it’s negative or positive.

:AllGood:

[QUOTE=B25bsaboy;589331]Good evening to everyone,

An opportunity was presented to me several days ago and thought I would put it to the Trike Talk board for some guidance.

A friend of mine converted his 2002 Honda GL-1800 Gold-wing to a Lehman Monarch II LLC trike. This gentleman went the route several years ago to rebuild the front forks and the stock Honda shocks to the Traxxion performance set up. When they did the conversion, to the Lehman LLC, the rear shock was set aside as you cannot use it on the Lehman LLC independent suspension setup set, thus the suggestion was put to me, why not utilize this on your solid axle Lehman Monarch II.

My question to the masses, would this improve the handling and ride of the 2008 Honda GL-1800 Gold-wing Lehman Monarch II trike?[/QUOTE]

Good evening to everyone!

Well its done as I have just finished installing the rear Traxxion rear shock! Was it easy, H#*l, no but I have a feeling perhaps maybe worth it, only time will tell. It was a six (6) hour journey as I got to know the bowls of my Lehman Monarch II trike.

Will have some photos and a brief write up now that the trail has been blazed. :-)

Well, what is the result of the Traxxion Shock change ?:Shrug:

I had a call last week from a shop getting ready to do the same thing.

Thought maybe it was your trike but it was here in the USA.

[QUOTE=Lee H. Mann;600521]Well, what is the result of the Traxxion Shock change ?:Shrug:

I had a call last week from a shop getting ready to do the same thing.

Thought maybe it was your trike but it was here in the USA.[/QUOTE]

Sorry for not responding sooner!

It was a lot of work as there is two ways to do this change out. From below and from the top which I elected to do. This means everything removable has to come off to gain access to the fuel tank which has to be removed to gain access to the shock that is tied into the Honda system. One has to be careful in removing the shock bolts as they are under tension. One has to lift the Lehman body frame ever so slightly to accomplish this.

Installing the Traxxion shock was pretty much a plug n play.

Once everything was on line the Honda was started and the load bar came up and the brains in the Honda was satisfied all was well. I was in a conversation with a chap yesterday who is very familiar with what I was doing only to be surprised that in fact I did the switch out and it works as it is supposed to.

Now the 64,000 dollar question, is the ride better. From my limited experience I would say it is somewhat firmer especially at highway speeds.

Would I attempt this all over again, You Bet!

[QUOTE=Lee H. Mann;600521]Well, what is the result of the Traxxion Shock change ?:Shrug:

I had a call last week from a shop getting ready to do the same thing.

Thought maybe it was your trike but it was here in the USA.[/QUOTE]

Hello Jim: I would like to know if there is a different shock that can be used on my 2002 lehman monarch 1 trike thinking about a air shock, I have replace the line to the main shock and refilled and blead with a whole lot of help. Adjusted the coil over shocks to highest setting and still can not get this trike off the ground. I have manufactured a new trailer hitch with the help of your picture and with it on it a little to close to ground with trailer and pass. on bike. So do you or anyone have a number for the coil over shocks so I can research the number and see if I can get air shocks. Or does anyone know the number or product number for air shocks. Thanks

a

[QUOTE=cruiser222;790546]Hello Jim: I would like to know if there is a different shock that can be used on my 2002 lehman monarch 1 trike thinking about a air shock, I have replace the line to the main shock and refilled and blead with a whole lot of help. Adjusted the coil over shocks to highest setting and still can not get this trike off the ground. I have manufactured a new trailer hitch with the help of your picture and with it on it a little to close to ground with trailer and pass. on bike. So do you or anyone have a number for the coil over shocks so I can research the number and see if I can get air shocks. Or does anyone know the number or product number for air shocks. Thanks

a[/QUOTE]

Lynn,

You should probably call me to discuss. There are various ways to gain clearance of the hitch.

[U][URL="http://www.mjtrikes.com"]www.mjtrikes.com[/URL][/U]