Death of the Full Floater (court docs)

Motodude
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Motodude
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 11:23am
The REAL reason the Full FLoater suspension system died

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Do_Work
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Do_Work 1/15/2011 5:35am
1/15/2011 5:35am
So basically suzuki got away with as much as they possibly could. Payed the guy a one time fee with minimum royalties. As long as they didn't use the full floating design they weren't infringing on the patent.
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RocketLab
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RocketLab 1/15/2011 8:04am
1/15/2011 8:04am
Big corporation stealing the little guy's idea. Then assigning 2 of their engineers to patent a revised version and claiming the initial idea came from Formula 1 cars. Classic!

Is this all he got?

Fraud
167

The jury found by special verdicts that Suzuki fraudulently induced Richardson to reveal his trade secrets by concealing its intention not to exercise its option or take a license, and that Suzuki fraudulently concealed from Richardson the fact that it was developing the Full Floater "with the intention of declining to exercise the option and then nevertheless to utilize the plaintiff's trade secrets in the full floater". The jury also found fraud in that Suzuki filed the Tamaki patent application "in the knowledge that the invention asserted therein (the spring/swing arm connection) was first disclosed to them by Richardson". The jury awarded Richardson $20,000 in compensatory and $100,000 in punitive damages.
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mooch
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mooch 1/15/2011 8:32am
1/15/2011 8:32am
And here I was believing the story that they stopped using the design due to manufacturing costs and the amount of time it took to maintain all the linkage joints. After stiffening up the suspension on my RM and adding the RT gold valves it feels darn good!

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Wandell
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Wandell 1/15/2011 8:32am
1/15/2011 8:32am
Can you imagine if this happened today and not back in the 80's? The moto boards would be about two feet up Suzuki's ass calling for boycotts!
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EatMyDust
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EatMyDust 1/28/2018 11:35am
1/28/2018 11:35am
RocketLab wrote:
Big corporation stealing the little guy's idea. Then assigning 2 of their engineers to patent a revised version and claiming the initial idea came from Formula...
Big corporation stealing the little guy's idea. Then assigning 2 of their engineers to patent a revised version and claiming the initial idea came from Formula 1 cars. Classic!

Is this all he got?

Fraud
167

The jury found by special verdicts that Suzuki fraudulently induced Richardson to reveal his trade secrets by concealing its intention not to exercise its option or take a license, and that Suzuki fraudulently concealed from Richardson the fact that it was developing the Full Floater "with the intention of declining to exercise the option and then nevertheless to utilize the plaintiff's trade secrets in the full floater". The jury also found fraud in that Suzuki filed the Tamaki patent application "in the knowledge that the invention asserted therein (the spring/swing arm connection) was first disclosed to them by Richardson". The jury awarded Richardson $20,000 in compensatory and $100,000 in punitive damages.
No. He Got something like 5 dollars for every motorcycle that used full floater sold in the USA and 50 cents for every one sold worldwide it amounted to 19 million. Suzuki could have settled for 70k n declined. Glad he won
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JW381
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JW381 1/28/2018 11:41am
1/28/2018 11:41am
RocketLab wrote:
Big corporation stealing the little guy's idea. Then assigning 2 of their engineers to patent a revised version and claiming the initial idea came from Formula...
Big corporation stealing the little guy's idea. Then assigning 2 of their engineers to patent a revised version and claiming the initial idea came from Formula 1 cars. Classic!

Is this all he got?

Fraud
167

The jury found by special verdicts that Suzuki fraudulently induced Richardson to reveal his trade secrets by concealing its intention not to exercise its option or take a license, and that Suzuki fraudulently concealed from Richardson the fact that it was developing the Full Floater "with the intention of declining to exercise the option and then nevertheless to utilize the plaintiff's trade secrets in the full floater". The jury also found fraud in that Suzuki filed the Tamaki patent application "in the knowledge that the invention asserted therein (the spring/swing arm connection) was first disclosed to them by Richardson". The jury awarded Richardson $20,000 in compensatory and $100,000 in punitive damages.
EatMyDust wrote:
No. He Got something like 5 dollars for every motorcycle that used full floater sold in the USA and 50 cents for every one sold worldwide...
No. He Got something like 5 dollars for every motorcycle that used full floater sold in the USA and 50 cents for every one sold worldwide it amounted to 19 million. Suzuki could have settled for 70k n declined. Glad he won
7 year old thread
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sandman768
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sandman768 1/28/2018 1:31pm
1/28/2018 1:31pm
Still pretty cool, glad the guy won...shame on Suzuki for not doing the right thing from the get go...
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Mini Elsinore
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Mini Elsinore 1/28/2018 1:54pm
1/28/2018 1:54pm
Nothing wrong with keeping this thread alive.
History needs to be accurately recorded AND remembered.
Shame on the bastards at Suzuki who were responsible----cigarette smokin stooges.
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Mit12
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Mit12 1/28/2018 4:48pm
1/28/2018 4:48pm
That was probably the best rear suspension ever manufactured for motorcycles.
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downard254
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downard254 1/28/2018 6:29pm
1/28/2018 6:29pm
Mit12 wrote:
That was probably the best rear suspension ever manufactured for motorcycles.
I raced an ‘85 RM250 in 250B that year. There was nothing that iteration of the Full Floater wouldn’t absorb. The thing never kicked or misbehaved either. Amazing rear suspension.
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PTshox
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PTshox 1/28/2018 8:51pm
1/28/2018 8:51pm
It was a very good suspension system. Shame it couldn't have continued to evolve... and they didn't pay him a reasonable fee per unit.

The law suite reminds me a bit of what I'm going though with a sister. Sadly..... She behaves much like the mgmt at suzuki in my opinion.
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HD1200
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HD1200 1/29/2018 4:29am
1/29/2018 4:29am
Would it be beneficial for someone to reproduce the full floater now?
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Uncle Tony
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Uncle Tony 1/29/2018 5:01am
1/29/2018 5:01am
HD1200 wrote:
Would it be beneficial for someone to reproduce the full floater now?
I think it would be, I had these cool adjustable struts from white brothers that you can change the ride height quick and easy, man that system worked great
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Dirty Points 1/29/2018 5:18am
1/29/2018 5:18am
HD1200 wrote:
Would it be beneficial for someone to reproduce the full floater now?
The Honda "Unit pro link" as seen on their street bikes is more or less an inverted full floater.
Zeke27G
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Zeke27G 1/29/2018 5:46am
1/29/2018 5:46am

Running the second version of Don Richardson's "Front Runner" inertia valve dampening rod kit for CZ forks. The kit works well when paired with the right weight springs and oil. Just guessing here, but he probably feels safe knowing he doesn't have to worry about CZ stealing the deisgn!
newmann
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newmann 1/29/2018 6:53am
1/29/2018 6:53am
Zeke27G wrote:
Running the second version of Don Richardson's "Front Runner" inertia valve dampening rod kit for CZ forks. The kit works well when paired with the right...

Running the second version of Don Richardson's "Front Runner" inertia valve dampening rod kit for CZ forks. The kit works well when paired with the right weight springs and oil. Just guessing here, but he probably feels safe knowing he doesn't have to worry about CZ stealing the deisgn!
Details please....
edgo897
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edgo897 1/29/2018 7:17am
1/29/2018 7:17am
I had a 82 RM465 Full Floater and put a set of the 1987 HondaCR250 Showa forks up front. The set up was as good as my 05 RM250.
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Robert_Smallfoot 1/28/2022 1:22pm
1/28/2022 1:22pm
Also.... Suzuki stole the 2 stroke expansion chamber from CZ.

Read this book.... Stealing Speed by Mat Oxley. A very good read for any motorcycle enthusiast.
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Ozy
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Ozy 1/31/2022 5:50pm
1/31/2022 5:50pm
I bought a brand new 1982 RM250 floater. Best rear suspension at that time. the forks were pretty crappy. I think there is an element of "Euphoric recall" all these decades later I doubt it would still be in use if Suzuki didn't scam the guy
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PRM31
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PRM31 1/31/2022 7:29pm
1/31/2022 7:29pm
Ozy wrote:
I bought a brand new 1982 RM250 floater. Best rear suspension at that time. the forks were pretty crappy. I think there is an element of...
I bought a brand new 1982 RM250 floater. Best rear suspension at that time. the forks were pretty crappy. I think there is an element of "Euphoric recall" all these decades later I doubt it would still be in use if Suzuki didn't scam the guy
But at the time, it was amazing. I went from an Ohlins shocked ‘80 RM125 to the Full Floater in ‘81 and it was unreal how good it was. I preferred it to my ‘82 RM250.
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Robert_Smallfoot 1/31/2022 8:28pm
1/31/2022 8:28pm
enketchum wrote:
Bumping an 11 year old thread dormant for 5 years with an article from 34 years ago.... How did you find this thread? The search feature...
Bumping an 11 year old thread dormant for 5 years with an article from 34 years ago.... How did you find this thread? The search feature is garbage
I just googled "full floater Suzuki" and this thread came up. Me and a buddy talking suspension led to me revisiting the full floater.
Robert_Smallfoot 1/31/2022 8:31pm
1/31/2022 8:31pm
Ozy wrote:
I bought a brand new 1982 RM250 floater. Best rear suspension at that time. the forks were pretty crappy. I think there is an element of...
I bought a brand new 1982 RM250 floater. Best rear suspension at that time. the forks were pretty crappy. I think there is an element of "Euphoric recall" all these decades later I doubt it would still be in use if Suzuki didn't scam the guy
I bet it would be in use today still if not for Suzukis behavior. It's one of a few designs that decouples the shock from the frame.... Even mt bike manufactures wanted to use this design but can't.

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HD1200
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HD1200 1/31/2022 8:33pm
1/31/2022 8:33pm
Doesn't a patent have a shelf life of not renewed or something?
1911
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1911 1/31/2022 8:38pm
1/31/2022 8:38pm
Robert_Smallfoot wrote:
Yup good to keep history alive....

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-03-28-mn-699-story.html?_a…
enketchum wrote:
Bumping an 11 year old thread dormant for 5 years with an article from 34 years ago.... How did you find this thread? The search feature...
Bumping an 11 year old thread dormant for 5 years with an article from 34 years ago.... How did you find this thread? The search feature is garbage
I can’t find stuff I posted yesterday, I am amazed when these relics are dug up.
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scott_nz 1/31/2022 9:09pm
1/31/2022 9:09pm
Robert_Smallfoot wrote:
Also.... Suzuki stole the 2 stroke expansion chamber from CZ.

Read this book.... Stealing Speed by Mat Oxley. A very good read for any motorcycle enthusiast.
It was mz they stole the expansion chambers bikes off , good book
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Yeti831
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Yeti831 1/31/2022 9:10pm
1/31/2022 9:10pm
Robert_Smallfoot wrote:
Also.... Suzuki stole the 2 stroke expansion chamber from CZ.

Read this book.... Stealing Speed by Mat Oxley. A very good read for any motorcycle enthusiast.
Dude, wtf?

I literally just picked up a copy from eBay. Get out of my head 😂
Robert_Smallfoot 1/31/2022 9:30pm
1/31/2022 9:30pm
Yeti831 wrote:
Dude, wtf?

I literally just picked up a copy from eBay. Get out of my head 😂
A book every kid should read in school!!
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