Brand Specific suspension 1980s

hartebreak
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hartebreak
Edited Date/Time 1/28/2021 4:52pm
Back in the 70s 80s the big 4 had their own names for the rear suspension.

If I recall,it was

Yamaha was Mono-shock
Honda was Prolink
Suzuki was Full-Floater
Kawasaki was Uni-trak

What ever happened to each brand having their own branded stuff?
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soggy
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soggy 1/26/2021 8:27pm
1/26/2021 8:27pm
That was really just the linkage systems, they were still kyb or Showa most of the time
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hartebreak
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hartebreak 1/26/2021 8:33pm
1/26/2021 8:33pm
soggy wrote:
That was really just the linkage systems, they were still kyb or Showa most of the time
Yea, know know they shared shocks, but this day and age, it seems like marketing is king and it seems like each brand would want to set themselves apart from the others. I dunno......
StevieD113 1/27/2021 4:29am
1/27/2021 4:29am
Honda patented/protected the design, and the 2 names they used, "Pro-Link" (from 81) and "Delta Link" (from 88).

The other brands had to design there own systems that did exactly the same thing but didn't look or work in the same way as the Honda design. Hence why all the designs were different, and why the marketing teams had to come up with catchy names to try and sell them.

The patent/protection ran out and they now, all use pretty much the same design. Which basically has been the same since the 88 CR250. Yes, the geometry has changed a little, (as they do every year...well... they gotta change SOMETHING!) and shock technology has moved on, but no where near by the amounts the marketing would have you believe.

Stevie
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Falcon
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Falcon 1/27/2021 9:18am
1/27/2021 9:18am
Suzuki went away from their Full Floater design in 1986 but still called it "Full Floater," like a brand name. Honda did the same with Pro Link.

I'm with the OP; I'm surprised OEMs don't still brand their suspension, like they do with everything else these days. My guess is that Showa and KYB bring more brand awareness and cool factor than the branded names do. (In the '80s, it wasn't common knowledge that those companies manufactured the suspension, so when Honda ran SHOWA decals on the forks, it looked trick! Everyone wanted to have a set of factory decals like that. It may have been the catalyst for moving away from the branded suspension designs.)
I think also that the suspension revolution that began in the late '70s with Yamaha's Mono Cross system was so impactful that it brought more attention to a name. Everyone wanted to know which system was better. Now that all the designs have settled on the same basic configuration, there is less incentive to name your setup.

It seems like the OEMs are missing an opportunity, though. That's rare for them.
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soggy
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soggy 1/27/2021 9:22am
1/27/2021 9:22am
I’m pretty sure Honda still calls their system the pro link and Kawi still calls it uni-trak just not much marketing dedicated to it. I personally don’t see what they are missing out on marketing wise
Dirty Points 1/27/2021 10:02am
1/27/2021 10:02am
hartebreak wrote:
Back in the 70s 80s the big 4 had their own names for the rear suspension. If I recall,it was Yamaha was Mono-shock Honda was Prolink...
Back in the 70s 80s the big 4 had their own names for the rear suspension.

If I recall,it was

Yamaha was Mono-shock
Honda was Prolink
Suzuki was Full-Floater
Kawasaki was Uni-trak

What ever happened to each brand having their own branded stuff?
Yamaha was Monocross or Mono-x, not monoshock
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FreshTopEnd
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FreshTopEnd 1/27/2021 10:07am
1/27/2021 10:07am
I don't think those are the same brand differentiators that they were when single shock systems were introduced, and all of those systems at the time were very different mechanically until the mid 80's and it started reverting to a designs that were significantly similar, at least in appearance, That stuff all seemed to become generic linkage.
Dirty Points 1/27/2021 10:09am
1/27/2021 10:09am Edited Date/Time 1/27/2021 1:34pm
They kept their own branding into the 90s even after they moved to the Honda pro-link style.

Swingarm decals:




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Dirty Points 1/27/2021 10:32am
1/27/2021 10:32am Edited Date/Time 1/27/2021 10:33am
FreshTopEnd wrote:
I don't think those are the same brand differentiators that they were when single shock systems were introduced, and all of those systems at the time...
I don't think those are the same brand differentiators that they were when single shock systems were introduced, and all of those systems at the time were very different mechanically until the mid 80's and it started reverting to a designs that were significantly similar, at least in appearance, That stuff all seemed to become generic linkage.
It seems like that portion of marketing for the most part has tapered off. In the 80s Japanese manufacturers had a trademark on everything, not just their particular suspension system. Their power valve implementation, their boost bottle, their intake system -- bikes had fancy acronyms stamped all over them.

Nowadays you don't really see as many trademarks attached to, say, a reversed cylinder, a finger follower design or a different implementation of launch control.
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RichieW13
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RichieW13 1/27/2021 10:44am
1/27/2021 10:44am
StevieD113 wrote:
Honda patented/protected the design, and the 2 names they used, "Pro-Link" (from 81) and "Delta Link" (from 88). The other brands had to design there own...
Honda patented/protected the design, and the 2 names they used, "Pro-Link" (from 81) and "Delta Link" (from 88).

The other brands had to design there own systems that did exactly the same thing but didn't look or work in the same way as the Honda design. Hence why all the designs were different, and why the marketing teams had to come up with catchy names to try and sell them.

The patent/protection ran out and they now, all use pretty much the same design. Which basically has been the same since the 88 CR250. Yes, the geometry has changed a little, (as they do every year...well... they gotta change SOMETHING!) and shock technology has moved on, but no where near by the amounts the marketing would have you believe.

Stevie
The 80's were a cool time in dirt bike history. It seemed like every year at least one of the manufacturers was trying something radically different, either in technology or just cosmetically.

Now, you really can't tell a whole lot of difference (visually) between a 2021 motorcycle and a 2004 motorcycle. Even brand to brand there isn't much difference on the surface.
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Forty
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Forty 1/27/2021 7:26pm
1/27/2021 7:26pm
hartebreak wrote:
Back in the 70s 80s the big 4 had their own names for the rear suspension. If I recall,it was Yamaha was Mono-shock Honda was Prolink...
Back in the 70s 80s the big 4 had their own names for the rear suspension.

If I recall,it was

Yamaha was Mono-shock
Honda was Prolink
Suzuki was Full-Floater
Kawasaki was Uni-trak

What ever happened to each brand having their own branded stuff?
Dirty Points wrote:
Yamaha was Monocross or Mono-x, not monoshock
Mono shock till 82
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slipdog
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slipdog 1/27/2021 7:37pm
1/27/2021 7:37pm
hartebreak wrote:
Back in the 70s 80s the big 4 had their own names for the rear suspension. If I recall,it was Yamaha was Mono-shock Honda was Prolink...
Back in the 70s 80s the big 4 had their own names for the rear suspension.

If I recall,it was

Yamaha was Mono-shock
Honda was Prolink
Suzuki was Full-Floater
Kawasaki was Uni-trak

What ever happened to each brand having their own branded stuff?
Dirty Points wrote:
Yamaha was Monocross or Mono-x, not monoshock
Forty wrote:
Mono shock till 82
I don't remember them ever being branded as "mono shock"


Forty
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Forty 1/27/2021 7:41pm
1/27/2021 7:41pm
Dirty Points wrote:
Yamaha was Monocross or Mono-x, not monoshock
Forty wrote:
Mono shock till 82
slipdog wrote:
I don't remember them ever being branded as "mono shock" [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2021/01/27/475453/s1200_Screenshot_2021_01_27_at_7.34.31_PM.jpg[/img]
I don't remember them ever being branded as "mono shock"


You’re right. That’s what the stickers said. We called it monoshock but it was monox.
Forty
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Forty 1/27/2021 7:42pm
1/27/2021 7:42pm
What did Maico call it. Damn. I can’t think.
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slipdog 1/27/2021 7:48pm
1/27/2021 7:48pm
Forty wrote:
What did Maico call it. Damn. I can’t think.
I remember Alpha control
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Forty
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Forty 1/27/2021 7:59pm
1/27/2021 7:59pm
That’s it. Thanks

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a22
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a22 1/27/2021 7:59pm
1/27/2021 7:59pm
Forty wrote:
What did Maico call it. Damn. I can’t think.
slipdog wrote:
I remember Alpha control
after came Twin Link I think
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nickm 1/27/2021 8:06pm
1/27/2021 8:06pm
80s were nuts for acronyms and marketing everything, a few things I can recall:

FAIS - Kawasaki's Fresh air intake system for KXs
ATAC, KIPS, - Honda and Kawasaki power valves
BASS - Yamaha's rear suspension compression deactivation

I was into Suzuki GSX-Rs in the 80s and they went over the top on this stuff, my '86 had

TSCC (twin swirl combustion chamber)
SACS (Suzuki advanced cooling system)
DIAS (Direct intake air system)
PDF (Posi-damp fork)

I'm forgetting many I'm sure, I had no idea what any of these things meant as a high school kid but damn did I ever want them!!!

A different time in motorcycles where manufacturers were Moto-guys not suits (even if they had a suit). They loved making machines and it was obvious. They were pushing materials and machines WAY beyond the technology of the day.
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Gravel 1/28/2021 6:13am
1/28/2021 6:13am
What year(s) did Suzuki have that big roller in the swing Arm? It had an enormous needle bearing that didn’t like being dirty or dry, it’d basically stop moving unless it was clean and greased..
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endurox 1/28/2021 6:56am
1/28/2021 6:56am
Falcon wrote:
Suzuki went away from their Full Floater design in 1986 but still called it "Full Floater," like a brand name. Honda did the same with Pro...
Suzuki went away from their Full Floater design in 1986 but still called it "Full Floater," like a brand name. Honda did the same with Pro Link.

I'm with the OP; I'm surprised OEMs don't still brand their suspension, like they do with everything else these days. My guess is that Showa and KYB bring more brand awareness and cool factor than the branded names do. (In the '80s, it wasn't common knowledge that those companies manufactured the suspension, so when Honda ran SHOWA decals on the forks, it looked trick! Everyone wanted to have a set of factory decals like that. It may have been the catalyst for moving away from the branded suspension designs.)
I think also that the suspension revolution that began in the late '70s with Yamaha's Mono Cross system was so impactful that it brought more attention to a name. Everyone wanted to know which system was better. Now that all the designs have settled on the same basic configuration, there is less incentive to name your setup.

It seems like the OEMs are missing an opportunity, though. That's rare for them.
A little history on the full floater
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/03/28/Inventor-wins-19-million-from-S…
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Dirty Points 1/28/2021 7:14am
1/28/2021 7:14am Edited Date/Time 1/28/2021 8:13am
hartebreak wrote:
Back in the 70s 80s the big 4 had their own names for the rear suspension. If I recall,it was Yamaha was Mono-shock Honda was Prolink...
Back in the 70s 80s the big 4 had their own names for the rear suspension.

If I recall,it was

Yamaha was Mono-shock
Honda was Prolink
Suzuki was Full-Floater
Kawasaki was Uni-trak

What ever happened to each brand having their own branded stuff?
Dirty Points wrote:
Yamaha was Monocross or Mono-x, not monoshock
Forty wrote:
Mono shock till 82
"After its stunning debut in the 1973 All Japan Motocross Championship, the now-publicly-known “Monocross suspension” was put to the test in the 250cc and 500cc classes of the Motocross World Championship, the pinnacle of motocross racing. It would first show its advantages in the 250cc class."

Yamaha: Evolution of the Monocross suspension


Steve125
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Steve125 1/28/2021 7:47am
1/28/2021 7:47am
Single shock linkage suspension was big news back in 81. As time went on and everyone gravitated towards the bottom link Pro-Link Honda style or similar,.. the Brand specific,Catchy names disappeared.
Forty
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Forty 1/28/2021 9:01am
1/28/2021 9:01am
What do you think Yamaha spent on the 1982 link only to toss it completely for the 1983 design.

Great times in MX suspension evolution.
Dirty Points 1/28/2021 9:16am
1/28/2021 9:16am Edited Date/Time 1/28/2021 9:22am
Forty wrote:
What do you think Yamaha spent on the 1982 link only to toss it completely for the 1983 design.

Great times in MX suspension evolution.
The '82 design always seemed like a stop-gap to allow them to continue to use the existing shock body style for another year or two (Yamaha produced their own shocks through '89). The linkage geometry on the '83 is very similar, they just deleted the push rod.
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Wandell 1/28/2021 10:03am
1/28/2021 10:03am Edited Date/Time 1/28/2021 10:07am
Good question. I've always wondered about the progression of Yamaha's rear suspension from 82-83. I found it strange that the factory built 81 and 82 Yamaha 0W works bikes used a similar design to the 1982 production YZ's. But come 1983, both the production YZ's and the factory built works bikes switched to a brand new design.
The 1982 YZ rear suspension was a one year design. I guess it was just a stop gap design.
Hannah's 81 and 82 works 0W's.


1981ow50_38165262064_o by Tracie Asbell, on Flickr


1982ow125hannah_25011237138_o by Tracie Asbell, on Flickr



Lechien's 1983 works 0W


1983ow125_25024224618_o by Tracie Asbell, on Flickr
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jkoch249 1/28/2021 5:10pm
1/28/2021 5:10pm
Falcon wrote:
Suzuki went away from their Full Floater design in 1986 but still called it "Full Floater," like a brand name. Honda did the same with Pro...
Suzuki went away from their Full Floater design in 1986 but still called it "Full Floater," like a brand name. Honda did the same with Pro Link.

I'm with the OP; I'm surprised OEMs don't still brand their suspension, like they do with everything else these days. My guess is that Showa and KYB bring more brand awareness and cool factor than the branded names do. (In the '80s, it wasn't common knowledge that those companies manufactured the suspension, so when Honda ran SHOWA decals on the forks, it looked trick! Everyone wanted to have a set of factory decals like that. It may have been the catalyst for moving away from the branded suspension designs.)
I think also that the suspension revolution that began in the late '70s with Yamaha's Mono Cross system was so impactful that it brought more attention to a name. Everyone wanted to know which system was better. Now that all the designs have settled on the same basic configuration, there is less incentive to name your setup.

It seems like the OEMs are missing an opportunity, though. That's rare for them.
endurox wrote:
A little history on the full floater
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/03/28/Inventor-wins-19-million-from-S…
Cool read. Thank you 😊

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