Rear shock setting

[erazor55]

Where to you suggest setting the rear adjustable shock setting when 120 lbs load?

[gamersince1976]

Most people are setting the shock just a few clicks up from zero (with each click being a 1/2 turn). I'm a big guy and usually have things in the bags as well - I have mine set at 10 clicks, which is very firm.

[Steve 0080]

A " load " of 120...WOW thats a lot.... I weigh 225 with no load and have mine set at full soft...

[MichaelG]

This rear shock pre-load adjuster bothers me. WHY ? Because it is NOT the correct one for this bike. Period.

After having tried several different settings, from half-way...to one quarter way...to one ten way...I just coleted my ride down to Redding, Cal to have my seat done, and the entire ride I had it set at 2 clicks...one full turn...out from the lowest setting. It was even a little bit firm there. I will adjust it today down to only 1 click...a half turn out from the lowest setting possible.

So, you tell me...if a shock pre-load adjuster has a total travel of 19 full turns, or 38 clicks, and we are using it at 1 click, or maybe 2 clicks...and those that have tried it at 6 clicks or up to 15 clicks have all found it to be toooooooooo firm, then in reality we are only able to use the lowest 10 % of the adjustibility of this pre-load adjuster.

That means, the remaining 90 % of the pre-load adjuster is of no use to us. To me, that indicates that they have used the WRONG pre-load adjuster on this bike. We should be able to use up to 50 % of more of the pre-load adjusters range...not the lowest 10%.

[Phantom]

Just curious .....

If you were to remove a small amount of fluid from the system, would that help ?????

[erazor55]

Thanks for all the info. And Steve0080, I should not have referred to a passenger as a load, I suppose. Not dead weight, but weight nonetheless.

Miles - I agree a little firm, but it is soooo much better than the jalopy feeling of the Ultra I traded in. I know what this bike is going to do in a turn. Something I could not say about the Ultra.

[gamersince1976]

I dunno, Miles - perhaps 38 clicks would be appropriate if we wanted to pretend we were riding a Hayabusa!

[pittprof]

This rear shock pre-load adjuster bothers me. WHY ? Because it is NOT the correct one for this bike. Period.

After having tried several different settings, from half-way...to one quarter way...to one ten way...I just coleted my ride down to Redding, Cal to have my seat done, and the entire ride I had it set at 2 clicks...one full turn...out from the lowest setting. It was even a little bit firm there. I will adjust it today down to only 1 click...a half turn out from the lowest setting possible.

So, you tell me...if a shock pre-load adjuster has a total travel of 19 full turns, or 38 clicks, and we are using it at 1 click, or maybe 2 clicks...and those that have tried it at 6 clicks or up to 15 clicks have all found it to be toooooooooo firm, then in reality we are only able to use the lowest 10 % of the adjustibility of this pre-load adjuster.

That means, the remaining 90 % of the pre-load adjuster is of no use to us. To me, that indicates that they have used the WRONG pre-load adjuster on this bike. We should be able to use up to 50 % of more of the pre-load adjusters range...not the lowest 10%.

I take seriously someone who has ridden as many miles as you have, so forgive me for my title question. I'm trying to figure how much the adjuster affects two up at, say, 400 pounds. You figure it's the range you mentioned no matter what weight is on the bike?

[MichaelG]

I take seriously someone who has ridden as many miles as you have, so forgive me for my title question. I'm trying to figure how much the adjuster affects two up at, say, 400 pounds. You figure it's the range you mentioned no matter what weight is on the bike?

This is the second time I have had to type this all out, because we still have problems with our web-server. Urrrrgggg !

So, here goes again.

Your question is a good and valid one. Given a total load of 400 lbs, for rider/passenger/and all storage bins filled, I would say that you would need to adjuster the rear shock pre-load adjuster uop to maybe 25 % of what the full adjustment range is. That means that the upper 75 % of the adjusers' range is not being used at all. I think we can all agree that a load of 400 lbs is substantial, but the bike will handle it. The bike will feel it, but it will handle it. Knowing that the current pre-load adjuster only needs the lowest 25% of the entire range...that indicates this is the wrong adjuster on this bike.

[pittprof]

Thanks, Miles.