Shocking question

[dbeardslee]

Sip - that just adjusts the preload a.k.a. how much meat you have sitting over it. Doesn't affect the rating of the spring. I ride solo as I unloaded SWNSU some years ago Mine are set in the middle, and I go about 200 lbs.

[SiP]

i'm having a great time figuring out "SWNSU"

[psycoreefer]

I'm guessing "She Who Never Shut's Up"?

[dbeardslee]

Sip - darn your good. I'm bettin' the guys are laughing and the girls are gettin' mad right about now. Unless of course the guys are in the presence of the girls, in which case they are only laughing on the inside

[dbeardslee]

Sorry I screwed up the last post. Psy - darn YOUR good. There, that's better.

[CarolynS]

manual

The Clymers manual has the settings for the stock shocks.
I found a set of shocks in Jireh for HD sporties,etc that are $79 and are 11.5 tall. They should work.
I am lowering my bike, and I discovered that if you take one of the ones that you have off and go to any aftermarket supplier you can match things up.
I as well don't want to spend more on shocks than I spent on the bikes! Seems a little silly. I can't imagine paying almost $300 for shocks.
Get the adjustment tool while you're at it. And do some shopping around. The voices here are reliable and know what they are talking about. I'm relatively new at this, but shocks are a big part of getting my bike running, at least for me.

[psycoreefer]

MikesXS shocks - initial impresion

I just got home from work, my new shocks from Mikes xs were waiting for me. I ordered 06 - 3601, they are black with chrome springs and 13 3/16" (335mm.) eye to eye. That makes them a little more then 1/2" longer then stock.

Taking them out of the box there are two things I noticed right away, first Mike says they are "progressive" springs and they are but not the way you would expect. There are actually two springs a tightly wound one about 2" tall on the bottom and then a larger one on top. I had expected a single progressive spring. Also I ordered the black shocks but for some reason the retainer ring on top is shiny instead of black. Doesn't look bad but I think it would look better all black. Pics will follow as soon as SWMBO gets home with our camera.


Mounting them was easy, I put the bike on the center stand and removed the grab bar and the stock shock mounting nuts. Then pulled the stock shocks off letting the rear tire fall an inch or two to the floor. Then I slid the proper rubbers into the new shocks and slid the bottom onto its mounting point, then lifted the tire a little to start the top. Second side is easier because you don't have to lift the tire. Then I replaced all the bolts holding the shocks and grab bar.

I measured before and after and the overall change in "stance" without me on the bike is about 1/4" higher so not even noticable. When I sit on the bike it doesn't sag as much as it used to so sitting on the bike I'd say I'm maybe 1/2" higher then before. Still hardly noticable.

The initial shake down ride I left the new springs on the lowest preload. Went around the block and over some railroad tracks that caused to old shocks to bottom out every time. All I can say is WOW! This is a 1000% improvement over the old (junk) shocks and springs. No more bottoming, no more bucking when I get on the gas, no more bouncing for several seconds after going over a bump, and no more "pucker" when I go around a corner with some bumps in it. The lowest preload seemed about right for me at 200lbs on my naked special so I think I'll leave them be for a week and see.

Now I can't compare these to Progressive shocks as I've never had a set and I can't say how they will do with two up as I haven't had a chance to try that yet. But I can say that over worn out stock springs and shocks these were worth the $80 to me.

More to come....