Need new shocks

[Wildkat]

and some suggestions...

I can't do stock as I am vertically challenged and the 12.5" is just too much for me...
I'm looking for 11.5" - 12" (even that will make me stretch) so that I can raise my bike a bit at the same time.

Anyone have opinions and/or suggestions on inexpensive (I'm watching eBay) shocks?
I'd like to have Progressives... but even on eBay they're a little pricey right now and mine are REALLY needing to be replaced...

[fredintoon]

and some suggestions...
I can't do stock as I am vertically challenged and the 12.5" is just too much for me...
I'm looking for 11.5" - 12" (even that will make me stretch) so that I can raise my bike a bit at the same time.
Anyone have opinions and/or suggestions on inexpensive (I'm watching eBay) shocks?
I'd like to have Progressives... but even on eBay they're a little pricey right now and mine are REALLY needing to be replaced...

Hi Wildkat,
um, perhaps I misunderstand you, but shorter shocks lower your bike, not raise it?
As for what shocks to buy, you won't get what you don't pay for.
But there is an alternative to short shocks, for a lady anyway. Platform-soled riding boots?

[psycoreefer]

If your on the lighter side try the shocks from mikesxs, they're cheap enough to be a temporary fix and work well, at least as long as your not doing a lot of two up and fully loaded type riding. They may not last as long as progressives but if yours are bad they are better then what you've got....

[Wildkat]

Fred - my bike has already been lowered and I have 11" shocks on there now... so the 11.5" or 12" would raise it... I need something taller since I scrape in the twisties so quickly... and it has been pointed out that heels will probably be required...


psycoreefer - the lighter side of what? (don't answer that) lol
Let's just say that I'm more medium to well done and add one of my daughters on the back and we are no longer on the lighter side of anything...
(not saying they're large... just freakishly tall... lol)

I'll check out the mikesxs shocks... They might be able to get me through until I can get something better...

Thanks a bunch!

[Incubus]

How much do you want to pay, Kat?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/mcy/1347132433.html

Cleburne. Says they're short shots, which is probably 11". They're from a Harley, but they should mount the same as ours. I bet you could get them for half what he's asking. Maybe less when he sees your smile.

I love Craigslist.

Patrick

[Wildkat]

Thank you Patrick

and thank you...
Actually, I think the short shots are the exhaust... He has the shocks listed at 12.5"...
Maybe I should look into the stock length shocks (that's a decent price) and that pair of high heels afterall...
lol

[dbeardslee]

Kat - I've been running the Mikes XS shocks on Betsy for well over a year. They're progressive, and cost around $80, and come in 11.5" and 12.75" varieties. The only time I have a problem with scraping is if I have a heavyweight behind me and the preload is set soft, and then it's my silencer that drags.

Also, if you shift your riding position a little (as in slide your butt over) in the corners you can get the bike to stay up a little straighter while still making the corner, and it shouldn't scrape pegs as quickly. JAT

[Incubus]

If you shop carefully you never know what you will find. The shocks on my Shadow 1100 came from a Sportster. It was brand new and the guys took off the shocks because he traveled closer to the ground than most and needed shorter shocks. They had maybe 10 miles on them. He sold them to me for $10 for the pair.

They're real nice shocks. Kinda chromy, but a real nice ride even two up.

Patrick

[Ivan]

Kat you need some air shocks with a pump and some switches like the homeboys got. That way you can just hit the switch at a stop and drop the azz end down so your feet can touch.

No bouncing the front end though....

[CatatonicBug]

Kat you need some air shocks with a pump and some switches like the homeboys got. That way you can just hit the switch at a stop and drop the azz end down so your feet can touch.

No bouncing the front end though....

I like it! Except there's no place on a bike to carry the trunk full of car batteries it takes to run those systems... You'd need a few subwoofers and a crushed velvet seatcover installed to make it work too.

[fredintoon]

Kat you need some air shocks with a pump and some switches like the homeboys got. That way you can just hit the switch at a stop and drop the azz end down so your feet can touch.

Hi Wildkat,
sorry, I didn't remember you were already down to 11" shocks.
Ivan's suggestion of airshocks would work though? Wire the airpump into the neutral light so they auto-deflate at stopsigns and auto-reflate as you hit 2nd gear?
Of course, you could embrace my own perversion. No! Not that one! I mean you could hang a sidecar on it fer chrissake. Just climb on like riding a horse and never need to put your feet on the ground until you park the thing.
While I'm bragging on about sidecars, I just discovered another advantage. One disconnected white wire let me run the battery flat enough to not spin the starter but the tach was still working so I didn't notice anything untoward until the starter quit in the supermarket car park. Rigs are dead easy to push start. scoot the rig along in neutral at an old fat guy's best lumbering trot (mebbe 5mph) Leap on and shove it into 2nd and drop the clutch. Starts up without falling over.

[schpiff]

shocks for shorties

I just bought some shocks from Old Bike Barn for a friends 81 Kawi 1100.
They have a $98 dollar sale on all stock type shocks goin on.
I asked some questions about length/mounting holes..etc.
They were very helpful in finding a fit for the old 1100 spectre.
Might add my friend is short on one end too
Dunno if this helps but, hey cant hurt to check it out?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Kat,

I second Dbeardslee suggestion. The Monza style/brand from MikesXS are decent quality, and when I had mine set on highest preload and was riding myself...225 lbs with my MOM also 200+ I'm sure, it rode fine and only bottomed out on a really big bump, and I was twisting the turns in a rally in NY at the time, just ask MartyA and Randy. I've had these on for 8 years now, but with my only 7K miles since my rebuild in 2000, that's probably only 1 years worth or less of riding according to Tod, but for the price you get pretty good performance. And as mentioned, they have shorter than stock that are longer than the 11"'s you have now but still shorter than full stock!
T.C.

[trbig]

but with my only 7K miles since my rebuild in 2000, that's probably only 1 years worth or less of riding according to Tod

LOL.. Or maybe 3-4 months. Man TC, that cracks me up. One thing about it, that motor should last you a lifetime! lol. Do the wanna-be, yuppie Harley guys make fun of your mileage per year? Do they look down at you (OK.. you'd have to be sitting) and brag about their TWO thousand miles a year?


Tod

[psycoreefer]

I said the lighter side because I'm 250 + gear and my G/F isn't a whole lot smaller then me. When I ride alone I set the pre-load in the middle on the mikes shocks and like the ride, if we both get on and I crank the pre-load all the way up we have about 1 or maybe 2 inchs of travel left, the ride isn't bad but a good size bump bottoms us out.

Don't get me wrong, for the price they are way better then the pair I took off, and I feel I got a good deal for what they charge I just wish for my size that they had a bit heavier springs in em....or like progressive offered a "heavy duty" spring for those of us on the "see food" diet.