ruff ride

[Guest]

Ok I need some advise again, my 79 xs1100f rides so hard. every bump or expansion joint i hit all most bangs. I noticed the coil over the rear shock is turned as tight as it can go. I am sure they are the oem shock. I was thinking of turning that back down at least one click to start with. If i do that what effect will the have with two riders. I have seen a number of pics of other bikes in this forum and they almost all have the coil adjusted as loose as they can. also what tire pressure do you run. I have new tires front and rear. I wonder if just a few pounds would help?

[IMG][/IMG]

[BA80]

The affect it will have with 2 riders totally depends you and your significant others girth.

Dropping the preload down will help with the comfort. I have mine set on the lowest level because I'm a skinny 180 and I hardly ever ride 2 up for any distance. I sacrifice some handling with it there but I'm old and like to be comfortable.

I had a set of XJ air adjustable shocks on the rear until one started leaking and I ran into difficulties resaling them. I really liked them and I have another set I'm going to install here this week. The XJ shocks are the best of both worlds I think.

BTW...nice looking F.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Virsten,

Just curious, are you feeling the bumps more in your arse or in your hands?

Like Greg said, reducing the preload "can" help to soften the ride, but can also allow more movement which could allow it to bottom out on a bigger bump?

Tire pressures were almost a hot button topic thread a while back. You will want to use the specs on the tire's sidewall, not the owner's manual. Many folks use about 40 PSI for the rear, a little less for the front, but this also will vary with tire brand, etc. and the load they are under. YMMV!

T.C.

[Guest]

The fairing jump quite a bit and I also feel the bump in the back. I think I will adjust the rear shock and check the tire pressure to see what lithely are.

[natemoen]

That sure looks like '78 march maroon with s Pacifico fairing.

I want that trunk!

[jetmechmarty]

Your bike is over 30 years old. The technology is even older. At the very least you need shocks and springs.

If you want your bike set up to handle well and still soak up the bumps, I strongly suggest you avoid progressive wound springs. If your laden sag set correctly your ride will be very harsh. Straight rate springs will not be so harsh. I have Progressive shocks on mine and it is set up to carve corners. If I run over a dime, I can tell if it's heads or tails.

I sourced my springs from Traxxion Dynamics. I'd say they're about perfect. I highly recommend you get one of their technical people on the phone for advice. They understand you're not spending a fortune on an old bike and they have economical options.

[BA80]

Tire pressures were almost a hot button topic thread a while back. T.C.

Oil, tires, and air pressure.....

[Guest]

Natemoen, it is a pacifico fairing. But the title sayes 79. Don't think I could sell it as I drag to much stuff with me to work. Although in a different thread I have been having trouble with the rack that it sits on. It keeps breaking.

I just turned the spring tensioner down one notch. The tires have 30 psi by my gauge. I suppose our lousy streets could have something to do with the ride. I guess I will try it.

[DGXSER]

That is definitely not the Macho Maroon of a 78, I do believe they made some 79s with that deeper maroon. I like that color better really.

You can definitely try loosening up the pre-load as others have stated. I recently aquired a set of the XJ air shocks and have installed them on my XS. They do soften up the ride a bit.

But it is alot like in a car, for the most part, any car that handles like it is on rails, feels like it has metal wheels and you can feel every pebble in the road. Softer the ride, the less agile the handling.

[ddragon63]

Air Shocks are your friend on a full dressed bike. You can adjust the pressure in minutes depending on what riding your going to do... and whens the last time the forks were serviced? JAT

[motoman]

On THAT scoot, from the softest, go to three on the spring for two-up and 3 on the rebound dampening, if those shocks have the same 5position dampening as the 81Standard. That's dampening, not spring pre-load. Run 40psi in those modern tires as what's stated on most tires is 42psi anyways. If it still has the air forks, run 9-12psi in them. This should get it close riding 2-up. BTW, very nice 78!

[kwats]

I had similar complaints on my '79SF Bagger and just installed some air shocks from a 2003 Harley bagger. These were very easy to adapt and made the ride a whole bunch softer. It also reduced the driveline snatch by over half.

[WMarshy]

... BTW, very nice 78!

It's a '79 F... the named that color burgundy red. It does look similar to maco just deeper tone. My Dad has one with that color, it is verynice looking.

[fredintoon]

- - - You will want to use the specs on the tire's sidewall, not the owner's manual. - - -

Hi TC,
aren't the sidewall specs the maximum recommended pressure, at which it can carry it's maximum recommended load?
Didn't you really mean that the other way round?

[jjz28]

When i fist started riding my bike, there are 2 strips out on the highway about 100 yards apart and i hit the first one and thought i almost broke my back (not really but it felt hard), then i hit the second one, same thing. I noticed my tire was low so i put in the 40psi of air and was riding a come up on those strips and kinda lifted my but cause i knew they were there but it didnt "hit hard" like it did before. It mad a world of difference just in tire pressure.