Chuck
Useful idiot
I have a 1980 Special. Whats too soft and whats too hard. I am not planning on buying new shocks. I want to adjust my oldies the best for what they are. I weigh 185#.
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How do you adjust your stock rear shocks?
- Thread starter Chuck
- Start date
DirtyErnie
Renaissance Hick
By all reports, they're nearly worthless as shock absorbers... my first adjustment to them was a garbage can and replacement by the chinese 'Monza Sport' shocks sold by MikesXS.
What can be adjusted with them is the spring preload, you'll have to season that one to suit your weight and the bike. You might need a shock wrench to do that, 650Central and MikesXS both have them.
Hope this helps some.
What can be adjusted with them is the spring preload, you'll have to season that one to suit your weight and the bike. You might need a shock wrench to do that, 650Central and MikesXS both have them.
Hope this helps some.
All you can adjust on them is what's called the "sag". That is how much the frame under the seat drops when you sit down on on the bike, versus when there's no weight on it. So the right position of the adjuster depends on your weight. I think the correct sag is about 1 1/2" but look it up and check me on it.
I weigh about 174 lbs, and I just leave mine on the softest setting. Even when I load the bike with an extra 36 lbs of saddlebags and fuel, I leave it on the softest. When I rode bikes back in the 70's and 80's, I also used the softest setting.
DirtyErnie;.........I can't agree with saying the stock shocks are worthless. I find they work just fine for me, and there are plenty of bumps/potholes in the Calgary area.
If the quality of Mikesxs shock's is like a lot of their parts, I'd say they would be a down grade.
If riding with a passenger on the back, it would be worth while to crank the shock spring up a couple of steps.
DirtyErnie;.........I can't agree with saying the stock shocks are worthless. I find they work just fine for me, and there are plenty of bumps/potholes in the Calgary area.
If the quality of Mikesxs shock's is like a lot of their parts, I'd say they would be a down grade.
If riding with a passenger on the back, it would be worth while to crank the shock spring up a couple of steps.
DirtyErnie
Renaissance Hick
RG, seemed like a good place to start (board consensus?), since I was upgrading the front as well. Finally got it on the road last weekend, the 'sport' shocks seem to be pretty nice, compliment the cartridge emulators up front real well.
"sag", "preload", same diff... ;-)
"sag", "preload", same diff... ;-)
DirtyErnie;
Its like rolling the dice with Mikesxs parts. I know nothing about their shocks, so lets hope they are of good quality.
Its like rolling the dice with Mikesxs parts. I know nothing about their shocks, so lets hope they are of good quality.
Pull the shocks off and check for "shock" action then decide.
DirtyErnie
Renaissance Hick
RG, looks like I won on this gamble. It doesn't happen very often. 
Chuck
Useful idiot
Gary, I have tried the check for shock action before. Good luck to me! I could not compress the shocks in any meaningful way to test them. Press with all my weight and strength, nothing happens. I am not light and weak!
I think I will go to the lowest setting. I have them up two notches and they seem harsh. I had them higher than that and I thought I had a hard-tail ha ha.
I am skeptical about the cheap shocks from Mike's as others have said. I am not carving canyons, so the oldies are going to goodies for me.
Yeah it's kind of hard with the springs on em. With the springs off it's obvious.
Darin Jordan
XS650 Member
Are the stock shocks on an XS made by K&B?? Not sure if mine are stock or not, as the bolts look like they've been off at one-time or another. They have K&B stickers on them.
Chuck
Useful idiot
Gary, I worried that I if take off the spring I may not be able to get it back on. How do you do it? A spring compressor?
A drill press and a couple of plastic fittings make a great spring remover. I believe RG has a how to thread on here somewhere.
Here's the thread
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4580
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4580
Chuck
Useful idiot
Thanks, I like the floor jack idea as I don't have a drill press or a bearing press.
I switched to the lowest preload setting on my shocks today. No diference in rideabilty but much nicer ride.
Next, change out my 20wt fork oil for 15 wt. I think I went one too heavy.
Chuck
Useful idiot
I was confused. KYB is a big high end shock company, but these are not KYB, So I guess they are K&B whoever they are... Web search produces nothing.
Darin Jordan
XS650 Member
Ooops... sorry... KYB is correct...
15 wt fork oil works very well for me with Progressive springs - my normal riding weight is about 185 lb.
