Would i regret putting heavy duty shocks on my bike?

[xs750NY]

Howdy! I'm a 165 lbs rider, and am about to replace the shocks on my 1979 yamaha xs750 special.
I believe they're currently OEM, so quite a bit squishy. Looking forward to getting a tighter feel, especially for when hitting pot holes and not going for a bouncy carnival ride for several seconds there after.
I also have been doing a lot of riding on a new bike, from 2014. It's a royal enfield Continental GT 535 with only 2K miles on it. The suspension feels excellent. Nice and firm, giving lots of control. The bike is around 80-90 lbs less itself though. But having a solid foundation makes for a much more comfortable and less scary ride. I think i err on the side of preferring firmer sport feel vs cushion and comfort.
My ladyfriend also likes to hop on board sometimes for an evening jaunt. Together we total under 300, maybe around 280-290 lbs. Maybe a couple times a week we do this.
I see lots of good reviews about Progressive 412 series shocks. There are normal versions and there are heavy duty versions. I believe the heavy duty versions are catered towards those with a weight of around 240 lbs or more.

It may be an obvious answer.. but what are the consequences of having heavy duty shocks as a solo rider of 165 lbs, and would it really be that bad?
It would be nice to be able to hop on with my passenger and not have to have a saggy performance. I myself can handle the idea of riding with some extra firm response. Might actually enjoy it. Thing is, it takes 300$ to try this. Can't really return them i don't think.

Any thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[lakeview]

Do you have the engine and charging system working reliably and to your satisfaction yet?
It's easy to spend money early in a rehab before your priorities are established. Almost every abandoned project I buy has "new" tires - usually at least 5 years old by the time I get 'em and never turned a foot under power.

 

[xs750NY]

Fair point! Thanks for looking out.
I got the engine running pretty nicely with a bunch of tasks just performed, and will be going through the standard tuning process quite soon, as early as this weekend. Previous owner had the carbs rebuilt and rejetted for K&N filters, sync'd of course, compression tested, new Lithium battery along with a new rectifier to work for the battery, and braking systems deeply worked on or replaced. I myself just went and cleaned the tank insides and throughly flushed out the fuel systems of any possible moisture from the old gas cap seal being very cracked and also to get out any ethanol, started from scratch with fuel, cleaned those now grimy air filters, and reseated the carbs with fresh boots since they had dozens of hairline cracked on them, and replaced the spark plugs and with proper torque. Did some electronics and handlebar gadget restorations such as dodgy and sticky switches.
Idle RPM's are still a bit low and unstable before the engine is warmed up, but prior to my recent work it had been giving issues with overheating which i can only attribute to poor fuel/air mixture from leaky boots and gunky tank. There was a serious amount of fine rusty stuff that i got out of it. It's crystal clear now. So with the air and fuel pathways in good shape, the engine is definitely strong and smoother. High-ish RPM's sound like a dream. This bike has an unbelievable sound. And i really tore around town a couple times and got zero sense of overheating. Like i said the low RPM's at idle improve after the bike is ridden for a bit, and from what i can tell, the situation should continue to improve with each tune up step taken. So i'll go through the cam chain adjustment and carb syncing soon.
I've been riding it a good bit. Maybe 50 miles a week for the past month. It keeps getting better with the work, so trajectory feels promising.
It's got a lot of miles though. 33K. So I need to keep in mind that the level of work required might get pretty serious, such as full rebuild, if i want to keep this thing for a long time. But I'm game if it's my keeper bike!

 

[xjwmx]

If you go for a bouncy carnival ride for several seconds after you hit a pothole, the oil has probably all leaked out of your shocks, unless they're very different from '80+ shocks. Least expensive option while you're getting it all sorted out might be another pair of stockers from ebay. You'll read how terrible stock shocks are but honestly they ought to be fine for anything except maybe racing if they're in good shape.

 

[xs750NY]

If you go for a bouncy carnival ride for several seconds after you hit a pothole, the oil has probably all leaked out of your shocks, unless they're very different from '80+ shocks. Least expensive option while you're getting it all sorted out might be another pair of stockers from ebay. You'll read how terrible stock shocks are but honestly they ought to be fine for anything except maybe racing if they're in good shape.

Well i think i exaggerated. With a passenger it bounces for a good bit extra, but not actually several seconds. Solo it is still too bouncy for sure. I'm thinking of going the modest route and only putting 100$ shocks on.

 

[nhsteve]

If you did go that route, if you found they were not satisfactory, you could probably sell them on slightly used, and recoup at least some of your money.

 

[DirtyErnie]

I think I got some +1" (I'm 6'2) sport shocks from MikesXS when I did my bike. at 200lb, they're a bit on the stiff side solo. Throw the 105lb wife on the back and it rides just perfectly. Just now had the thought I should put the stock springs on those shocks, if I still have 'em...

 

[gggGary]

You need to separate shocks from springs in your thinking. Fact of life on motorcycles; all the passenger weight goes on the rear suspension, often REDUCING weight on the front....
If you go back and forth solo to two up a GOOD shock with a compromise spring weight is probably about where you will be happiest. Not many will change settings for 30 minutes of "SO on the back" riding. The obvious air shock answer, caries it's own set of compromises. Not to mention adjusting air 4 to 6 times a week is enough of a pain that it's not likely to continue.
My long ride on madness with progressive rear shocks and minton mod front with "sportster" springs had me thinking; this bike does well, not just for it's age but as a good handling/riding street bike in any company.

 

[5twins]

You have a better, stiffer swingarm on that bike too. That makes a major difference. It was one of the best handling mods I made to my '78. It made it feel more stable and solid not just going fast, but at all speeds. My '83 will get one too eventually.