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Old May 14th, 2022, 08:56 PM   #44
Bob KellyIII
Retired motorcycle Mc.
 
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Name: Robert
Location: Weed, California.
Join Date: Jul 2021

Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L.

Posts: A lot.
OK good news I think I found the problem BESIDES the spring....
I got to looking at the shock in the vice it moves up and down nicely but with alot of resistance as a shock should....
I got looking at the length of the springs and the length of the threads and it hit me..... the shock must be kept from bottoming out it's only got about
4" or 5 " of travel in the shock itself did I screw it up by taking out all the preload ? with the shock fully extended and the spring on the shock ( the stock one) there is about 1" of threads left on the bottom of the upper part of the shock when the adjusting nuts finally contact the spring and there is about 4" of threads above that..... so when I backed off the pre-load nuts to the top of the shock the bike lowered accordingly... the problem is the shock is bottomed out in this position and the spring is not being compressed at all
....and I wonder why it rides so hard !?!?! of course it rides hard the shock is bottomed out !!!!! when I lower the pre-load that action moves the shock piston closer to the bottom.... but when the shock's stroke is so short you do not have that much to play with.....
SO.... what I've done, and am going to do .... is put the preload adjustment nuts at the top of the spring (and lock them there) with the shock fully extended....that will give me MAXIMUM shock travel....and unfortunately maximum seat height too... I think the only way to get the seat height lower is a lowering kit or make up my own horseshoe/dog bone
....
....
"who would'a thunk it" that backing off the preload nuts would bottom out the shock ? that never once crossed my mind, but that is what is going on on this bike.... all this time it was My screwup of not understanding the system it's used in ! AURGH !
I have no doubt it will still ride like a truck... a tall truck mind you but still a very hard ride because before I did anything to that bike I rode it down Hoy road and it liked to beat me to death.... so I don't expect any change
but at least it won't be bottomed out all the time !
Oh well Live and learn !
....

at least I took the Triumph out for a ride today had to push it the last 200 feet to the gas pump because I ran out of gas and blew a fuze at the same time.... still can't figure that one out ! LOL....
and Yes I had to clean the pilot jets to get it to run good again....
I'm hoping the new gas and the run will make her happier now....
....
later all !
Bob.......
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