1988 VMAX Rear Suspension Question.

[jcmem8]

Hi all, and oh yeah Happy New Year!
My name is Jared I am a new member,I got my self a V-Max about 2 months ago. My last bike was a Kawasaki GPZ 1100. I am loving the vmax, I had to replace the fork seals after I got it and also the regulator rectifier.

My bike was imported from Japan and it only has 10,000 miles on the clock(i will never know if the miles are legit though).
Anyway its an old bike and all the aluminium needs a good polish and the engine paint is flaking in some areas( I will get around to fixing it up soonish).

Sorry to ramble on... My question is about the rear suspension which I have noticed bottoms out sometimes when I take my wife for a double(no she is not a fatty) between the two of us we weigh a total of 140kilo. So im thinking are the shocks worn out? or are they just not made for doubling?
What have you done with your rear shocks?
Hope to hear back from someone soon.
JCMEM8:duck:

 

[SpecOps13]

Happy New Year and Welcome to the VMF....:biglaugh:

A lot of people replace the rear shocks to get a better ride and better handling.
My 94 has the stock rear shocks and the way I have them set up I've had no
problems with 2 up. May be that your spring preload is not set up right. I like a
stiff ride so without looking, mine's likely set to maximum preload. Top set to 3
facing out on both sides. Rebound??? I don't know if that's what it's called.. But
it works for me.

Good Luck,,,

 

[jcmem8]

thanks for the reply, I havnt experimented enough with them, at first I had them set on 4 but I only noticed them bottom out when I changed them to 2, I wasn't sure if the setting thing worked cause it feels like a kids toy. I guess it does work, I will have to take the wife out again with it set on 3 and hit some speed humps.
Thanks again

 

[Diablotin]

Plenty of good aftermarket shocks like the Progressive 440.
But you can stiff them by just setting them up.

 

[jcmem8]

great thanks mate.

 

[natnic]

Hi the pre load is adjusted at the bottom of the shock by turning the cam.Sutherland nsw 98 max.

 

[SpecOps13]

Yes, Oops I forgot to mention that the preload is set by rotating the part at the bottom of the shock. It will stiffen the springs by compressing them further. I use a spanner wrench but you may be able to get them up by very cautiously using an alternate tool. If you use anything like big channel locks, I'd wrap cloth or leather or something over the area of contact so you won't damage the shock finish.


This will have a greater effect on the bottoming out problem than the number setting at the top...

 

[Rollie]

Welcome to the addiction.

My stock rear shocks were for crap. I listened for a while on the sites & forums and replaced mine with Works Performance Street Trackers. Expensive but worth it for the twisties & 2 up .

 

[CaptainKyle]

Welcome to the forum !

 

[Ridin Dirty]

Welcome to the addiction.

My stock rear shocks were for crap. I listened for a while on the sites & forums and replaced mine with Works Performance Street Trackers. Expensive but worth it for the twisties & 2 up .

+1 on the Works Street Trackers.

They build them to order, customized to your weight.

 

[richwrench]

Welcome! :cheers:


I never found the right size spanner to adjust my pre-load, so I just use a #1 Phillips screwdriver. I like setting #3 for me & the rare occasion when the wife goes for a ride with me, but I imagine #5 would never bottom out even with the healthiest passenger.

 

[jcmem8]

Wow, thanks for all those replies, good information.

 

[gamorg02]

i've ridden myself (220 lbs) plus another girl probably 130 lbs and never had a problem bottoming out with the stock shocks. if you don't have the cash to spend on some nice aftermarkets i'd check around with guys on this forum for some used stock ones. i bet yours are shot if u've checked all the settings..

 

[[email protected]]

i've ridden myself (220 lbs) plus another girl probably 130 lbs and never had a problem bottoming out with the stock shocks. if you don't have the cash to spend on some nice aftermarkets i'd check around with guys on this forum for some used stock ones. i bet yours are shot if u've checked all the settings..

Garrett, never met you but always assumed you were a man?

+1 to Garretts comments. I'm about the same weight, my wife is about the same weight, and I never had any bottoming out problems with the stock shocks. You definitely need to check the preload adjustment down on the bottom of the shock. As Dave mentioned, a spanner wrench can be used to adjust the settings. A #2 phillips screwdriver can be used if you have nothing else that will fit. It takes some effort to turn them, especially if the shocks are old and its never been done. Not much to go bad on them unless they are blown out and leaking. You should see some marks on the body of the shock so you can compare the left and right side after adjustments. Make sure they match!

 

[jcmem8]

Thanks guys, I am going to check the pre-load setting on the shocks today. just found out my wife is pregnant so she probably wont let me hit speed humps with her on the back:confused2:
Will see if I can find a friend to get on the back, I will let ya's know how it goes.

THANKS AGAIN

 

[gamorg02]

Garrett, never met you but always assumed you were a man?

just checked my 'trousers' you are indeed correct sir! haha

what i meant to say was i usually ride with the girlfriend who is about 110, however i have ridden with another girl who i would guess is 20-25 lbs heavier.. haha