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Softer shocks

  • Thread starter Thread starter trtsmb
  • Start date Start date
T

trtsmb

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I replaced my worn out OEM shocks with a pair of Progressives. After 500 miles of riding, I'm finding the Progressives are much too stiff. Additional info - when I sit the bike, they don't compress at all. Can anyone suggest alternatives that are softer for a lightweight rider who never rides 2 up?
 
I'd contact Progressive and see if they can help you. They may have softer springs available.
Also, do those shocks have compression damping adjustment? If so, dial it back to the minimum.
 
RichDesmond said:
I'd contact Progressive and see if they can help you. They may have softer springs available.
Also, do those shocks have compression damping adjustment? If so, dial it back to the minimum.
Click to expand...

It's already dialed back to the minimum. I bought the regular springs rather than the heavy and for my weight, the regular springs have no give.
 
Contact Dave Quinn Motorcycles. They sell Hagon's for around $200. Many spring rates available. He'll set it up specifically for your weight and riding style.
 
trtsmb said:
I replaced my worn out OEM shocks with a pair of Progressives. After 500 miles of riding, I'm finding the Progressives are much too stiff. Additional info - when I sit the bike, they don't compress at all. Can anyone suggest alternatives that are softer for a lightweight rider who never rides 2 up?
Click to expand...

Now I am not sharing at all because I think it the cure for your problem but,,,,,,, and it is a big but; what happens out back can be directly related to what is happening up front. I had the same issue on my bike and I have an 1981 450T. Here is what I noticed though, there was a sharper edge to smaller bumps which made me initially think the shocks were too stiff but if I hit a hard impact I could feel the dampening though the shocks stroke and the best way I can liken it to is how a German car rides vs like a Lincoln. The better and more controlled dampening qualities in the rear shocks exasperated the mushiness in the front and the bike felt like it was pogoing. Expansion joints especially kicked my butt and darn near made me sick. When I cornered even semi aggressively the front fork would dive on turn in and it had this hinging affect mid corner.

I also ride motocross so I leaned on that a little for a solution that you can also try. I raised the fork oil height instead of raising the spring rate or thickness of the oil. On both of my YZ's which use different forks, I raised the 48mm forks to 114mm from 130mm and 120mm from 130mm from the top on the 46mm forks. What I have found is the fork stands up a tad better but loses none of their plushness through their stroke. I tried this on my GS with (gasp) DEX 6 ATF and the ride quality is night and day. I may be wrong but I didn't immediately see a spec for measuring the fork oil height from the top of the forks but it may be out there. I used a syringe so I was accurate.


I am sure someone will say I am a bozo for doing this but again I love the results. I want to be clear, I do not state this as a cure to what you are experiencing. Food for thought.
 
There are loads of used 450 and 550 shocks on ebay- take a chance, you might find something with decent life left that will give you a comfortable ride. I bought a 550 used set in july for $30 delivered - look good, but more importantly they work well. Spending $200 to get your butt beaten up ain't for me!
 
When I complained about how stiff my Progressives were, they told me they only have one shock body, a 450 gets the same damping as an 1100GK. No matter what you do with springs it will be stiff as Hell on the lighter bikes. They are fine on the 1100 and the massive 850, not so much on anything lighter.

I wish they had told me that before I bought them.
 
tom203 said:
There are loads of used 450 and 550 shocks on ebay- take a chance, you might find something with decent life left that will give you a comfortable ride. I bought a 550 used set in july for $30 delivered - look good, but more importantly they work well. Spending $200 to get your butt beaten up ain't for me!
Click to expand...

I may do that. I'm sure I could get back a fair chunk of money that I spent on the progressives considering they have less than 500 miles on them.
 
tkent02 said:
When I complained about how stiff my Progressives were, they told me they only have one shock body, a 450 gets the same damping as an 1100GK. No matter what you do with springs it will be stiff as Hell on the lighter bikes. They are fine on the 1100 and the massive 850, not so much on anything lighter.

I wish they had told me that before I bought them.
Click to expand...

That makes two of us. I bought the Progressives because people here raved about how great they are.
 
Imo, Progressive is old skool. Check out Deycore.com. Guy's only business is shocks and he knows his stuff. Fixed my antique Fox shocks and can custom build stuff.
 
This will probably sound like a dumb question but can I put OEM springs on a progressive shock?
 
tkent02 said:
Can't remember if it will fit or not, but it won't help the stiff damping.
Click to expand...

That's about what I was thinking but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. I got home from my ride today and felt like the bike beat me up.
 
trtsmb said:
That's about what I was thinking but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. I got home from my ride today and felt like the bike beat me up.
Click to expand...

Unless the spring rate is just crazy stiff, that harsh feeling is usually compression damping.
 
Rich, who makes decent shocks for those of us who like bikes that don't ride like a jackhammer?

Hagon, Progressive, Ikon, all ride like crap as far as I'm concerned.
 
RichDesmond said:
Unless the spring rate is just crazy stiff, that harsh feeling is usually compression damping.
Click to expand...

Ditto to what tkent02 said, are there any options besides 30+ year old worn out shocks that aren't going to beat me up. FWIW, I weigh a little over 100 pounds gear and all.
 
I have a set on one bike. They are pretty good on the 1000, but not so nice on a lighter bike. But they are the "cheap" Ohlins with no damping adjustments.
 
trtsmb said:
..., are there any options besides 30+ year old worn out shocks that aren't going to beat me up. FWIW, I weigh a little over 100 pounds gear and all.
Click to expand...
When I was ordering Hagon shocks last year for my wife's bike, Dave Quinn asked a BUNCH of questions about what bike it was, what accessories it had, how much she weighed, her riding style, percentage of time carrying a passenger, how often the saddlebags and trunk were loaded, etc., etc., etc. Granted, our "gravitational attraction" is a bit higher than yours, but Dave said he was asking all the questions to choose the right damping rates for the springs that would be necessary.

After the new shocks were received and installed, we went for a ride. The improvement was DRAMATIC. Nice ride, good control, VERY pleased with the new shocks. She has Progressive fork springs at the front. I got a good deal on them from another member before I learned about Sonic springs, but she has a very nice-riding bike now.

On my own bike, I have Sonic fork springs and KONI shocks. I don't have enough time on the KONIs to a full evaluation, but I think they will do just fine, especially after some new seals, oil and maybe slightly higher-rate springs. They would probably be just fine on a stock 850, but I have all the GK luggage on there. :oops:

.
 
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