Suspension Upgrades

[Chili]

I've reached the point where I need to upgrade the suspension on my 01 Nomad. Looking at the Progressive shocks and fork springs and one concern I had was adjust-ability compared to the stock shocks. Roughly 75% of my riding is 2-up, then add luggage on trips to the mix and I want to be able to stiffen it up but I also don't want it to beat the crap out of me when riding solo as I ride to work solo and do a fair amount of local club rides solo. The wife and I run about 460 and on the stock shocks I ran #2 and 20 psi solo and #3 and 43 psi 2 up.

Is the adjustments on the 412's enough? Is their a better choice for more adjustment? Does anyone know the stock shock length?

Lastly since I'm scraping the crap out of my pipes 2up if the shocks don't help with ground clearance any other ways to improve it other than a taller rear tire?

[radco]

Im not much help BUTT :) FYI the 412s come in 2 versions, regular and heavy duty, not sure what weight is called for on heavy duty,

[ringadingh]

And when you change your fork oil, use a 20 weight oil rather than the 10 weight they install in the factory.

[Jared]

How much air are you running in your rear shocks?

[Chili]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

How much air are you running in your rear shocks?

43 pounds when 2up.

[rewindgy]

416 Progressive's 13" Part No. 416-4221C they are for a Honda Valkrye - you will need to get a couple of washers so they don't bind on the upper mount. They are air and you can adjust up to 70 psi - gives lots of setting capablity. They come with a single fill point so you can route the fill to some place easy on your bike. Mine had a bad wobble / wallow in the corners - put these on and wobble / wallow gone. Basically same idea as stock just way better quality - IMHO.

[radco]

Originally Posted by rewindgy

416 Progressive's 13" Part No. 416-4221C they are for a Honda Valkrye - you will need to get a couple of washers so they don't bind on the upper mount. They are air and you can adjust up to 70 psi - gives lots of setting capablity. They come with a single fill point so you can route the fill to some place easy on your bike. Mine had a bad wobble / wallow in the corners - put these on and wobble / wallow gone. Basically same idea as stock just way better quality - IMHO.

Great info thanks

[MAS Tequila]

I'm running the 412HDs. I think mine are 13". There is no way to scrape the pipes if they are set correctly. PERIOD

I will never have air shocks again, it is so great not having to check the air pressure.

The 412s can be adjusted up or down in about three minutes. It takes longer to remove the bags than to adjust the shocks.

MT

[Chili]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

There is no way to scrape the pipes if they are set correctly. PERIOD

I know in the past when I had them aired up we would drag the boards but never the pipes. Now I'm guessing they are getting sacked out and even when maxed out at 43 PSI we regularly scrape a pipe, most often when hitting a bit of a G-Out in a turn at speed. We actually hit hard enough to dent one of the pipes in South Dakota during our big trip which was a bit unnerving.

My guess is another part of the problem over time is that everytime I let out the air from a 2up ride for a solo ride you get a bit of oil coming out and I imagine over time that little bit of missing oil starts to add up.

[ringadingh]

I was thinking that your shocks may have just been beat and soft no matter how you set them. Im sure youll find the Progressive shocks a lot better.

[rewindgy]

The old stock shocks seemed to lose air always - the new progressive's, I've added air once in the last month or so and that was because I was putting the trailer on.

[ringadingh]

I would only have to add air usually after it sat over the winter, and possibly once or twice over the summer, I never replaced mine, but Im sure its a part that is a weak link in the Nomads handling derartment.