Rear suspension question

[Zero Knievel]

Lately, when I sit on the 'Bird, it feels as if there is no "sag" when I lower my weight onto the bike.

To me, I'd think that adding just over 200 pounds should make the bike sink lower, but it doesn't seem to move.

From outward appearances, nothing appears to be wrong. All the equipment is stock. Since most of my recent riding was long-distance touring, I can't tell if the bike is handling like it used to in the past when I last rode it unloaded.

There's no squirreliness that I've noticed in the handling. It seems to hold it's line. It just feels like there is no give in the rear suspension anymore. If I bounce in the saddle, I get maybe 1" of vertical travel if even that.

There is nothing in my service manual that tells me how to tell if the spring or rear shock has gone bad. Nothing seems to be damaged.

Bike has just over 50K on it.

Anyone been down this road before?

[T REXX14]

Very possible your linkage under swingarm where the shock is mounted needs to be taken apart,cleaned and lubed up.When it is disconnected,move swingarm up and down and it should be smooth and not stick.If it does you need to pull swingarm off and clean and lube pivot points.They get gummed up and do not let the rear end moveup and down.

John

[Zero Knievel]

Well, I sprayed down the shock and spring with WD-40, tried to spray some gunk off (not much....mostly dirt) with B-12 spray and then more WD-40. Otherwise, everything was pretty clean.

If I really work the rear, the bike will bounce. Maybe I'm just not used to the suspension without all the extra weight on it.

[Fast Eddy]

How much preload do you have dialed in.

IIRC 30mm to 40mm is considered a good base line with you on the bike.

[Zero Knievel]

Everything is stock on the bike. I see nothing adjustable about the front or rear suspension.

Riding again yesterday, it seems to handle okay. I'm wondering if the long rides with all the luggage made the bike bounce more and I'm just now realizing how firm the stock suspension is when it's just the rider.

[Fast Eddy]

Everything is stock on the bike. I see nothing adjustable about the front or rear suspension.

There is nothing external on the forks to make adjustments. The rear shock has a spring around it with a collar type nut on top of the spring. the farther you screw that collar nut down the more preload you have. Or unscrew and lessen the preload.

It's easiest to do with a friend. You sit on the bike while a friend holds it in balance and someone else measures say the passenger foot peg. Then without you on measure the same point. It's called setting the sag.

[TitaniumBird]

There is also a little set screw in the side of the rear shock body, at the bottom, accessible from the left side (from rider position) with a long straight screw driver. This allows you to adjust the rebound damping, it might have been setup extra firm for the bags, now that they're off, you're not getting the movement you'd expect.