Help with shocks...

[Fazer]

Thought I would turn my shocks down to 3 from 5 since I ride mostly one up.  Didn't know they only turn in one direction and broke the shock off at the bottom connection above the bushing trying to go from 5 to 3.  Probably time to replace anyway on a 17 year old bike.

Now shopping for new shocks!

Been reading about the 444 progressives--very expensive.  Do new bushings come with the shocks?

Any other suggestions?

[N8171S]

They will come with bushings.

[flash2002]

412 are good  shocks and cheaper.   

[Dagwood]

I hear 412's are good for those not planning on big mile rides. I put 13" 444's on my gurl a couple of months age. What a difference over the worn out OEM's. But my plans are big rides, Rt 66 next year, maybe Nova Scotia the year after. So, you kinda have to weigh what your plans are for the type of riding you are going to do. Just my opinion. 

[Fazer]

Bit the bullet and ordered the 444 in standard duty, 13".  Expensive, but are highly regarded by those that have them.  (OEM from Bike Bandit were $400+ each!) 

Any secrets or tips to installing?  Looks fairly straightforward.

[bigdanIA]

i'm looking forward to hearing some feedback on the 444's...  i foresee  a set in my not too distant future.    i'm wondering about the necessity of the heavy duty version tho... i'm a big guy, (280ish) but i primarily ride alone, my daughter rides with me some but she barely weighs 100 lbs...  i'm going to set up to pull a trailer over the winter too so that's something else i need to keep in mind...

[hubcapsc]

Bit the bullet and ordered the 444 in standard duty, 13".  Expensive, but are highly regarded by those that have them.  (OEM from Bike Bandit were $400+ each!) 

Any secrets or tips to installing?  Looks fairly straightforward.

Put your bike on the jack, and raise it until the shocks are neutral - not
in compression and not in tension - only then loosen your
lower shock bolts... your lower shock bolts will thank
you.

-Mike

[hubcapsc]

i'm looking forward to hearing some feedback on the 444's...  i foresee  a set in my not too distant future.    i'm wondering about the necessity of the heavy duty version tho... i'm a big guy, (280ish) but i primarily ride alone, my daughter rides with me some but she barely weighs 100 lbs...  i'm going to set up to pull a trailer over the winter too so that's something else i need to keep in mind...

I'm 195... I got the regular springs, not the heavy duty ones. They were fine for me,
but not fine when two-up... I sent them back after a year or so and got the
heavy duty ones fitted. I have 440s, not the newer 444s. I like the heavy
duty ones...

-Mike

[John Schmidt]

Bit the bullet and ordered the 444 in standard duty, 13".  Expensive, but are highly regarded by those that have them.  (OEM from Bike Bandit were $400+ each!) 

Any secrets or tips to installing?  Looks fairly straightforward.

Just so you'll know, rear shocks from ProCaliber are $238 ea.  Bike Bandit is far from the least expensive for anything you'll buy for the Valk.

[Gangman036]

Can you post a link to pro calibers shocks? Thanks !!

[Steve K (IA)]

i'm looking forward to hearing some feedback on the 444's...  i foresee  a set in my not too distant future.    i'm wondering about the necessity of the heavy duty version tho... i'm a big guy, (280ish) but i primarily ride alone, my daughter rides with me some but she barely weighs 100 lbs...  i'm going to set up to pull a trailer over the winter too so that's something else i need to keep in mind...

Don't over think it.  Your weight, sometimes a passenger and trailer in the future...get the HD's.

You can always dial them down if you need.

[bigdanIA]

i'm looking forward to hearing some feedback on the 444's...  i foresee  a set in my not too distant future.    i'm wondering about the necessity of the heavy duty version tho... i'm a big guy, (280ish) but i primarily ride alone, my daughter rides with me some but she barely weighs 100 lbs...  i'm going to set up to pull a trailer over the winter too so that's something else i need to keep in mind...

Don't over think it.  Your weight, sometimes a passenger and trailer in the future...get the HD's.

You can always dial them down if you need.

you're right...

[ultrahuck]

I now have a '99 Tourer with very low miles and als0 had a new '97 Tourer (sold it in 2004) that had the original "hard as nails" stock shocks on both.  I, too, recently looked all over for a Progressive replacement and choked at all the prices but listened attentively to a few on here who suggested finding a set of Honda Valkyrie Interstate shocks to smooth out the ride.  With my first Tourer, I was able to find Progressive replacements and was happy with the ride improvement. 

With this Tourer I was able to find a set of the Interstate shocks  and I'm VERY happy with the improvement in the ride of the Valk.  Had to buy a new set of bushings from http://www.hondapartsnation.com but they have totally transformed the riding experience and they are direct replacements for the Standard/Tourer shocks. 

Overall, having once replaced the shocks with Progressives and now having gone the Interstate route, I can honestly say the Interstates are as good, if not better, than the Progressives. 

Good luck. 

[Fazer]

Installed the 444's last night--13" standard duty.  No trouble removing the stock shocks, but putting the new ones on took a little bit of grunting and swearing.  Getting the bottom bolt to line up took some effort with a rubber mallet and raising/lowering the bike, but they are on.  I have one darn bolt that holds the saddle bag support to the fender that for the life of me, I could not get started and I can see no reason why not.  Every thing looks like it lines up perfectly.  Don't know how I could have boogered the threads, but my next step is to run a tap thru and make sure they are clean. 

I only have a few miles on them, but they don't feel any different than the stock shocks.  I have them loaded to about 1/3 firm.  Haven't done any two up riding yet.  Wife unit is uninterested with the temps dipping into the (OMG!) 50's.

One thing that I found puzzeling is the different bolt head sizes.  One side took a 14mm socket and the other a 13mm.  Between removing bags, frame parts and the shocks I used 8, 10, 12, 13 and 14mm sockets.  Just think it's kind of funny...

[MarkT]

Installed the 444's last night--13" standard duty.  No trouble removing the stock shocks, but putting the new ones on took a little bit of grunting and swearing.  Getting the bottom bolt to line up took some effort with a rubber mallet and raising/lowering the bike, but they are on.  I have one darn bolt that holds the saddle bag support to the fender that for the life of me, I could not get started and I can see no reason why not.  Every thing looks like it lines up perfectly.  Don't know how I could have boogered the threads, but my next step is to run a tap thru and make sure they are clean.  

I only have a few miles on them, but they don't feel any different than the stock shocks.  I have them loaded to about 1/3 firm.  Haven't done any two up riding yet.  Wife unit is uninterested with the temps dipping into the (OMG!) 50's.

One thing that I found puzzeling is the different bolt head sizes.  One side took a 14mm socket and the other a 13mm.  Between removing bags, frame parts and the shocks I used 8, 10, 12, 13 and 14mm sockets.  Just think it's kind of funny...

Not sure why you remove the saddle bag frame.  For work on the shocks, and wheel I remove the bags and rider seat but not the bag frame. That's for a Std and a Tourer. Been a while since I wrenched on a IS so I don't recall as much on that but I have installed exhausts on IS bikes many times and never removed the bag frame. I recall one bag frame bolt that connects to the exhaust hanger that is not on a Tourer. Don't recall it being in the way of a shock install.  I use 8, 12, and 14mm wrenches on a shock R&R. I find pry bars are useful for applying tension against spring pressure. Harbor Freight has some useful pry bar kits of different shapes & sizes; I have several of them. Also use wire pulling lube to assist in assembly - it doesn't degrade rubber like petroleum based lubes do. Has consistency of Vasoline.  Grainger has it, surely many others, probably Amazon - very useful stuff. I install the bottom shock mounts first, not torqued down, then insert the tops.  Also use a lift under the wheel to apply pressure as needed, and pry bars to push or pull on the shock tops to line them up.  I've found two Craftsman ATV/bike jacks are very useful for changing tires, front & back. Better than other jack combos I've used.

[hubcapsc]

Not sure why you remove the saddle bag frame.

I always take mine off, but then I got on board when you could still
get the Rattlebars bag drop kit...



-Mike "is it spring yet?"

[Fazer]

Thought I needed the room to pull/pry the shock--I did not remove the frame on the second side after having the difficulty getting the object bolt to re-thread.  Kind of dark in the garage last night, but now that I have the bolt out, I can see the threads are flattened where it goes into the fender.  Bought a metric tap and die set at HF and have cleaned up the threads on the bolt--looks perfect now.  Will try and re-install over the weekend and am optimistic things will work out.

[mark81]

do the progressive shocks use the same spanner wrench as the oem? if not I would be interested in your old obsolete spanner since when I purchased my bike the tool kit was missing.