Are my shocks done or am I too fat?

[mark81]

Bike:  97 standard with interstate bags and pulling trailer half the time.  Progressive 412 shocks on it when i bought it 20k miles ago last year. 60k on the bike

Me: 5'10" 255# with nephew on back weighing in at 75#

Ive been noticing the bike bottoming out recently now that my nephew has come to live with me and i have to take him to school every day. He is just a wee feller being 13 years old and 75# in the rain.  Dont really notice it with the trailer only when he is riding pillion.  Tried to adjust preload and found already maxed out. I wouldnt think 330#of people would max out the suspension.  What would be the best course of action?

Interstate shocks
Hd springs same shocks
New prog. shocks hd springs
Make my sister raise her own kids.
Any other better suggestions?

[Gavin_Sons]

Well first off, you are a good man for taking in your nephew. You might try some IS shocks, many are happy with them.
You can probably pick up a nice used set for 100 bucks.

[mark81]

This can be moved to 1500 board. Sorry posted in wrong spot.

[Beardo]

My wife and I weigh a bit more combined than you and your nephew. My tourer shocks were bottoming out occasionally. I asked the same question on here, the interstate shocks were recommended. They're great. No more bottoming out. And cheap too. Put an ad in the classifieds and you'll have several PMs before you know it.

[98valk]

std shocks are 120/170 spring rate
I/S ................140/200.........have better damping rate than std for a smoother ride
416 air shocks  125/180  plus air pressure.

progressive 412 = std spring rate.
.................412HD can be more than I/S spring rate or same.

[Popcorn]

Bike:  97 standard with interstate bags and pulling trailer half the time.  Progressive 412 shocks on it when i bought it 20k miles ago last year. 60k on the bike

Me: 5'10" 255# with nephew on back weighing in at 75#

Ive been noticing the bike bottoming out recently now that my nephew has come to live with me and i have to take him to school every day. He is just a wee feller being 13 years old and 75# in the rain.  Dont really notice it with the trailer only when he is riding pillion.  Tried to adjust preload and found already maxed out. I wouldnt think 330#of people would max out the suspension.  What would be the best course of action?

Interstate shocks
Hd springs same shocks
New prog. shocks hd springs
Make my sister raise her own kids.
Any other better suggestions?

. You're not fat, just a little short for your weight !!!

[sandy]

Works Performance will build shocks for your weight and riding style. Not cheap but worth every penny to me. Also try Hyper Pro shocks. They're made in Belgium with only one importer in NJ. I have HP's in the front of my '05 Wing and love them. Stay with the stock (13") height as you need the travel length.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Works Performance will build shocks for your weight and riding style. Not cheap but worth every penny to me. Also try Hyper Pro shocks. They're made in Belgium with only one importer in NJ. I have HP's in the front of my '05 Wing and love them. Stay with the stock (13") height as you need the travel length.

Hey Sandy, I've been thinking about taking the plunge with WP's. Which model did you get ?

[jim@98valkyrie.com]

Works Performance will build shocks for your weight and riding style. Not cheap but worth every penny to me. Also try Hyper Pro shocks. They're made in Belgium with only one importer in NJ. I have HP's in the front of my '05 Wing and love them. Stay with the stock (13") height as you need the travel length.

Hey Sandy, I've been thinking about taking the plunge with WP's. Which model did you get ?

Rob, I have works shocks as well. I have the Street Trackers with the Adjustable Rate Suspension as well as the Threaded Preload. I have had them on the girl for about ten years and really love them.

[MarkT]

I know for sure if you got Prog 444 shocks with 140-200 springs you would be happy as a pig in slop.  Not cheap but they will absolutely hold you up w/o bottoming out.  What I have on Jade.  The bumps just go away even with me and my 220# bro on the back - and that's with half preload set. And I'm around 280.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Works Performance will build shocks for your weight and riding style. Not cheap but worth every penny to me. Also try Hyper Pro shocks. They're made in Belgium with only one importer in NJ. I have HP's in the front of my '05 Wing and love them. Stay with the stock (13") height as you need the travel length.

Hey Sandy, I've been thinking about taking the plunge with WP's. Which model did you get ?

Rob, I have works shocks as well. I have the Street Trackers with the Adjustable Rate Suspension as well as the Threaded Preload. I have had them on the girl for about ten years and really love them.

Thanks Jim   those are the ones I figured. I was hoping to save $200 without the ARS, but they are probably needed.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I know for sure if you got Prog 444 shocks with 140-200 springs you would be happy as a pig in slop.  Not cheap but they will absolutely hold you up w/o bottoming out.  What I have on Jade.  The bumps just go away even with me and my 220# bro on the back - and that's with half preload set. And I'm around 280.

I've had 2 sets of Progressives. Both ended up leaking to the point of being useless. (Not the 444's though) I just have a bad taste in my mouth about them. I know many like them. Shinkos, Dunlops, Progressives are all on my banned list.

[cookiedough]

cheapest route will be I/S shocks

me 285 and wife was pushing 200 before she lost about 50lbs. and no bottoming out riding 2 up even loaded with say 50 lbs. in rear I/S bags and trunk  I think I might have bottomed out 1-2 times with her on back over the years, but very rarely, and shocks set at 4 of the 5 firmest settings had 1 more firmness to go but 4 is a good compromise tad bit too firm riding 1 up but fine riding 2 up in 90% of conditions.

now that she is 150 tops,  feels like no weight on back hardly.  My turn to loose 50lbs.  

As far as being too fat,  that is all subjective.  with todays standards, pretty much everyone over 200lbs. is fat.    I am considered obese by anyones standards, yet can still get er dun...  Am sure once age much past 50, it will catch up to me very quickly though

[hubcapsc]

My shocks were toast when I got the bike:



... so I got Progressive 440s right away, with not-HD springs. I liked them fine,
but when my wife was riding with me, we'd bottom out at bridge expansion
joints and other road bumps, so I got HD springs, its been good ever since.

So... I think if you can't adjust away the bottoming, you probably need different
shocks, don't put up with the bottoming, its too hateful.

They don't make 440s any more, 444s would be good, or, if I were to do it
again, Works Performance  ... people like Interstate shocks, but
I used Stanley Steamer's Interstate shocks on a ride when Performance was
fixing a leaker on one of my shocks, and I didn't care much for them. Perhaps
Stanley Steamer had worn them out...

That several people here have had to send their Progressive shocks back to
get a leak fixed shouldn't scare you away from wanting good shocks of some
sort, good suspension makes all the difference, and I know you can roll in
the mountains...

-Mike

[G-Man]

Standard with trunk and hardbags installed.  I'm 250 and the Mrs is around 165.  Riding 1 up I have them adjusted half way out, riding 2 up I twist them all the way out and never bottom out.  And they look great too.  I have'm in black because it helps the bike go faster.