Rear Suspension/Bottoming Out/Rear Shock

[V7Goose]

I've been waiting to see Joe's update on this problem, but it seems to me that problem is almost obvious by now. It is not uncommon for folks to loose one or more of the mounting bolts for the passenger handles or trunk braces. There is not much room in that fender for the big tire, and even a slightly too long replacement bolt is probably rubbing the tire, either right at the edge of the tread or near the center.

Goose

[emberton]

Me and my big bottomed wife combine to make 400lbs. Over 50,000 miles and no bottoming out. I ride a 99 RSV. I agree, problem is something mounted, or aligned incorrectly.

[emberton]

Me and my big bottomed wife combine to make 400lbs. Over 50,000 miles and no bottoming out. I ride a 99 RSV. I agree, problem is something mounted, or aligned incorrectly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dead birds dont fly at night.

[GeorgeS]

Have you removed the bags, and checked for rubber on any parts. Or any loose bolts, on the bag mounts, Anything Bent ???

 

shine a light up at the inside of rear fender, if the tire is contacting the Inside of the fender, you should be able to see some evidence of this.

 

Did you examing the tire for any sign of Scrapping??

[rod]

There is a gas station that I go to and if I use one of the driveways I bottom out if I am 2 up. It is the pipes that hit due to the slope of the driveway and the dip of the gutter. Have you looked at the bottom of the exhaust to see if that is what is hitting? Good luck Rod

[Red Ryder]

Hey Guys, the RSV should not bottom out at 400 lb, even with a bad shock!!! I have a bad shock on mine, and it was rode with way over 400 lbs. There is probably something broke on this bike, if so it is not the safeist to ride. Jam that rear tire hard enough into the fender, going fast or a corning, it will cause the rear end to slide out. Get it to someone who knows what there doing. Sounds like the dealers around you have no common sense or do not have properly trained mechanics. Sorry to be so rude, just really don't want to see someone get hurt because of this problem. Later-

[V7Goose]

Y'all do realize this is an old (and previously dead) thread, right? The OP never got back to us to say what he found, if anything.

Goose

[farm1810]

I know this is an old thread, but....

I weigh about 240 and my wife is 145. If I am not running 25psi in the rear, the suspension will bottom out. More like a hard stop when I hit a dip in the road. Not a pot hole. Also, my bike will do an up and down about twice when faced with slow ripples in the road, just like a car with bad shocks in the rear. Today it did it half way through a sweeping right hand turn and it kind of scared me. Wife was on the back. I have made some changes on my 2nd Gen and I love it, but I guess next change will be the rear suspension.

[spyderhead]

I have right at 25,000 miles on my RSTD with no sign (yet) of rear shock failure. Is this failure inevitable? I would be interested in knowing how many rear shocks have NOT failed? Just out of curiosity.

[Sylvester]

I have right at 25,000 miles on my RSTD with no sign (yet) of rear shock failure. Is this failure inevitable? I would be interested in knowing how many rear shocks have NOT failed? Just out of curiosity.

 

I have over 140K miles on my 02 RSMV with no failure of the shock or anything else for that matter.

 

[Richie R]

Ok guys my 01 has the original shock and it moans when you sit on the bike and cycle the suspension, does it mean that it is failing or just the nature of the beast. There is no oil leaking out of the shock when I put the bike away for winter. Just wondering if I should get a new shock for her?

 

Richie R

[RedRider]

Ok guys my 01 has the original shock and it moans when you sit on the bike and cycle the suspension, does it mean that it is failing or just the nature of the beast. There is no oil leaking out of the shock when I put the bike away for winter. Just wondering if I should get a new shock for her?

 

Richie R

 

The squeaking is just the rod seal asking for some lube. Won't hurt anything. If you want to shut it up, use a hypodermic needle (or meat injector) to squirt some 50/50 ATF and 20wt fork oil in there. Do a search in the tech section for how much. IIRC, it isn't much.

 

RR

[Richie R]

Thanks for the info,will look it up and give it a try.

 

Richie R

[bobby442]

my 03 is keeping the right air amount,,,but when you hit a bad spot in the rode fells like a sponge..but has not bottomed out

[playboy]

It's not the air that leaks out it's the oil. You will have lay down and check the shock with a flashlight to see if it has a oily film on it.

[CaptainJoe]

I know this is an old post, but...

2nd owner for this bike.

My bike's rear shock is bottoming out also. I normally run 10 psi rear 0 front and am 220lbs one up. add 40 lbs for cargo on hitch.

 

have had it in the shop twice.

 

first time when i added air, it wouldn't go up at all.

 

They said they fixed with a shrader.

 

As it was still bottoming out with 10 psi i took back(going over a 1" deep basketball sized pothole at 45mph. My 650 Vstar doesn't... A very solid almost metalic bottoming out...

 

They informed me today that I should put more air in shock and they had done all these tests on the shock and it was ok. had oil,didnt leak air etc... Les also said the shock shaft moves 2" but the bike will not move up or down by more than 5/8"??

 

I may be wrong but swear I've seen them raised more than that at MD.

 

Anyway I need to pick the bike up but want to know what you guys think before i do..

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I know this is an old post, but...

2nd owner for this bike.

My bike's rear shock is bottoming out also. I normally run 10 psi rear 0 front and am 220lbs one up. add 40 lbs for cargo on hitch.

 

have had it in the shop twice.

 

first time when i added air, it wouldn't go up at all.

 

They said they fixed with a shrader.

 

As it was still bottoming out with 10 psi i took back(going over a 1" deep basketball sized pothole at 45mph. My 650 Vstar doesn't... A very solid almost metalic bottoming out...

 

They informed me today that I should put more air in shock and they had done all these tests on the shock and it was ok. had oil,didnt leak air etc... Les also said the shock shaft moves 2" but the bike will not move up or down by more than 5/8"??

 

I may be wrong but swear I've seen them raised more than that at MD.

 

Anyway I need to pick the bike up but want to know what you guys think before i do..

 

 

Try 20 pounds and ride it for awhile. Check the air in a few days, make sure its about the same. And I assume you are using a small precision air pump like the Progressive Suspension units. I keep 15-20 in solo, I weigh about 230.

[CaptainJoe]

sounds like good advice Brian.

 

So 5/8" range souds right?

 

Like I told Les, with these short 29" legs, I won't be flat foot. and i thought you could do 0 psi? like the front forks.

 

If it takes the clunk out so be it. may have to get a butler mod.

 

Wonder if hes gonna be at Feeebirds MD?

[Gary N.]

I have the leveling links installed and run the max pressure in the rear shock 55 lbs. Like the way the bike handles much better this way either riding solo or two up. We ride two up 90% of the time with the bags loaded so this works for me. 375 lbs. total people weight. I too have 29" inseam. I can still flat foot on level surfaces. I do have the Butt Butler seat mod which lowers the ride height slightly but still use seat beads so that probably cancels out the seat mod.

 

 

Even at the max pressure in the rear shock I have bottomed out the rear suspension on hard bumps.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Certainly more air in the shock will help, to a point.

 

I always slightly raise my butt off the seat If I see I'm gonna hit something that will possibly bottom out the shock.

 

Old habits.

 

You know, there is always SOME physical activity on a bike...even though you might not be thinking you should have to...but your legs are a great shock absorber for your body weight, IF you use them. They are MUCH better at absorbing that impact than your spine is!

 

And when you have a passenger, its even more helpful, because the passenger wont know when or how much to raise up.

 

 

 

 

[CaptainJoe]

I put leveling links on the bike but was tipy toeing? alot. took them off and raised the tubes in the triple clamps. perfect now.

 

 

 

I always stand on the pegs, IF, i see the pothole and can't avoid it.

 

left over from my dirtbiking days...

 

 

will put 20-25 in it and keep bumping pressure up and hit a couple oles and see what happens. Only have 1 month before nmy warranty runs out.

 

 

Is max PSI 45 or 55?

[CaptainJoe]

Well, I test drove it at the dealership and hit a few(rather large) potholes on purpose.

 

Les had put 30psi in rear shock, and worked on it for two hours.found no problems.

 

It didn't bottom out once. So you nailed it Brian. Thanks!

 

Any way, I'm satisfied the shock is good and it will be one less worry for my cross country trip this summer to Washington state and points south...

 

Shout out to Big Four Motorsports of Marietta Ohio... they didn't charge me a dime,

[Tomanddonna]

how can I tell if my venture has been lowered?

[djh3]

I think by measuring the links on the shock to the swing arm. If I'm not mistaken the leveling links to lower are longer than OEM.

[vzuden]

The difference in the links is 1/4 inch shorter than stock to increase the rear height by one inch. There is a write up in the tech section that provides the dimensions