I felt it was time to do something about the constant pounding my spine has been getting on the run to work. There's only two options for the trip and both of them are "not tarred to track standards".
I read somewhere that the XS11's could be had with a variety of spring and damper options and it looks like I've ended up with shocks the stiffest springs and hardest damping, when combined with my tare weight of 68kgs, makes for a very rough ride. In many instances, if I fuel up at Childers and grab a carton of milk for coffee, I have arrived at work to find the topbox awash with its contents, so I got to thinking about a fix.
I wasn't sure if my memory was diffusing details on me but I recalled that I'd fitted my original XS11E with some shocks off a GPZ 1100 and that it was very comfortable to ride.
^ Circa 1983-ish
So I began my search for a pair at the right price just to try on for size. I managed to snaffle a pair in good nick for the princely sum of $30 and went about fitting them up.
^ As you can see, they are obviously longer at 345mm centres, but a lot of the appeal back then, and now was the 7 position spring preload adjusters and the 5 way damper adjustments by rotation of the spring collar.
^ These came with small eyes fitted to the lower mounts so a quick swap from the old shocks had them ready to go on.
^ Original starting height
^ Fits a 3x2 under the rear tyre while on the centrestand.
^ Frame clearance from rear tyre.
^ Frame clearance with new shocks
^ Just a little higher.
^ rear tyre now sits on floor while on centrestand. Very easy to put up there now. I have some small timber blocks to slip under the stand if I have to get the wheel off the ground.
^ Original stance
^ new look
^ Before
^ After
After a few trips to work, I can say that my memory wasn't playing tricks on me. Ride comfort is so much better and I haven't had a single drink casualty since the mod. I did have to do som major adjustment to the headlight aim, but that's all that was needed. Also have to make some longer support struts for the towbar, as it's well above where it originally started out.
BTW, I have both the spring and damper adjustments in the middle settings, which suit the roads and my riding style perfectly.
I noticed that Bryans bike has longer than standard shocks on it and vaguely recall that he ran higher pressure in the BT45 front tyre that he used to run. I have increased mine to 32lbs for now, and that has diminished the slight squirrelly feeling that I got from the front end on my first ride.
So, I've tried it, I liked it, so now I'm contacting the KYB people to see if I can get hold of a new set.
I'll keep you all posted.
BTW, the Shockies part number on the sticker is KYB 1007, if anyone's interested
