Adjusting the rear shock (sorry)?

[Gerhardberger]

one thing about the spongy ride check your tire pressure, also. Might be the culprit.

I felt so, checked pressure, and it has fallen down to 1.5psi...
Now i put 2.0 front and 2.2 rear, and much better...

[Troll]

This is going to sound off the wall, but... At the Drift-in, several people were trying to correct a handling problem with all kinds of ideas. Turns out the problem was with the fork neck bearings. This is turning out to be a more common problem than I would have suspected. You will need to jack the bike up enough to get the front tire off the ground. SLOWLY turn the handlebars one lock to the other. If there is ANY point where the bars "catch" or feel like they want to stop, the neck bearings are notched. This will give a very unstable ride at low speeds, and feel almost like the bike is lurching. Generally, they will feel like there is a detent right in the center. Seems like this would be a good thing, but it's the problem. If you notice your instability problem mainly at lower speeds, then you need to check this out. The bearings are supposed to be cleaned and lubricated every 10,000 miles, but that doesn't happen with most bikes. I replaced the bearings on mine when I bought it at 40,000 miles, but there is no way of knowing how long they were bad. The 800 I mentioned had 17,000 on it. Just a thought.....

[CDNRatMan]

  one thing about the spongy ride check your tire pressure, also. Might be the culprit.

[Ricardo]

OK, I finally got around to checking the rear shock (thanks again for the help). Apparently it's already set at it's stiffest setting, but it still feels a bit spongy. Maybe that's just the Drifter way? I haven't ever bottomed up nor had the floorboards touch the ground, even with two-up riding, so I guess I'm good. A little bit more stiffness would increase my confidence tho...

[CDNRatMan]

 ok not sure of 2 up but I went to 6 on mine and on a long trip it did make a difference I did not ever hit the floorboards unless I was cornering, as you increase the number higher the ride will stiffen up more.

Some day I will grow up and be just like John Hopkins in both height and girth.........

[Gerhardberger]

Some clarification needed:

Adjusting the shock from 3 to 7...Ride will be harder, and chances to hit the ground with the floorpads fewer, o just ride will be harder? As I still hit the ground when I ride w/my wife, with the shock at 7... I´m evaluating to leave the shock at 3 o 4, to get at least a smoother ride.

Oppinions pls !

[CDNRatMan]

  hank you John you are such a wizard with the written word.

[John Hopkins]

Nope only ned to remove the outside cover, then look inside and towards the rear of the bike and you will see it, albeit you might need a flashlight if it is dark.  The bolt is not right there jump in your face, you have to look for it. A 12mm socket on a power bar and ratchet works really well. I am a big fat guy only 5'11"and 240 lbs......mine is set on 6 all the time, I also ride solo 98% of the time so it is really comfortable there.

Corrected that for you..Don't bother to thank me..

John.

[Nanook]

That is just confirming that i got to chang my spring or the complete shock. I'm 280lbs, and at 7 the shock is bottoming out quite often!

[Gerhardberger]

Hmmmm i've just checked it and the shock was at 6. I just moved it to 7. Let's see if I can find any improvement...

[CDNRatMan]

 I weigh 230 to 240 depending on winter weight and mine is at 6for the most part.

[Gerhardberger]

I weight 210Lbs....What do you think should be the best setting? When I ride with my wife we will be around 350Lbs....What setting would you choose for us ?  Can't wait to see present settings

[Gerhardberger]

I'amazed by the pictures and the clear instructions. Tomorrow I will check the rear shock, as i touch always in serveral curves with my foodpads, when I drive with my wife in the back.

[Ricardo]

CDNRatMan - really much obliged! I've been busy all weekend and havent had time to check, but I will do so very soon. I can already see where I've haven't been looking right.

The instructions to "remove the side panel" had me fooled. I checked the immediate stuff covered right behind the panel it self and not really down into the depths of the chassis.

[CDNRatMan]

 Yes Lord GB I can be nice to most people....even people from 0hi0....lol.....

[LarryInSeattle]

I weigh in at 260.  Mine was set at 5.  I moved it to 7.  Big improvement in the ride. 

[greenbarn]

Nice pictures, Ratman.  You're not that bad of a guy, after all...   That reminds me I need to check the adjustment on mine - I just never got around to it.  You saved me the trouble of having to look all that stuff up!

[CDNRatMan]

kw is correct my bike's PO was a wee person about 150 to 170 lbs and it was on 4 I am 240lbs a feather weight compared to some of the lads here.....mmmmmmmmm.........and I have mine at 6 and still have a bounce to the ride on some of our Northern frost heaves and potholes.

[kw-retrorider]

Don't know about aftermarket monoshock either, but can only endorse the importance of setting the shock on the 800 for your weight.
As most probably know, the factory setting is "4" for a 150 lb rider. Noticed this situation on my W650, which came before the Drifter...as soon as I turned the shock up, it really stiffened the rear end up and improved the ride. Based on the W650 experience and after reading the same 150 lb rider data in the Drifter manual, I turned it up one to "5." I weigh 195, ride solo and have been happy with that setting.
Whether you find your bolt or not....if it's adjustable....make the adjustment. You'll be glad you did.

[CDNRatMan]

  Well never mentioned that, but I would venture that an after market would for most intents be close to the same? 
But if he posts pictures we would know what we are dealing with then.

[Troll]

 Do you think he might have an aftermarket shock...that would explain his quandary. Nice pictures...should help everybody a lot.

[CDNRatMan]

and the rest...

Ricardo hope this is of use to you.

[CDNRatMan]

  ok here is the pictures as promised and a short note with each, hope this helps. No intent to insult anyone but I started right from basic go and went to the end.

[CDNRatMan]

ok I'll do the same today just for you....lol

[Ricardo]

Thanks, I've tried looking and I've tried to look. If I'm not thick, then I must be blind 

If all else fails, I'll take a photo and use a grid pattern and hopefully you guys can just simply point out the area to me, cause this is getting silly, heh.