Rear Shock Ride Comfort

Rob20111

Rob20111

Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
297
Location
Victoria BC, Canada
Bike
2004 ST1300
So I recently installed a lightly used Progressive 465 shock on my 94 ST1100, and the bike has been transformed. Very impressed.
The only thing that bothers me a little is how hard the ride is. I would prefer a little softer feel, closer to that floating down the road feeling.
Now I know that Progressive shocks by nature are stiffer/harder than most, and certainly more than OEM (especially a worn out one), but I wonder if you all have any input on softening the ride a little.

I weigh 190lbs. and have the rear sag measured and set at 40mm. I usually ride solo, but occasionally with my wife.
The front end is sitting on aftermarket springs installed by a PO. (I measured the length to confirm, and the spacer is missing).
I rebuilt the forks with new seals and bushings, and run 10W fork oil.
The front sag is 50mm, with no external adjuster, as you ST11 owners know.
The shock rebound is set at 2.5.

To compound things the seat is a Corbin Canyon Dual Sport, with is firm and unforgiving.

I thought of increasing the sag number, which would also drop the height a bit, but I'm led to believe that this will only increase the wheel travel and not necessarily soften the ride.
Going to a lower rebound setting (1) creates issues when cornering hard.
Also, Progressive states that this shock sag should be set at 1/3rd of wheel travel, which is 120mm for this bike, hence 40mm.

Any thoughts?
 
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Are you running tapered steering bearings?

Suggest air up the front tire and go to 15W fork oil.
 
Yes, "All Balls" tapered roller head bearings installed at time of fork rebuild, this past winter.
I don't see how heavier fork oil and more tire pressure will soften the rear.
If anything will only stiffen the front end.
I have Progressive springs on my 1500 Wing and run 15 weight oil due to the heavier weight of the bike, and it's very firm.
 
Did you set the 465 shock adjuster, clockwise turning, to the lowest number 1 setting?
 
I see now you are not at the softest setting, said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw....

Over and out.
 
Suspension settings are always a compromise between control and comfort; the exception is the electronic suspensions that are becoming more common on high end bikes, where the damper settings are adjusted on the fly to suit the road conditions. Hence as you've discovered, setting the damping adjuster too low has adverse effects on control with more of a tendency to pogo but you do get a more plush ride.

There are internal components within the damper that are also fixed that dictate the relationship between compression damping and rebound damping, specifically the shim stacks that are used to creat the damping force; the shock manufacturer has chosen what they think will be the best combination, but that may not suit everyone. If you really felt so inclined you could get the shock rebuilt with a different shim configuration (e.g. fewer compression shims to lighten that up a bit).
 
The Progressive 465 shock has settings 1 through 5, so not really certain what you mean when you say it is set at 2.5. Is is possible that leaving it set halfway between 2 and 3 that somehow the valving is negatively impacted? I don't know, maybe someone else can chime in on this.

Also when adjusting the dampening you have to turn the adjustment screw clockwise only. Adjusting from 3 to 2 means going to 4, 5 , 1 and then 2. If you go directly from 3 to 2 counterclockwise you've damaged the dampening valving. Is is possible you did this or maybe the previous owner of the used shock you purchased did this by mistake.
 
Always a compromise, not necessarily. Can be a challenge to dial it in sometimes. But not impossible. Sure, you have to work within the limitations of the equipment and yourself. Pretty straight forward. One step at a time. You can spend a bunch of time customizing, upgrading. I personally consider that part of the journey.

What happens when you reach a happy ending... Nirvana....the great reward of accomplishment and hours and hours of dependable trouble free riding.
 
Restored: The thought of a damaged damper has crossed my mind as it doesn't seem to have a positive detent at each number setting when lined up with the hash mark. And yes I only turn it clockwise.
 
My 465 detent is very light, however, there definitely are detents. Dialed at 3 currently, but trying to see it from below looking up, with tire installed, sorta looks like 3.5, but it is at 3. Reset it last month when installing the Michelin PR4GTs. Personally, best tire ever ridden on, in the past half century. 41 front, 42 rear. Pic taken prior to resetting to #3 detent position on the shock.20190920_181314.jpg20190920_181548.jpg
 
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ReSTored said:
The Progressive 465 shock has settings 1 through 5, so not really certain what you mean when you say it is set at 2.5. Is is possible that leaving it set halfway between 2 and 3 that somehow the valving is negatively impacted? I don't know, maybe someone else can chime in on this.
Click to expand...
Mine is set at 3.5 Phil. Has been good for me and has been there for quite a while.
 
Didn't know there were half detent positions...
 
lomita said:
My 465 detent is very light, however, there definitely are detents. Dialed at 3 currently, but trying to see it from below looking up, with tire installed, sorta looks like 3.5, but it is at 3. Reset it last month when installing the Michelin PR4GTs. Personally, best tire ever ridden on, in the past half century. 41 front, 42 rear. Pic taken prior to resetting to #3 detent position on the shock.20190920_181314.jpg20190920_181548.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great pics. That tire is da bomb dot com. Had a pair on my FJR1300 a few years back.
Do they come in a size to fit a 94 ST1100 standard? I think the later ABS models had a slightly different size rim. no?
 
lomita said:
My 465 detent is very light, however, there definitely are detents. Dialed at 3 currently, but trying to see it from below looking up, with tire installed, sorta looks like 3.5, but it is at 3. Reset it last month when installing the Michelin PR4GTs. Personally, best tire ever ridden on, in the past half century. 41 front, 42 rear. Pic taken prior to resetting to #3 detent position on the shock.20190920_181314.jpg20190920_181548.jpg
Click to expand...

Do you know what your rear sag is set at?
From the angle of the photo it looks like the spring preload is set soft.
 
Rob, Peripheral neuropathy of the feet has done its gift on me for today. Recharging my feet as we speak. Till tomorrow...have a good one.20191007_182829.jpg
 
Rob20111 said:
Do they come in a size to fit a 94 ST1100 standard? I think the later ABS models had a slightly different size rim. no?
Click to expand...

The rears are the same for all ST11's - 160/70-17. The front is 120/70-18 for the ABSII bikes and 110/80-18 otherwise. The PR4GT is not available in 160/70-17 or 110/80-18 which are your stock sizes. I won't participate in discussions of how the wrong sizes work fine.
 
Sometimes the numbers don't seem to add up. Sometimes you have to crack your head on the canopy before you can break the sound barrier....


The ST is my 104.
 
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