Rear shockers 883 low (again!)

[buzzer]

I have got a 2006 883 low with the standard rear shocks on. I have read all the comments about them being rubbish so I will be changing them for some after market ones. I will probably go for Hagon ones, but I am unsure of what length to order...

I am not particularly bothered as to the "low" look, I am more interested in handling and ride comfort. any suggestions to what length I should go for? Would 13.75 be to much?

[Urrell]

What length are yours now?

Had 12" Progressive 412 HD on my Custom and they were great but I hear Hagons are good and a lot cheaper as well as being custom built.

[buzzer]

Hi Urrell,

at the moment they are 11 inch...

[john i o m]

if you get hagon shocks custom made at 11" they will work just fine, you tell hagon how heavy you are do you ride 2 up? then you have to tell them pillion weight i have the custom made shocks on my roadking 1st class
if you want to raise the height of the rear then 13.75 will raise it nearly 3" maybe a bit to much for the look of the bike get the bike sat level undo the shocks and lift it 2.75 " you will be able to see what it looks like !!

[OrangeR]

OK..... If you're running with the stock exhaust system, or more to the point the stock balance pipe you can't go to the standard shock length of 13.25" as your drive belt will be rubbing against it. There are two different balance pipes, but it's hard to tell where the difference is until you start to raise one of the lower bikes. I think you're OK to go to 12" but don't quote me on it!

Just to give an alternative view point here I personally don't rate Hagon shocks as any better than stock. It all depends on how much you weigh in at and if you're bottoming out. I spoke to them a few times and they always assumed I was a fatty and bottomed out all the time. I said I didn't bottom that much and just wanted to improve the handling so I decided to have a set of 14" shocks made up (at extra cost although it's exactly the same amount of work to built a 'special' and takes them all of about one minute per shock), only to find that the travel of their 14" shocks was less than the stock 13.25" I'd just taken off! I now run stock XR1200 14" shocks and they are far superior to Hagons and cost me half the price on ebay. So in short if you're not too heavy I'd not go down the Hagon route, but as I say this is only an alternative view and most folk seem to think they're the best thing since slice bread.........

OR.........

[Urrell]

Originally Posted by OrangeR

, only to find that the travel of their 14" shocks was less than the stock 13.25" I'd just taken off!

+1
This needs researching as well if your after comfort.
I found some 13" shocks that had less travel than 12" versions of the same model from the same company.

[buzzer]

OK, I was wrong... they are not stock shocks, they are progressives (the sticker was on the inside...) with the following marks...

412 4004 on the shcoker and 03-1310 90/130 on the spring.

for the record, I am 12 stone and my wife is 9 stone (well that's what she tells me :-)

So I guess they are 412 series shockers with a 90/130 spring.

Thing is, they still bottom out, even when I am riding it on my own.

Anyne offer any opinion in light of the info above.

Oh, and thanks for the tip off on the belt catching the pipe... I have disconnected the shocks and jacked the bike up, even it i raise it 5 inches, the belt is still clear.

[Urrell]

Have you adjusted them?
Should have 5 positions if I remember right.

[buzzer]

mmmm... I only seam to be able to get 3 clicks round...

Off to try harder...

thanks for your suggestion (and knowledge!)

[Urrell]

Originally Posted by buzzer

mmmm... I only seam to be able to get 3 clicks round...

Off to try harder...

thanks for your suggestion (and knowledge!)

I think it was 5, how many notches on the adjustment ramp?

I am sure you know it wants to be on the notch that compresses the spring most. It does not adjust static unloaded height.

Yes 5 adjustment notches on my 12" Progressive 412s
found this pic