Increased ride height thru longer rear shock

[Saddiq]

I'm a new S10 rider from Singapore. Love everything about the bike except the rear shock. Feels soft with pillion and luggage and the bike sags quite a bit. Question is, has anyone installed aftermarket shocks with additional 10-20mm for the eye-to-eye shock length? How much should additional 20mm to the rear shock raise the bike?

Standard socks from Ohlins/Wilbers, how much does it raise the bike?

And did you install new springs to the fork to balance the bike with the raised rear?

 

[hawk281]

Re: Increased ride height thru take rear shock

Most of the riders here, including myself, have gone to a heavier rate spring. look through the forum, there are several conversations about it. ::021::

 

[Saddiq]

Re: Increased ride height thru take rear shock

Most of the riders here, including myself, have gone to a heavier rate spring. look through the forum, there are several conversations about it. ::021::

Haha yes I try to ride more and worry less too. Would love to raise the bike a few mm of possible. I'm 6ft2in and 100kg. Thinking maybe it'll be better to upgrade the shock.

 

[SilverBullet]

Re: Increased ride height thru take rear shock

Haha yes I try to ride more and worry less too. Would love to raise the bike a few mm of possible. I'm 6ft2in and 100kg. Thinking maybe it'll be better to upgrade the shock.

I installed jack up links which raised my bike ~20 mm (ground clearance also). Then stiffer shock spring which raised ~10 mm and finally aftermarket seat ~10 mm higher. With seat in high position I now have a 915 mm (36 inch) seat height.

_

 

[escapefjrtist]

I'm running a 8983 Penske, 900# spring with adjustable ride height. The shock is installed so it's ~3-4mm longer than stock. I wouldn't go much more than 6mm as the bike gets tall and has too much rear height. Remember to factor in the rear linkage multiplication effect vs shock length when adding length. A little goes a long way! Max length increase [over stock] for a Penske shock is 12mm.

With the proper [reduced] sag and small length increase the bike handles excellent with quicker turn in and great performance when loaded up for trips. No mods to the forks as the additional ride height [and rear to front weight transfer] seems to balance the bike nicely.

For full load two-up trips I swap to a 1000# spring with the same shock length.

--G

 

[Saddiq]

I'm running a 8983 Penske, 900# spring with adjustable ride height. The shock is installed so it's ~3-4mm longer than stock. I wouldn't go much more than 6mm as the bike gets tall and has too much rear height. Remember to factor in the rear linkage multiplication effect vs shock length when adding length. A little goes a long way! Max length increase [over stock] for a Penske shock is 12mm.

With the proper [reduced] sag and small length increase the bike handles excellent with quicker turn in and great performance when loaded up for trips. No mods to the forks as the additional ride height [and rear to front weight transfer] seems to balance the bike nicely.

For full load two-up trips I swap to a 1000# spring with the same shock length.

--G

Thank you sir. Did you managed to measure how much did your ride height increase?

 

[Checkswrecks]

The softness and the ride height are separate issues. As others wrote, address the spring and possibly the shock for softness. The height can be changed with machined or adjustable links like these:
http://soupysperformance.com/yamaha-star/super-tenere-xtz1200/soupys-yamaha-super-tenere-xtz1200-lowering-links.html

 

[escapefjrtist]

Thank you sir. Did you managed to measure how much did your ride height increase?

I didn't measure it, but throwing a number out, the increased height is ~40-50mm. I was close to flat footing when stock, now it's a tip-toe reach to the ground.

--G

 

[Thrasherg]

Can I ask why you are raising the stock height? What are you hoping to gain? I am 6'2" tall and have a 34" inside leg, I run stock ride height with the seat in the high position, I can flat foot both of my feet when stationary. I like the feel of the bike (it is running a stiffer rear spring) but am interested in knowing why you are raising what I already consider to be a high bike? I have no issue riding tiptoe if there is a clear advantage to raising the bike..

Regards Gary

 

[SilverBullet]

Can I ask why you are raising the stock height? What are you hoping to gain? I am 6'2" tall and have a 34" inside leg,...

Gary for me it was 1" added ground clearance with the jack up links and another 1" leg room with seat and shock. I'm only 6' but
36" inseam so want all the leg stretch to the pegs I can get. Even at 36" seat height I can still flat foot the bike thanks to riding boots. The ground clearance gives me peace of mind for spirited pavement as I have the Rumbux installed and then riding rocky terrain I bang the gong less. Also I like the quickened steering turn in that it brings. You could pull the forks up into the triple to achieve similar affect but then you're losing ground clearance.

_

 

[WJBertrand]

Gary for me it was 1" added ground clearance with the jack up links and another 1" leg room with seat and shock. I'm only 6' but
36" inseam so want all the leg stretch to the pegs I can get. Even at 36" seat height I can still flat foot the bike thanks to riding boots. The ground clearance gives me peace of mind for spirited pavement as I have the Rumbux installed and then riding rocky terrain I bang the gong less. Also I like the quickened steering turn in that it brings. You could pull the forks up into the triple to achieve similar affect but then you're losing ground clearance.

_

Changing the ride height whether via a shock, spring or linkage change will not affect your seat to foot peg leg room. Only raising the seat or lowering the pegs will do that.

 

[escapefjrtist]

<snip> Can I ask why you are raising the stock height? What are you hoping to gain? I am 6'2" tall and have a 34" inside leg...

Couple reasons for me Gary and it's definitely not for reach to the ground, as I have a 32" inseam [on a good day] with my Sidi's.

I only added ~10-12mm height with the shock length increase, the rest was gained by replacing the saggy stock shock with one that works well and is properly sprung, the Penske. I primarily use the bike loaded down with luggage on longer trips. In this mode, the combination of spring and increased shock length keeps the steering geometry at stock or just slightly high in the rear. Echoing 'Bullet, this gives me quicker turn-in and increased ground clearance...and I love the way the bike handles set up this way. It's a bit tall and stiff when running empty but loaded up either single or two-up, it flat works!

This setup is probably not for everyone but for me, it puts a stupid smile on my face every time I ride the Tenere. ::012::

YMMV

--G

 

[Thrasherg]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I fitted a stronger rear spring as soon as I got the bike, but like silver bullet, I find the leg room lacking when sat on the bike (my knees are jammed into the bodywork) I sit further back on the seat to avoid this, but it then feels less natural as I am not hugging the back of the tank, when cruising that is fine, but when hustling the bike quickly it feels wrong and lose. Raising the seat a bit might help so I will look at that. I will hold of raising the bike for the moment..

Gary

 

[jrusell]

I measured the linkage ratio today at 4 different points in the stroke.
Starts at 2.91 and was similar (2.9) throuout the stroke. At full compression it decreases to 2.6. I may go back and recheck this measurement but for those looking for ratio as it pertains to ride height vs shock length 2.9 is the number you want.