Switched back to the stock shocks again yesterday, but with some changes made to them. If I had come up with the idea I used now before I never would have bought the adjustable ones from 4into1 a month ago. Well, well - they were cheap and I learned some from that process. The idea for this came the other day when I happened to spot something in my combined workout shed/nowadays also motorcycle garage.
Since the CB650Z shocks can be disassembled, what I did was to add a nut as a spacer under the upper eye mount, making the entire shock 10 mm longer. I also added a "collar" under the spring to keep the spring in its correct operating length. The collar was actually 20 mm and would have given a larger preload but last time I had them on I used them a maximum preload setting and the span in height where the bottom part of the spring rests is about 15 mm from least to max preload so if I set the preload to second step now with my collar in place it would be the same amount of preload as before but with the shock being 10 mm longer (going from 335 to 345 in eye to clevis length). That way I can keep the stock look (apart from the knurled collar being visible but they don't bother me) and still have several more preload steps left if needed.
This is the collar from the dumbbell weight lock I used and where I put it.
This is the top of the shock (before in first pic) and with the nut "spacer" I used. Of course this solution sacrifices a few threads of the rod going into the upper mount but there's still a good portion of the rod in there. Buy the way, those are mm fine threads in case someone wonders... I used a washer for the rubber bump stop to rest on (things bolted together after photo taken). Should the washer turn out to be to weak I can always replace the nut and washer combo with a solid spacer instead. For now I'm trying things out.
My "spring compressor"! Sort of a mini workout compressing the spring that way. Works fine but takes some patience. If you compress to much on either strap, they all slip to the same side next to each other and the springs looks like a banana. Small and equal steps works.
Back on the bike again. Just slightly raised compared to stock, just as I wanted from the beginning.
I suppose this counts as a "redneck solution" to many
but I always try and look around for things I already have to see if I can use that instead of buying new things. That way I can do things I couldn't afford otherwise. The 4into1 shocks I bought recently and now have removed was an impulse purchase and I didn't do enough research before buying them. Will try and sell them to someone with a lighter bike.
/Jim
