Just looking for some word of mouth advice on setting preloads.  In this case, an XL 1200 custom - but for any Sporties in general.  [Rear shocks].

Mine currently sits at #1 or the minimum - from the factory.  Its fine for the most part, but there's a couple of places I am known to have some bottoming out, especially on the Monash Rumblestrip aka Freeway.

I was gonna go tweak it up maybe a notch, checking the sag as well.  Thoughts?  That too and I should get used to fiddling about cos I may have some female bling on the back every so often too.

I have one of those open spanner things for for adjustment.  How hard do you need to give it a twist to make the adjustment - just using the wrist n elbow or should you use some hits with a hammer?

You will have to change them out to get a better ride.

I had mine on 3 the highest setting and would bottom out and I'm 90kg.

I went with Ikon shocks and love them.

Excellent, thanks for the posts lads. I might give it a go, even if just for experiment's sake to begin with.

I just heard about the hammer thing from some Jap/dirt bike forums - though on reflection these would be bikes where the shock is hard to reach with just the spanner and its a workaround.

You guys are champs, appreciated.

I only weigh around 70 kilos and I had been riding the bike for a year on #1 setting. On my way to work it would regularly bottom out at certain locations. A month ago I bought a $20 shock spanner from the dealer. I tried a few settings and soon decided on #3 position. I was amazed at the difference it made.
I wish I had tried adjusting it a year ago.

S

I'm up to two, but after riding the road from Koo Wee Rup to Bayles, I wish it was on five. That thing is a horse track!

well just my two cents but i have an 07 custom, by myself i use # 3 and with the gf i have it on # 5 and its not bad still bit rough but i just going to get me some new shockies as the standard HD ones are just not mucu chop hey just play with it and youll see hey

Thanks Grumpy been giving dealer shit about ride on new 883 custom gone to position 4 better, still not great it's hard to tell when front forks are shit as well