shorter rear shocks

im looking for shorter rear shocks for my xj700. i have heard sporster shocks, suzuki savage shocks and even honda rebel shocks work. honda rebel being the easiest to find in 10.5 inches, but im worried about the weight differences in the two bikes. anyone have any input, i would appreiciate it. thanks

 

I put the shocks off a suzuki savage they are 11.5 and work fine with passenger on bike. oh i have a 81 xj 750 seca no weight problems

 

My 650 Maxim has some ultima chrome 10.5" shocks with adjustable preload off a sportster that I picked up for next to nothing on ebay. She sits low and rides real nice now.

 

I'd like to swap to a shorter shock..are they a straight bolt in or is there fabrication needed(not great at chop cut rebuild..lol)..also does anyone have pics of this swap? Also I never ride passenger..would this make a smoother ride, or stiffer?

 

would be stiffer as it would limit the travel on the rear end, but how stiff is the questions, and why do you want it lower? for looks , or for better handeling? or better ride?

I want to lower mine about 1-2 " front and back just to give it a better look , and i know it will handel better to the road, just be a slightly stiffer ride if i do this.

 

Going from 30 yr old oem shocks to just about anything is probably an improvement. My Shirley rides like a sporty now.

 

Looking for a better handling..don't get me wrong it handles good, but like interstatejoe said "Going from 30 yr old oem shocks to just about anything is probably an improvement." plus if i could find a pic I think it would look meaner lowered!!

 

yes an yes, just may sacrafice a smoother ride some, but if your not too picky about that, yes, and i just did a search on ebay and found some sets you can get around 60 bucks hsipped that are around that 12" range

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HARLEY-P ... 43a85f12cb

 

Here you go.

 

The ones on my bike are 13 inch now..will a inch make a difference, should I look for something shorter..11 inch?? What is it that most people are switching too?? Interstatejoe what are you running on your maxim?

 

he said there 10.5 " harly shocks, i had a bid on a brand new pair on ebay but seller canceld the auction for some strange reason, and i probably would have won them.

Stock Sporters are 11" and thats what i was looking to get for it.

 

213chrisp I was thinking a 2 inch drop would make a huge difference..mine are 13 from center of bolt hole to center..I think that is how they are measured..what are you running?

 

im running stock but plan to buy a set to lower down about 2 inches myself. and this is what im looking at.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2006-HAR ... ccessories

 

those will be sweet..i may do a maxim bob after i finish my other projects..lol..need to finish my kawi (needs paint)after my seca(needs nothing..just want to customize it/make it mine), then on to my maxim build/chop..fun never ends..lol
cheers

 

213? I tried to fit my friends 883 sporty shocks and they werent a "bolt on" application. The bolts on my maxim were too wide for the hole in the shocks. Would you modify the bolt or the shocks?

 

again, im running stocks on mine, but if it was me depends , if there to large just figure out a way to make a bushing that would fit the right size with a larger washer to hold it, but the person you need to ask is the one thats done it. interstate joe.

 

I run a pair of the burly slammer shocks for a sportster. they are 10.5 and ride real nice on the soft setting.




with the wife on board i run in the mid

 

what rear fender is that?

 

8 inch jesse james off of ebay! no cut outs, nice tubes in the inner curve for wires, unpainted! ive been looking at swaps for a good one but all had the cut outs for lights and supports. this is at least 1/8th in thick and gave me the look i was after.

 

yea thats nasty, and what i had plans for mine, i would be happy with a shorter fender, but love the lowered look and gives me a good idea on how to get it down, just get 11" shocks, (ish) and drop the forks down in the front and be good to go. till i do a fender mod like you did, and then a seat. which i havnt even thought about yet. mainly just want to get the bike down first.

 

if i see this correctly, you have new shocks, fender, seat bars and is that a sporster exhaust?

 

yep new fender, sportster exhaust, royal enfield bars and the seat... the front half is stock the rear was fiber glassed the match the curve of the fender then stuffed and covered. Id like to get a big gel and redo all the padding but my wife and kids like to spend my money waaayyy tooooo fast! lol

 

i wounder how that would look with my 4-1 mac exhaust

 

the shocks are a great height for me. im 5 8" and can sit flat footed with a slight bend in the knees while stopped. if I redo the padding of my seat i can prob drop another inch in seat height. If your closer to 6' then 11's will be just fine.

 

well picture this with onlt one pipe!

 

yea im 6 ft, 260 lbs, so im not a small person, and seems the 11" versions are easier to get ahold of too, (cheaper) and i think the exhaust would be ok, as long as i have the clearence for it, but ill tackle that part later if i have too. And if i do something like this, ill do a solo seat as its just going to be me, wife will never ride.

 

the solo seat is pretty easy you can follow the awesome thread on the boards or just cut and cover the orig. i love fiber glass (walmart) to resape things!

 

Rusty Savag - Your 550 is clean. Me likey.

Here's my 550, Charlotte, with the same ultima shocks. They went to Shirley when Charlotte got struts.

 

Rusty? did you modify anything to get the shocks to mount?

 

a little. i had to widen the bottom mounts a hair and made a sleeve to take up the gap between the bolt and lower shock. then on the top a sleeve was included that was perfect then i added a spacer to snug it in. after the sleeves were made it took about 30 min to install. no cutting or major changes.