Adjusting rear shocks to lower the bike

OK I know this may be a no brainer for most of you but here goes. I need to lower the bike using the adjustment on the rear shocks of my 1986 Maxim xjs700 for my daughter to ride. I thiught I could do it by just turning the lower portion with a punch on the part sticking out but I have not been able to get them to move. So, what is the trick?

 

With that being said, is there a way to raise the bike?

 

You have the right idea but that ring can get dirt and rust in making it hard to turn. Try some penatrating oil and work it back and fourth to free it up. You won't qet much lowering effect until the rider sits on the bike. Turn the ring one way to lower and the other way to raise.

 

Pretty sure that's just preload, i don't think it's meant to "lower" the bike.

 

OK That went well. Now that I have it lowered,thanks for that, Next I have no throttle return. I took the grip apart and there is no evidence of a spring there so where is the throttle return spring on this Maxim 700xjs?

 

I want to lower mine too. Maybe half inch, full inch. but I thought that it required lowering springs or cutting the spring to be shorter... my problem is that while my toes touch my heels don't

 

Throttle spring is on the carb rack, not in the grip.

 

I lowered the rear of my XJ700 by installing some shorter shocks.
I bought a set of progressive Harley Davidson Sporster shocks ($80.00 USED) that measure 11" from eye to eye.

The stock shocks measure between 12.75" to 13" from Eye to Eye.




The Harley shocks have to be modified tremendously because the Eyelets have to reamed up to a 9/16" hole and it is not an easy task since it will require a drill press, cutting oil and a good charp 9/16" drill bit. And after some heat the rubber bushing will start to spin.

The right side shock lower eye you dont drill because there is an M8 bolt that goes on there but on all the shocks you have to take a hacksaw to make them less wide.

I will post better pics later this evening or just go to my thread build below.









I also lowered the bike at the fork tubes by loosening the bolts on the trees.

 

I've been looking at lowering too, but what i've read has made me hesitant.
basic rules seem to be:

lower the rear and the front the same amount (to keep the rake and head angle correct)

If you install shorter shocks you need to know that the length of the travel wont end up shorting the wheel on the rear fender

Your ability to corner will be hampered by the exhaust/engineparts/frame whatever that are now closer to the ground

If you want to lower the front you need to shorten the spring inside the fork rather than just ride the fork up the triples (because the initial soft part of the progressive spring will allow the front wheel-lower triple clearance to minimise faster than intended.)
I'm sure theres a better way to write that...

Also, I've been looking at 280mm shock length rather than 325mm, but I need to remember that when I'm sitting on the bike, It will sit a little lower giving me even less clearance/travel than intended.
Yeh I could preload it up, but .. meh

 

Mr.jewishguy, it's so much easier just to get the right shocks for your bike, or just get a set of bushings from progressive.

BleedingOxide, a change like that in the back isn't going to change the handling that much. if it isn't right for you lift the tubes a little

 

Here is the old stock shock 13" and the smaller 11" Harley Davidson Sporster shock

 

The penetrating oil is a very good Ideal as well it is much easier to do with the bike on a lift taking the weight of the shocks this will lower the rear of yr bike but by doing so you all so lesson the stiffness of the suspention witch means you will bottom out with the same weight you did not before on the bike. so just as Polock suggested a new set of aftermarket lowering shock is the way to go unless you are about the same weight as yr youngon or want to change the hight (preload) on the shocks each time you ride after yr lil girl
hope this helps
Robert

 

Can you take the stock shocks and recount them not forward on the top to the frame? That would give the shocks more angle making the rear of the bike lower. Idk if this is possible but I was thinking of doing something like thst to my xj750 because I want the seat much lower

 

There are a lot of ways to lower these bikes, I can speak for one of the less used ways. What I did was I cut about 1.5 inches out of my coil springs in my shocks, It lowered it just right for me, I weigh 185 lbs and no bottom outs for me. The bike still handles great and being short legged I now can sit flat footed on the bike at a stop.

 

You effectively stiffened the springs by doing that.

 

I`m not sure I stiffened the springs, But my goal was to lower the bike a bit to fit my body better, And that I did about 2" in height when you sit on it. I was too cheap to pay about 100 bucks for some Harley Sportster springs , So I decided to go this route, It worked fine for me. And the bike handles just as good as before, No steering issues, no bottom outs, Just perfect.IMO

 

I might add I ride a solo seat and never plan to have a passenger so those worries are not mine either.