Shortest possible shocks?

Greetings, earthlings!
Bought an XJ550 4V8 (European model) from -82 last week, and thinking about doing a bobber project this fall/winter after going through the carbs, forks, brakes and other stuff that you have recommended in various post to other beginners.
I've searched and read a lot here about shorter shocks, using Savage, Sportster and Rebel shocks to lower the bike. But so far I have not seen anyone going shorter than 10.5" without doing a hardtail build.

I'm looking at alternative shocks to the three previously mentioned, and I'm thinking about using two monoshocks from scooters. Since being only one of them on a 50-125cc scooter who can take a passenger as well, do you think two of them would be enough for a single rider on an XJ550? Mounting holes on most of those models are 10mm, so that part should work out at least.

Second question is, how low can you go?
I'm looking at a model that is 9.25" eye-to-eye, would that work? I will make a custom saddle and a custom rear fender, not sure if it would hit anything else being that short. I currently have a 4-1 system, which might get in trouble there. Then again, I'm thinking about getting a 4-2 or 4-4 (I still have to rejet since the PO broke the air box and just put naked pods there).

Have anyone else gone that low? Experiences, warnings, pictures?

 

Nobody (that I know of), has done shorter than 10.5 for fear that the u-joint would bind and the bike would most likely bottom out on bumps.
Two of those mono-shocks might work.Depends on the weight load capacity.
If your going to go lower than 10.5, it will definitely be stiff. At this point you may ask if its worth it, might as well hard tail it and put a spring seat on it.

 

I went with 10 inch ATV shocks on my 550 seca bobber. Then put a sprung solo seat on it. the ride's not stiff at all, and I've had no problems with bottoming out. I was using the stock collector until this past winter when I fabbed up a custom exhaust of 2 2 to 1 drag pipes. You'll definitely have to do something with the fender. I made one from a trailer fender, attached to my swing-arm, so the fender moves with the arm. My bobber's a single seater, no passengers.

 

Thanks for the input! I have emailed one of the sellers of the monoshocks to find out the weight load capacity.
Can you please explain what a u-joint is? From what I could find, it is used by the shaft drive to compensate for when the swing arm moves, but I might have misunderstood. And since the 550 has a chain drive, will it still be a problem?

 

Sorry about that, 550's don't have shaft drive so you don't have a u-joint. Lower to your hearts content or your arse's tolerance. :lol:

 

the 550 is chain. The u joint is shaft on the bigger bikes.

Only thing I can think of would be the chain rubbing the top of the drive sprocket case if it came up too far.

 

Crap, CRAP, CRAP!

Ok, just need to blow off some steam here.
I went down today to the shared garage (live in apartment, have parking spots in basement), put the bike on center stand, removed the shocks and placed ring spanners on the bolts to see how low the bike would be with previously mentioned 9.25 inch shocks. Took it down from center stand, got on it, felt good, placed it on the side stand, got off, turned away from it for two seconds aaaand...
BANG!
Bike fell over to the right, crashing in to my neighbours' car. Handlebar made a huge dent and scratched both the front door and front fender of the car. 8O
I don't even know who the neighbour is since there are about 100 apartments here.
Left a note on the windshield with my name and number, hoping everything will be all right in the end. One thing is certain, my neighbour will not like me working on my bikes there after this.