[VFR Rider]

My shocks suck. I'm 190lbs riding 1970s era technology with my damper rod suspended 96 shadow 1100 and I feel like a sitting duck.

Most cruisers sold these days have the same under sprung and simple damper rod design.

The result is unnerving in today's metro traffic.

Short of buying springs and valve emulators, has anyone cut their factory springs and thrown in some PVC spacers to boost functional spring rate?

Maybe heavier weight oil? I'm looking for opinions before I start chasing my tail!

 

[Beezer]

I've gone the route of the heavier oil and it does indeed make a difference. Any good supplier has a number of different grades. I've also gone the spacer route and yes those work too. The problem is knowing your starting point. What oil's in there now? Unless you're the first owner nobody knows. I changed to a 20wt and found that too heavy and settled on 15wt. added 1" spacers and ended with 2" ones in the end. Please keep in mind that this was a 1972 BSA Thunderbolt and is very similar but not an exact match. Good Progressive springs make a world of difference. I did a lot of cross country two-up riding on a 1979 GL1000 and the difference between the factory springs/shocks and new Progressive ones were night and day. Used 15wt oil in that one too.

 

[gat803]

I think you hit the nail on the head.....damper rod forks suck. Unless you go with springs/emulators, you're still going to have plain old damper rod suspension.

Cut springs with longer spacers and heavier oil give too harsh of a ride. If you want your suspension to work, this means softer springs, medium oil and good valving. Or short of that....emulators.

Good handling suspenders are expensive, but they're worth it.

 

[RONW]

I'm 190lbs riding 1970s era technology with my damper rod suspended 96 shadow 1100 and I feel like a sitting duck.

• Most cruisers sold these days have the same under sprung and simple damper rod design.

• The result is unnerving in today's metro traffic.

By now guessing the springs on your '96 are older than you, so starting off with new springs would give you a better reference point. If you like, give Progressives a try, anyways the Oem springs are more expensive. Easy upgrade. Bar none the best $100 ever spent ($80 if you shop around). Want more? Then replace the stock steering stem bearings with tapered bearings since the old stem bearing are probably shot and were meant for Schwinn's, not that there's anything wrong with a Schwinn. Have you retorqued the stem bearings? Progressives will reduce the front dive by 75%-80% when braking in metro traffic. Tapered bearings, in conjunction, will stabilize the front end on 260-mph turns significantly. You'll have to dial in the torque on the tapered bearings becuz the torque specs, per manual, only applies to ball bearings.

Also, the plastic piston rings on the dampers need to be replaced every 40 years or so. Beware you have to get that pesky socket bolt off at the bottom of the fork in order to remove the damper. While you're in there, maybe replace the old bushings. Those rear shocks are on their last two legs too. You can keep using them but at least replace the rubber bushings, both the top and bottom bushings.

Maybe heavier weight oil? I'm looking for opinions before I start chasing my tail!

Heavier weight oil is for adding in your coffee. Haven't tried the emulators.