Rear Shock Hard <-> Soft Adjustment

[staledonut]

There's no mention of this in the manual, but the only way to switch between the hard and soft settings on my 05 is to put the bike up on the centerstand. When on the sidestand or with me on the bike, it won't quite go. It feels as if it just might go if I push harder, but this at the point where the lever is flexing and may decide to break instead of cooperating.

Besides this, the shock squeaks/groans &lt;insert Car Talk caller reproducing sound on air here&gt; when set on soft, but is silent when set on hard. My dealer is "calling Yamaha" for advise on the squeak, but I have yet to hear back from them.

 

[slapnpop]

Mine will flip with the bike on the sidestand. I do not use the centerstand. It will NOT flip with a rider/passenger on the bike, or even the bike upright with full weight on wheels.

 

[markjenn]

Concur. Before I put in a preload spacer, mine would flip easiest on centerstand, and with difficulty on sidestand. Now with the preload spacer, it definitely must be on the centerstand. If you press the issue, it will break.

It's a moot issue for me - even with the preload spacer in, it stays in the "hard" setting to gain as much cornering clearance as I can muster, and I still wish for more. I'm surprised nobody has made any new dogbones to raise the back of the bike which is cruiserish low to me.

- Mark

 

[afterburn]

Actually, there is a company in Germany called Meissner that makes and sells a 4mm shorter linkage to raise the rear by about an inch.

 

[afterburn]

And the US reseller of Meissner parts is here.

 

[markjenn]

Bravo. I thought somebody must be making dogbones for the FJR. Thanks!

- Mark