Triumph Comfort Shocks

[mr hunt]

Hey TC

I've found the stock Roadster shocks very unforgiving. I like it like that (rather stand on the pegs over a speed hump than have the big girl wallowing through corners) so I have the preload set at 4 of 5. I'm 90kg's soaking wet and 2up we just scrape 150kg's (no luggage racks etc) and it doesn't seem to make any difference to the feel or handling. Best keep in mind that the bike only has 2000k's on her so I suspect, like all good women, she'll loosen up over time

 

[TOMCAT]

My stock shockies were liveable for 60,000 klms ... I know what you mean about wallowing .. last thing you wants a 360kg bike wallowing half way through a big sweeper. The Gazis don't wallow just jar the ****ter out me if I hit a pothole. Guess i'm a bit spoilt , had a 2005 Harley FXDX with fully adjustable Showa suspension front and back, had it set up just right for me. It handled really well and soaked up the bumps pretty good. Trying to get my Rocket to ride like that did ..

 

[barbagris]

which leads me to think it is more a geometry design problem which I have heard a lot of cruisers suffer from by not having enough actual travel to control the weight so they stiffen up the ride to TRY and AVOID Bottoming

One of the issues is the rear bevel box - it's heavy. Once that gets really moving it's a bastard to stop. Same thing happens on old Guzzis.

I found running my Fournales with 1bar more pressure than spec made a HUGE difference. 2 bar more is totally different again. ime Airsprings need to be set firmer than one thinks they should be.

I'm sure I've seen some shocks with high and low "suspension movement speed" compression damping adjustment. Can't for the life of me remember who.

As for roads - Once you get off main highways here - tarmac is used sparingly. It's just a very thin film to keep the dust from moving.

 

[TxRIIIRider]

Judging by the number of coils, it looks like those R3R shocks are the same Comfort Shocks..

Hagons 1" lowered on the left and standard R3R on the right




Looks like the Roadster shocks might be someware in between comfort and classic?

 

[TOMCAT]

Not according to the parts guru here in Australia. Told me the black spring Roadster shocks are different to the chrome spring shocks and different again to the Comfort shocks that Triumph USA designed and had manufactured. Black springs are progressive springs ... What he told me anyway.

 

[CanberraR3]

Hopefully I'll be able to let you know what the Roadster shocks are like in a few days. Don't really care if they're actually comfort shocks or not; as long as they're better than the '09 OEMs.

By the way, putting Progressives up front on Wednesday too.

 

[HansO]

Hopefully I'll be able to let you know what the Roadster shocks are like in a few days. Don't really care if they're actually comfort shocks or not; as long as they're better than the '09 OEMs.

By the way, putting Progressives up front on Wednesday too.

you will like the progressives up front I know it made the front of my bike feel more planted in the hi speed sweepers

 

[zimtuff]

you will like the progressives up front I know it made the front of my bike feel more planted in the hi speed sweepers

Yes it was 45000klms ago my bike was like that,its a bit hard to remember to , I think it was like being on a rocking horse, but scary.
I put Progressives front and rear and could not believe how good it was.

I also added a much higher weight fork oil than recommended. The dealer argued it was too heavy ,but after taking it for a ride his mechanic give it the thumbs up

 

[zimtuff]

Hey TC

I've found the stock Roadster shocks very unforgiving. I like it like that (rather stand on the pegs over a speed hump than have the big girl wallowing through corners) so I have the preload set at 4 of 5. I'm 90kg's soaking wet and 2up we just scrape 150kg's (no luggage racks etc) and it doesn't seem to make any difference to the feel or handling. Best keep in mind that the bike only has 2000k's on her so I suspect, like all good women, she'll loosen up over time

Mine were deteriorating at 10000klms,by 15000klms it was becoming painfully annoying.
You can have your cake and eat it too with some good quality replacements.

 

[CanberraR3]

Well the Roadster shocks are certainly an improvement. Not the soft armchair ride I was expecting (actually I wasn't really) but much more forgiving on bumps. Cornering, especially on long sweeping curves, is completely direct now with none of the wallowing I was experiencing before. I also had progressive springs put in the forks and I'm very satisfied it was worth the trouble. I like the black springs too.

Anyone not wanting any extra seat height be aware that I seem to have gained about an inch front and rear, some of if due I'm sure to a fair bit of sag in the old springs.

Big thanks to Ponters for the shocks.