Rear suspension ride height adjuster (pre load)

[Grasshopper]

Hi All

Setting up my rear suspension to get the sweet spot (around 33% down/66% up) of travel to manage my 100 kg plus kit I found the adjuster has seized solid, and when I I say solid I mean solid Having worked on 44 tonne trucks I am used to big torque numbers !

There is no way a lick with penetrating oil and a bit of a knock is going to free this one off. I will drop the spring/damper assembly out, strip it down and hopefully get the adjuster free.

The point of this posting is just to say that having tried searching the forum I have been unable to find another reference to a similar issue. Given the vulnerable position of the unit, am I the only one to have bought a poorly maintained baby Varadero ?   

[Bikerbill]

Sadly the rear suspension is mostly overlooked regarding maintenance. i have been treating mine to a liberal squirting of GT85 for the last few years. I have never tried to adjust the preload as it seems okay for my style of riding, but should i need to remove it in the future, i hope the GT85 will give me a fighting chance.

[Grasshopper]

Yes I am sure your right and your efforts now will pay dividend should there be a need to change your set up in the future.. For me it will be the same action and moving the adjuster through it's range every 6 months.

As a mechanical engineer "planned maintenance" is essential with me.

[Lyme]

Baby V mono shocks suffer terribly, as they are unprotected so all the crud thrown up by the back wheel gets thrown onto them. 

Mine had done less than 10,000 miles, mechanically well maintained but obviously the previous owners weren't too fussed about what was happening under the saddle (out of sight out of mind I suppose ), once I hosed off the shock I found it was totally knackered, coil covers split and the springs rusty, pitted rusty piston, and no oil left in the damper. 

No way was this a rebuild job, I had to use an angle grinder to get it off the bike, if your preload adjuster is seized that badly it may be an indication of other shock issues.

I got a YSS replacement (£270 I think) from KLMoto and a rear hugger from SG Concepts, expensive at 195 euros (including shipping) but my homemade one looked like shite. So now with decent maintenance and no crud sticking to it, the shock should last for the life of the bike.

I would recommend that after you've done yours get some protection for the shock.

Why Honda didn't supply this otherwise brilliant bike with a rear hugger as standard I don't know, (it certainly was overpriced when new)  maybe for the same unknown reason, UK ones weren't supplied with center stands

See my post for links e etc... https://honda-varadero-uk.org/forum/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=12135

[Grasshopper]

Hi Lyme

You have pre-empt my next posting.

Having removed the shock and cleared the coil from the assembly the damper rod to bottom lug was so badly seized due to galvanic corrosion I was unable to unscrew it to slide  the adjuster off without causing damage. My plan would I have been with the adjuster removed from the assembly  to get some heat onto it, but obviously a no no with it still in place near a gas strut and plastic shroud sitting there, Having worked for Volvo truck and Leyland truck I have great respect for Honda's engineering design but I think they let themselves down on this one.

Wonder how many other baby Varadero's are running about with a similar issue !

I am reluctant to move away from a OEM specification on suspension geometry but money softens our resolve and I was looking at the YSS alternative.

So my question is are you satisfied with its performance and given the pre-load adjuster is at the top of the unit (rather than the bottom on the original) is there room to get a 'C' spanner within the frame.

Thank you.
Dave

[Lyme]

Hi Dave.

Considering I was riding around for a couple of weeks on literally just the spring the YSS shock is a major improvement.

I think a lot of baby V riders are riding around totally unaware of the state of their rear shock.

When I researched shocks I was gobsmacked at how much some of them cost

I decided on YSS, as they had very good reviews ( Mr. TPR from Australia does a great youtube vid ) and, compared to others, a more affordable price.

You can do some price comparisons with top-end shocks here http://www.bits4motorbikes.co.uk/HAGON/Hagon-Monoshock.html?ID=1768


As well as the YSS Preload adjuster being at the top it has a collar for adjusting damping at the bottom, plus there is a good inch of height adjustment.

No need for a C spanner, to adjust the preload remove the seat and right-hand side panel, then undo the nut for the brake fluid reservoir and lean it to one side.

The collar is held in position by an Allen screw (I suggest you remove it before you fit the shock that way you can position it in one of the keyways facing you so you can easily tighten it when you've finished your adjustment). YSS supplies an Allen key for this, but it is small so I used a longer one to save my fingers 

Adjustment is made by inserting the supplied toggle bar in one of the holes and turning it left or right.

The pics show:


The preload adjuster sighted with seat, side panel, and reservoir removed
The Allen key slot

The distance you can turn the collar before resiting the toggle bar (I reckon about 45 degrees)

The height adjuster and dampener adjustment collar.


Once fitted this makes sag adjustment surprisingly easy, and for me at 31" inside leg, I can now put my feet flat on the floor

When I load up for a trip or decide to do some off road I can reset the sag in a couple of minutes.

The ride is excellent, with no issues with braking or cornering, and very comfortable over rougher roads. 

[Grasshopper]

Hi Lyme

Thank you so very much for the excellent detailed description and great photos.

This is exactly the information I was looking for, any uncertainty to a purchase decision has been removed. Your help so highlights the benefits of a forum like this one, I am lucky enough to have collected a few vehicles over the years and as such a member of the appropriate forums, however I have never had such a detailed account.

One of the reasons for getting a baby Varadero was ease of handling and a comfortable ride, at 6' - 3" my Honda NTV is such an uncomfortable beast which I have lived with for a long time but now the arthritis is winning its fight !

I will now proceed down the YSS route. No doubt our postings will make others have a look at what is going on under their seat if you know what I mean.

Thank you again.
Dave

[Lyme]

Cheers Dave.

Thanks for the feedback. Good luck with the fitting and setup.

Protecting the thing after fitting is the key, even though I've got the hugger on now I still spritz mine with ACF 50 as an added precaution.