A new rear shock AND associated waffle about it

[treedragon]

Well it's arrived, it's fitted, it's heaven, oh yes!!!!!!!!!!

Previously I mentioned ordering a new YSS rear shock, (a spur of the moment thing it was as I didn't want to think about the price), it's been a month and it's here. Lighter than the original, 60 click damping and a 10mm ride height adjuster, shame it's hidden away as it looks very respectable. My friend the Ducati man who I got it through took a guess at my weight for the spring size, (he got it fashionably wrong), but none the less the spring has turned out to be spot on with very little pre-load needed.

So to sum up was it worth it........

well it's hard to tell in some ways  ;D  ;D  ;D it's like the rear end has vanished, sort of a reverse version of that old saying about you don't know what you have (or didn't have) until it's gone......

but methinks that thoughts like "ooooh I don't remember going around that corner that fast........." and "Did they resurface this road yesterday" (and that was on the old rear tyre which, just out of interest sakes, I had re-grooved a touch...... ahem I never said that) so it all tends to support the supposition that YES it was money well spent.

Then yesterday I put a new rear tire on and took it for a quiet scrub in over the local hills. Caution abounded of course, um well yes to start off with, but my 30k (25 mile) tire break-in plan turned into a 180K (112 mile) love-in with my bike, (and I am oooh so pleased I got that radar detector).

Now (rant warning) I have read comments on this forum about the XZ being an old bike and no matter what you do to it, it will still be an old bike, which is so true BUT But but......  as someone who has been riding as fast as I can (and live) for 40 something years now I have to say the XZ550 still has lot's of unleashed potential.

Next moves = Gold Valve Emulators in the front forks, (probably something to do with the now outclassed front suspension), and more horsepower.............. of course  ;D although I have got over the out-right horsepower/top speed thing as it's now all about swinging around the twisties with speed and feeling your butt is safe.

Okay as final closure, (particularly as the cider is starting to kick in), I am in no way knocking the XZ550 as it came out, I had one 29 years ago and it immediately rang bells......... other than ambulance bells  ;D  ;D  ;D

Today I find it has a flex free chassis and with modern suspension added able to handle it with the best, every second weekend I test it against the latest Ducati and find we are holding our end up admirably. When "a go for it" friend on a Ducati 1098 comments that he is surprised at how well the XZ handles in the corners, (pre-new rear shock  ;D), and he can't get past except when horsepower counts then, this, as many of you know this affirms the XZ was a bike before it's time.

Okay guys the cider is really cutting in now, I had better bow out before i stick my foot up my exhaust, (or should that be down my carbs), but none the less I just wanted to confirm what a great bike we ride.

[funkamongus]

Pass the cider!! Then, PASS THE DUCK!!!

[QBS]

Cost of new shock?  Any surprises during the install?  Was it bolt on, with zero modification?

[treedragon]

Sometimes I cringe a little when I reread at a later point, have to keep reminding myself don't write and cider.

As to the shock I can't really give you a retail price as I got it for cost or thereabouts and that was NZ $572 (currently US $327).

No surprise with fitting as it's listed for the bike and the old bolts just slid right on there although the bottom the bottom lug was slightly under 1mm too wide, an easy and quick fix with a file. It came with two c spanners and the castellated nuts are easy to get at just under the tool tray. The rebound adjustment is at the top end and is easily reached from either side.

I got some more k's in today, (although at a much more sedate pace thanks to the cider),and the forks are certainly next to be done, they are okay but could obviously be better. I guess I tend to ride by feel as much as anything as I note the cornering speed has certainly gone up with no particular effort on my part and there is a corresponding extra area of wear on the outer fringes of the tires.

One curious thing was with changing the ride height adjuster, I have now put it back to standard length because I found it slowed the steering just a touch, or was that the cider............ Sort of counter intuitive especially in light of the fact I have already changed the steering geometry by dropping the bike 30mm down the forks, which as I mentioned a while ago made the bike way more stable even in a straight line and a much better cornering machine.

The other interesting effect from that change is the front tire wear, it has been one tire change since I did it. Prior to dropping the bike down the forks the tire tended to badly scallop out on each side and now after 12,000k's the tire is basically worn out all over with just a slight bit of scalloping on each side, maybe .5mm. A new tire next week and I'm sticking with the same combination of Shinko rear and IRC front because a) I can't get the combination to do anything wrong no matter what I throw at it/it at. b) even with them both at their wear limits (and beyond) they are still handling very well and that certainly wasn't the case when I first got the bike and c) cheap, like cider I guess  ;D

[Glyn]

Hey Treedragon. Are you in NZ? I'm in Glen Eden, Auckland.

[jasonm.]

What does YSS stand for?  I think I missed that...

[funkamongus]

http://www.yssusa.com/
yss shocks..

[treedragon]

Hi Glyn, yes NZ, my current abode is Nelson.

Shock update:

I have done around 1400k's on it and it was definitively a very good move. Got it tweaked just right now but boy does it show up the front end.......... anyway I'm working on that. I am looking forward to the time I can get some loot together to pay for a set of Race Tech Gold Valve emulators and match the suspension up properly.

[Glyn]

Hope you got better weather down there than we have in Auckland. I made up some brackets and bushes and stuck a Triumph TT600 shock on mine. It made a great difference. Drop a line and I'll flick you a few pics if you're interested. I'm on pickteam@xnet.co.nz   

[sunburnedaz]

What was the part number of the shock that you got for the V? And was it for an 82 or and 83?

[treedragon]

From here   http://www.yss.co.th

for 82 onwards MZ366-320TRL-14

I didn't do the ordering but the person that did was asked for rider weight to work out the spring size. He was told around 100kg as I understand it. So far I have found the best setting for me at...... shall we say at around 110kg is with very little preload on the spring a fairly large amount of rebound damping. This gives me a good ride over regular street bumps and is very stable under max cornering. Hit a serious bump mid corner and it leaps a little sometimes but never loses it's line, always feels safe. The geometry changes are a factor in this also.

For the tightest ride with the best feedback I have the extra preload in the front forks, using ATF, and no air pressure. Makes for a firm ride at times but without decent damping in the front it's never going to be ideal in all circumstances, as I have mentioned previously the bike "just does it" and additional changes in the front will make for a nicer ride but even now the suspension can match anything the bike can give it.

Whew what a ramble and not a drop of cider in view

[jasonm.]

Take note: I went to the web site. No listing for the XZ550...?

[treedragon]

Hi jasonm,

this is where I found it, on the right hand side under "Motorcycle Shock" I selected "Yamaha" from the drop down list

In the "Model Name" put "XZ 550" hit search, all of which I am sure you did however what I forgot to mention was if you don't include a space between XZ and 550 there are no results.

[artbone]

Hi Glyn, yes NZ, my current abode is Nelson.

Shock update:

I have done around 1400k's on it and it was definitively a very good move. Got it tweaked just right now but boy does it show up the front end.......... anyway I'm working on that. I am looking forward to the time I can get some loot together to pay for a set of Race Tech Gold Valve emulators and match the suspension up properly.

Do you know Ian and John Fitzwater who run Go Tour NZ and Thunderbikes? Really nice folks. My wife and I took a three week tour with them in 04 and it was one of the best trips of our lives. You live in Paradise.

Art

[treedragon]

Hi Art

I more know of Ian and John than anything else. They are in a rival shop down the road a bit  ;)

Glad you enjoyed NZ it is indeed a fine place to be, a lot of superb visuals packed into a relatively small package all connected with some of the finest motorcycling roads to be found  8)  but then I would say that wouldn't I  ;D

Not so sure about the paradise aspect though when I started writing this there was hills out them windows now it's a wall of gray closing fast so I guess I'm taking the van to work today............

[jasonm.]

 "In the "Model Name" put "XZ 550" hit search, all of which I am sure you did however what I forgot to mention was if you don't include a space between XZ and 550 there are no results."



I cannot come up with any search window or box to type in "XZ 550" on the site?  They only show me dirt bike mono shocks. I need a link....  Also spotted somewhere I think they are in New Jersey- USA...not far from me.

[artbone]

Hi Art

I more know of Ian and John than anything else. They are in a rival shop down the road a bit  ;)

Glad you enjoyed NZ it is indeed a fine place to be, a lot of superb visuals packed into a relatively small package all connected with some of the finest motorcycling roads to be found  8)  but then I would say that wouldn't I  ;D

Not so sure about the paradise aspect though when I started writing this there was hills out them windows now it's a wall of gray closing fast so I guess I'm taking the van to work today............

Well, actually, I live i Paradise. You live pretty close. Sorry bout that.

Art

Just kidding. If Paradise is defined as the number of decent people you meet in a day on average, you indeed live in Paradise. I loved the roads and scenery we enjoyed there, but the folks we met were what made the place special.

Art