[immgunn]

Problem = I'm 260 lbs, '03 TW outfitted with Happy-Trails hard cases and auxiliary fuel tank hanging off of a cycle rack. Too much weight for proper ride height. After market muffler occasionally rubs rear tire.



Solution = install rear shock from Yamaha Banshee ATV.



Outcome = poor! Curb height increased substantially. Loaded ride height decrease substantially, even with adjustment setting at maximum.



Solution # 2 - reinstall stock shock after adjusting to maximum ride height. This didn't raise curb height as much as the Banshee shock, but the bike leans noticeably more while on kick stand.



Problem solved.



FYI



Next upgrade = Jimbo windshield (assuming I can find Jimbo)

 

[Gerry]

Alot has been written and presented on the old forum regarding the Banshee shock mod. Rodrey brought to light this great option and for him, it worked fine right out of the 'box'. A couple of others had issues with the spring (weak?) as well. In my opinion, the Banshee is hands-down, a much better shock unit. Though no one has tried this, perhaps the best marriage would be between the Banshee body and the TW spring. Moving in that direction would require you to fabricate a 'simple' spacer as the TW spring is a bit shorter. On my unit, I installed a V-Star spring that I had from a previous mod. This project netted me a very adjustable shock and a smooooth ride. Thanks again Rodrey. Gerry

my first mod is the V-Star unit on top ( thanks Jeff). on the bottom is the Banshee with V-Star spring.

** With mods come limitations and concerns, use care **

 

[jvt]

Problem = I'm 260 lbs, '03 TW outfitted with Happy-Trails hard cases and auxiliary fuel tank hanging off of a cycle rack. Too much weight for proper ride height. After market muffler occasionally rubs rear tire.



Solution = install rear shock from Yamaha Banshee ATV.



Outcome = poor! Curb height increased substantially. Loaded ride height decrease substantially, even with adjustment setting at maximum.



Solution # 2 - reinstall stock shock after adjusting to maximum ride height. This didn't raise curb height as much as the Banshee shock, but the bike leans noticeably more while on kick stand.



Problem solved.



FYI



Next upgrade = Jimbo windshield (assuming I can find Jimbo)

I been wanting to try the shock. It it for sale??

Jim

 

[immgunn]

I been wanting to try the shock. It it for sale??

Jim

Sorry, but it sold instantly on ebay.

 

[JarrodWeaver]

I put the R6 shock on mine (love it) but if I had it to do over again, the Banshee shock would be the way to go. The R6 mod was more complicated than I would have liked, but did allow me to spend a lot of time in the garage on dreary winter days. Reworking the airbox was worse than welding the swingarm. Then when the stock exhaust didn't clear the shock body I couldn't ride until a new FMF pipe arrived adding significant unexpected cost to the swap.

 

[immgunn]

What did the R6 setup bring to the party? Longer travel? Softer/harder ride? Overload capabilities? Some combination thereof? I'm curious!

 

[catamount]

Don't forget, there is another option that people have used... the Blaster shock.

I haven't really ridden it yet (still building my bike), but more info about installation and fit is available here.

 

[JarrodWeaver]

The R6 shock raised the ride height, (and is adjustable for going even higher) has compression, preload and rebound adjustments. Even before dialing it in it rode very plush, now its even better. The TW isn't much for jumping so I haven't tried that out but would logically assume a better action there too.

 

[FnMag]

I parted with 24.00 and my Blaster shock is on it's way to me.. Hopefully it will get here by my next day off and I can spend the afternoon working on it.



Sooo.. get ready for more questions Catamount !!

 

[treybrad]

Sooo.. get ready for more questions Catamount !!

+1. I got my hands on a Blaster shock for $20 on eBay. Got here yesterday -- not sure when I'll have time to install it, but I'm sure I'll have questions.



The unit I got has a white spring. My guess is the spring color just changed with the color schemes from year to year, anyone know for sure?



trey

 

[FnMag]

+1. I got my hands on a Blaster shock for $20 on eBay. Got here yesterday -- not sure when I'll have time to install it, but I'm sure I'll have questions.



The unit I got has a white spring. My guess is the spring color just changed with the color schemes from year to year, anyone know for sure?



trey

I have a yellow one from a 2003 http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/han/M2317/image/2/

 

[catamount]

Ha! I'm curious to see what you guys get for shocks and if yours are direct fits or if there will be some play in your bushing like there was in mine.



Things you might have to contend with:



- Kickstand length (your OEM stand will no longer reach)

- Chain length (you will need to add some slack to your chain)

- Brake rod will now interfere with passenger pegs



We seem to have a trend going here. I wasn't the first though.



pgilles is also on this forum and has been riding the Blaster shock as well. He talks about it in this thread on the old forum.

JohnnyBlaze from the old forum also put in the blaster shock. You can read about it on this cached thread.

 

[pgilles]

Ha! I'm curious to see what you guys get for shocks and if yours are direct fits or if there will be some play in your bushing like there was in mine.



Things you might have to contend with:



- Kickstand length (your OEM stand will no longer reach)

- Chain length (you will need to add some slack to your chain)

- Brake rod will now interfere with passenger pegs



We seem to have a trend going here. I wasn't the first though.



pgilles is also on this forum and has been riding the Blaster shock as well. He talks about it in this thread on the old forum.



...



JohnnyBlaze from the old forum also put in the blaster shock. You can read about it on this cached thread.



...

I like the height I got from the blaster shock, but the ride isn't too soft. I'm 170 pounds and I like to ride next to the tank so I don't put much weight over the rear on onto the spring. The bike does bounce a little when hitting bumps, but not scarily. I've just stuck with it because I like the height I got out of it.



The kickstand I have is off a TTR125. The TTR's is 1.5 inches longer than the stock TW's. But it still could be another couple inches longer. When I have it sitting in my garage I rest it on a 4x4 piece of wood and it sits about perfect. I kept my stock kickstand so I plan to extend that out, or I'd like to switch it to aluminum just to save weight.



Not sure on chain length, but I am currently running a 14/47 with a 120 link + master o-ring. I forget what snail setting I'm on, so I'll have to double check that and get back to you.



I don't have the passenger pegs on mine so it's not an issue for me.



Installing the shock can be strenuous. If you have a spring compressor it'd be a piece of cake. I didn't so it was lots of prying until I got it. I bolted the top and compressed it until I could line up the bottom. I got it to work but you have to compress the shock 1/2" or so. So lots of preload even at full droop.



I did nothing with the forks. I would like to get the front raised to match the rear though because all my gas stays to the front of the tank and at 60mpg I need to switch to reserve after 60 miles.



Any other questions about it, let me know!



Pat

 

[catamount]

Thanks for all of that feedback Pat. Just one last question, was your Blaster shock a direct fit onto the TW?



On mine, the upper shock mount hole was a much larger diameter than the bolt that goes through the upper mount. In other words, there was a lot of play in the upper mount when bolted in.



I had a bushing made to take up the difference, but am wondering if you ran into the same thing.

 

[pgilles]

Thanks for all of that feedback Pat. Just one last question, was your Blaster shock a direct fit onto the TW?



On mine, the upper shock mount hole was a much larger diameter than the bolt that goes through the upper mount. In other words, there was a lot of play in the upper mount when bolted in.



I had a bushing made to take up the difference, but am wondering if you ran into the same thing.

I stole the bushing out of the stock shock and it worked. I remember reading how someone else had done that so that's where I got the idea.

 

[Gerry]

I certainly do not want to "rain" on anyones parade, BUT, when you install a shock, feel complelled to get a kick-stand that is an inch and a half longer, then are left feeling you could use an additional two inches or so to get the bike to 'sit well' suggests that this mod needs a cautious approach. We see a few pictures of Jonny Blaze's bike, but no-one mentions that Jonny Blaze stopped posting 'shortly' after his suspension mods. And in his words, his ridding was very limited cause his bike was a bit short of being street legal (?). I for one would like to hear from Jonny to make sure all is well with the other mod that he got involved in.



As a veteran of this forum, I will take the risk in being called an "Ass-hole" in an effort to make sure everyone realizes, when you mod your suspension to this degree you really need to be very carefull.



Catamount, I'm truly sorry for it is not my intention to "Pick on You" but your bike is still on blocks and in "my opinion" you are lauding a mod that you have not even tested.



I know you are all adults and as such, we know 'everything'. That is kind of what I thought when I made my "tow rack" that failed miserably and was posted as a failure on the forum. Please use care, and realize I am not trying to disparage anyone. Gerry

 

[jvt]

I agree with Jerry on the lift. As most of you know some of the mods are not legal for street use. Running in traffic with a non street tire is one you wouldn't fine me doing. Cutting the bead to make it fit just doesn't sound safe .

I also must note that for handeling and safety you need to adjust the front up or down to even the bike out after you change the shock.

jim

 

[catamount]

Catamount, I'm truly sorry for it is not my intention to "Pick on You" but your bike is still on blocks and in "my opinion" you are lauding a mod that you have not even tested.

Oh jeez, here we go again.



mrgizmow, would you mind pointing me to the 'lauding' that you're accusing me of doing? I've mentioned time and time again in this thread and others that I have not yet ridden the bike and people should proceed cautiously with their own builds.



That said, would you rather we not post about our mods until after they've had XXX number of road miles? Perhaps I should go and delete my build thread because none of it is proven out. My bike is "on blocks" as you say, and your logic implies that my non-tested bike negates any potential value that my experience to date could provide.



I noticed that you installed a V-star spring on your TW. How did you ever 'test' it without riding it first?



Please allow us the same creative freedom and responsibility that you enjoyed when you played around with different springs.



People in this thread have been freely discussing using the R6 or Banshee shock, each clearly presenting handling differences of their own, but you seem to only take issue with the Blaster shock for reasons unknown to me.



If anyone would like more information on my Blaster shock, please feel free to PM me... I'm checking out of this thread for good.

 

[Gerry]

"Oh jeez, here we go again". Yes. I gain nothing and have wished you the best. I have not suggested that my mod was/is better than 'yours'. My concern, semantics aside, is that those not as mechanically inclined as you or I not miss the fine points of this mod. From my reading it seems a couple of modders that had proceeded you moved towards or are moving towards balancing the raised rear by going forward with a fork mod as well. This I suppose, to keep the bike 'flat' and still benefit from extra ground clearance. I find it hard enough keeping my posterior planted in the center of the seat and minimizing excessive pressure on my wrists when ridding a level bike down hill. I do trust since you seem to have little interest, at least presently of doing anything with your forks, that folks fellowing your mod will be reminded that a previous modder mentioned buying a kickstand that was an inch and a half longer and still he thinks another two inches might be needed. Again, with forks, that can make for one nice, balanced off-road machine.



Catamount, please let go of this you and I issue. You can do what ever you want and I wish you the best. I would personally feel remiss should I not make my concern clear to at least the novice modder. Should your mod become the 'sliced bread' of suspension upgrades, I will have no problem with being called a "worry wart" or jerk for that matter. I think I understand your position. Perhaps you recall, when I did my mod with the V-Star spring some highly respected members of this forum brought to my attention the possibility of a catastrophic shock failure due to coil binding. If it were not for that 'criticism' I would not have been aware of that danger and likely not have installed additional urethane spacers on the shock rod. As well, during my suspension mods I believe I made it clear that these kinds of changes to a well engineered system can cost you dearly should one's guess be a bad one... Gerry

 

[Mr. BigWheel]

[I don't mean to resurrect a pissing match but I felt this thread was going somewhere before it lost it's focus.



My experience is with BW350s instead of TWs but many of the components, issues and complaints are the same between the bikes.



My substitution for the rear shock has been a YZF600 unit. Some of the earlier years do not have a resevoir and will bolt right into the BigWheel.



The advantages are as follows:



1) An appreciably better ride off road (although it will bottom out soundly when pressed hard)



2) The stock sidestand is still useable



3) It has some minor adjustability



Disadvantages?



1) It was designed to be used with a linkage so the rates are never going to be correct



2) It has to be mounted in the inverted position for frame clearance on the upper attach point



The TW shock is nearly identical to the BW shock, so dimensionsally, if it works on one bike, it should work on the other.



I'd like to see if anybody here has tried this or anything like it. I've tried the Banshee shock on the BW350 and while it rode well, it was just too long.



The V-Star shock requires to much modification for my lack of machining skills.



Regards,



Mr. BigWheel