feels like the rear is bottoming out

3393 Views 25 Replies 13 Participants Last post by pidjones, Feb 11, 2006

SoulvilleUSA

Discussion Starter · Sep 27, 2005

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Just to get the jokey stuff out of the way first. Yes, at 6'6" 300+ lbs, I am just a couple pounds heavier than the normal rider.... and passenger in some cases. Putting me in most cars today is like putting a 10lb fish in a 5lb can.:grinner:

The problem I am having is with the bike "bottoming out" in the rear (insert joke here) when I hit things like speed bumps or V-shaped gutters like you would find entering a parking lot.

It makes an awful metalic thump of a sound. I first thought the rear tire was flat and I was in danger of denting my rim, but the air pressure on the new Elite IIIs was just fine. (not a word, Redwing:waving

I then looked towards the Progressive air shocks. 50lbs of pressure, released the pressure and the bike sat down on the frame, put the pressure back in and the bike came right back up and has good travel with little or no bounce. I removed the rear tire and looked around for cracks or breaks in the frame, but didn't see any.

I am officially stumped. (or should I say "thumped") I know that I am heavy, but I would think I would equal out to a fairly average 2-up with bags packed load when I am riding with the bags empty.

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GLester

· #2 · Sep 27, 2005

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Mine does the same and I only weigh about 245. I've done the same as you, checked air pressure in tires and shocks and I have come to the concusion that the suspension on the GL1100s is weak in the rear. If it bottoms this easly with just me, it would be worse with a passenger. I think that when they designed it, that it was designed for a 150lb driver and maybe a 100lb passenger at the most. Mine isn't real bad, and I'm running 49lbs in the rear shocks, I might take them all the way to 57lbs which is max and try it.

Gene:waving::11red::11red::11red::cooler:

Patch

· #3 · Sep 27, 2005

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Maybe, you have too much air. I know that when I have my front end aired up a little tight and hit a bump, it sounds like the whole front end is breaking. I let some of the air out and it clears right up. Perhapse this is whatis happening to you. You may have too much air in the shocks.

Hawker22

· #4 · Sep 27, 2005

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Are all elite III's radial ply, and if so, are they suitable for a GL 1100???

GLester

· #5 · Sep 27, 2005

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1984GL1200A wrote:

Maybe, you have too much air. I know that when I have my front end aired up a little tight and hit a bump, it sounds like the whole front end is breaking. I let some of the air out and it clears right up. Perhapse this is whatis happening to you. You may have too much air in the shocks.

No, it is definately bottoming out, it was a lot worse when it had 19lbs in the rear when I bought it, changed to 35 and got a little better and now at 49 much better but still bottoms out sometimes if I hit a dip too fast.

Gene:waving::11red::11red::11red::cooler:

cardkev

· #6 · Sep 27, 2005

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SoulvilleUSA wrote:

Just to get the jokey stuff out of the way first. Yes, at 6'6" 300+ lbs, I am just a couple pounds heavier than the normal rider.... and passenger in some cases. Putting me in most cars today is like putting a 10lb fish in a 5lb can.:grinner:

The problem I am having is with the bike "bottoming out" in the rear (insert joke here) when I hit things like speed bumps or V-shaped gutters like you would find entering a parking lot.

It makes an awful metalic thump of a sound. I first thought the rear tire was flat and I was in danger of denting my rim, but the air pressure on the new Elite IIIs was just fine. (not a word, Redwing:waving I then looked towards the Progressive air shocks. 50lbs of pressure, released the pressure and the bike sat down on the frame, put the pressure back in and the bike came right back up and has good travel with little or no bounce. I removed the rear tire and looked around for cracks or breaks in the frame, but didn't see any.

I am officially stumped. (or should I say "thumped") I know that I am heavy, but I would think I would equal out to a fairly average 2-up with bags packed load when I am riding with the bags empty.

With Me and the wife (300LBS.), my 82 1100A bottomed out all the time until I rebuilt the rear shocks. The 23 year old oil in there had been pulverized to black goo. The air alone will not provide enough dampening. Refilling with fresh oilalone will improve your ride. Check out this thread. http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/forum1/3938.html

GLester

· #7 · Sep 27, 2005

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cardkev wrote:

With Me and the wife (300LBS.), my 82 1100A bottomed out all the time until I rebuilt the rear shocks. The 23 year old oil in there had been pulverized to black goo. The air alone will not provide enough dampening. Refilling with fresh oilalone will improve your ride. Check out this thread. http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/forum1/3938.html

I have planned on doing that this winter when I do several other things to the wing. But your right, if the oil is bad, the ride will be also.

Gene:waving::11red::11red::11red::cooler:

wingdawg101

· #8 · Sep 27, 2005

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Hawker22 wrote:

Are all elite III's radial ply, and if so, are they suitable for a GL 1100???

I don't think they have the "III's" to fit an 1100?!

Not last I checked?!:baffled:

exavid

· #9 · Sep 27, 2005

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Elite IIIs come in bias and radial. The radials are for the 1800s. Yep they do have Elite IIIs for the GL1100A.

http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/fitmentguide.asp

As for the shock problem if you have the original shocks, they are air only no springs. If you fitted Progressive 416s (416-1622A is listed for the GL1100) they have a combination of air and springs. I've never used more than 10psi riding solo with them and usually about 55psi when two up, we aren't small folks either. They aren't cheap but I think they'd solve the suspension problem. It would be worth trying to rebuild your existing shocks, seal kits don't cost much so you'd not be out a lot if it didn't do the job. As others have mentioned the oil might begummyor non-existent by now.

jackjohn

· #10 · Sep 27, 2005

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Hi Soulville, when I had the OEM shocks on my Interstate, I kept 50 lbs in them at all times just to hold it up riding solo. I changed to the Progressive 416's about six months ago and there is a world of difference. I can now ride solo with little or no air in them. When we loaded my wife and the kitchen sink to go to Ruidoso two weeks ago, I put 50 lbs in them and it rode perfectly even in the twistys. Also, just before we left, I installed a (bias belted) Dunlop Elite III to the rear. We rode in pouring rain and 100 degree heat on blacktop, the tire tracked straight an true.

wingdawg101

· #11 · Sep 27, 2005

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What did you pay for the 416's ?

jackjohn

· #12 · Sep 28, 2005

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Bought them off ebay for $50.00 plus $12.00 from Progressive for the rebuild kits.

wingdawg101

· #13 · Sep 28, 2005

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Thanks, did they hook up to your onboard compressor or did you need an external one?

exavid

· #14 · Sep 28, 2005

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There is a connection kit to connect the 416s to the bike's air system. It's a couple of short pieces of airline, and an adapter to connect to the bike's banjo bolt. It's pretty inexpensive from Progressive if I remember right.

Hell of a deal Jackjohn, the lowest price I've seen for them is $349!

jackjohn

· #15 · Sep 28, 2005

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Thanks Exavid. The Interstate doesn't have an on board compressor WingDawg, just an inflation nipple.

exavid

· #16 · Sep 28, 2005

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jackjohn wrote:

Thanks Exavid. The Interstate doesn't have an on board compressor WingDawg, just an inflation nipple.

Sorry it slipped what a laughingly call my mind that you have an Interstate. So you need an adapter set up with a tee to the shocks and a Schrader valve on the center leg?

Kyle

· #17 · Sep 28, 2005

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Soulville,

That is the nature of the beast. Abrupt bumps or potholes really rack the back end of these things. I'm at 225lbs and I can hit a smooth bump or dip and it is fine. If there is an abrupt surface break it does hit hard and it doesn't have to be all that big. You probably find if you ride a roller coaster type of road with lots of dips you are fine. Hit a 3 inch surface break and it hits HARD. Now I'm referring to an 1100. The 1500 is much more forgiving.

Kyle

wingdawg101

· #18 · Sep 28, 2005

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jackjohn wrote:

Thanks Exavid. The Interstate doesn't have an on board compressor WingDawg, just an inflation nipple.

I thought they put one on the 82's on up, thanks!

johnmac

· #19 · Sep 28, 2005

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My '85A has a rear mud flap that scrapes the ground on dips when riding 2 up. Took me a while to figure out the sound I was hearing.

exavid

· #20 · Sep 28, 2005

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wingdawg101 wrote:

jackjohn wrote:

Thanks Exavid. The Interstate doesn't have an on board compressor WingDawg, just an inflation nipple.

Click to expand...

I thought they put one on the 82's on up, thanks!

The 1982 Aspencade I just picked up has a pump, I know for sure, it's in a box with a lot of other parts. The carbs are in two boxes. Reminds me of my first bike, a 650 Triumph thatI boughtin boxes. My first motorcycle repair course.

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