was the fender installed too close to the tire and the bike is at stock ride height? thats what I think you are saying. If thats the case you need to change the fender mounting.

 

No, the fender is right, centered and right height, however the LED uses 1/2" of the available space. So I would like to either stiffen the shock up or raise the bike a little bit.

You can see from the pics that it isn't overly lowered. Sorry the underneath shots are a little blurry, I was taking them in a mirror to be able to get the shot.









I would really like to be able to just stiffen these up or to raise the height just a bit, without having to buy a $500 pair of progressives, but I don't see any adjustment.

 

Tools:
- Shock spanner wrench
- 1 1/16 open end wrench
- White paint pen

Parts:
- Adjustable shock (Stock, Long or with Lowering Kit).

Instructions:
1. Determine whether your suspension is too stiff or too soft for your liking. Take into consideration whether or not you will be riding solo or 2-up most of the time.

2. With a white paint pen, put a mark on the face of your adjuster plate at the 6 o’clock position. This will be your starting position. Do this to both shocks

3. While holding the adjuster plate in place with the spanner wrench, break the adjuster nut free from the adjuster plate by turning the nut counterclockwise

If you are adjusting for a heavier weight (stiffer ride):
A. Continue to turn the adjuster nut counterclockwise (the nut will move towards the front of the bike) until it stops.
B. Now using the spanner wrench, turn the adjuster plate counterclockwise no more than 4 complete turns. Count the number of times the white mark crosses the 6 o’clock position.
C. While holding the adjuster plate in place with the spanner, tighten the adjuster nut up against the adjuster plate by turning the nut clockwise.
D. Now repeat the exact process with the other shock.

If you are adjusting for a lighter weight (softer ride) :
A. Now using the spanner wrench, turn the adjuster plate clockwise no more than 4 complete turns. Count the number of times the white mark crosses the 6 o’clock position.
B. While holding the adjuster plate in place with the spanner, tighten the adjuster nut up against the adjuster plate by turning the nut clockwise.
C. Now repeat the exact process with the other shock.

Note: - When you turn the adjuster nut - only the adjuster nut should turn.
- When you turn the front nut - only the front nut should turn.
- When you turn the adjuster plate - the canister might turn too. Some people find it easier to turn the adjuster plate and the canister at the same time.
- If the canister turns or not - it doesn't matter - the canister does not affect the outcome.

There are a limited number of threads. Count the number of threads visible

Use the "rule of thumb" chart below:

- 4 threads = Preloaded for a softest spring (<180 lbs)
- 3 threads = Preloaded for a softer spring (181-237 lbs)
- 2 threads = Preloaded for a softer spring (238-293 lbs)
- 1 threads = Preloaded for a stiffer spring (294-349 lbs)
- 0 threads = Preloaded for a stiffest spring (>350 lbs)

 

Your pictures show shocks with a lowering kit installed, but it looks like it is not lowered at all. Your fender is mounted too low...it should hit the bump stops BEFORE it hits the fender. To mount the fender correctly, you need to have the bike on a jack...remove the shocks and the fender...use a floor jack to raise the swingarm until it hits the bumpstops. With the swingarm raised to the bumpstops, then you can mount the fender tight on the tire...reinstall the shocks and adjust the lowering kit and preload until you like the height/ride.

 

So can I adjust the shocks I have? I can't adjust the fender without cutting it up.

 

Doesn't look like a lowering kit has been installed. They mounted that fender super low. And yes you can still adjust it stiffer maybe that will help. From your picture it looks like you are all the way soft so follow the instructions above and increase the dampening.

 

Thanks guys! I was hoping it would be simple. Can I adjust them without a jack?

I have read the instructions before on here somewhere when I first started wondering about a solution for this problem. Which brings me back to one of my original questions, I don't see any threads...so wouldn't that be the stiffest setting? Where are the threads I'm supposed to be counting?

 

You need a spanner wrench. Mine looks like this.

 

You would see threads toward the front of the shock and would allow that large nut to be backed out. Can't really see it from your pics but maybe it is all the way stiff it kind of looks like it now that I look harder. Yes you will need a jack and spanner wrench to adjust but if there are no threads showing the only thing you could do is work on that fender.

 

I tried to take some better pics last night and I still don't see any threads. Could it be that these shocks are just worn out and even on their stiffest setting they still aren't strong enough. Both me and her together only weigh 265# so it's hard for me to believe that on the stiffest setting that it's doing it's job properly.