EASY! Adjust SHOCK ABSORBER PRELOAD on TRANSALP 650 / 700

[@martintern]

Great tutorial! No chitchat but perfect shots and texts. I couldn't turn the spring manually but needed the hammer to turn it clockwise, setting higher preload for my 40kg of luggage😛

[@coastrider8881]

I'm glad it was useful for you. 40kg of luggage! And I thought my 10/15kg were already too much!

[@vinyllova9879]

Is it the same precidure on a XL600V?

[@coastrider8881]

Hi, the shock absorber is very similar, but I don't know which is the easiest way to access the spring lock nuts.

[@nikosf3n]

I just grab the spring with my arms and twist it as i like to add or remove preload. The rings follow the spring turn. I have a question though. I have the xl700 for 7 years and i have a huge problem with the comfort when riding over potholes. I mean it hits the pillion back and neck so bad she needs painkillers to end a trip. I' ve done a service to the rear shock and installed a new rod 10mm longer for more travel and more ground clearance. I used to run the compression fully out to the softest setting but didn't help much. Now i test it to one turn out from full hard and i have the feeling it's a bit better riding over potholes but in theory is should be stiffer and worse! Any suggestion on compression settings? My father has the 650 transalp, it has the same shock, and the ride is smooth and comfortable.

[@coastrider8881]

The shock may seem the same as the 650, but it have different reference number and probably different inner settings. The 700 have definitely stiffer suspension than the 650, and is worst on potholes. I've improved slightly the front with a 7,5W oil, and loosened the rear shock preload, but still more uncomfortable on bad roads than the 650. Maybe progressive springs would be a solution, but haven't tried yet.

[@nikosf3n]

@@coastrider8881Oh i forgot to mention. I've tried the hyperpro progressive spring. The Bike is much more stable and sporty but it gets even more uncomfortable so i went back to stock spring. Next thing i will try the YSS shock with rebound adjustment or a more expensive one if i can afford it.

[@coastrider8881]

@@nikosf3n Have you considered trying the 650 shock? As I said, it have a different reference number than the one in the 700.

[@coastrider8881]

Maybe you are able to try the rear shock from your father's bike on your 700. That would be extremely interesting to feel the difference.

[@KirsteinCombrink83]

​@nikosf3n, that's interesting, I was about to buy hyperpros for front and rear. In what way did it make it more uncomfortable? I'm hoping to go off-road a bit more and thought the progressive springs would improve that...

[@franzcaglioni]

I'm trying to unlock the upper ring on my transalp 600 1989 but it seems impossible

[@coastrider8881]

Soak it with wd40 for a whole night, and try again. Don't force it too much, as it's easy to damage the lock or the shock body.

[@franzcaglioni]

I managed to do it I made my suspension a little softer as it was rock hard (still did not change much). But now I'm noticing that the spring on the rear shock is loose whenever I put the bike on the center stand, is it normal? It's like the spring is not long enough for where I locked the 2 rings

[@coastrider8881]

Whithout seeing the bike it's hard to say. Maybe you moved the rings too far up, or maybe the spring has been replaced at some point and comes from a different model, which could explain the stiffness. The rear suspension could also be too stiff if the swingarm/links bearings are seized. They require maintenance and sometimes replacement. Try first to compare your shock / spring with one from similar model bike. I don't have a 600, so not very helpful there. Cheers!