[BackOnABikeAfter40years!]

Hello,

First question for you Burgman pros, any idea why I don't see a spring pre-load adjustment ring on my rear Mono-Shock ?

I did print out the Service Manual and was expecting to drop that little 'Shock Access Door' and use the tool to adjust the shock preload ring as shown in the AN400 service manual.

Mine has none, all I see is a round aluminum shock head with a rubber insulating sleeve.
I pulled that back, and nothing underneath.

I thought 'maybe the prior owner replaced the shock' ?

But with such low miles - 8500 - it's hard to imagine that senario.

I'll try to attach a picture so y'all can see what I see.

Thanks in advance,

David in East Texas

 

[BackOnABikeAfter40years!]

That is the forward end of shock about in the middle of the scooter.

I also looked thru the bottom cover and that peep hole on the side, just below cylinder head.

Maybe the adjustment ring was there.....

No adjustment there either.

 

[JRoss]

edit: added post quote

First question for you Burgman pros, any idea why I don't see a spring pre-load adjustment ring on my rear Mono-Shock ?

think you're looking at the 07 and up service manual.

the pre 07 on manualslib [dot] com you want has 384 pages, the 07 and up has 475 pages.

the pre 07 service manual shows a remote pre-load adjuster on the left side

 

[BackOnABikeAfter40years!]

JRoss, this makes you 'the man' - YES I printed out the 'WRONG' manual - LOL !

But, you are kind to show me the adjuster knob that I probably already spotted but didn't know it.

Of course, I'll make a bee-line for the bike to verify, turn it & test drive !

I'm going to have to play with it. That description sounds confusing. Why not say, all the way clockwise is fully preloaded, and CCW is loose & no pre-loaded ?

Q, how substantive are the differences between the 2 manuals ?

For sure, the manualslib site showed both download links, and didn't say (that I recall) which was which.

It was quite a process to print it out but will do the earlier one if you think I'll be handicapped oftimes with the incorrect for my year later series.

Many thanks for your speedy helpful reply....

David

 

[JRoss]

JRoss, this makes you 'the man' - YES I printed out the 'WRONG' manual - LOL !
But, you are kind to show me the adjuster knob that I probably already spotted but didn't know it.

no, not the man, just a goob trying to help....been there done that, have a couple t-shirts

I'm going to have to play with it. That description sounds confusing. Why not say, all the way clockwise is fully preloaded, and CCW is loose & no pre-loaded ?

who knows, prolly written by an enginerd, clueless 'tech writer' or just lost in translation from japanese to 'merican

Q, how substantive are the differences between the 2 manuals ?

a whole lot from 06 to 07. there's a thread around here somewhere with a good list of the differences

 

[BackOnABikeAfter40years!]

JRoss, to report back what I found:

The shock adjust knob was quite intuitively easy to use, labeled just "hard" to the CW direction, and "soft" to the CCW direction

Each full rotation is 2 clicks, so 17 turns or 34 clicks.

Mine had been turned to 30 clicks up from full Soft, so I went ahead and to 'Full Hard' or 4 clicks more.

And it DID makea nice difference - the butt end feels much more planted at speed and upon acceleration.

Also of note, I believe on these models this is NOT a spring pre-load, as are the 07+ models, but a shock valving & rebound control.

Thanks so much, David

 

[Bluestrom13]

Also of note, I believe on these models this is NOT a spring pre-load,

The handbook and maintenance manuals say it is. What makes you believe otherwise? Same system is used on the V-Strom series, and that definitely shortens the spring as the adjuster is turned.
The action pumps oil to jack the spring down. See the bellows in this picture?

 

[BackOnABikeAfter40years!]

Not wanting to argue, but to be accurate on a technical level, it's far more likely to be a remote means of metering the shock fluid by way of a remote adjustable valve.

This would control the shock valving properties and thus control the ride dampening.

For example, Rancho R9000 adjustable shocks on my Dodge Ram have their own knob doing the same function. In their case, said knob is located on the shock base.

Spring Pre-Load adjustability would require a physical mechanical means of moving the spring.

Rotating the knob cannot do that - only a physical, screw based adjuster that actually moved the spring would be capable of such.

Ergo, all spring pre-loads are, by definition, "on the shock" not remotely located.

The bellows on my shock is really a fairly thin rubber boot that serves to insulate the spring from the aluminum head portion.

It's not containing fluid in any sense, I easily pulled it back to examine underneath.
Were it full of fluid it would be also full of pressure and impossible to easily pull back as I did.

I'm an automotive engineer of some years experience, and a DIY Dodge Ram Truck & Mercedes Benz garage tech. (woo-hoo, LOL)

I found another thread on this same BurgmanUSA forum some years back and the same thing was discussed.

The Burgman owners in that thread uncovered the fact that the engineers who design these mechanical marvels we ride or drive, sometimes don't speak the same language as those who write the technical manuals.

I believe they were onto something....and really no biggie I'm glad that the feature is there and frankly it is probably easier to turn that knob than go down & move the Pre-load ring.

Turning the knob did make a big improvement.

Me not being a feather @ 205# means I need all the 'Shock Support' that can be had.....!

Cheers - David

 

[MVteach]

It's remote hydraulic preload, like on an Ohlins. Needed to add a passenger load. Period. A mass produced Gen1 scooter doesn't get a shyte fork and a damping adjustable shock on any day. They ditched it on Gen2 to save money spent elsewhere.

 

[Bluestrom13]

Spring Pre-Load adjustability would require a physical mechanical means of moving the spring.

Rotating the knob cannot do that - only a physical, screw based adjuster that actually moved the spring would be capable of such.

Ergo, all spring pre-loads are, by definition, "on the shock" not remotely located.

Same system is used on the V-Strom series, and that definitely shortens the spring as the adjuster is turned.

 

[Bluebottle]

Ergo, all spring pre-loads are, by definition, "on the shock" not remotely located.

That isn’t accurate.
You can even buy aftermarket remote systems to convert standard shocks from “on the shock” to “remote”.

 

[BackOnABikeAfter40years!]

View attachment 99855

Interesting, good point - I stand corrected.

My motorcycle knowledge is admittedly dated.

I should have said, 'Typically, spring pre-load adjustments are done on the shock, by moving the spring with an position adjustable collar', to tighten or loosen the spring.'

That would have been less exclusive and more accurate, both.

LOL

Cheers - David

 

[Bluestrom13]

Interesting, good point - I stand corrected.
My motorcycle knowledge is admittedly dated.

You're back after 40 years. I haven't been without (at least one) for 56. (And STILL learning).

 

[BackOnABikeAfter40years!]

You're back after 40 years. I haven't been without (at least one) for 56. (And STILL learning).

Ha ha too T R U E.

My last cycle was my 1978 Yamaha XS 750 Triple, Shaft drive. Rode it until late 1981....sold for a Datsun 510 and that was my last street bike riding.

I'm like that scraggly scientist in 'Independence Day' that's been underground for decades.

In terms of the motorcycle world, anyways.

The kids & I have been two wheeled Road cyclists for about 12 years now....all my kids raced & my son went to the US Olympic Trials in 2015 for Velodrome Racing.

Ergo, we've been on 'Cycles' but the kind where YOU are the motor.....

But 'powered' 2 wheel cycles....not so much.

David

 

[Bluebottle]

Kudos points to you for taking it on board.
Too many people can’t seem to say a simple “oops, my bad” and move on.

 

[Sangris]

My pre-load system on my B 400 is not working. Do anyone know if I can repair it?

 

[BackOnABikeAfter40years!]

My pre-load system on my B 400 is not working. Do anyone know if I can repair it?

Remind us what year it is ?

 

[Bluebottle]

They aren’t really intended to be taken apart and I don’t think parts are available.

The adjuster forces fluid against a piston that operates on the spring.
Do you know what is wrong?

 

[Bluebottle]

This is not the Burgman version, it’s the V-Strom version but it might help.

How to disassemble and fill up your rear preload...

 

[Sangris]

This is not the Burgman version, it’s the V-Strom version but it might help.

How to disassemble and fill up your rear preload...

Thank you. It will be a good winter-work.