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Message started by thillythavage on 04/03/06 at 08:03:02

Title: Moving Rear Shocks
Post by thillythavage on 04/03/06 at 08:03:02

I'm a novice at suspension, so I need to ask if this is possible and/or feasible.

I'm working on my wife's Savage and want to permanently attach some hard saddlebags. The problem is that the shock is in the way at the angle it is at now.

I'm removing the back seat and making hers a one-seater, so I won't have any need for the rear foot pegs.

Here's the question...

Is it possible to relocate the bottom end of the shock to the rear footpeg location? If so, how will that effect the ride/handling? It would essentially put the shock at a 90-degree angle to the ground.

My wife is 5' 4" and about 125lbs.

Am I just wishful thinking, or can I do this without any problem?

Title: Re: Moving Rear Shocks
Post by vroom1776 on 04/03/06 at 09:05:06

Well, just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD. :) If you were to do that, you would decrease the trail dimension by at least an inch. Anything less than 4" is dangerous, most people will tell you. Soem regular ole' saddle bag brackets should go out past the shocks, though.

Title: Re: Moving Rear Shocks
Post by Max_Morley on 04/03/06 at 10:29:09

Here is what I have done to mount hard bags. I used the front fender rail bolt hole enlarged to mount the front bracket, I had a machinist make a press inplug where the turn lights went as they were in the bags now. The bags I got also had a brace that ran between the 2 bags across the back down low uder the license plate. I too removed the rear pillion and used the siisy bar shortened (to just the uprights) to weld the rear rack support too and then used the rubber pads off the pillion on bar stock to cantilever mount the front support. They rest on the fender where the pillion pads did. My bags were a display set at a place called bent bike and they had no idea what they were supposed to fit.

On the second one we did for my B-i-L, we did the same at the back then I had some extra peices from the original hard bag mounts that just fit the 2 fender rail holes and went to the front arms on the rack. His rack area is smaller than mine but will work great. We then used the rest of my old bar to make a backrest out of the old sissy bar as the rack was made to clamp on the original sissy bar and go back to some bolts. Have no idea what it was supposed to fit, the guy who sold the savage threw it in when we asked for it.

I can send pics if you want, PM me a address. Max

Title: Re: Moving Rear Shocks
Post by WD on 04/03/06 at 23:19:30

You built that touring Savage with parts from BB? Wow... FWIW, odds are you have an old set of Bates bags with the universal mounting brackets. Need more? We got a few at my location... I think I was still in Mississippi when I said you should check them out, maybe it was Tennessee. I guess the rails and bar off mine worked okay then.
-WD

Title: Re: Moving Rear Shocks
Post by Max_Morley on 04/04/06 at 12:32:18

Hi WD, Yes we have been working on using parts of the side rails/sissy bar I bought from you back then. Think the rails, some rear lights from mine is all that is left. The bags were on the display at the back of the Kent/Auburn store. They cut the tie wraps off that held it to the end of the display row to take them down and sell them to me. Still have a couple brackets left. Interesting you might still have a set or two there. It was nice as they were new and came with lights, keys for the locks and good gaskets for the covers. One or all of those were missing from the other sets I had acquired. Take care and I'll try to stop by next trip over that way. Hauled a 99 Savage home that came down from Juneau AK for a neighbor last trip so didn't stop on the way home. Take care, How is WDO doing since grad school? Max

Title: Re: Moving Rear Shocks
Post by WD on 04/05/06 at 00:08:23

Max, have brand new 1970s Bates with lights and brand new Road King Police bags. Several sets of usd bags. And a couple sets of brackets. I'm off Sundays and Tuesdays. For now anyway.

Lisa is doing fine. Has an online art gallery, is selling fancy mice to local pet shops (don't ask, it's an English thing), and driving me buggy to fit her saddlebags and my windshield to her high bar Intruder. Seeing as how I hate windshields, no great loss if I can adapt my wide-glide brackets to her mid-glide forks.

Now then, easiest way to move the rear shock angle for hard bags? Buy some PVC pipe. Notch the bags at the shock angle. Replace the cut-out with the pipe section. You lose some storage capacity (okay, a lot of storage capacity) but keep your semi-functional stock suspension. The fot peg mounts aren't welded very well, so if you run a vertical shock, they may tear out. A shorter, softer set MIGHT work set up that way, but, don't bet her life on it.
-WD

Title: Re: Moving Rear Shocks
Post by Max_Morley on 04/05/06 at 09:07:18

WD I should have mentioned the bags say AMCO on the side. I mounted them outside the shocks and moved them forward too keep the weight forward. One learns to move the feet quickly to keep from have their heels caught under them when walking the bike while on board. They worked great on the one trip I took and will fit a loaded plastic grocery bag or old style 12 can beverage box and the lid will close and lock. Top trunk will hold 2 of the new shelf style pop boxes or even more above them. Glad to hear that Lisa is doing well, Max

Title: Re: Moving Rear Shocks
Post by thillythavage on 04/09/06 at 00:33:31

WD wrote:

The fot peg mounts aren't welded very well, so if you run a vertical shock, they may tear out. A shorter, softer set MIGHT work set up that way, but, don't bet her life on it.
-WD

When I removed the rear footpegs, I found that the mount is entirely through the frame, not simply welded on. Slightly smaller set of bolts and they fit perfectly. I'm gonna run 'em like that for awhile before my wife takes over the bike and see how it goes.

I was also reading tonight that older motorcycles didn't even include rear shocks, depending on the front end and seat to cushion the ride.

We'll see what happens, but I don't think it's a life or death situation. She'll always ride one-up since I've removed the rear seat, but I'll have to monitor closely for wear.