Harder, or softer rear suspension for washboard hills?

Bill Hilly · 08-09-2023, 10:26 AM

I like running the back roads, but I hate them long winding severely wash boarded hills. With a full face helmet, my head gets shook around so bad that it's hard to even see. I have even felt like it could be harmful to a person, kind like what they call "shaken baby" syndrome. I have the stock adjustable shock on my TBR7, and a similar one now on my Hawk that I bought online. I think it's probably what comes stock on the DLX. I have my Hawk set harder than the TBR7, but both bikes shake me to the core on the washboard hills. I don't mess with lowering tire pressure on my rides , because I want to minimize risk of tube issues, but I would like to at least set my shock up right. I weigh around 250 lbs. Should I go with as soft as I can get by with on my rear shock, or as hard as I can stand ?, Or does it even matter, I figure that with my weight, and the fact that more weight is transferred to the rear going uphill that the rear shock is probably compressed pretty good.

Megadan · 08-09-2023, 02:45 PM

Stand up on the pegs.

There is no perfect solution for that scenario. You can try to find a good spring rate that allows travel without bottoming out, and then getting a shock that dampens just enough not to pogo stick the back end, but there is a lot of math and some experience required to really get it dialed in.

I am close to your weight and a 1000lb/in linear spring rate is the best I have found. The rear setup I use is a Fastace, but it would be way too short for a stock tbr7 swing arm. Even on a Brozz swing arm it lowers the bike a couple inches out back, which is what I wanted.

Edit: I should also add that lower tire pressures can also help a little and take some of the sharpness out of the impacts.

08-09-2023, 10:26 AM	#1
Bill Hilly Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 947	Harder, or softer rear suspension for washboard hills? I like running the back roads, but I hate them long winding severely wash boarded hills. With a full face helmet, my head gets shook around so bad that it's hard to even see. I have even felt like it could be harmful to a person, kind like what they call "shaken baby" syndrome. I have the stock adjustable shock on my TBR7, and a similar one now on my Hawk that I bought online. I think it's probably what comes stock on the DLX. I have my Hawk set harder than the TBR7, but both bikes shake me to the core on the washboard hills. I don't mess with lowering tire pressure on my rides , because I want to minimize risk of tube issues, but I would like to at least set my shock up right. I weigh around 250 lbs. Should I go with as soft as I can get by with on my rear shock, or as hard as I can stand ?, Or does it even matter, I figure that with my weight, and the fact that more weight is transferred to the rear going uphill that the rear shock is probably compressed pretty good.
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08-09-2023, 02:45 PM	#2
Megadan Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 8,029	Stand up on the pegs. There is no perfect solution for that scenario. You can try to find a good spring rate that allows travel without bottoming out, and then getting a shock that dampens just enough not to pogo stick the back end, but there is a lot of math and some experience required to really get it dialed in. I am close to your weight and a 1000lb/in linear spring rate is the best I have found. The rear setup I use is a Fastace, but it would be way too short for a stock tbr7 swing arm. Even on a Brozz swing arm it lowers the bike a couple inches out back, which is what I wanted. Edit: I should also add that lower tire pressures can also help a little and take some of the sharpness out of the impacts. __________________ Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124 Last edited by Megadan; 08-09-2023 at 05:17 PM.
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