2020 Hawk 250

[Maine Trailrider]

I have a new 2020 Hawk 250 enduro. Can I buy a shorter rear shock and where can I buy one? I think the current one is 310mm or 300mm long. Is a 290mm or 280mm available for a 2020 Hawk? I've lowered the rear shock as much as I can and lowered the front shocks 1". The bike still sits too high for me. I'm 73 years old and need the bike lower for stability for trail riding.

[JerseyTBR7]

I have this one on my TBR7 and happy with it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am short, about 5'7" and this is comfortable with a passenger.

The TBR7 has 19" front and 17" rear tires, You have 21" front and 18" rear. I am not sure if that factors at all. Best to check with other hawk owners.

[idle_purr]

My father just lowered his Hawk 250 by 2.5 inches. He switched to a Brozz 250 shock he is 5'9" with a 32" inseam and the bike fits him comfortably. The stock shock is 320mm and the Brozz shock is 295mm.

you can buy the shock here

Part #13

It arrives in a couple of days from Peace Sports, and is packaged extremely well.

[Slofun]

Originally Posted by idle_purr

My father just lowered his Hawk 250 by 2.5 inches. He switched to a Brozz 250 shock he is 5'9" with a 32" inseam and the bike fits him comfortably. The stock shock is 320mm and the Brozz shock is 295mm.

you can buy the shock here

Part #13

It arrives in a couple of days from Peace Sports, and is packaged extremely well.

Wanna thank you for this tip. I'm the same size as your father and the Hawk 250 was just a little too tall for me. I got the Brozz 250 shock and installed it in about 20 min. It was a perfect replacement with no shimming required. It's a really nice quality too. That mod and lowering the front forks 1 inch lowered the bike perfectly for me. I can almost flat foot it now. The spring is more tightly wound at the bottom so it feels progressively firmer as the bumps get bigger. I've tried to bottom it out a couple of times - but so far no luck. OK - so I do ride gently. It feels really firm but with nice compliance.

[Joose44691]

How do I lower the front shocks on my 2020 hawk dlx 250 efi?

[Slofun]

Originally Posted by Joose44691

How do I lower the front shocks on my 2020 hawk dlx 250 efi?

Raise the bike so the front wheel is off the ground. Loosen the 6 bolts that clamp the fork legs. There are 3 per side. Put a lever under the front wheel. Pry up the front wheel. The forks should slide up as you do this. Hold the forks at the height you want. Tighten the 6 bolts to hold the forks in that position.

The pics are not that great but I’m trying to show the bolts to loosen and the forks raised exactly one inch.

Torque top bolt to 22Nm. Bottom bolts to 32Nm.

[idle_purr]

Originally Posted by Slofun

Wanna thank you for this tip. I'm the same size as your father and the Hawk 250 was just a little too tall for me. I got the Brozz 250 shock and installed it in about 20 min. It was a perfect replacement with no shimming required. It's a really nice quality too. That mod and lowering the front forks 1 inch lowered the bike perfectly for me. I can almost flat foot it now. The spring is more tightly wound at the bottom so it feels progressively firmer as the bumps get bigger. I've tried to bottom it out a couple of times - but so far no luck. OK - so I do ride gently. It feels really firm but with nice compliance.

Anytime glad it worked out for you and for Peace Sports!

[Maine Trailrider]

Thank you to all of you about my question about lowering the rear of my new 2020 Hawk 250. After all the suggestions and my research, I ordered a Brozz 250 rear shock today. I'll let you know later how the swap out went and if it corrected my problem. Really like China Forum. Maine Trailrider.

[Baby Huey]

Has anyone else noticed that lowering the front of the Hawk does wonders for it's handling? I just lowered the front of mine just shy of an inch and it went from being super skittish to solid as a rock!

[TxTaoRider]

Originally Posted by Baby Huey

Has anyone else noticed that lowering the front of the Hawk does wonders for it's handling? I just lowered the front of mine just shy of an inch and it went from being super skittish to solid as a rock!

That's the opposite of what usually happens. Usually the feel more stabile and less skittish when you lower the rear. It has to do with increasing the bike's fork "rake" angle.

[Baby Huey]

Originally Posted by TxTaoRider

That's the opposite of what usually happens. Usually the feel more stabile and less skittish when you lower the rear. It has to do with increasing the bike's fork "rake" angle.

Yeah, I had lowered the rear and I think that it was unstable due to not enough weight on the front. That or it made the front stiffer, either way it made a huge difference!

Also, I read that these things are usually sprung too soft and mine is quite the opposite and is so stiff it is uncomfortable to ride even with my 270 lb self on it.

I had both me and my wife on it riding around the yard and with that much weight it finally rode pretty good and you could feel the suspension working.

I must have gotten a freak Hawk or something.

[TxTaoRider]

Originally Posted by Baby Huey

Yeah, I had lowered the rear and I think that it was unstable due to not enough weight on the front. That or it made the front stiffer, either way it made a huge difference!

Also, I read that these things are usually sprung too soft and mine is quite the opposite and is so stiff it is uncomfortable to ride even with my 270 lb self on it.

I had both me and my wife on it riding around the yard and with that much weight it finally rode pretty good and you could feel the suspension working.

I must have gotten a freak Hawk or something.

When you say it's too stiff, is it too stiff at the front or the rear? Or both?

I'll assume it's the rear for now. A few things could be the cause.

Damaged shock, dont laugh, they can be bad brand new and not move freely.

Too much spring preload can cause them too feel too stiff.

Too little spring preload. It's possible the shock is setting too low and when you get on its bottoming out.

Too stiff a spring, unlikely since your at 270lbs, and probably could use the heavy 1200lb ebay springs without issue.

Too soft a spring, when you get on you're using up all or most of the shock travel and basically bottoming out all of the time. This can be helped a little with more preload, but it's not the correct solution which is a heavier (stiffer) spring.

The best way to check the situation is grabbing a tape measure, and an assistant, and find an internet video on setting your sag on a motorcycle.


BTW, most of our big guys here use the ebay/aliexpress shocks with 1200lb spings. You may need some stiffer fork springs or at least some longer preload spacers in the forks.

[Baby Huey]

Thanks for the information. Both the front and rear were too stiff but I adjusted the preload on the rear and it is better now. The front still seems too stiff but I haven't tried changing the fluid or changing the preload there yet, and I may not since I am pretty happy with the way that it rides now.

Anyway, OP sorry for hijacking the thread!

[Baby Huey]

OK, sorry again but I think that this bike would be well served by progressive rate front springs but I don't know if any are available.

Thanks again!

Huey

[TxTaoRider]

Originally Posted by Baby Huey

OK, sorry again but I think that this bike would be well served by progressive rate front springs but I don't know if any are available.

Thanks again!

Huey

I know the most of the hawk style bikes with conventional forks (i don't know about the "upside down" style forks that a few models come with) come with progressive style fork springs from the factory. Most of the bigger guys here just make up some longer spring spacers as the aftermarket spring options are nearly non existent (which is really odd since I'd think with so many of these bikes out there worldwide there would be a good market). BBK lists a spring for a crf125f big wheel that is pretty stiff and fits. It's a straight rate spring which is what most serious off road bikes use.

I hope it helps and keep us posted... maybe start a new thread with your results.