Apollo 250rx/agb36 How to soften rear suspension?

Kaifune · 03-12-2017, 11:35 PM

2016 Apollo 250 trail bike. I've put enough time on it to receive three strongly worded letters from my backside.

So, softening the rear suspension? Ideas? Is there something I can adjust? Air pressure in the shock, or changing springs? Spinning a dial or whirling a gig? Also, I'd like to take about an inch out of the height, but I'm afraid it'll make the stiffness worse. Confirm?

Thanks for the time.

Slayder · 03-13-2017, 02:57 PM

Page 3 - http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=17384

This way it adds to the overall height though...

Kaifune · 03-14-2017, 02:58 PM

Thanks Slayder. I saw your post on that, hell of a job. I was hoping there were some adjustments to be made to the stock suspension, but I may have to go in for the full swap. How much time did you throw at that project?

Slayder · 03-14-2017, 04:13 PM

Hard to put a number to it, probably totaling 2-3 days.

There may be other shocks that are more compact and will work for you, I choose this route and it improved the bike ride quality alot. Next in line are KX85 front forks, would like to see some close up pictures of the forks mounting points.

Kaifune · 03-14-2017, 06:31 PM

I think I'm going to ride it this summer with the lower psi and looser spring. Thanks for the info. I may bounce some questions off of you if I go full swap.

starsire79 · 03-14-2017, 07:23 PM

I did the same shock upgrade as Slayder... I used an older model shock and drilled a new lower end bolt hole in mine. Kept the rise from going up much at all. So much softer and nicer than the stock one. honestly other than the carb best upgrade you can do. I am 5'9 and I can almost flat foot it with the new shock.

Kaifune · 03-14-2017, 08:00 PM

Thanks Starsire. It's on my "probably this summer" list. The stock height might actually be fine after I soften it up. I'm 6'2" but my father putters around with it (stored at his place) and he's about 5'10" with short legs and fake knee. So, an inch or so off would help him a lot.

pete · 03-15-2017, 03:20 AM

So being Chinese i'm guessing it's a non linkage system..?

..

Kaifune · 03-15-2017, 12:39 PM

Pretty sure there are links, I'll have to go look underneath to be sure. I wanted to look anyway. I'm thinking about fabbing some for a bit of lowering.

Edit: yes on the linkage

Its_not_a_honda · 03-13-2018, 05:08 AM

Im going to try this shock.

http://www.powersportamerica.com/ful...0009-pbc1312gp

It is for an apollo 250. It is not the stock shock for the DB-36 that every site has. It is for the water cooled version they sell (or used to sell). It may also be for a DB-38 but I have not researched that one. I am going to order it and see what happens. I believe it will bolt on with no modifications. I hope it does and I hope it will soften up the rear a bit. I will post pictures of the whole procedure.

Slayder · 03-19-2018, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Its_not_a_honda

Im going to try this shock.

http://www.powersportamerica.com/ful...0009-pbc1312gp

It is for an apollo 250. It is not the stock shock for the DB-36 that every site has. It is for the water cooled version they sell (or used to sell). It may also be for a DB-38 but I have not researched that one. I am going to order it and see what happens. I believe it will bolt on with no modifications. I hope it does and I hope it will soften up the rear a bit. I will post pictures of the whole procedure.

Great find, would love to know how it rides. Keep us updated!!!

Douglass · 03-31-2018, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Its_not_a_honda

Im going to try this shock.

http://www.powersportamerica.com/ful...0009-pbc1312gp

It is for an apollo 250. It is not the stock shock for the DB-36 that every site has. It is for the water cooled version they sell (or used to sell). It may also be for a DB-38 but I have not researched that one. I am going to order it and see what happens. I believe it will bolt on with no modifications. I hope it does and I hope it will soften up the rear a bit. I will post pictures of the whole procedure.

Did you order the shock? If so, any details you could provide?

Its_not_a_honda · 04-01-2018, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglass

Did you order the shock? If so, any details you could provide?

Not yet. I found a site that has ALL kind of parts for the orion/apollo 250. I found the link on here somewhere but here it is again: http://store.orionmotors.nl//index.php . I spent my budget on a 12 tooth sprocket, passenger pegs, and a plastic gas tank. This place has almost everything (except the shock I want). They have all the stuff to add OEM headlight, turn signals, controls, etc. I just picked the RX250 in the parts section. Most of the stuff except water cooling will work on the plain old AGB-36. They speak Dutch but the translation works pretty good on the site. Very fast shipping! Had to send extra shipping $$ after order tho. Something does not calculate just right. Not a problem tho. I thought shipping was a little cheap at check out anyway. Lol.

The shock will be next month for sure. I promise to post pictures and commentary.

Its_not_a_honda · 06-28-2018, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglass

Did you order the shock? If so, any details you could provide?

Ordered the shock. It was way too long. I could have squeezed it in but I just didn't like the way it was going to turn out. The shock has all kinds of adjustments. Hate it didn't work.

Rider dad · 07-04-2018, 07:13 PM

Do any of you have the center to center, from the mounting holes, overall length of the stock shock for the AGB-36?
I found a couple of options that i am considering trying but am out of town and wont be able to measure my own till this weekend.

03-12-2017, 11:35 PM	#1
Kaifune Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 19	Apollo 250rx/agb36 How to soften rear suspension? 2016 Apollo 250 trail bike. I've put enough time on it to receive three strongly worded letters from my backside. So, softening the rear suspension? Ideas? Is there something I can adjust? Air pressure in the shock, or changing springs? Spinning a dial or whirling a gig? Also, I'd like to take about an inch out of the height, but I'm afraid it'll make the stiffness worse. Confirm? Thanks for the time.
	0

03-15-2017, 03:20 AM	#8
pete Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: ChCh , NZ Posts: 2,261	So being Chinese i'm guessing it's a non linkage system..? .. __________________ 09 XT660R ... 06 TTR250 ... 80 Montesa H6 125 Enduro... 77 Montesa Cota 348 MRR "Malcom Rathnell Replica"... Current resto projects.. 81 Honda CT110... 80 Kawasaki KL250A1... 11 Husaburg TE125 enduro... "sold" along with another 31... Lifan 125 Pitbike.. "stolen" ... KIWI BIKER FORUM...... http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/content.php All the best offroad rides in NZ... http://www.remotemoto.com/ E-mail... xtpete1@gmail.com
	0

03-15-2017, 12:39 PM	#9
Kaifune Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 19	Pretty sure there are links, I'll have to go look underneath to be sure. I wanted to look anyway. I'm thinking about fabbing some for a bit of lowering. Edit: yes on the linkage Last edited by Kaifune; 03-26-2017 at 11:20 PM.
	0

03-13-2017, 02:57 PM	#2
Slayder Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 33	Page 3 - http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=17384 This way it adds to the overall height though...
	1

03-14-2017, 02:58 PM	#3
Kaifune Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 19	Thanks Slayder. I saw your post on that, hell of a job. I was hoping there were some adjustments to be made to the stock suspension, but I may have to go in for the full swap. How much time did you throw at that project?
	0

03-14-2017, 04:13 PM	#4
Slayder Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 33	Hard to put a number to it, probably totaling 2-3 days. There may be other shocks that are more compact and will work for you, I choose this route and it improved the bike ride quality alot. Next in line are KX85 front forks, would like to see some close up pictures of the forks mounting points.
	0

03-14-2017, 06:31 PM	#5
Kaifune Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 19	I think I'm going to ride it this summer with the lower psi and looser spring. Thanks for the info. I may bounce some questions off of you if I go full swap.
	0

03-14-2017, 07:23 PM	#6
starsire79 Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 54	I did the same shock upgrade as Slayder... I used an older model shock and drilled a new lower end bolt hole in mine. Kept the rise from going up much at all. So much softer and nicer than the stock one. honestly other than the carb best upgrade you can do. I am 5'9 and I can almost flat foot it with the new shock.
	1

03-14-2017, 08:00 PM	#7
Kaifune Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 19	Thanks Starsire. It's on my "probably this summer" list. The stock height might actually be fine after I soften it up. I'm 6'2" but my father putters around with it (stored at his place) and he's about 5'10" with short legs and fake knee. So, an inch or so off would help him a lot.
	0

03-13-2018, 05:08 AM	#10
Its_not_a_honda Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 410	Im going to try this shock. http://www.powersportamerica.com/ful...0009-pbc1312gp It is for an apollo 250. It is not the stock shock for the DB-36 that every site has. It is for the water cooled version they sell (or used to sell). It may also be for a DB-38 but I have not researched that one. I am going to order it and see what happens. I believe it will bolt on with no modifications. I hope it does and I hope it will soften up the rear a bit. I will post pictures of the whole procedure.
	1

07-04-2018, 07:13 PM	#15
Rider dad Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Missouri USA Posts: 15	Do any of you have the center to center, from the mounting holes, overall length of the stock shock for the AGB-36? I found a couple of options that i am considering trying but am out of town and wont be able to measure my own till this weekend.
	0